# Phil McKinney > An inventor and former HP CTO providing nearly 1,000 free podcasts and videos, plus essays, a private advisory for senior leaders, and hands-on innovation tools. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Phil McKinney URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/home/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T20:50:29.000Z ![Phil McKinney's projects and teams named 3 times as "Most Innovative" by Fast Company Magazine](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2024/05/Image-Bar---3x-FC-ver-1-1-1-1.png) ### **I build the people and teams who innovate.** I've done it for forty years: co-founding a company and taking it public, serving as HP's CTO, leading CableLabs. Now I'm building the next generation of innovators. [Studio Notes](https://www.philmckinney.com/tag/studio-notes/) is the writing: essays on the decisions behind the innovations. [Studio Sessions](https://www.philmckinney.com/tag/studio-sessions/) is the podcast and YouTube channel, running since 2005: over a thousand episodes teaching the skills of innovation, free. For leaders who want me in the room, [Techtrend](https://www.philmckinney.com/techtrend/) is my advisory practice: advising a small roster of organizations on the hard calls of innovation and technology, since 1996. [Subscribe to the newsletter](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) and every new essay and episode lands in your email. ### The Pay It Forward Project URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/pay-it-forward/ Last updated: 2016-06-08T22:04:12.000Z I began my tech career in a [factory in Evansville, IN](http://anchorinc.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) as the sole “geek” living in a condemned (yes – it actually was condemned) apartment building with my wife who was finishing her nursing degree. How things have changed from that humble beginning. When I look back on my career and where it has brought us, there is no way we can pay back the time and support I received from my mentors. Therefore, my wife and I have committed ourselves to find ways to take what we've been blessed with and to pay it forward. ## Pay It Forward So my wife and I: - Donate 100% of the royalties from my book, [Beyond The Obvious](http://beyondtheobvious.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), to charity. - Any profits from my activities outside my day job such speaking fees, radio show advertising, and innovation coaching, are donated to charity. - Invest in entrepreneurs in Rwanda to support economic development through jobs. Our primary investment to-date is [Lakeside Fish Farm](http://www.lakesidefishfarm.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## How Can You Support Our Project? There are a number of ways you can help me “pay it forward”. These include: - Purchase my book. You can get an autographed copy at [innovation.tools](http://innovation.tools/products/beyond-the-obvious?variant=1066930336&ref=philmckinney.com) and 100% of the proceeds goes to charity. - You can donate directly to one of the two charities we support. - Hacking Autism: Focus is on hacking (radically improving) therepy, technology and career/employment opportunites for those on the autism spectrum. You can donate at [HackingAutism.org](http://hackingautism.org/?ref=philmckinney.com) - Pioneer Education: A prototype school in Rwanda Africa that will teach STEM+Entrepreneurship so that kids will be equipped to launch and tun their own business and thereby create economic opportunity to their community. You can donate at [Pioneer.Education](http://pioneer.education/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### FTC Disclosure URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ftc-disclosure/ Last updated: 2023-05-02T15:31:04.000Z The content on this site is © Phil McKinney & Techtrend Group LLC. All Rights Reserved unless otherwise noted. The content on Techtrend sites is made available as part of Phil’s “pay it forward” effort so it is licensed under [Creative Commons – Non-Commercial with Attribution](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=philmckinney.com). If you wish to use the content for any purposes not covered by the Creative Commons License, please contact us. As of December 1, 2009, the **FTC requires bloggers** to provide an ‘FTC Disclosure' whenever there could be hidden interests or unspoken biases related to recommendations. **First, the obvious:** I am a tech executive and an investor, and we advise other companies. **Second, the less obvious:** If I interview someone and they grab the bill for lunch, I would need to specify this, as I would if I use an Amazon link that gets me 8 cents instead of an Amazon link that gets me 0 cents. If someone gives me something that appears in a photo, I must disclose it. This would be tedious for me and obnoxious to you. But rules are rules. To cover me and preserve your reading experience, please assume that, for every recommendation, link, and product I use, the following all hold true: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/05/ftc-disc-3.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/05/ftc-disc-5.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/05/ftc-disc-4.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/05/ftc-disc-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/05/ftc-disc-1.png) (Illustrations courtesy of [Louis Gray](http://blog.louisgray.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and [Jeannine Schafer](http://jeannineschafer.blogspot.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)) ### Privacy Policy URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/privacy-policy/ Last updated: 2023-05-02T15:15:55.000Z *Your privacy is critically important to us. At [Techtrend Group LLC](https://techtrend.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) (which owns this site) we have a few fundamental principles:* - We don’t ask you for personal information unless we truly need it. (We can’t stand services that ask you for things like your gender or income level for no apparent reason.) - We don’t share your personal information with anyone except to comply with the law, develop our products, deliver products and services you requested or protect our rights. Below is our privacy policy, which incorporates these goals: If you have questions about deleting or correcting your personal data, don't hesitate to contact our [support team](mailto:hello@techtrend.com?subject=Correcting%20Personal%20%Dataa). Techtrend Group LLC (“**[Techtrend](https://techtrend.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)**”) operates several websites, including [philmckinney.com](https://www.philmckinney.com/), [killerinnovations.com](http://www.killerinnovations.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), [techtrend.com](http://www.techtrend.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), [TheInnovators.Network](https://theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com), and others. Techtrend’s policy is to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect while operating our websites. ### **Website Visitors** Like most website operators, Techtrend collects non-personally identifying information of the sort that web browsers and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, language preference, referring site, and the date and time of each visitor request. Techtrend’s purpose in collecting non-personally identifying information is to understand better how Techtrend’s visitors use its website. From time to time, Techtrend may release non-personally identifying information in the aggregate, e.g., by publishing a report on trends in the usage of its website. Techtrend also collects potentially personally-identifying information like Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for logged-in users and users leaving comments on our sites. Techtrend only discloses logged-in user and commenter IP addresses under the same circumstances that it uses and discloses personally-identifying information as described below, except that commenter IP addresses are visible and disclosed to the administrators of the sites where the comment was left. ### **Gathering of Personally-Identifying Information** Certain visitors to Techtrend’s websites choose to interact with Techtrend in ways that require Techtrend to gather personally-identifying information. The amount and type of information that Techtrend gathers depends on the nature of the interaction. For example, we ask visitors who subscribe to [philmckinney.com](https://www.philmckinney.com/) to provide a username and email address. Those who engage in transactions with Techtrend—by purchasing products, services, and workshops – are asked to provide additional information, including, as necessary, the personal and financial information required to process those transactions. In each case, Techtrend collects such information only where necessary or appropriate to fulfill the purpose of the visitor’s interaction with Techtrend. Techtrend does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below. And visitors can always refuse to supply personally-identifying information, with the caveat that it may prevent them from engaging in certain website-related activities. ### **Aggregated Statistics** Techtrend may collect statistics about the behavior of visitors to its websites. For instance, Techtrend may monitor the most popular articles on philmckinney.com. Techtrend may display this information publicly or provide it to others. However, Techtrend does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below. ### **Protection of Certain Personally-Identifying Information** Techtrend discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only to those of its employees, contractors, and affiliated organizations that (i) need to know that information in order to process it on Techtrend’s behalf or to provide services available at Techtrend’s websites and (ii) that have agreed not to disclose it to others. Some of those employees, contractors, and affiliated organizations may be located outside of your home country; by using Techtrend’s websites, you consent to the transfer of such information to them. Techtrend will not rent or sell potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information to anyone. 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Techtrend visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using Techtrend’s websites, with the drawback that certain features of Techtrend’s websites may not function properly without the aid of cookies. ### **Business Transfers** If Techtrend or any of its assets, such as a specific site, were acquired, or in the unlikely event that Techtrend goes out of business or enters bankruptcy, user information would be one of the assets that are transferred or acquired by a third party. You acknowledge that such transfers may occur and that any acquirer of Techtrend may continue to use your personal information as set forth in this policy. ### **Ads** Ads appearing on our websites may be delivered to users by advertising partners, who may set cookies. These cookies allow the ad server to recognize your computer each time they send you an online advertisement to compile information about you or others who use your computer. This information allows ad networks to deliver targeted advertisements they believe will be most interesting to you. This Privacy Policy covers the use of cookies by Techtrend and does not cover the use of cookies by advertisers. ### **Privacy Policy Changes** Although most changes are likely to be minor, Techtrend may change its Privacy Policy from time to time, and at Techtrend’s sole discretion. Techtrend encourages visitors to frequently check this page for any changes to its Privacy Policy. Your continued use of this site after any change in this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such change. ### Questions: If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please contact Techtrend Group LLC at [https://techtrend.com/contact](https://techtrend.com/contact?ref=philmckinney.com) ### **Change log:** - 2011 Nov 27—Replaced previous policy - 2019 Dec 22—Added section on who to contact if any questions - 2023 May 2—Editing and language clean-up for posting to new version of philmckinney.com ### Press URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/press/ Last updated: 2024-04-04T18:10:24.000Z This page presents a short list of press and media coverage of my work in innovation, creativity and design. A more complete list can be found by simply [searching Google](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22phil+mckinney%22+WITH+%28innovation+OR+creativity+OR+design%29&espv=2&biw=3440&bih=1295&tbm=nws&ei=tCxMV-rQK8uGyQLx8IOoAQ&start=0&sa=N&dpr=1&ref=philmckinney.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/laptop-july-2010_page_1-230x300-2.jpg "LAPTOP, July 2010") Laptop: Most Influential People In Mobile Technology in 2010, Laptop magazine named Phil to list of the most influential people in mobile technology. He landed at number 18. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/vanity_fair_july_2009_small-226x300-2.jpg "vanity_fair_july_2009_small") VanityFair: Alone With The Guru VanityFair did an executive profile of Phil highlighting the impact from the innovations he had created. The profile looked at his work from his early days (including an old picture of him holding one of early success, the ThumbScan product) through his current work with HP. In the profile, VanityFair labeled him “the innovation guru”. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/combined-cover-pages-238x300-2.jpg "Combined-Cover-Pages") FastCompany: The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies HP has been named to the FastCompany list of most innovative companies for three years running (2008-2010). The write-ups as to why HP has been named to the list each year credits a new found focus on innovation and products — all originated in the Innovation Program Office which was founded by Phil. In 2008, HP emerged (first time in the history of the company) on the list at #[18](http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/123/the-worlds-most-innovative-companies.html?page=0%2C3&ref=philmckinney.com), jumped to #12 in 2009 and then #10 in 2010. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/bw_11_26_07-229x300-2.jpg "bw_11_26_07") HP's Cultural Revolution: To pick up the pace of innovation, the tech giant is betting on startups and injecting their DNA into its operations by Reena Jana BusinessWeek did an in-depth profile of Phil and the HP Innovation Program Office (IPO) and how its reigniting the innovation culture within HP. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/bw_12-22-08_small-221x300-2.jpg "bw_12-22-08_small") How HP Got Its Wow! Back : It became the world's top PC maker through a combination of innovation and cost cutting By Cliff Edwards A story on the turnaround in the PC division at HP and the role that both innovation and efficiency (cost cutting, manufacturing, etc) played in going from number 3 or 4 in the market to becoming number 1. ### Event Support URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/event_support/ Last updated: 2025-09-20T20:50:48.000Z The following are support materials for use by event coordinators who are supporting events where Phil will be appearing. If you have any questions or need other information, please send an email to events@philmckinney.com. To save the images, click on the image to load it into its own browser page. Then right-click on the image and select “save as”. You will then be given the option to store the image on your device. ## Phil McKinney Headshots ![Phil McKinney Headshot (9.43 MB)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/phil_mckinney_5616x3744-300x200-1.jpg) 5616 x 3744 (9.43 MB) ![Phil McKinney Headshot 3060 x 3060](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/phil_mckinney_3060x3060.jpg) 3060 x 3060 (1.27 MB) ![Phil McKinney Headshot 3180 x 3120](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/phil_mckinney_3180x3120.jpg) 3180 x 3120 (445 KB) ## Phil McKinney Avatar The following avatar's are approved as the official branding for Phil McKinney. ![Phil McKinney Wordmark 1250 x 300](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/phil_wordmark_rgb.jpg) 1250 x 300 (90 KB) ![Phil McKinney Logo Vertical 700 x 1500](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/phil_logo_vertical_rgb.jpg) 700 x 1500 JPG (192 KB) ![Phil McKinney Logo Avatar Only](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/phil_logofigure_avatar_only.jpg) 367 x 803 JPG (107 KB) ![Phil McKinney Logo Square 1500 x 1500](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/phil_logo_stackside_rgb.jpg) 1500 x 1500 JPG (273 KB) ## Beyond The Obvious Book Jacket/Cover ![Cover for Beyond The Obvious - a book by Phil McKinney](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/beyond_the_obvious_final.jpg) 1875 x 2853 454K ![Logo for Beyond The Obvious](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/beyond_the_obvious_logo.jpg) 1875 x 1687 (687KB) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/beyondobvious_front.png) 260 x 415 (116KB) ## Killer Innovations Radio Show/Podcast Logo's ![Killer Innovation logo with trademark symbol](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/phil_ki_logo_rgb.jpg) 1500 x 600 ![Killer Innovations Cover Art](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ki_radio_show-large.jpg) 1200 x 1200 No Border ![Killer Innovations PNG cover art with border](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ki_radio_show-png-with-border.png) 1200 x 1200 with border ### Blog Archive URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/blog-archive/ Last updated: 2021-12-18T20:05:45.000Z This page contains the full blog archive! The blog archive is presented as a list starting with the latest post first. If you are looking for a specific topic, please use the search function to the right. If you are looking for the archive for the Killer Innovations Show, you can [find it here](https://killerinnovations.com/show-archive/?ref=philmckinney.com). --- - [Innovation Hero Worship: FTX, Theranos, and the Media](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-hero-worship-ftx-theranos-and-the-media/) - [Automaticity: A Thinking Trap?](https://www.philmckinney.com/automaticity-a-thinking-trap/) - [Future Faking Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/future-faking-innovation/) - [Selective Neglect – What Do You Not Do?](https://www.philmckinney.com/selective-neglect-what-do-you-not-do/) - [Continue Innovating During An Economic Downturn?](https://www.philmckinney.com/continue-innovating-during-an-economic-downturn/) - [Are Innovations Invented or Discovered?](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-innovations-invented-or-discovered/) - [Innovation Arms Race: The Invisible Risk](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-arms-race/) - [The Thinking Skills Needed For Success](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-thinking-skills-needed-for-success/) - [How To Use First Principles Thinking To Innovate](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-use-first-principles-thinking-to-innovate/) - [Hindsight Is Not 20/20 – The Hindsight Fallacy](https://www.philmckinney.com/hindsight-is-not-20-20-the-hindsight-fallacy/) - [If People Would Behave Decently, The World Would Be Decent!](https://www.philmckinney.com/if-people-would-behave-decently-the-world-would-be-decent/) - [(Preparing For) A Failure of Imagination](https://www.philmckinney.com/preparing-for-a-failure-of-imagination/) - [The Innovation Skills and Attributes I Look For When Hiring Innovators](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-skills-and-attributes-i-look-for-when-hiring-innovators/) - [Thinking Creatively in a World of Normality](https://www.philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/) - [Are You Playing The Innovation Long Game? An HP Story.](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-playing-the-innovation-long-game-an-hp-story/) - [Why Do People Keep Insisting On Dissenting From Me?](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-do-people-keep-insisting-on-dissenting-from-me/) - [Should You Trust Your Gut?](https://www.philmckinney.com/should-you-trust-your-gut/) - [Breaking Out of the Cycle of Lazy Thinking – A Dog Story](https://www.philmckinney.com/breaking-out-of-the-cycle-of-lazy-thinking-a-dog-story/) - [Hope or Cynicism: Which is the Right Outlook for the Future?](https://www.philmckinney.com/hope-or-cynicism-which-is-the-right-outlook-for-the-future/) - [Disruptive Innovation: The Theory Behind How It Works and Its Impact on Society](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-innovation-the-theory-behind-how-it-works-and-its-impact-on-society/) - [Imagining a Better Future: Keys to Human Progress](https://www.philmckinney.com/imagining-a-better-future-keys-to-human-progress/) - [Are You Unconventional Enough in Your Thinking?](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-unconventional-enough-in-your-thinking/) - [Paying It Forward With Random Acts of Kindness](https://www.philmckinney.com/paying-it-forward-with-random-acts-of-kindness/) - [Being Thrown Under The Bus: The Dilemma of Blame](https://www.philmckinney.com/being-thrown-under-the-bus-the-dilemma-of-blame/) - [Finding Ideas In The Mundane and Familiar](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-ideas-in-the-mundane-and-familiar/) - [Sharing is Caring – So Share Your Idea!](https://www.philmckinney.com/sharing-is-caring-so-share-your-idea/) - [Don't Play Follow The Leader With Your Career](https://www.philmckinney.com/warning-dont-play-follow-the-leader-with-your-career/) - [Problems In Need Of Solving: Where To Start?](https://www.philmckinney.com/problems-in-need-of-solving-where-to-start/) - [Ideas Are Not Innovations!](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-are-not-innovations/) - [The 8 Books That Inspired The Most Ideas This Year](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-books-that-inspired-the-most-ideas-this-year/) - [Ideas Have The Power To Change The World – For Good and For Bad](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-have-power-to-change-the-world/) - [I’m Bored!!](https://www.philmckinney.com/im-bored/) - [Stop Acting Stupid and Change Your Mind](https://www.philmckinney.com/stop-acting-stupid-change-your-mind/) - [Innovation in Education: What's Old and What's New](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-education/) - [The Best Creative Thinking Tool You Probably Haven't Tried](https://www.philmckinney.com/best-creative-thinking-tool/) - [The False Theory of Idea Scarcity](https://www.philmckinney.com/false-theory-of-idea-scarcity/) - [The One Thing That Will Kill An Innovation And What You Can Do To Avoid It](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-one-thing-that-will-kill-an-innovation-and-what-you-can-do-to-avoid-it/) - [The Power of Human Ingenuity](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ingenuity-solves-problems/) - [An Ethics Crisis in 2020 – Here Is To A Better 2021](https://www.philmckinney.com/ethics-crisis/) - [I Have a Question…](https://www.philmckinney.com/i-have-a-question/) - [A Job Worth Doing…](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-job-worth-doing/) - [Effectiveness](https://www.philmckinney.com/effectiveness/) - [Never Forget 9-11 Memories of Charles Falkenberg](https://www.philmckinney.com/charles-falkenberg-911-pentagon-flight/) - [The Overlooked Secret To Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-overlooked-secret-to-innovation/) - [Affordance](https://www.philmckinney.com/affordance/) - [Innovation Mentoring vs. Innovation Coaching: Which Do You Need?](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-mentor-vs-innovation-coach-which-do-you-need/) - [How Competition and Gamification Can Spur Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-competition-and-gamification-can-spur-innovation/) - [Exceptionally Normal](https://www.philmckinney.com/exceptionally-normal/) - [Great Leaders Keep Cool Under Fire](https://www.philmckinney.com/great-leaders-keep-cool/) - [Find A Way To Say ‘Yes’ To Non-Obvious Ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/find-a-way-to-say-yes-to-non-obvious-ideas/) - [Vision Video Of The Near Future: Diverse Thinkers Wanted](https://www.philmckinney.com/vision-video-of-the-near-future-diverse-thinkers-wanted/) - 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FedEx Did!](https://www.philmckinney.com/killer-question-17/) - [What do people not like about the process of purchasing my product?](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-do-people-not-like-about-the-process-of-purchasing-my-product/) - [What drives that fear that kills innovation?](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-fear-of-innovation/) - [Small Businesses Will Be Key For The Economic Recovery](https://www.philmckinney.com/small-businesses-will-be-key-for-the-economic-recovery/) - [A different outlook on the economic downturn ….](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-different-outlook-on-the-economy/) - [In the news: HP'S ‘chief seer'](https://www.philmckinney.com/in-the-news/) - [Here Is The Metric That Can Predict Future Innovation Value](https://www.philmckinney.com/rd-productivity/) - [Showing the future at the Disneyland Dream Home](https://www.philmckinney.com/showing-the-future-at-the-disneyland-dream-home/) - [The Interns Are Back!!](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-interns-are-back/) - [The CD Project …](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-cd-project/) - [Job Of The Future: Creativity Guru](https://www.philmckinney.com/job-of-the-future-creativity-guru/) - [Reverse Mentoring: Things I learned from Phil](https://www.philmckinney.com/reverse-mentoring-things-i-learned-from-phil/) - [Transformational Innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/transformational-innovations/) - [What I Did For Thanksgiving . . . .](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-i-did-for-thanksgiving/) - [Setting The Right Innovation Focus](https://www.philmckinney.com/setting-the-right-innovation-focus/) - [BusinessWeek Article …. Innovation Culture](https://www.philmckinney.com/businessweek-article/) - [Plan For Change Because It Is Coming](https://www.philmckinney.com/plan-for-change/) - [Presentation: An Introduction to the Killer Innovation Approach](https://www.philmckinney.com/presentation-an-introduction-to-the-killer-innovation-approach-2/) - [Creative Economy – How Should It Be Defined?](https://www.philmckinney.com/creative-economy-how-should-it-be-defined/) - [Presentation: An Introduction to the Killer Innovation Approach](https://www.philmckinney.com/presentation-an-introduction-to-the-killer-innovation-approach/) - [Unintended Uses of Innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/unintended-uses-of-innovations/) - [How To Segment Your Customer For Better Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-power-of-customer-segmentation/) - [Reverse Mentoring – The Summer Intern Experiment](https://www.philmckinney.com/reverse-mentoring-the-summer-intern-experiment/) - [The emerging creative economy …](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-creative-economy/) - [The launch of an innovation …](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-launch-of-an-innovation/) - [The Stress Of Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-stress-of-innovation/) - [Over dressed for the AlwaysOn event ……](https://www.philmckinney.com/over-dressed-for-the-alwayson-event/) - [Reverse Mentoring](https://www.philmckinney.com/reverse-mentoring/) - [20 Years In To The Future](https://www.philmckinney.com/20-years-in-to-the-future/) - [Profile In The San Jose Mercury News](https://www.philmckinney.com/profile-in-the-san-jose-mercury-news/) - [What's wrong with “old think” innovation approaches?](https://www.philmckinney.com/whats-wrong-with-old-think-innovation-approaches/) - [The Right To Argue With Your Boss](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-right-to-argue/) - [What is it that I do??](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-it-that-i-do/) - [Shock and Awe!!](https://www.philmckinney.com/shock-and-awe/) - [How do you know if your boss gets innovation?](https://www.philmckinney.com/management-view-on-innovation/) - [Permission Based Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/permission-based-innovation/) - [Observations from CES](https://www.philmckinney.com/observations-from-ces/) - [Education And Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/education-and-innovation/) - [Being Claustrophobic](https://www.philmckinney.com/being-claustrophobic/) - [Road Closed By Bad Planning](https://www.philmckinney.com/road-closed-by-bad-planning/) - [Walking The Plank](https://www.philmckinney.com/walking-the-plank/) - [Slides from Innovation Tour presentation](https://www.philmckinney.com/slides-from-innovation-tour-presentation/) - [Graffiti](https://www.philmckinney.com/graffiti/) - [Ants](https://www.philmckinney.com/ants/) - [Moving – Moving – Moving](https://www.philmckinney.com/moving-moving-moving/) - [Black Toilet Paper](https://www.philmckinney.com/black-toilet-paper/) - [Riding The Rails](https://www.philmckinney.com/riding-the-rails/) - [What's Different?](https://www.philmckinney.com/whats-different/) - [Innovation Adoption](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-adoption/) - [Unique](https://www.philmckinney.com/unique/) - [Innovation Tour Presentation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-tour-presentation/) - [Five F's Site](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-fs-site/) - [Sample of a Gate/Milestone Map](https://www.philmckinney.com/sample-of-a-gatemilestone-map/) - [Personal Branding](https://www.philmckinney.com/personal-branding/) - [Are you an innovator?](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-an-innovator/) - [Wedding Pictures ….](https://www.philmckinney.com/wedding-pictures/) - [10 Ways to Rethink Your Work](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-rethink-your-work/) - [Can Design Increase Your Likelihood For Success?](https://www.philmckinney.com/design-increases-sales/) - [Word of Mouth](https://www.philmckinney.com/word-of-mouth/) - [Open Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/open-innovation/) - [The business of future gazing](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-business-of-future-gazing/) - [Play More](https://www.philmckinney.com/play-more/) - [Link to Booz Allen Report](https://www.philmckinney.com/podcast-link-to-booz-allen-report/) - [Moleskin Notebook](https://www.philmckinney.com/moleskin-notebook/) - [Biomimicry … links](https://www.philmckinney.com/biomimicry-links/) - [Speech: Future Trends Predicted in 1999](https://www.philmckinney.com/speech-selected-segments/) - [Speech: The Journey of the Communication Industry](https://www.philmckinney.com/speech-the-journey-of-the-communication-industry/) - [Speech: The Power Of Ubquity](https://www.philmckinney.com/speech-the-power-of-ubiquity/) - [Speech: The Changing Experience Requirements](https://www.philmckinney.com/speech-the-changing-experience-requirements/) - [Speech: Capitalize on the digital entertainment revolution](https://www.philmckinney.com/speech-capitalize-on-the-digital-entertainment-revolution/) - [A Different Perspective](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-different-perspective/) - [Smart Questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/smart-questions/) - [Offshoring Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/offshoring-innovation/) - [Bill Gates – Call for innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/bill-gates-call-for-innovation/) - [Sketchy Information](https://www.philmckinney.com/sketchy-information/) ### Start Here URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/start-here/ Last updated: 2026-03-10T22:39:46.000Z If you’re like most of my readers, you’re an innovator. You are striving to get better, and reach your potential when it comes to creating ideas that become innovations with impact. You want to leave a lasting impact with the innovations you create. This ‘Start Here' page was created to help you get started. [![Phil McKinney at the Newseum](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/maxresdefault.jpg)](http://killerinnovations.com/start-here/maxresdefault-2/?ref=philmckinney.com) But something keeps getting in the way: Everyplace you turn, there seems to be one hurdle after another that gets in the way of you launching that innovation. ## **Does This Sound Like You?** Be honest: - Do you feel like the innovation antibodies are attacking ever idea you come up with? - Do you fear that your innovation skills are not keeping up? - Do you worry that your great idea will never see the light of day? If so, you’re not alone. All of us have felt this way. ## **I Know How You Feel** I know what it feels like to be in over your head—to have your innovation success outpace your ability to manage it.As the former Chief Technology Officer at Hewlett-Packard, and now as a successful CEO at an industry R&D and innovation lab, I have faced the reality that the innovation game can be daunting, intimidating and never ending. The answer isn’t simply to go faster. The answer it to do the *right* things smarter. [![Phil McKinney giving a talk](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/maxresdefault-1-1.jpg)](http://killerinnovations.com/start-here/maxresdefault-1-3/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## **My Goal in Sharing The Blog and Podcast** Through my [blog ](https://www.philmckinney.com/)and [podcast](http://killerinnovations.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), my mission is to give you the confidence you need to succeed in the innovation game. From practical tools to accomplish you innovation goals, to strategies for personal and career growth in the innovation game, to an intentional path to greater influence and contribution in your chosen field.If you’re new to my site (and you likely wouldn’t be on this page if you weren’t), here are some of my most popular posts in each category. ### **Innovation Culture** - [Do You Have A Culture of Innovation?](http://killerinnovations.com/do-you-have-a-culture-of-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [How to build a foundation of core attributes so that you can create a culture of innovation](http://killerinnovations.com/how-to-build-a-foundation-of-core-attributes-so-that-you-can-create-a-culture-of-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [What Kind Of Culture Leads To Innovation Success?](http://killerinnovations.com/what-are-the-four-common-culture-attributes-in-highly-innovative-companies/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### **Laws Of Innovation** - [The 7 Laws of Innovation](http://killerinnovations.com/laws-of-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) (podcast) - [The 7 Immutable Laws of Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-immutable-laws-of-innovation-follow-them-or-risk-the-consequences) (blog post) ### **FIRE Framework For Innovation** - [FOCUS – Get Focused On Your Search For Breakthrough Innovations](http://killerinnovations.com/having-a-focus-for-your-innovation-search/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [IDEATION – Can Questions Help You Discover Breakthrough Ideas?](http://killerinnovations.com/ideation-creating-killer-ideas-by-asking-killer-questions/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [RANKING – Ranking Your Ideas – How to make sure you are working on the best ideas](http://killerinnovations.com/ranking-your-ideas-how-to-make-sure-you-are-working-on-the-best-ideas/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [EXECUTION – Translating Ideas to Innovations](http://killerinnovations.com/execution-translating-ideas-to-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## **My Archive** You can also check [my blog’s](https://www.philmckinney.com/ "My Archives") and [the podcast](http://killerinnovations.com/category/past-shows/?ref=philmckinney.com) archives for a list of every post I have created or use the search function to find other posts that might be of interest. ## **My Products and Services** While the content on my blog and in my podcast are all free, I do offer a number of commercial products and services. Be sure to check out my [Store](http://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com "My Store") and my [Work with Me](http://killerinnovations.com/work-with-me/?ref=philmckinney.com "Work with Me") sections. [![Phil McKinney as a mentor](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/phil-mckinney-profile-2.jpg)](http://killerinnovations.com/start-here/phil-mckinney-profile-2/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## **Subscribe to My Blog** In order to make sure you don’t miss my newest blog posts, why not [subscribe to my blog](https://my.leadpages.net/leadbox/1412d7873f72a2%3A12ceb9746b46dc/5753568388710400/?LeadSourceId=49&ref=philmckinney.com). It’s fast, easy, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Best of all, I have a special gift when you subscribe. Yes, you can win at the innovation game. All it takes is the intention and a mentor to guide you. If you’ll provide the first, I’ll provide the second. Let’s get started. ### About URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/about-phil/ Last updated: 2025-06-02T00:18:09.000Z Phil McKinney is an innovator, thinker, creator, author, and speaker. He is the former CTO of HP who has built teams that have innovated award-winning technologies and products currently used by half-billion people worldwide. Fast Company and Businessweek named these teams as being among the “50 Most Innovative”.You can find some press coverage of his work on the [press page](https://www.philmckinney.com/press "Press coverage of Phil McKinney"). [![Phil McKinney on stage discussing innovation and creativity](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/logo-site-extra-wide-ver2-1.jpg)](http://killerinnovations.com/about/logo-site-extra-wide-ver2-2/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## **Podcast** As host of the award-winning podcast, Killer Innovations, he shares his insights on creativity and innovation to help listeners develop their ideas into actionable plans for success. Launched in 2005, the podcast is the longest continuously produced podcast in history. [![Phil McKinney doing an interview for his show Killer Innovations](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/killer-innovations.jpg)](http://killerinnovations.com/about/killer-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## Book and Media In 2011, Phil authored [Beyond The Obvious](https://beyondtheobvious.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) – a book on innovation and creativity. The book is available in hardcover, digital, and audio. Media recognition includes Vanity Fair as “The Innovation Guru”, MSNBC and Fox Business as “The Gadget Guy”​, ​and San Jose Mercury News as the “Chief Seer”. [![phil_mckinney_new_hp_logo_project](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/phil_mckinney_new_hp_logo_project.jpg)](http://killerinnovations.com/about/phil%5Fmckinney%5Fnew%5Fhp%5Flogo%5Fproject/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## **Free Time** In his free time, he is the co-founder and Chairman of the Board for a 501(c)3 non-profit, [HackingAutism.org](http://hackingautism.org/?ref=philmckinney.com). Hacking Autism is a charity that hosts events to find solutions to autism therapy, employment for those on the spectrum, and technologies that could be beneficial for those with autism.Phil donates 100% of the profits from the book, podcast, etc. to charities. [![Phil McKinney host of the Killer Innovations Radio Show](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20110504_mckinney_24.jpg)](http://killerinnovations.com/start-here/phil-mckinney-headshots-5/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## **Contact Information** You can contact Phil via [email ](mailto:andrew@techtrend.com?Subject=From%20About%20Page%20From%20PhilMcKinney.com)or follow him on [Twitter,](https://twitter.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) [Facebook, ](https://www.facebook.com/philmckinneyfan)[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com), and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/philmckinney/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## **Subscribe to His Blog** In order to make sure you don’t miss his newest blog posts or podcasts, why not [subscribe to the blog](https://my.leadpages.net/leadbox/1412d7873f72a2%3A12ceb9746b46dc/5753568388710400/?LeadSourceId=49&ref=philmckinney.com). It’s fast, easy, and you can unsubscribe at any time. When you subscribe, we will send you a FREE 90-minute audio course on innovation. ### Speaking, Keynote and Workshops by Phil McKinney URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/speaking-keynote-and-workshops-by-phil-mckinney/ Last updated: 2024-04-04T18:08:48.000Z _No content available._ ### Homepage URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/homepage/ Last updated: 2025-10-25T18:44:16.000Z _No content available._ ### Beyond The Obvious URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/beyond-the-obvious/ Last updated: 2025-12-31T20:47:41.000Z Most companies teach their teams to ask the wrong questions about innovation—or no questions at all. This book fixes that. Beyond the Obvious shares the question-driven framework I developed during my years as HP's CTO—the same approach that helped teams I led earn recognition among Fast Company's "50 Most Innovative." The core of the book is the FIRE Method: **Focus** — Zero in on what actually matters **Ideation** — Generate ideas by questioning assumptions **Rank** — Decide which ideas deserve resources **Execution** — Turn ideas into reality using constraints as fuel Inside, you'll find 40+ questions I've carried on note cards throughout my career. They're designed to challenge conventional thinking, surface hidden opportunities, and unlock ideas you didn't know you had. This isn't theory. It's what actually works. [**Get the Book on Amazon**](https://amzn.to/4ppn6yN?ref=philmckinney.com) → Available in hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook. --- ### **What People Say** "Phil McKinney's killer questions and hit-the-spot anecdotes provide a great way to get out in front of opportunities we otherwise won't see." — **Geoffrey Moore**, author of *Crossing the Chasm* "Many assumptions about our business ultimately turn out to be wrong. Phil arms readers with the skills to ask razor-sharp questions that lead to better ideas." — **Wendell P. Weeks**, Chairman and CEO, Corning "Valuable and ready for immediate use." — **Kirkus Reviews** --- ### **Translations** Beyond the Obvious has been translated into Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Russian. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2025/12/BTO-Banner-ver-3.png) --- 272 pages | Published by Hachette | ISBN: 978-1-4013-2446-9 100% of author royalties are donated to charity. Want a signed copy? Order from [**Innovation.Tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) and add a note at checkout. ### Archive URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/archive/ Last updated: 2025-10-25T18:43:06.000Z This page contains the archive of all of the posts on this site. If you are looking for a specific topic, I would suggest you use the search function to the right. --- \[posts-for-page cat\_slug=’book-excerpts’ num=’25’ use\_wp\_excerpt=’true’ force\_image\_width=’100′ order\_by=’date’\] ### Start Here URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/start-here-2/ Last updated: 2024-04-04T18:09:29.000Z If you’re interested in my book, ***Beyond The Obvious***, you’re must be an innovator. You are striving to get better, and reach your potential when it comes to creating ideas that become innovations with impact. You want to leave a lasting impact with the innovations you create. This ‘Start Here’ page has been setup to get you started. [![phil mckinney at newseum](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/maxresdefault.jpg)](https://beyondtheobvious.com/start-here/maxresdefault/?ref=philmckinney.com#main) But something keeps getting in the way: Everyplace you turn, there seems to be one hurdle after another that gets in the way of you launching that innovation. ## Does This Sound Like You? Be honest: - Do you feel like the innovation antibodies are attacking ever idea you come up with? - Do you fear that your innovation skills are not keeping up? - Do you worry that your great idea will never see the light of day? If so, you’re not alone. All of us have felt this way. ## I Know How You Feel I know what it feels like to be in over your head—to have your innovation success outpace your ability to manage it. As the former Chief Technology Officer at Hewlett-Packard, and now as a successful CEO at an industry R&D and innovation lab, I have faced the reality that the innovation game can be daunting, intimidating and never ending. The answer isn’t simply to go faster. The answer it to do the right things smarter. [![phil mckinney headshot interview](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/maxresdefault-1.jpg)](https://beyondtheobvious.com/start-here/maxresdefault-1/?ref=philmckinney.com#main) ## My Goal in Writing This Book Through the writing of the book, my goal is to prove to you that you are highly creative and can create breakthrough innovations. I do this by sharing with you how to unlock that innovation potential that you have locked up inside you. On this site, I share the foundation portions of the book so that you can get started before even reading the book. include: - [Why Questions Matter](https://www.philmckinney.com/questions-matter/) - [The Power of Questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-power-of-questions/) - [Bad Questions and Good Questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/bad-questions-good-questions/) ## Sharing The Blog and Podcast Don’t stop at the book. Through my [blog ](http://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)and [podcast](http://killerinnovations.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), I share with you my latest thinking on innovation so that you have all of the the skills you need to succeed in the innovation game. From practical tools to accomplish you innovation goals, to strategies for personal and career growth in the innovation game, to an intentional path to greater influence and contribution in your chosen field. If you’re new to my site (and you likely wouldn’t be on this page if you weren’t), here are some of my most popular blog posts and podcast episodes in each category. ### Innovation Culture - [Do You Have A Culture of Innovation?](http://killerinnovations.com/do-you-have-a-culture-of-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [How to build a foundation of core attributes so that you can create a culture of innovation](http://killerinnovations.com/how-to-build-a-foundation-of-core-attributes-so-that-you-can-create-a-culture-of-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [What Kind Of Culture Leads To Innovation Success?](http://killerinnovations.com/what-are-the-four-common-culture-attributes-in-highly-innovative-companies/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Laws Of Innovation - [The 7 Laws of Innovation](http://killerinnovations.com/laws-of-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) (podcast) - [The 7 Immutable Laws of Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-immutable-laws-of-innovation-follow-them-or-risk-the-consequences/) (blog post) ### FIRE Framework For Innovation - [FOCUS – Get Focused On Your Search For Breakthrough Innovations](http://killerinnovations.com/having-a-focus-for-your-innovation-search/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [IDEATION – Can Questions Help You Discover Breakthrough Ideas?](http://killerinnovations.com/ideation-creating-killer-ideas-by-asking-killer-questions/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [RANKING – Ranking Your Ideas – How to make sure you are working on the best ideas](http://killerinnovations.com/ranking-your-ideas-how-to-make-sure-you-are-working-on-the-best-ideas/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [EXECUTION – Translating Ideas to Innovations](http://killerinnovations.com/execution-translating-ideas-to-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## My Archive You can also check out the [archives on this site](https://www.philmckinney.com/archive/) and over at [my blog](http://philmckinney.com/posts?ref=philmckinney.com) and [the podcast](http://killerinnovations.com/category/past-shows/?ref=philmckinney.com). These archives contain every post I have created. Better yet, use the search function to find other posts that might be of interest. ## My Products and Services While the content on this site, on my blog and in my podcast are all free, I do offer a number of commercial products and services. Be sure to check out my [Store](http://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) and my [Work with Me](http://killerinnovations.com/work-with-me/?ref=philmckinney.com) sections. [![Phil McKinney keynote](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/phil-mckinney-profile-2.jpg)](https://beyondtheobvious.com/start-here/phil-mckinney-profile-2/?ref=philmckinney.com#main) ## Subscribe to My Blog In order to make sure you don’t miss my newest blog posts, why not [subscribe to my blog](https://my.leadpages.net/leadbox/1412d7873f72a2%3A12ceb9746b46dc/5753568388710400/?LeadSourceId=49&ref=philmckinney.com). It’s fast, easy, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Best of all, I have a special gift when you subscribe. Yes, you can win at the innovation game. All it takes is the intention and a mentor to guide you. If you’ll provide the first, I’ll provide the second. Let’s get started. ### About Creating The Book URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/creating-the-book/ Last updated: 2016-06-23T04:00:35.000Z ***Beyond The Obvious*** reveals the methods used to create breakthrough innovations currently used by 100’s of millions of consumers and businesses worldwide. What I haven’t talk about was the process of creating the book. ## **How Did The Book Come About?** The writing of **Beyond The Obvious** begun in 2009 following a series of unexpected events. In early 2009, I was contact by Marc Gerald, an agent at [United Talent Agency](https://music.utatouring.com/departments/literary/team/?ref=philmckinney.com), about my thoughts of writing a book based on the content from my podcast and blog. My first response was – yes sure but I have an 80 hour a week job and fly +350,000 miles per year as the CTO for Hewlett-Packard. When would I have time? He was persistent and helped pull together a team that could work with me to take my 100’s of shows and structure a book. The result was a book proposal that went to 10 publishers in the fall of 2009\. Marc and team then setup a time for me to spend a week in NYC and present 1:1 to the 10 publishers. At the end of the week, 9 publishers were interested in the book. At this point, we found ourselves in the strange world of a an auction where publishers bid against each other for the right to publish the book. At the end of that week, Hyperion (since acquired by [Hachett Publishing](http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)) had purchased the worldwide rights to my yet to be written book. ## The Process Of Getting The Book Deal I signed my author agreement with my publisher and thus began the process of writing the book. I retained the services of Caroline Greeven, who had been part of the proposal team, to help me in organizing the book and was the catalyst for keeping me on track. As I started to write the book, I soon realized how hard this process was going to be. My agreement called for me to deliver a manuscript in 8 months of 75,000 words. As I started to crank on the book, I took a break and clicked on the “word count” button in Word. To my horror, I was a long way off from even seeing the light at the end of tunnel. Over the 8 months, I took three 1 (one) week writing vacations where I went away and locked myself in a hotel room and wrote the book. As I neared the completion of the book, I retained the services of Molly Derse as a fact checker for the book. At the time, I was the CTO for Hewlett-Packard and had a brain-full of confidential information covered by 100’s of non-disclosure agreements. Out of sheer fear that I would accidentally reveal something confidential in the process of writing of the book, Molly was tasked to find public information on every story, example or mention in the book. If the item had public information available, then any NDA would not apply. For a book its size, it has one of the longer bibliographies and the credit goes 100% to Molly. ## **Naming The Book** As the writing progressed, my publisher started the process of locking down the name of the book. The name used in the original book proposal was “Answer Are Obsolete” which was given to the project by one of my agents assistants. I liked it. Turns out that book sellers have a a lot of influence on book titles. In this case, Barnes and Noble didn’t like it and since they were giving me an “[endcap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endcap?ref=philmckinney.com)” at launch, they needed to be on board. [![On the shelf at Barnes and Noble - Beyond The Obvous](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bto-on-shelf-barnes-e1466652941813.jpg)](https://beyondtheobvious.com/creating-the-book/bto-on-shelf-barnes/?ref=philmckinney.com#main) So began the search for a book title. The list of names we went through included: - Answers Are Obsolete - Ignore the Obvious - The No Assumption Rule - Rapid Reinvention - Rules are Obsolete - … and another 75 that were on a list created by my publisher after they held a brainstorming session. Barnes and Noble rejected them all. The feedback? The titles seemed “too negative”. So back to the drawing board. The process of creating the book title was harder than I could have imagined. Ultimatly we all agree on the current title, **Beyond The Obvious**. The sub-title (**Killer Questions That Spark Game-Changing Innovation**), while practical, was never on my top 10 list ## Delivering The Manuscript In June of 2011, I delivered the finished manuscript – 8 days late. I apologized to my editor, Matt Inman, who quickly pointed out that I was one of a handful of authors who delivered their manuscript within a few days of their due date. I guess it was the engineer in me. I hate being late. ## **Last Minute Changes To The Book** Six weeks after turning in my manuscript, things at Hewlett-Packard changed. I was taking some personal time and was away when HP’s CEO and Board at the time decided to make extreme changes in the direction and strategy of the company. The end result was that I made the hard decision to retire from HP. While my decision wasn’t announced publicly until October 2011 ([Goodbye HP](http://philmckinney.com/goodbye-hp-2/?ref=philmckinney.com)), I told my agent and publisher as soon as I had told the HP executives because of the impact to the book. The challenge was that my book was written as if I were still at HP and the pages had just come back from layout. The result was that I had to go through each page and edit it so it was clear that I was no longer at HP. For example changing “at HP, I’m responsible for” to “At HP, I was responsible”. The added challenge was that I had to maintain the letter count on each page to avoid the need to go back and re-layout the entire book. ## Final Push To Creating The Book In the fall of 2011, I had a lot on my mind including my last few months at HP – a company that I loved, the pending birth of my first grandchild and preparing for the launch of my book. And if that wasn’t enough, as soon as I was officially out of HP, I got approached to consider taking on a new challenge. After 5 months of conversations, I took over as the President and CEO of [CableLabs ](http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/31/3054703/phil-mckinney-cablelabs-president-ceo?ref=philmckinney.com)and relocated from Silicon Valley to Colorado. ## Launching The Book The book was officially launched February 7, 2012\. I had to push back my launch plans because my granddaughter decided to arrive aright on top of the book launch. The launch event was held at the Computer History Museum on February 16th and was a lot of fun. Subsequent, I did events in NYC, Denver, San Francisco, London and many more. Here is the video from the launch event at Computer History Museum. Any yes — I did become emotional and cry when I was asked about one of my pet projects. ## **Would I Do It Again?** Would you do it again? While I under estimated the time, energy and sacrifice (my family) it took to complete it, I would (and will) do it again. In fact, I’m working on book two now. Stay tuned. ### Beyond The Obvious URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/beyond-the-obvious-killer-questions-that-spark-game-changing-innovations/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T19:48:48.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/05/51-ajIsTf1L._SX332_BO1204203200_-2.jpg) #### [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1401324460/techtrend-20?ref=philmckinney.com) Generating and executing great ideas is the key to staying ahead in the rapidly changing world. It seems so basic. Why is it so hard to actually get it right? According to innovation expert, the real problem is that we're teaching people to ask the wrong questions about their business — or none at all. There has to be a better way and Beyond The Obvious shares how. In *Beyond The Obviou*s, McKinney will help you use his proven FIRE (Focus, Ideation, Ranking, Execution) Method to dig deeper and get back to asking the right questions – the ones all companies must ask to survive. Full of real-world examples, this book will change the way you operate, innovate, and create, and it all begins with battle-tested questions Phil has gathered in note cards throughout his career. These questions will re-frame the way you see your products, your customers and the way the two interact. Whether you're a company of thousands or a lean startup. *Beyond The Obvious* will give you the skills and easy to follow plan you need to make both the revolutionary changes and nuanced tweaks required or success. ***About The Author*** [*Phil McKinney*](https://www.philmckinney.com/) *is an innovation expert who has held positions in a wide range of companies throughout his career. Most recently he served as Chief Technology Officer for Hewlett-Packard (HP).* *He is an award winning innovator whose products and technologies are used each day by 100's of millions of consumers and businesses worldwide. He and his work has been profiled by media outlets including Vanity Fair, BusinessWeek, Fast Company, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, FOX, CNBS and many others.* ### Terms and Conditions URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/terms-and-conditions/ Last updated: 2023-05-03T21:54:35.000Z Techtrend Group, LLC hello@techtrend.com Effective Date: September 1, 2018 This web page represents a legal document and is the Terms and Conditions (Agreement) for websites owned by Techtrend Group, LLC which includes: techtrend.com, killerinnovations.com, philmckinney.com, theinnovators.network and others. (Website). 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To the extent that any Content is in conflict or inconsistent with this Agreement, this Agreement will take precedence. Our failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement will not be deemed a waiver of such a provision, nor of the right to enforce such a provision. Our rights under this Agreement will survive any termination of this Agreement. ### Changes to Our Terms and Conditions We reserve the right to change these Terms and Conditions at any time by giving you advance notice of the changes by email or in writing. We will also post these changes on our website. These changes will become effective 30 days after receipt of the notice. To avoid doubt, no unilateral amendment will retroactively change agreed dispute-resolution provisions of these Terms and Conditions, if any, including, for example, arbitration provisions for then-pending disputes unless the parties expressly agree otherwise. Your continued use of our Website, Services, and Products after any change to these Terms and Conditions and our notifying you will constitute your acceptance of such change. If you do not agree with the changes to these Terms and Conditions, you can choose to discontinue the use of our Website, Services, and Products. Original Posted: 3 May 2023 ### Contact URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/contact-phil/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T20:45:32.000Z The best way to contact me is via the form below. By using the form, all of your information is easily accessible. Thank you for visiting the site. If you are subscriber to [**Studio Notes**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/), you can reach me at I look forward to hearing from you soon. Full Name Email Address Message ### Subscriber Downloads URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/subscriber-downloads/ Last updated: 2023-05-06T18:06:53.000Z The following link(s) will allow you to download the training, templates, and examples available to newsletter subscribers. _This page is for subscribers only._ ### Supporter Downloads URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/supporter-downloads/ Last updated: 2023-07-28T00:18:06.000Z The following link(s) will allow you to download the training, templates, special content, and examples available to supporters/contributors to the newsletter and podcasts. The download library contains: - series of PDFs on Out Of The Box Thinking – Part 1 and Part 2. - A PDF on Inside The Box Thinking. - Background and benefits from Box Think. - Creating problem statements for Box Think leads to better ideas. - PDF that outlines the 4 required elements of an innovation framework. - PDF that outlines how to generate more and better ideas - PDF that shows how to rank your best ideas - PDF that prepares you to execute your best ideas and turn them into innovations. ... and much more — with more to come. We hope you find these resources helpful! Please let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help you become a more creative and innovative thought leader. _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ## Posts ### Succession Planning: Why I Cried on Stage as CEO URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/succession-planning-why-i-cried-on-stage-as-ceo/ Last updated: 2026-10-14T13:00:01.000Z I cried on stage this week, in front of thousands of people. In front of the entire industry. The press in the room [wrote about it](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/multi-gig-at-scale-will-help-cable-engage-with-big-tech-spectrum-ceo?ref=philmckinney.com). I couldn't believe it. Some people will tell you it isn't becoming for a CEO to cry in public, much less in front of the entire industry. They'll tell you it isn't good executive presence. So let me explain what happened in Atlanta last week. Let's get into it. .. or listen to the podcast ... ## On the Main Stage in Atlanta Last Tuesday I was in Atlanta for our SCTE TechExpo, on the main stage for the opening session. Three of us were on stage: Chris Winfrey, chairman of the CableLabs board and chairman and CEO of Charter Communications; Mark Bridges, who takes over as CEO of CableLabs in January; and me. Let me give you a little context on how I got to this point of being on stage. I was previously the CTO at HP, and I left at the end of 2011 thinking I was retiring. A week later, CableLabs called. Over the next five months, retiring turned into moving to Colorado to run CableLabs. I didn't come from cable. That wasn't my background. I'm grateful the board took a chance on an outsider, and glad I said yes when I wasn't sure what I was jumping into. Its now 14 years later and I'm retiring for the third time. The last two times I retired, from Teligent after the IPO and from HP, the next role came looking for me. This time, if anyone comes looking, I'll tell you right now: the answer is no. ## Innovation Is a Team Sport I've said this many times, here on the show and in the innovation boot camp courses I teach. Innovation is a team sport. That means the CableLabs team, the operators who fund the research lab, and our vendor partners. We could not have achieved our success without that community and the effort of everybody in it. Some of the articles are highlighting things that happened over my fourteen years, but none of it happened because of one person. This is by far the best job I have ever had, bar none. That's also why it is so hard to step away. That's what hit me on stage. It felt like I was saying goodbye to an industry and a CableLabs team I've been part of for fourteen years. Then I looked over and saw my grandson in the front row. ## Good Succession Plans Take Time I never wanted to be the leader gripping the desk, where someone has to pry his fingers off and push him out the door. I wanted to make the transition when I felt my successor was ready. Good transitions are not single events. It isn't the press release where you announce the new person and ride off into the sunset. A good succession plan is deliberate, and it takes time. Ours started 18 months ago, with me talking to the board of directors about my personal intent and about who I felt was ready. At CableLabs, we run a world-class succession process. For the last eight years, we've met with the board once a year and reviewed successors for every executive function at CableLabs. So the board knew our bench, how deep it was, and our plan to prepare people to step up into the next role. Mark Bridges is my successor as CableLabs CEO, and he is absolutely the right guy. He's been with CableLabs longer than I have - 16 years - and we've worked as a team for a decade. He's been our CTO for the last three years, and on August 1, he became president. He knows the organization and the CEOs of all our member companies. The board is unanimously united behind him, and so am I. I'm handing off roles and functions as we go, so that on January 1 he takes over the CEO title. I've also committed to both the board and Mark that I'll stay available to advise them throughout 2027 if they need me. Innovation Newsletter from Phil McKinney Four decades of experience. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe ## Who Is Ready to Step In for You? Let me ask you a question. > *If you left your role in 90 days, who is ready to step in and take on your function?* If you think holding on to information makes you harder to replace, you're thinking it wrong. Strong leaders plan for their succession. You may have to leave for a medical reason or a family reason. Either way, you do not want to leave your organization in the lurch. So, who is ready? If you don't have anybody, start working on it now. The other questions: > Which relationships exist only in your head or on your phone? > Are you hoarding them, or are you sharing them with the person you've identified as your successor? If you want to be remembered as a model leader long after your career, leave the organization stronger than you found it, and hand it to somebody ready to take it further. ## Why Now? The question everybody asks is, why now, Phil? Why retire now? Age is part of it. I'm 66\. But the real reason is my grandkids. I have five, ages 10 to 14, and I want to go do things with them. The oldest leaves for college in a handful of years, and I know how fast that clock runs. My 14 years at CableLabs flew by, and the years are going even faster now. I want to spend the time I have left with them. ## What's Next What I'm committing myself to is building the next generation of innovators. The YouTube channel and the podcast are staying. That's my investment in innovators out in the world. I'm also making that investment at home, in my grandkids. I have two book projects underway: one on critical thinking and one on innovation. The first four chapters of the [critical thinking](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/i-rewrote-the-book-all-of-it) book are available to paid subscribers over on our Substack channel. I'm not disappearing. I'll still be here regularly doing shows. I may take a break here and there, depending on what my grandkids are up to. But I'll be on the YouTube channel, putting out the podcast, and writing on the blog. ## Liam on the Show Floor Atlanta had a unique twist. I brought one of my grandkids with me: Liam, my second oldest, who is 13\. I brought him to Expo to show people what was driving my decision, and he spent the entire week at the show. Liam is outgoing and personable. He isn't shy, and he engages with adults all the time. He went around to the booths, and many vendors on the show floor came up to tell me the hardest questions they'd ever been asked came from my grandson. Questions like: - What's your product about? - How does it work? Can I see how it works? - Who are your competitors, and how are you different from them? - What problem are you trying to solve for your customer? I was sitting back chuckling. Liam watches every episode of this show on YouTube, and he drills me on the details and the background over our Sunday family lunches. Somewhere in those conversations, he learned the power of a good question. At Expo, he put it to work, using questions to engage the people in the booths and learn from them. He made an impression on many people. Chris Winfrey commented on how impressive Liam was when they met: a firm handshake and good eye contact. I'll admit my bias here. All five of my grandkids are pretty great, and I'm excited for January, when I get to devote my time to them. ## What Is Your Legacy? I want to use all of this talk of succession to help you think something through. > What is your legacy? Do you think it's your career and the products you introduced? Who will talk about you two generations from now? My grandfather taught me to ride horses during our summer visits to Kentucky. He instilled in me the saying, "A job worth doing is worth doing right." He died when I was 7, far too young, and I still think about what else I could have learned from him. I came to a realization while telling my grandkids stories about him. I am my grandfather's legacy. I tell them about the impact he had on my life, and I want to be that for them. My grandkids are my legacy. I don't want them to have the same regret I do. So what are you building that someone else can take further? It might be your grandkids. It might be the person who will succeed you in your job, whether you have to leave or you decide to retire. Think it through. Don't wait and don't let things just happen. ### How To Build Innovation Teams (My Playbook From HP and CableLabs) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-innovation-teams-my-playbook-from-hp-and-cablelabs/ Last updated: 2026-10-17T16:22:39.000Z Why do people believe you can build an innovation team by hiring a few smart people and giving them a creative space? In my experience, teams built on this false premise die within eighteen months. How do organizations get it so wrong? Innovation consultants have told them, or innovation books have taught them, that this is how you build an innovation team. Those experts have rarely built and led innovation teams that delivered. So why is this episode any different? I built and ran HP's Innovation Program Office (IPO), and the teams I led there were named to Fast Company's Most Innovative list three years running. For the last fourteen years, I've run CableLabs, the research and innovation lab for the global broadband industry, where our teams build technology that half a billion people use every day. This episode is about what it takes to build innovation teams, based on my experience doing it at scale—multiple times. By the end, you'll have the six steps I use, in the order they have to happen, what goes wrong when a team skips one, and a way to score your team today. I'll start with a decision I almost got wrong. In 2007, I was about to approve a 20 percent time policy at HP. Under what is called "20 percent time", employees spend about one day a week, a fifth of their working hours, on projects of their own choosing. Google had made it famous; everyone was talking about it, and it looked like the answer. Chuck House stopped me. Chuck had spent decades at HP working for Dave Packard, who founded the company with Bill Hewlett. "Before you do anything," he said, "you need to talk to Art." Art Fong was HP employee number nine. When I sat down with him, he told me something I didn't know. HP had already tried 20 percent time. In the 1950s. The company had watched Art work on his own ideas on Friday afternoons, so it gave everyone Friday afternoons. Most people sat around not knowing what to do with the time, and HP dropped it. "The ones who were going to innovate, like me, were already doing it," Art told me. "The mandate didn't change behavior." That was the lesson. You can't order people to innovate. The people who will innovate are already trying, and your job is to find them and clear the way. I never approved the policy. Google killed its "20% time" policy in 2013. What Art told me next shaped every innovation team I built after that, and we'll keep coming back to Art and his story. Let's get into it. .. or listen to the podcast ... ## **The Innovation Team Fallacy** The innovation team fallacy is the belief that if you hire smart people and give them a creative space, innovation will follow. It's easy to believe, because every successful innovation team you've read about had smart people and a place to work. That's the part you can see from the outside. What you can't see is what had to be in place before the work began. There's a second version of it, and it's the mistake I almost made with 20 percent time: copying what worked at another company and expecting it to work at yours. I'll come back to that later, with the story of a company that learned it the hard way. Teams also fail when you build the pieces in the wrong order. Get the order wrong, and it doesn't matter how talented the people are. Here are the six steps, in the order they have to happen: 1. Build the culture before you hire anyone 2. Recruit for specific roles, not just talent 3. Adapt the process, don't adopt someone else's 4. Fund it like innovation, not like operations 5. Measure what keeps leadership bought in 6. Lead it day to day ### **Step 1: Build the Culture Before You Hire Anyone** Culture is how people behave when nobody is telling them what to do, especially when something goes wrong. New hires don't learn it from what you say, or from the employee handbook. They learn it from what they see. Art Fong didn't describe HP's culture with a policy. He taught me through stories. One weekend, Bill Hewlett found a manager had locked the tool room with a padlock. Bill came back with bolt cutters, cut the lock off, and left a signed note on the door: "Never lock this again." He wanted his engineers to get to parts and equipment whenever an idea hit them. The note told every engineer at HP that the founders would remove anything that stood between them and their next idea. When Art tried to buy a house in Palo Alto, and discrimination stood in the way, Bill and Dave bought it from the seller themselves and sold it to him. No memo or values poster builds that kind of trust. It's built by what leaders do. Three things have to be in place before you hire your first person. **Permission to fail without penalty.** Innovation means working on ideas that are too early, too unusual, or too risky for the company's normal processes. Most of them won't work, and nobody brings you ideas like that if failure costs them. People watch what happens to the first person whose project gets stopped. If that person's next performance review takes a hit, your team stops proposing anything that might fail. **Trust built through integrity.** Trust gets built when a leader does the costly thing they didn't have to do. It gets destroyed when a leader says one thing and does another. **Leadership that protects the team from the rest of the organization.** Every company has its own version of that padlock: approval chains, purchasing rules, a legal review that takes six weeks, a budget that only opens once a year. Most of them exist to protect the core business, and they do that job well. An innovation team can't work inside them. **What to do:** 1. **List the padlocks, then remove them.** Take one idea and walk it through your organization on paper, from the first conversation to the first test with a customer. Write down every approval, every form, where the money comes from, and how many days each one takes. Then go back through and cut the ones your team doesn't need. 2. **Write what happens to a person whose project gets stopped.** Do it before the first project, not after, and be specific about the performance review and the next assignment. Then keep your word the first time it's tested, because that's the one everybody remembers. 3. **Name the protector, and make sure everyone knows who it is.** Pick the person with enough authority to tell the rest of the organization that a rule doesn't apply to this team. If nobody in your organization can play that role, you're not ready to build the team. *Go deeper:*[ *HP Won Innovation Awards. Then Killed What Made It True.*](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-won-innovation-awards-then-killed-what-made-it-true/) ### **Step 2: Recruit for Specific Roles, Not Just Talent** Keep the team small. I've argued for years that the right size for an innovation team is six to eight people. Bigger than that, and people lose focus and stop feeling connected to the work. Small means every seat matters. If you hire the eight smartest people you can find, you'll often end up with eight people who think alike. I look for four roles, and in my postmortems of teams that failed to innovate, they were missing at least one. **The visionary.** This is the person who sees an idea before there's any evidence for it. They're rare, and often hard to work with, because they're living in a future the rest of the company can't see yet. **The leader, who usually isn't the visionary.** This is the most common mistake I see. Somebody has a great idea, so they get put in charge. The leader's job is different: get the resources, protect the team, and stop a project when the evidence says it's time. The person who had the idea is the worst person to make that call to kill it. **The evangelist.** The evangelist takes the team's work to the rest of the organization and explains it in the language of the people who will have to build it, sell it, or support it. Without one, a team builds good things that nobody adopts. **The radicals.** These are the people a normal hiring process screens out. They're creative, they push back, and they can drive the people around them crazy. Remember what Art said: the ones who were going to innovate were already doing it. Your radicals are often inside your company right now, working on something nobody asked them to do. At HP, my group became known as the place you could send your radicals. One of them was very creative, and he drove people crazy, especially the other executives. Every week, a senior executive called me to ask if I had fired him yet. I refused, and I spent a fair amount of time running interference so he could keep working. When he left HP, he started a company with some contacts. When it was acquired, he was worth several times what any executive at HP was worth. The person the organization wants gone is often the one with the idea nobody else can see yet. If you want radicals on your team, you have to be willing to take those calls. **What to do:** 1. **Write the four roles on one page and put a name beside each.** Use the names of real people, not job titles. Any blank is your first hire, and it tells you what to recruit for. 2. **Keep the visionary and the leader as two different people.** If one person holds both roles today, decide which one they're better at and fill the other. The test is simple: can this person stop a project they fell in love with? 3. **Choose the evangelist from the part of the business that will have to adopt the work.** Their credibility with that group matters more than their innovation experience, because those people already trust them. Give the evangelist standing time with that group, not just a presentation at the end. 4. **Go find your radicals, and decide in advance how you'll protect them.** Ask managers who they would transfer out, and look for the people already working on something nobody asked for. Then agree with your own boss on what you'll say when the complaints start. Skip this step, and you get a team that produces what the core business would have produced anyway, or one that builds good work nobody adopts. *Go deeper:*[ *What Is the Optimal Innovation Team Size?*](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-optimal-innovation-team-size/) ### **Step 3: Adapt the Process, Don't Adopt Someone Else's** Once you have the culture and the people, you need a process: how ideas come in, how they get tested, and how you decide which ones get more money and which ones get stopped. At HP, we funded innovation in stages. An idea had to earn its next round of money at a checkpoint we called a stage gate, where the team answered a set of questions before anything moved forward. We ran four gates: market validation, customer validation, a limited launch, and then a full launch. We called the journey through all four gates the innovation funnel. Here is what that looked like in practice. From a pool of about three thousand idea submissions a year, we funded roughly twenty into market validation. Around twelve made it through to customer validation. Five or six were in a limited launch‌. Three or four became new products. Now, remember the second version of the fallacy from the start of this episode, copying what worked at another company? A process like this one is exactly what people try to copy. Here is what happened when a grocery chain did it. An executive at Kroger, the grocery chain, heard my podcast and emailed me to say his team wanted to use HP's innovation playbook as written. We had released it under a Creative Commons license, so anyone could use it for free. I said yes, they could use it, but I was clear: "It won't work as is." They ran it anyway. They built an innovation lab next to a Kroger test store in Northern Kentucky and used HP's playbook without changing it. It cost them eighteen months, mostly building credibility with the store teams, who had to adopt anything the lab built for their stores. Their answer was always some version of "Our customer likes it this way." Kroger got it wrong by copying the process. HP's process was built for a technology company. A grocery store is built to run the same way every day, and anything new disrupts that. So I went to Kentucky and helped them tailor it. That work is what the evangelist role exists for. Once they did, the team shipped Advantage Checkout, a scanning tunnel for groceries that was recognized at the National Retail Federation's annual show in 2011. I've said it many times: adapt, don't adopt. That runs against what a lot of innovation consultants sell: a framework you can install. I had to follow my own advice when I moved from HP to CableLabs. What worked at HP wouldn't work at CableLabs without changing the language, processes, funding level, and who the customers for the innovations were. **What to do:** 1. **Write how your organization already makes decisions.** Who approves spending, how long an approval takes, and the words people use for customers and products. Your process has to run inside that reality, or it gets rejected. 2. **Keep the purpose of each piece and change the form.** A stage gate decides whether an idea gets more money and resources or stops. Write your own gate questions, in your own vocabulary, and make them about where the market is going rather than what is happening today. 3. **Translate it, then prove it in one place.** Rewrite the process in the words the group that has to adopt it already uses. At Kroger, that meant the language of the merchants and category managers, who decide what goes on the shelves. Then try it with one team, on one idea, for ninety days, and let that team show the results to everyone else instead of presenting the framework. *Go deeper:*[ *Kroger Copied HP's Innovation Playbook Perfectly. It Failed Anyway.*](https://www.philmckinney.com/kroger-copied-hps-innovation-playbook-perfectly-it-failed-anyway/) ### **Step 4: Fund It Like Innovation, Not Like Operations** Operations get budgeted once a year because operations are predictable. Ideas don't arrive on a budget schedule. Someone has an idea in March that needs a small amount of money to test, and the answer they get is to put it in next year's plan. By the time the money arrives, the opportunity has passed, or the person who had the idea has moved on. At HP's Innovation Program Office, and again at CableLabs, I set up what I call the Idea Fund. It's a pool of money that isn't committed to any project. When a good idea comes up, we give it money from the pool, say $50,000 for seven months. Once committed, the project has that money for the full seven months, no matter where we are in the fiscal year or what happens in the next budget cycle. And because the pool stayed at the same level year after year, no one had to wait for next year's budget. It takes a leader who can protect that pool, and that means having the CFO on your side. A pool of uncommitted money is an easy target when the numbers get tight. **What to do:** 1. **Set the pool once, and keep it at the same level year to year.** Agree the number with your CFO up front, and agree that it stays in place, so it isn't swept up the first time the numbers get tight. 2. **Commit money to a project for a set amount of time, not for a fiscal year.** Write the amount and the end date together, and hold to both, so the team knows exactly what it has and can get to work. 3. **Put a deadline on every commitment.** If a project can't answer the questions for its next gate in the time it was given, find out why before you decide anything. Sometimes the team learns something that changes the question. 4. **Decide whether to stop or pause.** If the answer at the gate is no, stop the project and put the money back into the pool for the next idea. If the problem is market timing rather than the idea, pause it, so you don't keep investing before it has a real chance to launch. Skip this step and every good idea waits for the next budget cycle, which is how innovation teams die of patience. *Go deeper:*[ *Are You Playing The Innovation Long Game? An HP Story.*](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-playing-the-innovation-long-game-an-hp-story/) ### **Step 5: Measure What Keeps Leadership Bought In** A team that can't show its leaders what the innovation funding is buying gets cut at the first bad quarter. A team measured on the wrong thing stops taking risks, even if nobody tells it to. You need a small set of numbers that do both jobs: show what the money is buying, without killing the risk-taking. Start with what not to measure: the number of ideas. The Innovation Program Office received over three thousand ideas and pitches a year, about sixty a week, and that sounded like success. But no team, however smart or well funded, can properly evaluate three thousand ideas a year. After reviewing a few thousand, I found myself skimming proposals that deserved hours and would catch myself looking for reasons to say no. We had built what we thought was the most sophisticated innovation evaluation process in corporate America, and it was filtering out the breakthroughs it was designed to find. The number of ideas, or the size of your funnel, doesn't matter. What matters is ranking them well enough that the best ones get the proper attention. The goal isn't to evaluate everything. The goal is to evaluate the right things properly. Then get the best ones into the funnel, so the ones that survive the gates have an impact. Leadership is not interested in the funnel. They want to see the impact from the innovations. That is what you need to measure to keep leadership bought into innovation. **What to measure:** 1. **Percent of revenue from new products.** Pick a time window, say products that didn't exist three years ago, and keep it the same. This answers the question, "What are we getting for this money?" 2. **How many innovations ship each year.** At HP, our target was two new global products a year. The Innovation Program Office averaged three to four. 3. **Profit on what shipped.** Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard considered a product successful only when its profit over time was six times what it cost to develop. Any one of these on its own will push the team in the wrong direction. Measure only new-product revenue, and last year's product in a new color starts counting as new. Measure only how many products ship, and the team will ship small, safe ones. Together, they keep each other honest. Skip this step and the first bad quarter ends the team, because nobody outside it can say what the money bought. *Go deeper:*[ *6 Innovation Metrics and KPIs Every Organization Should Use*](https://www.philmckinney.com/6-innovation-metrics-kpis-every-organization-should-use/) ### **Step 6: Lead It Day to Day** Everything so far can be set up as a process once. This step never ends. Art Fong told me one more story. One evening, while Art was working on a new piece of equipment, Dave Packard came in, sat down next to him, and looked at his notebook. "I'll tell you what," Packard said. "I'll write it down while you take the readings." The company's co-founder worked as Art's lab assistant until nearly midnight. Packard was running a company. He could have asked for a report the next morning. Instead, he sat down and did the work alongside Art. A great example of an innovation leader who led. Three behaviors hold an innovation team together. **Show up in the work.** Not only in the meetings about it. The team needs to see that you understand what they're doing and care how it turns out. **Hold a vision that reaches past this quarter.** Innovation takes longer than anyone expects. What your team is working on now will show up as a product long after this quarter has been judged. The team needs to hear where the work is going, from you, more often than feels necessary. **Take the pressure so the team doesn't have to.** Every quarter, someone in an executive meeting will ask what the company is getting for this money. The leader answers that question, using the numbers we just covered, and keeps it from landing on the team every week. Those weekly calls asking whether I'd fired my radical were part of the job. The team trusts you because you protect them, and that trust keeps them innovating when a project gets hard. **What to do:** 1. **Spend time every week on the work itself.** Sit in on a test, join a customer call, or read the raw results before someone summarizes them for you. Put it on the calendar and protect it the way you'd protect a board meeting. 2. **Write the three-to-five-year destination in one sentence, and repeat it.** Say it in team meetings, in reviews, and in your own updates until everyone on the team can say it back to you without looking. 3. **Take the executive questions yourself.** Bring the numbers from the last step into the leadership review, and be willing to defend the innovation teams, especially when the organization is facing a tough quarter. 4. **Protect your people in public.** When someone complains about a member of your team, answer it yourself, in the room where it came up. The person being complained about should never have to defend themselves to the rest of the organization. Skip this step, and the other five come undone. The padlocks come back, the radicals leave, and the idea fund gets raided. *Go deeper:*[ *9 Leadership Behaviors for Innovation Leaders*](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-leadership-behaviors-for-innovation-leaders/) ## **The Payoff, Told Straight** When this worked at HP, the teams I led made Fast Company's Most Innovative list three years running, and the recognition credited the Innovation Program Office, the products it created, and the culture we were rebuilding. Stanford and Harvard both wrote teaching cases on how the team worked. I retired from HP in December 2011\. A few years later, HP shut down the Innovation Program Office. As of last fall, when I last wrote about it, HP hadn't been back on that Fast Company list in thirteen years. That's the part of this playbook I'd underline. Leading the team day to day depends on one person. The culture is what has to survive when that leader leaves, so spread it widely enough that others defend and protect it. At CableLabs, I used the same playbook, adapted to a unique organization. In the twenty-four years between CableLabs' founding in 1988 and my arrival in 2012, CableLabs had been granted approximately 70 patents in total. In the fourteen years since, we've added more than a thousand. While I'm the CEO, innovation is a team sport. Everyone in the organization owns CableLabs' innovation culture, not one person. To avoid repeating what happened at HP, we established a small council of employees, not executives, who champion the culture and corporate values. ## **The Innovation Team Scorecard** Building a high-impact innovation team starts with an honest assessment of the team you have. Not the one described in a board update. The one your people work in. The first step is to honestly score yourself on the six steps. Then have someone on the team score it separately, and compare. The gap between your score and theirs is usually the most useful thing on the page. Fix the earliest weak step first, because later steps rest on earlier ones, and adding people to a weak foundation only makes it fail faster. You can run this on a sheet of paper today. I've built a [**scorecard as a free download**](https://bit.ly/4d3qFr8?ref=philmckinney.com)you can fill in. For each of the six steps, the scorecard describes each step and what a 1 and a 5 look like. [Download Innovation Team Scorecard - FREE](https://bit.ly/4d3qFr8?ref=philmckinney.com) If you are short on time, I would suggest you start with the padlock list. It takes an afternoon, and it will tell you more about your team's chances than any hire you're about to make. *Go deeper:* [*Innovation Lab vs. Innovation Studio - What is the Difference?*](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lab-vs-innovation-studio-what-is-the-difference/) ### How To Improve Your Analytical Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-analytical-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T12:49:42.000Z Any team can fill a whiteboard with ideas in an hour. What most teams skip is the analytical thinking that tells them if they're solving the right problem. An idea pointed at the wrong problem is wasted no matter how clever the idea is, and you usually don't discover this mistake for years. By the end of this episode, you'll have four steps you can run on a real problem this week, the three thinking traps that can derail you, and a practice drill to sharpen your analytical thinking. To help explain how and the power behind this skill, I will use a real-world example. In the summer of 1854, cholera hit one small corner of London's Soho area, and by the time it burned out, 616 people were dead, most of them within a few streets of each other. The experts had an explanation ready. Cholera came from bad air, a poisonous vapor rising off filth and rot, called miasma, and that was the official position of the men in charge of public health. A doctor named John Snow didn't argue with them. He walked to the General Register Office, asked for the list of the dead, took that list out into the streets, and knocked on doors until he found that nearly all of them had lived a short walk from one water pump on Broad Street. We'll follow what he did as he applied each of the four steps I'm about to share. Let's get into it. .. or listen to the podcast. ## **What Is Analytical Thinking?** Analytical thinking gets confused with critical thinking all the time, and the difference decides which skill you reach for. Critical thinking **judges a claim**: someone tells you something, and you ask whether it's true, who is saying it, and what they left out. I covered that in the critical thinking episode, and it's worth watching if you haven't already seen it. Analytical thinking starts when **there is no claim** on the table yet, just a mess. Sales are down twelve percent. Your best people keep leaving. A project that looked healthy in March is three months late in September. Nobody has handed you an argument to evaluate, so there's nothing yet to be critical of. You have to work out what's going on. Snow's story shows the gap. Critical thinking, applied carefully in 1854, points you straight at the Board of Health, because they were the credible source making a claim, and the credible source was wrong. In the critical thinking episode, we briefly touched on breaking a problem into pieces. In today's episode, we focus on breaking the problem into pieces and then analyzing each one. ## **Why Analytical Thinking Is Eroding** Most people remember Snow for the famous cholera map, the one with little black bars stacked along the streets of Soho, piling up around the pump. That map didn't exist in September 1854\. A mapmaker drew it for a book Snow published the following year. The real work involved a list of names and a lot of walking. Today, most of us only ever see the finished map. We rarely do the work that produces it. Think about the last dashboard you looked at. The numbers arrived already cut into pieces, by region, by quarter, by product line, and somebody chose those cuts, months ago, for a question they had then. When the slicing arrives pre-made, you've inherited someone else's answer and never noticed. AI summaries go one step further. You ask what's going on, and you get back a paragraph shaped exactly like a conclusion: confident, organized, finished. It never asks you to decide where to look, and that decision is the skill. Like any skill, it only improves when you make it yourself. Keep the dashboard. But you need to be able to do the same work yourself, by hand, when the dashboard doesn't answer your question. ## **The Four Steps** Snow's work, and the work of anyone good at analytical thinking, has four steps: - Break the problem into pieces - Find the pattern inside them - Test whether your read is right - Look out for the thinking traps ### **Step 1: Break the Problem Into Pieces** A problem that feels overwhelming is a problem you haven't cut into pieces yet. The skill is deciding how to split it. The steps to break a problem into pieces: 1. **Write the problem down as a fact.** "Renewals dropped from eighty percent to sixty-eight percent this year." Not "customers hate the new pricing." That one assumes the answer before you've done the work. 2. **Split the problem into pieces that add up to the whole.** New customers and existing ones. This region and that one. Online and in-store. If the pieces overlap or leave something out, you'll double-count or miss what matters. 3. **Follow the piece that moved, and keep splitting it.** If the drop sits almost entirely in one region, split that region again. If it's spread evenly across everything, that's a clue too, and it points you toward something that touches everything. Stop when a piece is small enough to act on or to ask a person about, because past that point more analysis just delays the decision. 4. **Get the rows behind the chart.** Snow didn't work from a death rate for the district. He worked from eighty-nine names and eighty-nine addresses, and the addresses were where the answer was. How Snow split the problem made all the difference. Everyone else was sorting the neighborhood by what it smelled like. Snow sorted it by where people got their water. Done honestly, this is twenty minutes and one sheet of paper. At the end, you want a short list of pieces that add up, with the one that moved circled. ### **Step 2: Find the Pattern** Step 1 tells you where the damage sits. This step is about what those pieces have in common and finding the exceptions. Snow focused on the exceptions, starting with the ones that seemed to contradict him. There were only ten deaths in houses that sat closer to a different pump, so he visited those families. Five of them told him they always sent for water from Broad Street because they liked the taste better, and three more of the dead were children who went to school near the pump. Then he looked at the places that should have been hit and weren't. A workhouse on Poland Street, nearly surrounded by houses where people had died, held more than five hundred people and lost five, but it had its own well. A brewery sat on Broad Street itself, seventy men working a few doors from the pump, and none of them died. The owner told Snow his men got a daily allowance of beer and never drank the water. The cluster told Snow where to look, and the exceptions are what convinced him he was right. The steps to find the pattern: 1. **Hunt the exceptions in both directions.** Who has the problem and shouldn't? Who should have it and doesn't? One exception, like the brewery, will usually teach you more than ten more examples that fit. 2. **Ask what the cluster and the exceptions share that nothing else does.** This is the moment the analysis reveals something, so slow down here. Write out what's true of the cases that have the problem: where they are, who touched them, what they use, when it started. Then cross off anything that's also true of the cases that don't have it. Snow could cross off the street, the smell, the crowding, and the poverty, because the workhouse and the brewery sat in all of it and stayed healthy. What survived was the water, and whatever survives your crossing-off is the candidate. 3. **Keep asking why until you reach something you can change.** Taiichi Ohno, the engineer behind the Toyota Production System, taught this with a machine that stopped. The fuse had blown, but it blew because a worn shaft had starved the bearing of oil, and the shaft wore out because nobody had fitted a strainer to keep scrap from getting into the machine and damaging the shaft. Stop at the first answer, and you replace the fuse, and the machine stops again next month. Two questions do most of the work in this step: - What changed right before the numbers did? - Who is closest to the problem and hasn't been asked? Snow's best evidence came from a brewery owner and a few families, and nobody had thought to ask any of them. What you want at the end of this step is one sentence naming the likely cause, written so that somebody could go and prove it wrong. "People who drank from the Broad Street pump got cholera" can be checked. "Something in the environment is making people sick" can't be checked, which is part of why the miasma theory lasted so long. ### **Step 3: Test Your Explanation** A pattern is your best read, but it's still a bet. Testing is how you find out whether the bet is any good before you spend money, or reputation, or lives on it. Snow's strongest evidence wasn't in Soho at all. A widow out in Hampstead, miles away, died of cholera on September 2nd. There was no cholera in Hampstead, and she hadn't been near Broad Street in months. But she'd lived there once, and she liked that pump's water so much she had a bottle of it brought out to her by cart. Her niece visited, drank the same water, went home to Islington, and died the next day. There was no cholera in Islington either. That's powerful evidence: a case far from the outbreak that only the pump could explain. On the evening of September 7th, Snow took his case to the parish authorities, and the next day the handle came off the pump. Here's the part people usually leave out. Snow wrote afterward that the deaths had already started to fall before the handle came off, so he couldn't claim the pump was still the source, and he refused to take credit the evidence didn't support. A local clergyman, Henry Whitehead, closed the case. Whitehead set out to prove Snow wrong, went house to house on his own, and ended up tracing the first case: a five-month-old baby at 40 Broad Street, whose mother had rinsed the soiled cloths into a cesspool a few feet from the well. Steps to test your explanation: 1. **Write down what else has to be true if you're right, then go looking for the case that would embarrass you.** If the pump is the cause, people who drank from it far from Soho should get sick, and people living beside it who drank elsewhere should stay healthy. The widow in Hampstead was exactly that case. Define the criteria that would prove you wrong before you go looking. Why? Because if you decide afterward, you'll find a way to rationalize what you already believed. 2. **Hand your work to someone who wants you to be wrong.** Whitehead set out to disprove Snow and ended up strengthening his case. 3. **Run the cheapest test you can.** Pulling a pump handle costs nothing and can be undone tomorrow. Most business problems have a small, cheap test: a price change in one region, one week with a different process, one customer call. By the end of this step, you want a test you can run in a week and a result that would make you drop the idea. ### **Step 4: Avoid the Analytical Traps** Three failures show up again and again, and all three look like good analysis from the outside. The steps to stay out of the traps: 1. **Set the decision date before you start.** The first trap is **paralysis**. You keep splitting and keep asking for more data, because deciding feels riskier than analyzing. Snow didn't wait for proof. He had a strong case and a cheap, reversible action, so he acted. Match the proof you need to the cost of being wrong: pulling a pump handle needs a strong case, and a decision you can't walk back needs a much stronger one. 2. **Round the number back to what you actually know.** The second trap is **false precision**. A forecast of 23.4 percent growth sounds more rigorous than "somewhere between fifteen and thirty." If the inputs were guesses, the precision is invented, and everyone who sees it trusts the number more than they should. Carry the uncertainty through to the answer. 3. **Go find the numbers that disagree with you.** The third trap is **confirmation bias** dressed up as data, and it's the most dangerous because it looks like evidence. You already believe the answer, so you find the slice of the numbers that agrees. The miasma camp had real observations on its side. Cholera did hit the poorest, most crowded, worst-smelling streets hardest. That was true, and it pointed at the wrong thing. I did a full episode on confirmation bias, and the short version is this: when the evidence against you is hard to find, that's when you need to look hardest. Three things to have in hand before you act: - The date you'll decide - An honest range instead of a false decimal - The strongest evidence you could find against your own answer ## **Practice Exercise: The Root-Cause Drill** In the critical thinking episode, the exercise was a debate. This one is a drill, and you'll need a partner, because you'll see the structure of someone else's problem more clearly than your own. 1. **Each of you brings one real problem with a number attached.** Something current, where you don't know the answer. For example: turnover on your team, or a metric that went the wrong way. 2. **Swap problems and break each one into pieces on a single sheet of paper,** with the pieces adding back up to the whole. Give it fifteen minutes. 3. **Circle where the problem concentrates, then find one exception.** If you can't find one, you haven't split finely enough. 4. **Ask why until you hit something changeable.** Write the pattern as one sentence that could turn out to be wrong. 5. **Hand it back. The owner designs one test they can run within a week that could prove the pattern false.** 6. **Meet again after the test.** Compare what you expected with what happened. The gap between the two is where you learn the most. The first time, it'll feel slow. By the third, you'll catch yourself taking problems apart in meetings before anyone has finished describing them. ## **The Rewards** After the outbreak passed, the authorities put the handle back on the Broad Street pump, and the official inquiry blamed the epidemic on bad air. Snow's analysis was right; it was on paper, and the people in charge rejected it anyway. It took years for everyone else to catch up with what he had worked out from a list of names and a few weeks of knocking on doors. This is the reality of what analytical thinking will and won't do for you. It won't make people believe you, and on its own it won't win the room. What it does is get you to the right answer while everyone else is still debating which expert to believe, and give you the evidence to back it up. It gives you the early insight that others are missing. The next time a number goes the wrong way, don't start by guessing at the cause. Get the details, break the problem into pieces, and work from there. ### Never Forget: 25 Years Remembering Charles Falkenberg and His Family URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/charles-falkenberg-911-pentagon-flight/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T12:48:32.000Z I first wrote this post in 2008, the year the Pentagon Memorial opened, and I bring it back to the top of this page every September. For the 25th year I want to tell you more about the people in it. That morning I was on the road into Maryland, listening to WTOP, and the traffic coming the other way was heavier than anything I'd ever seen. I spent most of the day in a conference room, watching the same footage as everyone else in the country. I didn't know yet that I knew anyone on the plane that hit the Pentagon. ECOlogic's CEO told me the next day. For one day it was the country's tragedy. After that it had four names. Charles Falkenberg was 45\. He was director of research (CTO) at ECOlogic, where I sat on the board, and he built the systems that got NASA earth-science data into the hands of the scientists who needed it. His wife, Leslie Whittington, was also 45\. She was an economist and associate professor of public policy at Georgetown who studied how tax policy affects families. Both of them had graduated from East High School in Denver, and they married there in 1984. Zoe was eight. Her teacher at University Park Elementary remembered that she was one of the smallest in her class and one of the brightest. She loved to read, especially Harry Potter. Dana had turned three that July. Her parents saw her as a miracle. They were flying to Los Angeles and then on to Canberra, where Leslie was starting a fellowship at the Australian National University. Twenty-five years on, what stays with me is how much of that trip was built around coming home. Leslie's fellowship had an end date. Zoe had planned a Beanie Babies party with her friend Katie for when they got back. And Charles spent his last week at the office packing up his things so someone else could use the room, even after his coworkers told him it would wait for him. Dana would be 28 this year. Zoe would be 33. Two days ago the Pentagon Memorial became an affiliated area of the National Park System, a partnership to preserve and share the stories of the 184 people killed there. If you're ever in Arlington, go and find Dana's bench. If you can't get there, the memorial has a short biography of each of them online: [Charles](https://www.pentagonmemorial.org/biographies/charles-s-falkenberg/?ref=philmckinney.com), [Leslie](https://www.pentagonmemorial.org/biographies/leslie-a-whittington/?ref=philmckinney.com), [Zoe](https://www.pentagonmemorial.org/biographies/zoe-falkenberg/?ref=philmckinney.com), and [Dana](https://pentagonmemorial.org/biographies/dana-falkenberg/?ref=philmckinney.com). Georgetown still holds the [Whittington Lecture](https://mccourt.georgetown.edu/whittington-lecture/?ref=philmckinney.com) in Leslie's name every year. Below is the post as I first wrote it. --- Charles was the Director of Research (CTO) for ECOLogic – a small company based in Washington DC where I served on the Board of Directors. Charles was incredibly brilliant and the work he did in data visualization for earth data allowed ECOLogic to grow and expand including spinning off companies (e.g. Datazen) to commercialize the research from Charles and his team. Charles and his family (Dana Falkenberg (3), Zoe Falkenberg (8) and his wife Leslie) were on the American flight that hit the Pentagon. They were in transit to Australia, where Leslie would be a visiting professor. Charles asked for a leave of absence but instead, the company asked him to continue his research … from Australia. In his last week, he cleaned out his office so that someone else could use it while he was gone. The response from his co-workers was “no” — his office would wait for him when he got back. He still packed it up, just in case someone needed to use it while he was gone. Here is a video tribute that was put together to memorialize the Falkenberg family 9/11. With 9/11 upon us and the fact that I'm on the east coast, I made a special trip to the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. When I came around the corner of the Pentagon and saw the memorial, the impact was profound. Each person who perished has a bench with their name. ![Pentagon Memorial for 9/11](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/image-1.jpg) The benches are organized by year of birth. As a result, Charles' youngest daughter, Dana Falkenberg, is the first bench you see when you enter the memorial. ![Dana - Charles Falkenberg daughter - bench at 9/11 memorial at Pentagon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/image.jpg) Charles Falkenberg – you are missed. I can't easily explain the emotion I felt when I saw their benches … the memories of that day all came rushing back … ***Update: 9/11/2020 — Re-post of the original from 9/11/2008*** ### How to Recognize Failure Patterns: How HP Quit and Apple Won URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-recognize-failure-patterns-how-hp-quit-and-apple-won/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:27.000Z Recognizing failure patterns is the closest thing an innovator has to seeing the future. If you can recognize the patterns, you can change the future, because most failures are not original. They repeat, and that repetition is the pattern: the same handful of patterns reappearing in one organization after another, decade after decade. This one stings a little. In 2011, Bill Geiser told me, almost word for word, how the project we had spent the past two years building was going to fail. He saw the pattern before I did; I heard him say it, and I never forgot it. The failure still happened. This is not a pre-mortem. A pre-mortem imagines new ways your plan could fail. Recognizing failure patterns means learning from failures that have already happened elsewhere and spotting the early signals before you repeat them, while there is still time to act. By the end of this episode, you will have four patterns in your own library, a five-minute way to check any project against them, and the four steps to take when you find one. Let's get into it. ... or listen to the podcast: ### The Smartwatch We Killed In 2004, Fossil hired a watch-technology executive named Bill Geiser to help build innovative technology for their watches. A few years later, he and I started spending real time together, me as HP's CTO, him running watch technology at Fossil. Between us, we had an idea we both believed in: a connected wearable, years before anyone used that phrase, co-innovated by HP and Fossil, with each bringing its expertise. Fossil named the resulting platform the MetaWatch. It ran an ultra-low-power processor with a 96 by 96 display, an accelerometer, and Bluetooth. It was designed to last a week on a charge, and it shipped with a full developer kit so anyone could build apps for it. We revealed the partnership in March 2011, at an HP event in China. And between us, we had the one thing Apple did not have in 2011: distribution. HP held roughly ten percent of consumer-electronics shelf space. Fossil sold through twenty thousand retail stores that carried its watches. Bill saw the ending before anyone. He told me in 2011: "Phil, I wouldn't be shocked if Apple evolved the Nano to take advantage of this space. They'll legitimize it in consumers' minds worldwide." So the man building the watch spotted the failure in advance, out loud. And naming it changed nothing. The signs kept arriving in plain sight. HP went through three CEOs in thirteen months. In August 2011, Leo Apotheker killed HP's consumer mobile strategy and WebOS, which removed the platform that made a smartwatch matter to HP at all. The battery lasted three to four hours against the original target of a week. We ran month-long approval cycles for changes that startups could implement in days. Then I went out on medical leave. When I came back six weeks later, HP had killed Palm, WebOS, and the connected wearable project. Here is what the ignored warning turned into. The Apple Watch shipped in April 2015\. It sold 4.2 million units in its first quarter, and by that fall Apple was selling three out of every four smartwatches on the planet. The market we walked away from grew from three hundred thousand units in 2012 to forty-five million by 2018, and Apple held fifty-one percent of the market share. The idea was never the hard part. It never is. The hard part is committing. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ### What Recognizing Failure Patterns Means Nothing that killed the MetaWatch was new, and none of the signals were faint. They were loud; they were ignored, and each one was a pattern that has killed projects for decades. Recognizing failure patterns has two halves. The first is building a library of how failures repeat. The second is matching the situation in front of you against that library, and forcing what you find into an actual decision while the fix is still cheap. Bill did the first half. Neither of our companies did the second, and the gap between those halves is where the Apple Watch came from. Here are four entries for your library, straight from this one failure. Each one ends with a test question. By the end, you will have a four-question checklist, and then I will show you what to do when a pattern shows up. ### Pattern 1: Success Protects Itself Fossil's traditional watch business grew from $950 million in 2004 to $3.25 billion by 2013\. It was tripling while we were building the thing that might replace it, and that growth made cannibalizing it politically impossible. Fossil never had to kill the MetaWatch outright. Fossil positioned the watch as a two-hundred-dollar development platform, something no ordinary customer would ever be handed at a retail counter. > ***When we constrain what we're innovating so it doesn't risk the present, we've lost the future.*** Test it: Is the new thing priced, staffed, or positioned so that it cannot hurt the current thing? If the answer is yes, this pattern is already running. ### Pattern 2: The Warning That Changes Nothing Bill's warning was specific, early, and exactly right, and it still changed nothing. I heard it directly, and hearing is not the same as deciding: nobody re-ran the plan with "Apple arrives and legitimizes the category" as an input, no roadmap changed, and no budget moved. Test it: What decision changed after the warning? If the honest answer is none, the warning was never acted on, no matter how many people remember hearing it. ### Pattern 3: The Problem Nobody Owns A week of battery life was the MetaWatch's central promise, and it shipped at three to four hours. Both companies saw the gap. No one owned fixing it. The hardest problem on the project sat on the seam between two companies, and problems that sit on seams get reported, tracked, and carried forward without ever belonging to anyone who can be asked why the problem is still there. We ran that partnership for two years and never settled whose job it was to lose sleep over the one number that mattered most. Test it: Who owns the hardest problem, by name? If the answer is a partnership, a committee, or a pause, then nobody owns it. ### Pattern 4: The Pace Mismatch Earlier, I shared that we ran month-long approval cycles for changes a startup could implement in days. That is a pacing problem: the organization's internal pace versus the market's. A smartwatch in 2011 was a fast-moving product running through slow-moving machinery, and no amount of talent inside the project could close that gap. The delay was structural, not personal. Test it: How long does one small change take to approve, against how fast the market moves? Time a real one. Do not estimate it. ### Five Minutes on a Project That Died The four patterns are the start of your library. Before you use it on a live decision, test it on a dead one. You have a dead project in your past. Everybody does. Pick the one that still stings and give it five minutes against the four test questions. 1. Was an existing success being protected while the project starved, in pricing, staffing, or positioning? 2. Did people raise a warning, and what decision changed after it was said? 3. Who owned the hardest problem, and can you name the person? 4. And how long did a small change take to approve, against how fast the market was moving? When I run the MetaWatch through those four questions, I find all four patterns. Your project will probably show fewer. Every pattern you find is one you will now recognize as it happens on the project you are working on right now. ### The Four Steps When You Spot a Failure Pattern Which brings up the harder half of the skill, because recognition alone did not save us. Suppose you had been standing next to me in 2011, holding all four of these patterns. It would not have been enough. Being right about the future means nothing without the organizational machinery to act on that insight. So when a failure pattern appears on a live project, follow this sequence. **Step one: Say the failure pattern out loud, in the room where the decision lives.** Not in the hallway afterward. Use the pattern's name. **Step two: Get it onto the decision memo.** A warning that lives only in conversation changes nothing. Write the pattern and what it costs into a document that will drive a decision. **Step three: Attach an owner.** If you identify a critical problem, assign it to one person. Not a team or an organization. Someone you can ask next sprint why the problem is still there. **Step four: Attach a date.** Being early provides an advantage, and a failure pattern without a date on it fades unnoticed. Bill was right for four years, and Apple was the one who acted on it. That could have been us if we'd had the organizational courage to back our vision with meaningful resources. ### Conclusion You now have what nobody handed me in 2011: four patterns of failure, a five-minute check, and the four steps to run when you spot one. What you do in the room where the decision lives is the part Bill's warning never got. Don't waste it. Never miss a post from Studio Sessions Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ### Additional Resources **How HP and Fossil Handed Apple the Smartwatch Market**: The inside story of vision without execution: why being right about the future means nothing without the courage to act on breakthrough insights. **The story of MetaWatch with its founder, Bill Geiser**: ### HP Needs to Stop Before It Can Grow URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-needs-to-stop-before-it-can-grow/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T19:53:03.000Z Mark Vena's ["HP Needs More Than a New CEO,"](https://www.technewsworld.com/story/hp-needs-more-than-a-new-ceo-180475.html?ref=philmckinney.com) published in TechNewsWorld, has been showing up in my LinkedIn comments and my DMs since it was released. Same question every time: What do you think? Here's my answer. Where Vena's right, where the diagnosis breaks down, and a second letter to HP's board. ## Where Vena Is Right Vena, who's covered this industry for 25 years and runs SmartTech Research, gets more right than he's getting credit for. His numbers hold up. Revenue was up 9% in Q2, but PC and printing volume both fell, meaning pricing and mix are covering for a volume problem in both core businesses. AI PCs won't fix that; every competitor is telling its board the same story. He's also right about culture, and not in passing: "Large hardware companies naturally want new initiatives to fit existing financial targets, sales channels, compensation systems, and management processes." I've written versions of that sentence myself. Vena's piece is worth reading in full for that section alone. ## Where the Diagnosis Breaks Down Where I disagree is the platform list: meeting intelligence, commercial wearables, ambient computing, and eventually robotics. Those could be the answer. They might not be. That's not a question I'm positioned to settle from the outside, and it's not the board's question either. It belongs to the next CEO, the leadership team they build, and the organization. But whichever platform turns out to be right, there's a problem with how Vena gets there, and it shows up in his own words. His conclusion says HP's problem "is spreading investment across too many reasonable initiatives instead of committing enough resources to one capable of changing the company." Good advice. Then his own piece does the opposite: four platforms, building toward what he calls a "unified platform." He diagnoses the disease and then seems to prescribe more of it. ## The Missing Piece Is Focus What's missing is focus, and I mean something narrower than the word usually carries: the discipline to say no to almost everything and commit hard to one thing. HP has to build that discipline for itself. Vena laid out four platforms, but the answer doesn't have to be one of them. Whatever it turns out to be, picking something HP can own outright instead of just compete in is a call only HP can make. Right now, HP is one of many players in every market it serves. Everyone's talking about what HP should add. Almost nobody is talking about what it has to stop making to afford that. HP's own store today lists 174 printer models, on top of a build-to-order system at HP Shopping that can spin up thousands of laptop and desktop configurations. Meg Whitman said last June that the combined HP and HP Enterprise she used to run once operated in 190 countries, 40 of which accounted for 85% of the revenue and 125% of the profit. The other 150 countries were dragging profits down. Nobody's run that math on HP Inc. today. Stopping something means giving up revenue, or a customer, or a country, and nobody wants to be the one who signs off on that. This requires leadership courage. > **Growth starts with stopping.** And HP's board needs to resist the urge to fall back on consultants to make that call, as they've done in the past. [I've written about one such experience in more detail.](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-i-saw-mckinsey-get-wrong-at-hp-and-couldnt-stop/) Mark and I, with our commentaries on HP, are Monday-morning quarterbacking. I've been outside HP for close to fifteen years now. While I still hear from many within HP and have some insights, any path forward has to come from inside: from the team that believes in what it can build. That makes this a leadership problem before it's a strategy problem. Culture sets the guardrails. Vision drives the direction. The next CEO's first job is rebuilding enough trust that HP can find its own vision instead of adopting someone else's. ## Who Should Fill This Job? Vena describes the resume that the next CEO needs. He never asks what experience that person needs to survive inside HP. His version of the job: "a hardware-and-software platform builder with direct experience scaling subscription revenue." That's where he stops. My February letter argued for someone who understands HP from the inside. Not necessarily someone currently employed, but an individual with significant tenure at HP, who deeply understands the company's culture, has internalized its operational philosophy, and could be recruited to return to HP. That describes trust, not a strategy. What they'd build once they have that trust is a separate question, and it's theirs to answer, not mine. ## HP Has a Bench Whether someone who actually fits that description exists is a fair question. I think the answer is yes. I don't know what HP's search committee has looked at, but after my February pieces ran, current and former HP people reached out with names: some still inside HP, some gone for years and building real experience elsewhere. That's a candidate pool worth taking seriously. ## Four Outside Hires, Four Losses There's a second reason to look inside first: the alternative has a track record, and it isn't good. HP has tried the pure outside hire four times, regardless of resume, and lost it four times. Carly Fiorina came from Lucent. Mark Hurd came from NCR. Léo Apotheker came from SAP. Meg Whitman came from eBay and a Senate campaign. They left for different reasons, and I won't flatten four different situations into one story. But none of them truly became part of the organization the way HP's next leader needs to. Each led HP from the front. None led from the inside, and none stayed long enough to convince the organization they were committed to its long-term success. What's different now isn't about the resume. HP needs a leader who becomes part of the place, backed by a board willing to give them the time to prove it. ## The Fork That's the real choice facing the board right now, and it isn't platform versus no platform. **Option one**: hire a leader who already has, or can quickly rebuild, real trust inside the organization. Not goodwill from the board, but credibility with HP's own people, enough that they'll follow this person into hard conversations about what to kill and where to focus. That trust isn't the leader's to build alone; the board earns its share by being visibly, durably committed to the person they hired. That leader may arrive without a finished strategy. That's fine. Trust and alignment are the first job. The vision comes after, and it comes from inside. **Option two**: hire someone who arrives with the strategy already built: a platform thesis, a stack of acquisitions, a plan that looks complete on day one. Ask them to run it inside a culture they haven't earned the standing to change yet. HP has tried that four times with an outside CEO. Four times, the plan died in the gap between the strategy and the trust needed to carry it out. External hires are 61% more likely to be fired. I think that's exactly why internal succession has become the default: 74% of S&P 500 CEO appointments are internal today. While the option the board picks is critical, what it does after picking is nearly as important. HP doesn't need a CEO for two years, or four. This company has taken on entirely new businesses before and backed them for a decade or more when it mattered. This transformation needs that time, and it's unclear whether today's board has the patience for it. ## A Second Letter to HP's Board Dear HP board — In February, my advice was on four things: an internal candidate with real technical credibility, a former HP executive back on the board, the CTO in the room without a vote, and a real commitment to rebuilding the culture, not a memo about one. Two of those still belong on this list exactly as they were. The internal-candidate ask has been sharpened by everything since; it's items 5 and 6 below, not a separate line. The culture commitment isn't a checklist item. It's the whole argument this piece is making, and it closes this letter instead of opening it. This isn't a shrink-to-survive list. Growth starts with stopping, and this is the time to stop. **Still true from February:** 1. **Put a former HP executive back on the board.** HP did this as a matter of course for decades. It's worth doing again: institutional memory in the room, someone who can and will push back when a decision drifts from what actually makes this company work. 1. **Give the CTO a seat in the room, without a vote.** Decisions about products, R&D, and where to place a decade-long bet need a direct line to HP's technical leadership, not a version that's been filtered through three other executives first. **New since Vena's piece:** 1. **Cut what doesn't earn its keep, and cut it hard.** Not 5% across the board. Start with the product line complexity. Does HP need 174 different printer models and a build-to-order system that spins out thousands of PC and laptop configurations? The same test applies to geography: HP and HP Enterprise's top 40 countries once produced 85% of the revenue and 125% of the profit. These are just a few examples. Everything should be on the table. 2. **Own one truly new thing, and fund it like you mean it.** Not an extension of PCs or printing. AI features bolted onto existing products aren't differentiation; they're table stakes, and every competitor is running the same slide. Commit to something HP doesn't already do and could own outright, resulting in an innovation premium. It might be one of Vena's four platforms. It might be something none of us have named yet. Pick it, then fund it like a company that intends to win it, not one splitting its bet four ways. 3. **Widen the CEO search past HP's current org chart.** Some of the strongest candidates I've heard named since February left HP years ago and have since built real experience outside it. Go find them. 4. **If you hire from outside anyway, ask about culture before strategy.** Find out whether the candidate plans to lead from inside HP's culture, not from in front of it. That's the trait that's already beaten four outside hires. Ask that before you ask about their platform thesis. 5. **Commit to seven to ten years, not two or four.** HP has made decade- and multi-decade commitments before, when it moved into entirely new businesses and built something it intended to own. Seven to ten years is what this transformation will take. Stop scoring the next CEO on the quarterly cadence you'd use for a printer refresh. Give whatever new bet emerges its own funding and its own metrics, build in the patience to defend a bad quarter instead of flinching at it, and accept that you, as a board, will be judged on whether you held that line when it got hard. That's the list. As an outsider, I can't hand HP the playbook, and Vena can't either. The next CEO earns it by rebuilding enough trust for HP to decide what to build and what to let go of first. Here's the sequence I would recommend: first, determine what needs to stop ; then establish trust; and finally, pursue a vision that emerges from these foundations, supported by a patient board, which will allow HP to discover its own path. Get it backward, and you'll be reading CEO number eight's exit interview in about eighteen months, wondering why the plan never survived contact with the building. --- ## End Notes/Sources *This piece responds directly to Mark Vena's reporting and analysis. Full credit to him and to TechNewsWorld:* [*"HP Needs More Than a New CEO,"*](https://www.technewsworld.com/story/hp-needs-more-than-a-new-ceo-180475.html?ref=philmckinney.com) *by Mark N. Vena, TechNewsWorld, August 4, 2026.* *The Meg Whitman country-footprint figures are from* [*"Opening offices in 120 countries is 'not a badge of honor'—pick 30 instead, says iconic former tech CEO Meg Whitman,"*](https://fortune.com/2026/06/09/meg-whitman-expanding-120-countries-not-badge-of-honor-brainstorm-tech/?ref=philmckinney.com) *Fortune, June 9, 2026.* *From my own archive on this same pattern:* - [*An Open Letter to HP's Board*](https://www.philmckinney.com/an-open-letter-to-hp-board/) *— February 2026* - [*What I Saw McKinsey Get Wrong at HP (and Couldn't Stop)*](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-i-saw-mckinsey-get-wrong-at-hp-and-couldnt-stop/) *— May 2026* - [*HP Has Fired, Forced Out, or Lost 6 CEOs in 25 Years. Here We Go Again.*](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-has-fired-forced-out-or-lost-6-ceos-in-25-years-here-we-go-again/) *— February 2026* - [*The R&D Metric Mark Hurd and HP Got Wrong*](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-r-d-metric-mark-hurd-and-hp-got-wrong/) *— March 2026* - [*HP Won Innovation Awards. Then Killed What Made It True.*](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-won-innovation-awards-then-killed-what-made-it-true/) *— October 2025* ### How to Improve Your Abductive Reasoning Skills: The Sherlock Holmes Method URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-abductive-reasoning-skills-the-sherlock-holmes-method/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:27.000Z Sherlock Holmes never once used deduction. Open any of the stories and watch what he actually does. He notices a tan line on a wrist or mud dried on a boot and leaps to the best-fitting explanation. Then he went looking for evidence. Deduction guarantees its conclusions. What Holmes did was guess. He was better at it than everyone around him because he treated guessing as a discipline. The discipline of guessing is one of the most useful thinking skills nobody ever taught you. Let's get into it. ... or listen to the podcast. ## What Is Abductive Reasoning? There are three kinds of reasoning. School taught you two of them. Deduction moves from a general rule to a specific conclusion. For example, all mammals have hearts. Dogs are mammals. So dogs have hearts. If the starting statements are true, the conclusion must be true. Induction goes the other way, from specific observations to a general pattern. For example, if you see a thousand white swans, you conclude all swans are white. Probably right, but never guaranteed. Europeans believed exactly that until they reached Australia and found black swans. I covered both in [an earlier episode on logical reasoning skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-logical-reasoning-skills/). Abduction is the third kind, the one school skipped, and it runs reasoning backward. You start at the far end, with the result or fact in front of you, then you work back to whatever would explain it. For example, the lawn is wet at six in the morning. You didn't see it rain, and nothing rules out a broken sprinkler. But rain explains it best, so you accept it for now and get on with your day. Notice that you did that without deciding to. You are running abductive reasoning constantly, on faces and sales numbers and to explain the silence after you finish talking in a meeting. We all leap from evidence to an explanation and then treat the explanation as fact. You already know how to do this. What you don't have is the habit of catching yourself at it and doing it deliberately when it matters. Now go back to Holmes. In ***A Study in Scarlet***, the first thing he ever does on the page is shake hands with a stranger and say, "You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive." Holmes explains it later. The man had a medical look but a soldier's bearing. His face was dark, but his wrists were fair, so the tan came from somewhere hot. His left arm hung stiffly, so it had been injured. None of those clues proves anything on its own. Holmes asked which single story would cover them all: an army doctor, wounded and sent home from the Afghan war. That is abduction, not deduction, and Conan Doyle used the wrong word for it his entire career. ## Why AI Can't Do Abductive Reasoning Abduction is the only one of the three that creates a new idea. Deduction draws out what was already inside the starting statements, and induction stretches a pattern you already saw. That difference used to be a philosopher's distinction. It matters now because AI has gotten very good at the other two. AI finds patterns in billions of examples and extends them, induction at a scale no human can match. What it cannot reliably do is face a fact that fits no pattern and come up with an explanation worth betting on. That leap is still uniquely human, and the people who make it well are getting more valuable every year. Meanwhile, abduction as a skill is getting harder to keep, because search engines and chatbots now answer most questions in under a minute, and abduction doesn't work that way. It asks you to live with "probably" for a while, holding an answer you know might be wrong and working anyway. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation insights directly to your inbox. Subscribe ## How to Improve Your Abductive Reasoning Skills None of this is a talent you either have or don't have. Watch a good doctor or a talented designer at work, and you will see the same four moves. Each one can be practiced. ### 1\. Notice What Doesn't Fit In 1847, a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis ran a maternity clinic in Vienna. It had two wards, one staffed by doctors and one by midwives, and in the doctors' ward new mothers were dying of fever at three times the rate. Some women gave birth in the street rather than be admitted, and the street births survived at a better rate. Everyone was ignoring the numbers. Semmelweis treated the numbers as the question. What could explain the best-trained people in the hospital losing the most patients? His answer came when a colleague cut his finger during an autopsy and died of the same fever. Doctors went from dissecting corpses straight to delivering babies. Midwives never touched corpses. He ordered handwashing in chlorine, and the deaths collapsed decades before anyone had heard of germ theory. Charles Sanders Peirce, the philosopher who gave the skill its name, built that noticing into his own definition of abduction. The surprising fact is observed, he wrote, and only then does the search for an explanation begin. When something fits what you already believe, we accept it without noticing. Surprise is the alarm that the automatic version has failed. It means the failure that matters happens before any of the reasoning starts. The risk is that you cannot explain a surprise you never see. We have spent years learning to rationalize them away. When reality does something you didn't predict, write it down before you talk yourself out of it. ### 2\. Generate More Than One Explanation Last week I told you about the chrome-looking keyboard snafu. An HP laptop was running below plan, and none of the data would say why. Before anybody knew about the keyboard, I asked the product team what they thought was happening. I got three answers. It needs more memory. It needs a bigger hard drive. It needs longer battery life. Each one arrived with a competitor's machine held up beside ours. That one has more memory. That one has the bigger drive. Every comparison was accurate, and each one had been picked because it supported the answer. Three explanations sounded like the work was done. All three said the same thing: that we were losing on specifications, which is what the team was already organized to believe. None of the explanations would have sent someone into a store on a Saturday to watch a customer make the purchase decision. So when you catch a genuine surprise, run it through this sequence instead: 1. **State the surprise in one sentence.** "Sales dropped 15% in a quarter when we improved the product." If you can't state it cleanly, you don't yet know what you're explaining. 2. **Force at least three explanations.** The third is usually where the thinking starts, because the first two are the ones everybody already believes. 3. **Include one explanation you don't want to be true.** If every explanation on your list flatters you and your team, the list isn't finished. 4. **Write down what each explanation would predict.** If A is true, what else should you be able to see? That turns a guess into something you can check. ### 3\. Choose the Best Explanation, Not the First One Philosophers call abduction "inference to the best explanation," and the key word is "best." Best doesn't mean first, and it rarely means the cleverest. The one you want covers the most facts while assuming the least. Then, before you commit, decide what evidence would make you drop it. A doctor hearing chest pain does this out loud, ruling out the dangerous explanation first even when she expects it to be something ordinary. ### 4\. Hold It Loosely and Test It Cheaply The best explanation is still a bet, nothing stronger. The moment you forget the word "bet," the skill starts working against you. Many will make a sharp abductive leap, fall in love with it, and then spend six months protecting it instead of testing it. Designers handle this better than almost anyone. A prototype is an abductive test, the cheapest way to let the world argue with your guess before you commit real money. Whatever your field, find your version of the prototype. Good innovators are wrong as often as everyone else. They just find out sooner, and it costs them less. ## Try This Before Friday Think of the last thing at work that went differently than you expected. A deal that died, a number that moved the wrong way, a good person who quit. You already have an explanation for it. Notice how fast it came. Somebody asked what happened, and you had an answer before they finished the question, and everyone nodded, because it was reasonable, and reasonable answers end conversations. Go back to it this week. Not to find out whether you were right, because you were probably close enough. Go back because two other explanations fit those same facts and you never considered either one. Find them, and make one something you would rather not be true. Then find the smallest test that would tell them apart. A phone call. One question to somebody who was in the room. It is almost never expensive, and that is the part worth sitting with, because it means the answer has been sitting there the whole time and nobody went and got it. ## Go For It Abductive reasoning is how new ideas enter the world, and Holmes made a career of it under the wrong name. The more leaps you make and test, the sharper the next one gets. Never miss a post from Studio Sessions Get innovation insights delivered directly to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe ### The Customers Who Walked Away URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-customers-who-walked-away/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:26.000Z Think about the last thing you almost bought and did not. You picked it up, you looked at it, you put it back down. You had a reason for choosing one item over its competitors, and you know exactly what it was. Did anybody ever ask you why you didn’t choose the loser? Of course not. And somebody did the same thing to you this week. Something you made, or wrote, or suggested. An idea you put into a meeting that got a polite nod and then went nowhere. They considered it, decided against it, and you never found out the real reason. Almost everything that comes back to you comes from the people who said yes. Inside a business, the machinery makes that official. Satisfaction surveys go to people who have bought. Reviews come from people who have bought. The customer list is a list of people who have bought. The one who put it back down is invisible to all of it, and that person is holding the answer. So, where do you point a question to reach somebody who is not there? Last week, we took a question apart and rebuilt it. But a well-made question aimed at the wrong thing comes back empty. Where you point a question is the other half of the skill. ... or listen to the podcast: ## Forty-two cards of Killer Questions A [**killer question**](https://www.philmckinney.com/killer-questions) is one that has been tested and proven to spark ideas beyond the obvious. The name comes from the old phrase "killer app," where "killer" meant standout, not lethal. I built this collection of questions the slow way. I designed structured tests into my innovation workshops, which I was running: specific questions put to specific groups, and a record of what each produced. The rule for keeping a question was that it had to trigger something in that room. Did somebody walk out seeing their customer, their product, or the way they work differently than when they walked in? If nothing moved, the question was cut. If there was a good idea underneath one and I had simply worded it badly, I rewrote it and ran it again in another workshop. There were hundreds of questions, and most did not survive. Forty-two did. When I sorted the survivors, they fell into three groups. Not by subject. By where they aim your thinking. ## Three places to aim Every question in the deck points to one of three things. Who, what, and how. **WHO** is the person or organization who will benefit from what you make. Usually, your customer, though the gap between "usually" and "always" is where a lot of new business hides. **WHAT** is the product, the service, the solution that creates the value for the WHO. **HOW** is the way your organization builds, delivers, and supports the WHAT for the WHO. Three places an idea can come from, and the questions exist to send you into each one on purpose rather than by accident. The cards all say "product." Read that as whatever you make for somebody else. A service counts. So does a proposal you hand to your boss. Thirteen of my cards aim at WHO. Thirteen at WHAT. Sixteen at HOW. That split was never a plan. It is where the questions that kept surviving pointed, and eventually, I stopped arguing with it. ## WHO **What are your unshakable beliefs about what your customers want?** The phone companies believed their customers wanted reliability above all else, and they were right. For a century, they built toward 99.999 percent uptime. A dial tone that worked in a storm, in a power failure, always. Then somebody turned that belief over and looked at it with no assumptions about what the customer wanted. Where were there people who would give up call quality for something else? That is the question that led to voice over IP, a phone call carried over the internet. In the early days, it sounded terrible. Calls dropped. By the standard the old industry had spent a century perfecting, VoIP was not a serious product. But underneath it sat an idea nobody in that industry had allowed themselves to consider: that many people would trade call quality for price and mobility, and would do so happily. They did. That market opportunity existed before anyone built it, waiting for someone willing to challenge the old standard on its head. ## WHAT **What is surprisingly inconvenient about my product?** It does not ask whether the product is good. Your team will defend that all day, and they will be partly right, which will only make the conversation worse. Surprisingly inconvenient means some part of using your product that nobody inside your company has ever seen a real person struggle with. The fifteen minutes with the instructions. The step everyone on your team skips automatically because they built the thing. On the back of that card sits the shortest useful question I own: "Do you use your own product yourself?" Hold on to this one. In a few minutes, it turns up at a Best Buy, and the strange part is that I wasn't aiming at it when I found it. ## HOW **What do people not like about the buying experience for my product?** For the whole time I was CTO at HP, I spent nearly every Saturday in a Best Buy. While traveling, I found a local electronics store in whatever country I was in. I was not shopping. I was standing in the aisle watching strangers choose, because this question has no other answer. You cannot survey somebody who did not buy. My family called it my “digital stalking”. My kids would have done almost anything else rather than be seen with me in a Best Buy on a Saturday. When somebody picked up a competitor's product and headed for the checkout, I would walk over, introduce myself, and ask what made them choose that one. I did it long enough that the sales staff around Silicon Valley knew me, and would change how they talked to a customer if they saw me standing there. Stay somewhere long enough, and you stop being an observer. You influence what you are measuring. Then came the Saturday that changed a product. A customer set down an HP laptop and bought a competitor's. I asked him why. He told me he could not see the keys. This was during the stretch when every laptop was going aluminum, and somebody in our laptop group had given ours a chrome-looking keyboard. High gloss. On a store shelf, it looked expensive, which is exactly what it was designed to do. It also meant that anyone whose eyesight had started to go could not read the letters on it. Sales on that product had been running under plan, and nothing in the data said why. We changed the keyboard back to matte black with high contrast white lettering. Sales went up on that one change. No survey would have revealed the issue. By the time he told me, he was already somebody else's customer. Notice what that question actually turned up. I went into the store carrying a HOW question about the buying experience. What came back was a WHAT answer, something surprisingly. Inconvenient about the product itself. You choose where to aim. You do not choose where the answer comes from. ## Testing for Great Questions How do you find and test great questions? Ask the question, then watch what happens in the next four seconds. If the room goes quiet, and then somebody says, "Hang on," you are holding a good one. That pause is the sound of a person arriving somewhere they have not been. You just unleashed a great question. If someone answers immediately and confidently, the question isn't that great. A fast answer means you aimed where the team has already been, and they are reciting. I threw away hundreds that way and got down to the questions that caused impact. ## Practice Exercise Take a decision you are facing this month and give it ninety minutes. Start with whichever of the three you are least comfortable with, which for most people is HOW. Take a question from it at random. Do not hunt for the one you like, because the one you like is the one you have already answered. Set a timer for thirty minutes and write down every idea that question produces. No judging, no editing, just quantity. Then do the same thing with a question aimed at your customer, and again with one aimed at the product. When you have worked through all three, read back over everything and pick the best three ideas to start on. That is how you run it on your own. If you would rather do it with a team, there is a second version designed for groups of 4 to 6 people. Both are written out step by step on [**killerquestions.com**](http://killerquestions.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), so you are not working from memory. You can buy the deck at [**innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com)**,** either as printed cards or as a digital download for your phone, tablet, or PC. Send me the question that worked best for you. I am also still on the search for new questions for volume 2 of the card deck. [**Send your suggestions**](https://www.philmckinney.com/contact-phil/), and they might just be included. That closes out this three-part series on questions. If you came in at the end, part one is about why you cannot stop yourself from answering a question, and part two is about how a single word inside a question steers the answer you get back. The next episode is about abductive thinking. Deduction hands you a conclusion you can prove. Induction hands you a pattern you can bet on. Abduction is what you reach for when you have neither and still have to decide, which is most of the time. It is how a doctor arrives at a diagnosis, and it is how most real innovation actually happens. [**Subscribe wherever you watch or listen**](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovators-studio-podcast)**,** and you will get the next episode when it lands. ### How One Word Steers Your Answer URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-one-word-steers-your-answer/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:26.000Z In 1974, a psychologist named Elizabeth Loftus showed a group of people a film of a car accident. Afterward, she asked half the group one question: how fast were the cars going when they hit each other? The other half got the same question with a single word swapped: smashed instead of hit. The smashed group estimated higher speeds. Same film. Same crash. One word. A week later, everyone came back and answered a new question: Did you see broken glass? There was no broken glass in the film. The smashed group remembered it anyway. One word inside one question changed what people reported seeing. Then it reached back and rewrote what they remembered. Somebody did this to you this week. A question steered your answer, and you never noticed. Last week, I showed you that [your brain cannot refuse a question](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-half-of-13-reveals-about-your-thinking/). You hear one, you start answering, whether you agreed to or not. This week is the other side of that power. If every question forces an answer, then how the question is built decides which answer you get back. Questions have an anatomy. Almost nobody looks at it. Before we're done, a motorcycle taxi in Bangkok is going to show you what a question built right can find. Or listen to the podcast ... Every question you ask carries three things, whether you put them there on purpose or not. 1. It carries **assumptions**, the things it treats as already settled. Ask "Why did the launch fail?" and you've ruled the launch a failure before anyone speaks. 2. It carries **scope**, the range of answers it permits. "Coffee or tea?" permits exactly two answers. "What should we drink?" opens the room. 3. And it carries a **load**, the specific words that steer the answer. That's what "smashed" did. Nobody in that study felt steered. The steering is invisible to the person answering, and most of the time to the person asking too. Once you see the parts, you can take any question apart. Take "why did the launch fail?" one more time: it assumes failure before anyone answers, its scope is only explanations, and "fail" is the loaded word doing the steering. Hold on to that one; we'll rebuild it later. Let’s start with the ones built to do damage. ## The worst question in business "That presentation was fantastic, wasn't it?" That's a **tag question**: a statement dressed up as a question, built so every answer is closed off except agreement. The person asking isn't really asking, not in any way that risks hearing something different. They're collecting a signature. When lawyers use them in court, it's called leading the witness. When managers use them in conference rooms, it's called alignment. Tag questions did damage for years at HP, in the design reviews, every product went through before customer briefings. One review was for a prototype, one of our first laptops in what's now called the “thin and light” category. The product team wanted to lead that category without straying too far from what already sold. That's the tradeoff tag questions live in. Nobody wants to sound negative about it. So the pushback arrived dressed as agreement: "We'll still have four USB ports, right?" You don't get thin and light with a case full of legacy ports, and the designer knew it. I watched the exasperation cross his face. Before it became a battle, I stepped in and rebuilt the question: "What's the right mix of ports for this segment, and why?" Then: "Have we tested that mix with the target customers?" The answer came back fast. "No need. We know what the customer wants." I nearly smacked my forehead. One rebuilt question had uncovered the real problem, and it wasn't ports. It was an untested assumption sitting in the middle of a flagship product plan. That's what tag questions cost you. The entire point of asking a question is to get information, input, or ideas. A tag question collects compliance instead. Enough of them, and people stop bringing you anything you don't already believe. ## The two kinds of good questions Real questions are split into two categories: factual and investigative. A **factual question** retrieves information. How many units did we sell last week? You may not know the answer, but you know exactly how to get it: one phone call. Factual questions keep the world running. They just can't uncover anything because they only retrieve what somebody already knows. An **investigative question** can't be answered with a yes, a no, or a lookup. It's divergent: more than one correct answer exists, so the person answering has to go investigate. You felt this difference last week. "What is half of thirteen?" is a factual question. "How many ways could you answer: what is half of thirteen?" is an investigative question. One is arithmetic. The other is the one that a classroom answered thirty-two different ways. Socrates built his entire way of teaching on investigative questions, pushing every student past "I've heard it said that..." until they could say what they themselves thought, and why. The first step toward knowledge, he insisted, is admitting yours is incomplete. So here's the definition I've worked from for years. A great question makes the other person genuinely think before they answer, and it surfaces an insight that had been eluding them. Both halves matter. The first half costs you real effort. The second half is the payoff: you see something you've been looking at for years and never actually seen, and it surfaces possibilities you'd never have found on your own. ## How to build one How I build them is with four moves, in the order I use them. You already watched three of them work in that design review. 1. **Strip the answer out.** Read your question and find the smuggled conclusion. "Right?" and "wasn't it?" come off first. Then the buried assumptions. "Why did the launch fail?" becomes "what happened when we launched?" 2. **Open the exits.** If it can be answered with yes, no, or a single lookup, it's factual. That's fine when information is all you need. When you want discovery, rebuild it until more than one correct answer exists. The rebuild is usually small. "Should we do this?" becomes "what are the ways this could work, and what are the ways it dies?" 3. **Weigh every word.** This is Loftus's lesson. "How do we make this cheaper?" and "what happens if we triple the price?" point at the same product, and they will never produce the same ideas. There is no neutral wording. Every word carries load, so choose it deliberately instead of inheriting it. 4. **Aim it where nobody is looking.** If you can already predict the answer, the question is just decoration. Point it at something unexamined: the assumption everyone stopped checking, the customer nobody ever talks to. A great question should surprise you. ## What a well-built question uncovers Late 1994, Bangkok. Half an hour stuck in traffic, twenty-eight minutes until a critical meeting. At eighteen minutes, I gave up, jumped out of the limo, and hailed a motorcycle taxi. 125ccs of terror, flat out through the heat, my briefcase clutched to my chest. Somewhere between the tuk-tuks, I started thinking about the machine underneath me. Cheap, efficient transportation. The streets were flooded with them. And on the other side of the world, Harley-Davidson was selling motorcycles as big-ticket luxury. A product that began as cheap transportation for the American worker had become a premium item that people waited months for. In that evolution, somebody had to ask a question like this: What if we stop trying to make this cheaper and go the other way? Everything needed to see that opportunity had been lying in plain sight for decades, waiting for someone to ask for it. That's the payoff of this craft. The next discovery in your business is probably sitting in an assumption nobody's checked in years, waiting on the right question to find it. **Practice Exercise:** Before your next meeting, write down the one question you most need to ask, exactly as you'd naturally say it. Then take it apart on paper. What does it assume? What answers does it permit? Which words are steering, and in what direction? Rebuild it with the four moves and ask for the rebuilt version instead. Pay attention to what comes back that the original never would have surfaced. ## Conclusion This is part 2 of a three-part series on questions as the skill behind better thinking, better ideas, and better innovation. Next in on the specific questions I spent twenty years collecting and testing, the ones that reliably uncover what everyone else misses. Full show notes for this episode are up at philmckinney.com. And if you want more than the show episodes, check out my articles over on Substack, including the first four chapters of my next book. Subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss the next episode, and don’t forget to hit the notification bell if you want to know the moment it's up. --- **Further reading (not in video, for the written post / show notes):** - Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer, "Reconstruction of Automobile Destruction" (1974). The wording study from the open. The broken-glass result comes from the second experiment in the same paper: a week after viewing, the "smashed" group was more than twice as likely to remember glass that was never there. - Plato's dialogues (the *Meno* is a good entry point) for watching investigative questioning run at full power. - Chapter 1 of *Beyond the Obvious*, "Why Questions Matter," which this episode draws from. ### What Half of 13 Reveals About Your Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-half-of-13-reveals-about-your-thinking/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:25.000Z What is half of thirteen? Stop. Answer it. Don't think ahead, just answer. You said 6.5\. I know you did, because everyone does. Nobody chose to answer that question. Your brain solved it before you decided whether you even wanted to play along. That's the power of a question: whoever hears it cannot stop themselves from answering. Ask a person something, and their mind starts working on it right away, whether they wanted to or not. If you gave that answer on a math test, it would be marked correct. Give that same answer on a test of innovation, and you're average, because that's where everyone stops. Push beyond the obvious answer, and that's what puts you top of the class. ... or listen to the podcast Here's the version of the question that changes everything: How many ways could you answer "What is half of thirteen?" Sit with that for a second, because the honest reaction most people have is mild panic. There's the obvious one. Then what? Split the number down the middle and you get a 1 and a 3. Split the word into syllables, and you get "thir" and "teen." Every one of those is a real answer. None of them occurred to you the first time, because the first time, your brain wasn't looking for options. It was looking for an answer to the question. I've run this exercise for years in the Innovation Boot Camp and the Innovation Essentials Workshops. One professor who uses my book in their class now opens every semester of her course with it. The class brainstorms as many answers to the question as possible. The record so far is thirty-two different ways to answer that one question. And remember, asked the first way, that same question only gives you one answer. This isn't just a classroom trick. Researchers have measured this exact mental muscle since the 1960s, asking people how many uses they could find for a brick. Some people list four. Some list forty. The gap between those two people has nothing to do with intelligence. It's whether their mind treats the first answer as the end of the search or the beginning of one. **Practice Exercise:** Take one recurring question: a decision at work, a plan for the weekend, even "what should I make for dinner." Before you settle for the obvious answer, ask "how many ways could I answer this?" and write down at least ten. Not ten good ones, just ten. See where the eleventh one takes you. This is part 1 of a three-part series on how to use questions as the skill behind better thinking, better ideas, and better innovation. Next week, we get into what actually separates an average question from a great one. [**Subscribe now**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) so you don't miss it. --- **Further reading:** - Bluma Zeigarnik's research on why unfinished tasks and open questions stay active in memory until resolved (the "Zeigarnik effect," 1920s). - Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer's 1974 study showing that the specific word used in a question ("hit" versus "smashed") changed both people's speed estimates and their memory of a car accident. We'll pick this up properly in Episode 2, when we get into how the wording of a question shapes the answer. ### Retirement 3.0 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/retirement-3-0/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T21:34:04.000Z Earlier today, [**CableLabs announced my retirement**](https://www.cablelabs.com/blog/cablelabs-names-mark-bridges-president?ref=philmckinney.com) as President and CEO on January 1, 2027. If you have followed my career, you know I have done this before. Teligent was the first. [Hewlett-Packard was the second](https://www.philmckinney.com/goodbye-hp-2/). This is number three, so I'm calling it Retirement 3.0. But this one is different. The other two times, the next role came looking for me. CableLabs called one week after my last day at HP. This time, if that call comes, the answer is no. How do you top being CTO of Hewlett-Packard (HP) and CEO of CableLabs? You don't. So why retire now? Because it is time. I never wanted to be the leader who grips the desk and refuses to let go. The best thing you can do for an organization you care about is leave it stronger than you found it and hand it to someone ready to take it further. That is where CableLabs is right now. This is a two-stage succession plan, built to make the handoff to the next generation of leaders smooth and complete. Good transitions are not single events. They are deliberate, and they take time. CableLabs has run a world-class succession planning process for nearly a decade. Four of the seven members on our executive team advanced through this exact process. The CEO succession plan centers on Mark Bridges. Mark has been our Chief Technology Officer since 2023 and has been at the heart of our technology strategy for more than a decade. He helped lead our move into cloud-native architectures, network convergence, and AI. On August 1, Mark takes on the role of President in addition to his work as Chief Technology Officer. From there through the end of the year, Mark and I will work side by side. As he steps further into our Board engagement, I will begin handing off the member and partner relationships I have built over the years, so that by January, they are his. On January 1, 2027, Mark becomes President and CEO, and I retire. Mark knows this organization, he knows our members, and he knows what it takes to lead at this level. The Board is united behind him. So am I. He is ready. I will not run through everything we built over the last fourteen years. If you want the numbers and the timeline, CableLabs put them in the [announcement](https://www.cablelabs.com/blog/cablelabs-names-mark-bridges-president?ref=philmckinney.com), and it is worth a read. Here is the part that matters most to me. None of it happened because of one person. It happened because of the people in that building, the members we serve, and the vendor partners who innovate alongside us as we work to make this industry a leading provider of broadband services. That is what I will miss, and that is what I am proudest of. So what comes next? Not just yet. Until the end of 2026, I have a company to run and a handoff to get right, and it has my full attention. After that, my grandkids. I have five of them, and the oldest will be heading off to college in just a few years. I know how fast that clock runs. I want to spend that time impacting their lives, not watching it go by. My wife and grandkids come first. I also want to take what a career of making the hard calls on innovation has taught me, and pass it on to the next generation of innovators who are going to change all of our lives. To the members, the Board, and everyone at CableLabs: thank you. Leading this organization has been the greatest privilege of my career. You are the reason I can step away knowing CableLabs is in good hands. I am not disappearing. You will still find me every week at [philmckinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and on [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com). The address does not change. Phil ### How to Tell a Good Decision From a Lucky One URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-tell-a-good-decision-from-a-lucky-one/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:25.000Z You trust your gut because it's been right before. But "right" is exactly the thing you've been measuring wrong. A hitter never has this problem. His batting average is honest. It counts hits, nothing else, across a whole season, and he can't argue with the number. Your gut is supposed to work the same way: every decision an at-bat, every result feedback, a career sharpening your instincts the way a season hands a hitter a real number. But you keep your own scorebook. You mark every win as good judgment the second it lands. The trouble is that a skilled call and a lucky one produce the same win. In your book they look identical. Train your gut on that for thirty years and it grows certain about things that were never true. I know, because I trained mine that way. .. or listen to the podcast. ## **The Award and the Bankruptcy** At twenty-eight, I won, and the win felt like proof. I was at a company called ThumbScan, and I took a piece of government security technology and repackaged it for the business PC market. We called it PCBoot. PC World named it Security Product of the Year at COMDEX in Las Vegas, in front of the whole industry. I drew the obvious conclusion. My gut was good. I could see what the market wanted before the market did. Except I didn't see it coming. In early 1988, computer viruses became front-page news. The New York Times ran it on the front of the business section, the story spread to nearly every paper in the country, and overnight every company in America decided it needed security. My product was already built and sitting on the shelf when the panic arrived. I had built a solution that needed a problem, and the people writing and spreading those viruses are the ones who handed it one. It was nothing I did. I hit the timing right, and the timing was luck. It took an honest audit, years later, to admit that, and the same look turned up the opposite story. The other ThumbScan product was the one I was proudest of. It put fingerprint security on a personal computer, the first one under a thousand dollars you could attach to a PC. Your thumb instead of your password. The reasoning was sound and the technology worked. The market wanted none of it. PCs were barely in homes yet, biometrics sounded like science fiction, and the company bled cash and folded. That product wasn't worse thinking than the one that won the award. It was the same thinking, aimed at an idea that turned out to be twenty-five years early. Today it sits on every phone, and hundreds of millions of people use it before breakfast. I wasn't wrong about the concept. I was wrong about the clock, and the clock runs mostly on luck. The award and the bankruptcy came out of one gut, separated only by the year each idea landed in. What I did, years later, has a name. I ran the version of events that didn't happen, stripped the result off each decision, and looked at the call cold. That's counterfactual thinking, and it's the whole skill. It's uncomfortable, because the result already handed you a verdict and now you're reopening it. It's also the only feedback that makes you better. ## **Why Your Results Lie to You** None of this is your fault. It's a measurement problem. Your gut got trained on bad data, and it had no way of knowing. The more decisions you've stacked up, the more confident it's become, and confidence built on a bad stat is worse than no confidence at all. A junior person knows they're guessing. Twenty years in, the guessing feels like knowing. Your own record is full of the same thing. Wins you credited to your own judgment when they really came down to timing, or to a competitor's mistake you had nothing to do with. Good calls you stopped making because one of them lost, even though losing was always on the table and the call was still right. None of that is carelessness. You recorded every result accurately. You just recorded the wrong thing, and then you trained on it. The world isn't helping. Every outcome now arrives with its explanation already attached, ten confident takes by lunchtime, most written backward from the result. I covered that warning in "Hindsight Is Not 20/20." So go back and run the audit on yourself. Rebuild what you knew on the day you decided, set the result aside, and ask whether the call still holds up without it. The hard part is doing this to wins, because taking apart a success while you're still proud of it feels like bad manners and bad luck at once. That's the reason your wins are where your worst lessons hide. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## **Read Your Competitors' Moves** You just watched me run this backward, over my own record. It points two other directions too. The first is sideways, at everyone else. The same move works just as well on decisions that aren't yours. When a rival's bet pays off, the instinct is to copy it. When it craters, the instinct is to swear it off. Both stop at the result. So rebuild their decision the way you rebuilt your own. Say a competitor ships a feature and it takes off, and three teams in your space scramble to copy it. What they miss is that the feature didn't carry the launch. It landed the week the category leader had an outage, and every angry customer went shopping. Copy that same feature into a calm market a year later and nothing happens, because you copied the move and not the moment. You're hunting for the hinge, the single thing the outcome really swung on, and it's rarely what the headlines credited. Get this wrong and you don't copy a rival's strategy. You copy the luck that came with it, and luck doesn't travel. ## **Pressure-Test Your Next Decision** The other direction is forward, into a choice still in front of you, and it's where the skill pays you back the most. Most of us pick options by their best case. You picture each road going well and take the one that goes best. Turn that around. Walk each option forward until it falls apart, because every option falls apart somewhere, and the one you can't picture breaking is just the one you haven't looked at hard enough. Pull in the alternatives you've already talked yourself out of, and count doing nothing, since that's a choice too. Then decide on the part nobody likes to look at: the downside you'd have to live with. A modest plan you can walk away from beats a brilliant one that takes you down with it. Most decisions that seem obvious stop seeming that way once you walk the alternatives all the way out. The ones that still look right after that walk are the ones worth making. ## **Practice Exercise: Audit a Win You're Proud Of** This is the drill that matters most, and the one you'll want to skip. Pick a win from the last year. Not a loss. Something that worked, that you've been glad to take credit for. 1. Write down what you knew the day you decided. Only that, nothing you picked up afterward. 2. Run the version where it went the other way. How close did it come, and what would have had to break differently? 3. Answer straight. Good decision, or good result? If it's hard to sit with, you're doing it right. The wins you can't bring yourself to examine honestly are the ones costing you the most. A good decision and a lucky one keep looking identical until you do the work to tell them apart. Do that work often enough and you stop mistaking the breaks that fell your way for things you did well. Over a career, that is most of the gap between people who get reliably good and people who just had a good run. Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe ### How to Improve Your Weak Signal Judgment URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-weak-signal-judgment/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:25.000Z Everyone collects weak signals now. Most of what they collect predicts nothing. A weak signal isn't a thing you spot; it's a prediction you make, and the edge goes to whoever bets on it while being wrong is still cheap. So how do you become the one placing the bet, not the one still collecting reports? Let's get into it. .. or listen to the podcast. ## **What a Weak Signal Actually Is** A weak signal is a faint piece of evidence that points to something a customer will want before they can name it, and before the market has priced it in. Faint, because if it were loud, everyone would already be acting on it. Deniable, because you can always explain it away as noise, and most people do. That deniability is the whole point. The moment it becomes undeniable, the advantage is gone and the price has moved. ## **Why Noticing Stopped Being the Edge** Ten years ago, noticing was hard. You needed sources, a network, time to read widely, a feel for the edges of your industry. That was the moat. It isn't anymore. Every team has a trend report and three newsletters and an AI tool surfacing emerging behaviors on a schedule. The noticing got automated. What didn't get automated is the judgment about which signal predicts a structural change and which points to nothing real, and the nerve to act early. ## **Inside Roche's Innovation Board** I sat on Roche's diagnostics innovation board, the only outsider in the room, helping decide which ideas got funded. At one point we took on diabetes care. I am not diabetic. So I had Roche ship me every meter and test strip they made, and I pricked my finger up to a dozen times a day to feel what their customers felt. You cannot innovate for a customer whose day you have never lived. Skip that, and everything after is a guess. Roche is a leader in blood glucose testing with its Accu-Chek meters, and the math looked obvious. Someone with type 1 diabetes tests around eight times a day, every day, for life. A big, stable business. Type 2 was the smaller story per patient. Those patients tested once, maybe twice a day, so each one looked worthless, and we filed the category under "less interesting." We could already see type 2 climbing. We weighed it against the per-patient math and explained it away. Then type 2 diagnoses exploded into one of the fastest-growing chronic conditions in the world. And the category stopped being about counting tests per day at all, because monitoring went continuous, the always-on sensors people wear today. We had seen the early edge of both shifts. We even predicted them. We just didn't move fast enough, and the reason is the one that kills most weak signals inside a big company. Project approval and annual budgets are built to fund what's already proven, not to chase something still faint. Roche got there. Accu-Chek SmartGuide, its real-time continuous monitor, is a great product. I just wish we had moved the moment we saw it, instead of waiting for the next budget cycle. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## **How to Read a Weak Signal** We didn't miss the type 2 signal for lack of noticing. We noticed. We missed it on the three things that come after, and those you can train. The moves start once you've got a signal you can't quite dismiss, and the skill is what you do with it. ### **Tell the Canary From the Costume** A canary in a coal mine matters because the air changed. It signals something structural, a shift in the environment that affects everyone in it, whether they've noticed yet or not. A costume is the opposite. A few people put it on, it's striking, it spreads for a season, then they take it off and the room is exactly as it was. On day one the two look identical. A behavior appears, it's unusual, it's spreading. The only question that matters is whether it predicts a change a customer can't reverse, or a moment that will pass. Back in [2018 I wrote about telling a trend from a fad](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-can-i-take-advantage-of-emerging-trends-and-fads/), and the test still holds: ask what need the behavior reveals. Type 2 was a canary, and we read it as a costume, because we counted testing frequency instead of the need underneath it. That need, millions of people learning to manage a lifestyle disease, only grew. The discipline is refusing to let the size of the spike tell you which one you're looking at. Costumes spike too, sometimes higher. You're reading for the need, not the noise. ### **Read the Window** A signal's window is short. Too early, you can't tell it from noise and you waste resources chasing ghosts. Too late, it's obvious, everyone sees it, and the advantage is already priced in. The value lives in the narrow gap between. Waiting for more evidence feels like better judgment, but the evidence that finally convinces you has already reached your competitors. Certainty and advantage move in opposite directions, so by the time you're sure, sure is just another word for too late. The question isn't whether the signal is real yet. It's how much longer you can be the only one taking it seriously. ### **Act While Being Wrong Is Cheap** This is the move that separates the people who read signals from the people who collect them, and almost nobody is willing to make it. A signal you predict but never act on is still just watching. Ideas without execution are a hobby, and I'm not in the hobby business. The whole value of an early signal is that you move before it's confirmed. Wait for proof and you've waited too long. So you act on thin evidence. And thin evidence is wrong a lot, which means you will be wrong a lot. People hear that and freeze, because they picture the cost of being wrong as the failed product, the wasted year, the budget burned on a guess. People call that caution. It isn't. The skill is structuring the bet so that being wrong is cheap. You don't commit a product line to a deniable signal. You commit a prototype. A landing page. One conversation with ten customers. A two-week test that costs you a sprint and buys you information you can't get any other way. Being early and wrong should cost you a week. Being early and right should put you a year ahead. You're not betting on being right. You're buying the option to be right, cheap enough that being wrong doesn't hurt, and you scale up only as the signal firms up. That's why the noticing crowd never gets here. Noticing carries no risk, so it never builds the muscle for cheap commitment. They watch, they report, they wait for certainty, and they call it foresight. It's the safe choice, and it's worth nothing. ## **Practice Exercise: Run a Signal Through All Three** Pick one behavior you've been dismissing as noise. Something you've seen more than once, in your customers, your kids, your own habits, that you waved off because it looked too small or too strange to matter. Then run it through the three moves. 1. **Canary or costume.** What need does the behavior reveal? A need the person can't go back from, or a novelty they'll set down in a season? Write the answer in one sentence. If you can't, you don't understand the signal yet. 2. **Find the window.** How much longer does this stay deniable? Who else is likely seeing it? If the honest answer is "it already feels obvious," pick a different signal. You're late on this one. 3. **Design the cheap bet.** What's the smallest thing you could do this month to test whether you're right, where being wrong costs a week and being right puts you ahead? Name the bet. Name the cost. Name what you'd learn. Do this with one real signal and you'll feel the difference between collecting signals and using them. Collecting is comfortable. Using one costs you a decision. If you want a sparring partner for that, I built one. [From Signal to Bet is a set of AI prompts](https://innovation.tools/products/from-signal-to-bet-ai-prompts-to-spot-customer-demand?ref=philmckinney.com) that run a signal through these same three moves and argue with your read at each one. It's free at innovation.tools. The exercise teaches you the moves. The prompts make you defend them. [Free Download: From Signal To Bet](https://innovation.tools/products/from-signal-to-bet-ai-prompts-to-spot-customer-demand?ref=philmckinney.com) The signal was always there, for you and for everyone reading the same reports you read. The edge was never in seeing it. It was in what you were willing to do before it was safe to do anything at all. Get good at that, and you stop reacting to the future and start arriving early. Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe ### How to Improve Your Second-Order Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-second-order-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:24.000Z In 2000, Toys R Us paid Amazon $50 million a year to sell their toys online. It looked like a great deal. The company that defined toy retail for two generations was solving the internet problem in one move. Four years later they were suing each other. Seventeen years later Toys R Us was gone. Every store closed. Every job lost. And every step of what happened was visible from the day the deal was signed. Nobody at Toys R Us saw it. ## What Is Second-Order Thinking? First-order thinking asks what happens next. Second-order thinking asks what happens to the people who see what happened next. The skill isn't caution. It's the willingness to keep looking after the room has stopped. ## Inside HP, 2006 In 2005, HP launched Halo, a premium telepresence system co-developed with DreamWorks. For a brief period it reported into my organization. The next year, Cisco launched TelePresence and went straight at us. I called the HP team closest to Cisco and asked what they made of it. The answer was reassuring: Cisco is aiming down-market, we're fine. We were premium; they were chasing volume. That answer satisfied the room. It did not satisfy me. The room was asking "will Cisco hurt Halo?" That was the wrong question. The right one was sitting underneath: why did our partner of twenty years decide to do this without us? Nobody had an answer to that one. The HP team didn't think it was the question. They were focused on the product collision, and I kept coming back to the partnership. A company that had cooperated with us for two decades had just decided they didn't need to anymore. The product was the surface. The relationship had quietly ended, and we were the only ones who hadn't noticed. Three years later, Cisco launched a direct attack on HP's core server business with Unified Computing System. HP responded by acquiring 3Com and going after Cisco's core networking business. A twenty-year alliance ended in under two years. Neither side ran the second-order analysis at any point along the way. By the time the right question got asked, the partnership was already gone. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## The Three Skills These three skills stand on their own. Each one solves a different problem most decision frameworks miss. The first picks up signals before there's even a decision to analyze. The second uncovers what's actually driving the other party's timing. The third shows you what people will do once they see your decision land. If you've watched the November 2025 episode on the [**basics of second-order thinking**](https://youtu.be/1FXo4tJpj7c?ref=philmckinney.com), these skills add to that foundation. If you haven't, you can still apply all three starting today. ### Sense the Weak Signal, Not the Loud Event Most failures don't announce themselves. The loud event, the launch, the lawsuit, the lost customer, is usually the visible end of something that started much earlier as a quiet shift somebody noticed and explained away. A [weak signal](https://www.philmckinney.com/weak-signals/) is a small piece of information that doesn't fit the story you're already telling. A customer's casual comment that contradicts your data. A team member's evasive answer in a status meeting. A supplier missing a deadline they've never missed before. The reflex is to make it fit the story you already believe. The skill is to refuse. 1. **Go looking before you have one.** Once a week, scan three places where weak signals live. Customer-facing teams. Data points that surprised you and got brushed off. Topics that smart people you respect are paying attention to, but you aren't. You're not looking for problems. You're looking for things that don't quite fit. 2. **Name the thing that doesn't fit.** Be specific. "Their CFO made a comment about the budget that didn't match what we were told last quarter." Not "something feels off." The more specific the signal, the more useful it becomes. 3. **List the stories that would make the signal make sense.** At least three. Force yourself to consider explanations that don't fit your current assumptions. 4. **Ask which of those stories you'd act on if it were true.** If one of them would change a decision you're about to make, that's the signal you can't afford to ignore. 5. **Find one more data point before you decide.** A single signal can mislead. Two signals pointing the same direction is usually real. The Cisco TelePresence launch was a weak signal about the partnership. The team read the product. I read the relationship. Neither of us pushed it far enough. ### Ask "Why Now" Before "What's Next" Most people jump straight to the future: what will the other party do next? That's the wrong starting question. Ask why now first. Why is this happening now, when it could have happened a year ago? The timing tells you what changed in their world, and that change tells you what they're likely to do next, often more reliably than asking the question directly. 1. **State the move that just happened.** A competitor launched a product. A regulator opened an inquiry. A customer asked for a discount. Name it plainly. 2. **Ask what changed.** What was true a year ago that isn't true now? What can they do today that they couldn't do then? Their capability, their pressure, their read of you, their read of the market. Identify the shift. 3. **Use the change to predict their next move.** What's the natural follow-on from the thing that made this move possible? That's usually where the real consequence lives. Cisco didn't enter telepresence in 2006 because telepresence was suddenly interesting. They entered because they'd decided the partnership with HP no longer constrained them. "Why now" would have surfaced that. "What's next" wouldn't have caught it in time. ### Watch the Response, Not the Result Your decision produces a result. The result triggers a response from everyone watching, your competitors, your customers, your team, your investors. Most analysis stops at the result. The response is where the actual consequence lives. Toys R Us could have predicted that Amazon would sell more toys. That was the result. What they didn't predict was Amazon's response: opening the platform to third-party sellers, learning the toy business, and using the data to compete directly. By the time Toys R Us understood the response, Amazon had already replaced them. 1. **State the immediate result of your decision in one sentence.** What will be visibly different in the world after you act? 2. **List who can see that result.** Be specific. Name people if you can, not categories. 3. **For each one, ask: what does the result tell them about you?** Your priorities, your weaknesses, your appetite. The result is information about you they didn't have before. 4. **Ask what they're now in a position to do that they weren't before.** The result changes what's available to the other actors, not just the market. 5. **Identify the responses you can't undo.** A customer who loses trust. A competitor that smells weakness. A regulator who opens a file. Those are the ones to model carefully. HP launching Halo was the result. Cisco entering TelePresence was the response. By the time anyone at HP said the word "over," the partnership had been over for three years. ## Practice Exercise: Run All Three on One Decision Pick one decision you're currently working through. Run the three skills against it in sequence. 1. **Weak signal.** What have you noticed in the last 90 days connected to this decision that doesn't quite fit your current story? Don't explain it away. Name it. 2. **Why now.** What changed in the world recently that's making this decision feel urgent now? Was that change visible six months ago? 3. **Watch the response.** Who will see the result of this decision, and what does it tell them about you that they didn't know before? The first time you run this, you'll miss things. That's normal. The skills sharpen with repetition. The fifth time you sit down with a real decision and work through all three, you'll catch signals that other people in the room aren't even seeing yet. That's what improvement looks like. If any of the three turns up something the room hasn't discussed, you've found the work that needs to happen before the decision is made. Take what you found and run it through the two skills from the [**November 2025 episode on second-order thinking**](https://youtu.be/1FXo4tJpj7c?ref=philmckinney.com). Map how people will respond. Ask "and then what?" two or three more times. All five skills work as one system. The link to the November episode is in the description below. Most second-order failures do not arrive as surprises. They arrive as something somebody noticed once, didn't have a way to act on, and explained away. See you next week. Never miss a post from Studio Sessions Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe ### Ideas Aren’t Getting Harder to Find. They’re Getting Harder to Approve URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-arent-getting-harder-to-find-theyre-getting-harder-to-approve/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T14:37:26.000Z Ask anyone why Hollywood keeps making sequels. They will tell you, correctly, that it is safe. A franchise has a known audience and an opening weekend you can forecast before a single frame is shot. An original film is a genuine unknown. So the studio greenlights the sequel, the reboot, the spinoff, and everyone in the room nods, because each of those calls held up on its own. No studio ever decided to stop making original films. They each made a reasonable choice to fund the one they could predict. The sum of all those small, safe calls is an industry that has quietly engineered originality out of its own pipeline and now wonders aloud where the good ideas went. It Isn’t Just the Movies It now takes more than eighteen times the researchers to keep chips improving as it did in the early 1970s. The same progress, bought with an army many times the size. That is not a semiconductor quirk. Research productivity across the whole economy is falling by about five percent a year, which means it halves roughly every thirteen years. In pharma, the cost to bring a drug to approval has nearly doubled in a decade while pipelines thinned, a slide so reliable researchers named it Eroom’s Law. That is Moore’s Law spelled backwards, because it runs the wrong way. The economists who pulled the broad picture together, Bloom and colleagues, gave their paper a title that asks the question straight: \*Are Ideas Getting Harder to Find?\* It is not only the spending, either. Work by Park and colleagues in \*Nature\* found that new papers and patents have grown steadily less disruptive for decades, across nearly every field, even as their sheer volume exploded. More research. Less that changes anything. Chips, drugs, the disruptiveness of science itself, and a theater full of sequels. The same signature in all of them: rising input, falling discovery. ## The Economists Got the Diagnosis Wrong The economists called it ideas getting harder to find. That is the symptom described as if it were the disease. The ideas are not getting harder to find. They are getting harder to approve. The discovery did not vanish. It got declined. Somewhere in that studio, someone pitched the original. In the lab down the hall from yours, a researcher wanted to chase the result that did not fit the plan. At every stage gate and portfolio review, a leader looked at the unpredictable idea sitting next to the predictable one and made the call for predictable. Then made it again the next quarter, and the next, for years. The data that looks like a drought is not a record of ideas running out. It is the fossil record of a billion safe calls. ## I call it Predictability Debt Predictability Debt: the discovery you owe later for the certainty you bought today. Every time you fund the sure thing over the unknown one and call it discipline, you take the loan. You get a clean quarter and a portfolio that survives scrutiny now. Later, you owe a discovery you did not make. Its cost is a thing that never happened. The discovery you passed on leaves no trace. There is no line on any statement that reads “originality foregone,” no variance report for the breakthrough you declined to fund. You cannot manage what you cannot measure, and you cannot measure a road not taken. So the debt compounds in the one place no executive is looking. One safe call is prudent. A thousand safe calls is a pipeline with nothing new in it, building so gradually that no single decision ever looks like the cause. Then one day the new products do not land, the patents stop mattering, the numbers finally sag, and the room asks why the ideas dried up. The ideas did not dry up. You spent years declining them, and the bill came due all at once. ***Studio Notes*** is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## Why good leaders do it anyway Predictability is not the villain. It is not even a mistake, most of the time. Leaders are rewarded for it, and rightly so. Roadmaps, quarterly targets, the project that can name its outcome and hit its date. The unpredictable idea cannot promise you a number, which means in a room full of people measured on numbers, the safe project wins. It almost always does. The deeper reason the smart money keeps taking the loan is not competence. It is an accountability asymmetry. Fund a discovery bet that fails, and the failure has your name on it, in the post-mortem, in the next review, in the story people tell about the quarter. Decline that same bet, and the cost is invisible. The breakthrough you said no to never shows up to accuse you. One path can end your year. The other never appears in evidence. So the system quietly pays you to pass. And pays you again for the next one. The debt is not a lapse in judgment. It is the judgment the incentives reward. I once [interviewed David Cochrane](http://libsyn.com/media/philmckinney/KI%5F20090620.mp3?ref=substack), who ran the team behind the HP 35, the calculator that put real computing in your pocket in 1972\. A young engineer named Steve Wozniak reported to David. In his spare time, Woz had built a small computer, partly from parts out of HP’s own supply closet. He brought it to the company first. HP could have had it. The verdict, in David’s own words to me years later: [you and who else wants a homebrew computer](http://libsyn.com/media/philmckinney/KI%5F20090620.mp3?ref=substack). So Woz took it elsewhere. The machine was the Apple I. HP held the future on its own workbench and could not see it, because it could not yet imagine who would want it. Nobody argues against discovery in the room. They just keep funding the thing they can forecast, and the forecast is the tell. The entire value of a predictable project is that you already know how it ends, which means it cannot be where the discovery is hiding. Here is the trap. The machine built to deliver predictability will, left alone, consume the whole budget. The sequel is not the problem. A studio that makes nothing else is. A research organization with no money allowed to fail has already made its decision. It just has not seen the consequences yet. ## The audit you can run on Monday You will not catch this in your output numbers. By the time research productivity visibly drops, you are already the cautionary tale. The signal fires years earlier, and it is not out in the market. It is in your own funding criteria. Go read them. Count how many times you asked “what is the expected return” of work whose entire purpose was to find out. Look at the money: how much of it is walled off from the predictability tests, reserved for things that cannot promise a date? Count the people who ran a bet that did not pay off and paid for it with their standing. One question holds the whole audit. What in my portfolio is allowed to fail? If you cannot answer it, you do not have an innovation problem coming. You have one now. The decay simply has not reached your income statement yet. ## The call The ideas were never the hard part. They are still out there, still being pitched, still being turned down in rooms exactly like the ones you sit in. They were never scarce. What is scarce is the nerve to make the call when the safe option is right there, certain, and guaranteed to clear the room. Predictability Debt is just what an organization looks like after years of dodging that call. Every industry in the data lost the same thing the same way: it made the easy decision so often that the hard one stopped getting made at all. Your job is not to choose discovery over predictability. It is to refuse to let the predictable swallow the whole table, because it will, politely and reasonably, if you let it. The idea was never the hard part. It never is. The call is. ## Sources 1. “Milestones: HP-35 Handheld Scientific Calculator, 1972,” Engineering and Technology History Wiki (IEEE). https://ethw.org/Milestones:HP-35\_Handheld\_Scientific\_Calculator,\_1972 2. Nicholas Bloom, Charles I. Jones, John Van Reenen, and Michael Webb, “Are Ideas Getting Harder to Find?” American Economic Review 110, no. 4 (2020): 1104–1144\. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20180338 3. Jack W. Scannell, Alex Blanckley, Helen Boldon, and Brian Warrington, “Diagnosing the Decline in Pharmaceutical R&D Efficiency,” Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 11 (2012): 191–200\. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrd3681 4. Michael Park, Erin Leahey, and Russell J. Funk, “Papers and Patents Are Becoming Less Disruptive Over Time,” Nature 613 (2023): 138–144 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05543-x 5. Phil McKinney, “Interview with David Cochrane,” Killer Innovations podcast. http://libsyn.com/media/philmckinney/KI\_20090620.mp3 6. “Apple Co-Founder Offered First Computer Design to HP 5 Times,” AppleInsider, December 7, 2010\. https://appleinsider.com/articles/10/12/07/apple\_co\_founder\_offered\_first\_computer\_design\_to\_hp\_5\_times ### How to Improve Your Inversion Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-inversion-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:24.000Z Every playbook, every case study, every innovation workshop is built on the same question: how do you succeed? You map the path forward. You model the upside. Nobody teaches you to ask the harder question. How would you guarantee this fails? That's inversion thinking. Charlie Munger called it one of the most useful tools he had, and he used it for sixty years. Most innovators know the quote. Almost none of them actually use it. By the end of this episode, you'll know why that gap exists, what it costs, and the exact steps to close it. If you want to try this on a real decision right away, I've built [a free tool](https://innovation.tools/products/ai-prompts-for-inversion-thinking?ref=philmckinney.com) for it. Link below. I'll come back to it later in the episode. ... or listen to **The Innovators Studio Podcast**. ## What Is Inversion Thinking? Inversion thinking is the practice of reasoning backward from failure. Instead of starting with "what does success look like and how do I get there," you start with "what would guarantee this fails" and design those conditions out of the plan. You'll also hear it called thinking backwards, and when it's aimed at a project before launch, a pre-mortem. Munger's rule was three words: invert, always invert. Or, in his blunter version, "All I want to know is where I'm going to die, so I'll never go there." People hear this and think pessimism. It isn't. A pessimist names the failure and stops there. Inversion names the failure and uses it to redirect the plan, while the fix is still cheap. ## HP Invented the Category. Then Gave It Away. In 2005, HP built Halo. It was the best telepresence system in the world. You walked into a Halo room and the people on the other end looked like they were sitting across the table from you. Life-sized. Perfect audio. Nobody had built anything close. The team that made it was brilliant, and they believed one thing without question: quality wins. They built rooms that cost $500,000 each. They required customers to run those rooms on HP's proprietary network at a monthly cost that would make your eyes water. Every decision traced back to the same conviction. Make the experience extraordinary, and the market will come to you. Nobody in that room asked the one question that mattered. What if quality isn't what the market is buying? Because it wasn't. The market was buying access. Cisco, and then Zoom, came at the same opportunity from the opposite end. Good-enough quality, on any device, on any network, available to everyone. They understood what the Halo team never tested. In communications, reach beats quality. Every new user makes the service more valuable to everyone already on it, so the product that spreads to the most people wins, even when it looks worse. That network effect beat Halo so completely that Zoom became a verb. HP defined the category and then gave it away. In 2011, under quarterly pressure, HP sold Halo to Polycom for $89 million. In 2022, HP bought the business back, folded into Poly, for $3.3 billion. Thirty-seven times the price, to reacquire a category it had invented. The failure was visible the entire time. It lived inside one assumption nobody questioned: that quality was what the customer cared about most. An inversion exercise would have dragged it into the open. Ask "how do we guarantee Halo fails," and one honest answer was already the plan. Bet everything on quality. Price it for the few. Lock it to our own network. Leave the rest of the market wide open for a cheaper rival. No crystal ball required. Read the plan from the other side and the failure was sitting right there in it. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## The Three Moves Inversion runs in three moves. The first two are mechanical. The third is where the discipline lives, and where most people quit. ### Move One: Invert the Question Take the goal and flip it. 1. **Write your goal as one sentence.** The way you'd say it to the board. "We will win the telepresence market with the best experience available." 2. **Turn it into a failure question.** Same goal, opposite direction. "How would we guarantee we lose the telepresence market?" 3. **List every path to that failure.** Don't rank them. Don't defend anything. Write down every way it could happen, including the ones that feel unlikely or embarrassing to say out loud. Price. Distribution. A competitor's move. A wrong read on the customer. 4. **Sort each one: recoverable, or not.** A slow first year is recoverable. Letting a competitor own the network effect while you keep only the high end is not. The ones you can't undo are what matter here. Set the rest aside. ### Move Two: Find the Load-Bearing Assumption Behind every failure you can't recover from sits a single assumption holding the whole plan up. Find it. 1. **Take your most serious irreversible failure mode.** The one from Move One that would actually end the project. 2. **Ask what would have to be true for that failure to never happen.** For Halo: "Enough customers will pay a large premium for superior quality, and they'll do it fast enough to matter." That sentence is the load-bearing assumption. 3. **Ask whether you tested that assumption or inherited it.** Did you confirm it with evidence, or did it ride along with the idea because it felt obviously true? The Halo team inherited theirs. Quality felt like an objective good, so nobody checked whether the market agreed. 4. **If you can't point to the evidence, you've found your real risk.** A plan resting on an untested load-bearing assumption is a bet wearing the costume of a strategy, however solid the rest of it looks. ### Move Three: Decide What to Do With It Once the assumption is exposed, you have three honest choices. 1. **Kill it.** If the assumption is false and the failure is irreversible, stop now, while stopping is still cheap. 2. **Change the plan so the failure mode disappears.** The Halo team had room to do this. A software tier on any network, at lower quality, to build the user base and the network effect, with the premium rooms kept for the customers who'd pay for them. They'd have owned both ends. The plan allowed it. The conviction didn't. 3. **Proceed, with the bet named out loud.** Sometimes you take the risk on purpose, eyes open, because the upside justifies it. That's legitimate. Taking the same risk by accident, because nobody said the word "assumption" in the room, is not. The one move you cannot make is to see the failure mode and proceed as though you hadn't. That isn't confidence. It's the most expensive form of hope there is. ## Why You Can't Do This Alone You know the three moves now. The hard part is running them on your own work. You can't fully see your own assumptions. You built the plan. You believe in it. The assumption holding it up feels so obvious that questioning it never occurs to you. The Halo team wasn't careless. They were the best in the world at what they did, and that was the problem. The more expert you are, the more your assumptions feel like facts, and the less it occurs to you to test them. Then there's the room. Even when someone can see the failure coming, the dynamics of a team work against saying it out loud. You earn standing by backing the plan, not by listing the ways it dies. Raise the failure scenario and you look like you lack conviction, or like you're not on board. So the failure half the room quietly senses stays unspoken until it's expensive. Culture rewards the loudest voice on the upside, not the person who turns out to be right about the risk. Two walls. You can't see your own assumptions, and the people who might see them are discouraged from speaking. AI has none of those problems. No ego in the plan, no career to protect, no boss to impress, no reason to soften the bad news to keep the room comfortable. Point it at your work, tell it to find the failure, and it will, without flinching and without politics. It won't make the call for you. It surfaces the failure modes you're too close to see, and then you do the judging. That's how you practice this skill on your own. You sit down with a real decision and a partner that has no reason to spare your feelings. So I built the [**AI Prompts for Inversion Thinking**](https://innovation.tools/products/ai-prompts-for-inversion-thinking?ref=philmckinney.com) for exactly that. One prompt makes the AI write the post-mortem of your project before you've even started. Another has it play a competitor designing your defeat. Then one walks you to the single assumption your whole plan is betting on. You bring the decision and the judgment. The prompts make sure nothing gets skipped just because it's uncomfortable to look at. [Free Download: AI Prompts for Inversion Thinking](https://innovation.tools/products/ai-prompts-for-inversion-thinking?ref=philmckinney.com) Here's your work this week. Take one real decision you're sitting on, something with actual stakes, and run it through the pack. It's free at innovation.tools, or use the link in the description. ## The Long Game The people who use inversion well aren't more negative than their peers. They're more honest about which risks they can walk back and which ones they can't. That single distinction, made early and acted on, is the difference between a project that fails fast and cheap and one that fails slowly, expensively, in year ten. The failure that ends your project is usually the one plenty of people saw coming and nobody was willing to name. Say it now, while it still costs you nothing. [**Subscribe**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) for the next episode. Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe ### How to Improve Your First Principles Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-first-principles-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:24.000Z Most product decisions get made by analogy. Someone says, "This is how we've always done it," or "This is what the market expects," or "This is what the competition is doing." The room nods. The decision gets made. And buried somewhere in the middle of all of it is an assumption nobody checked. First-principles thinking is the discipline of identifying assumptions before the market finds them for you. By the end of this episode, you'll have the tools to strip any problem down to what's actually true and build answers that hold, even when the boardroom is watching, and the clock is running. ... or [**listen to the podcast**](https://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FImprove%5FYour%5FFirst%5FPrinciples%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ## What Is First Principles Thinking? First principles thinking is the practice of breaking a problem down to its fundamental truths, then building your solution up from what actually holds. Not from industry convention. Not from what worked last time. From what's actually true about the problem in front of you. The alternative is reasoning by analogy: doing what worked before, doing what competitors do, doing what the category expects. Analogy is faster and usually right. It fails badly when the thing that used to be true stops being true and nobody notices. ## Why Assumptions Go Unchecked In 2005, HP's CEO, Mark Hurd, stopped me in the hallway at Building 20 in Palo Alto and drilled me on HP's R&D funding. The metric he focused on was R&D as a percentage of revenue. He wanted HP's ratio to look more like Acer's. I pushed back. I argued we should be comparing ourselves to Apple, not Acer. Mark didn't hesitate. "We are not Apple, and we never will be." What stopped me in that moment wasn't the disagreement. It was the certainty. Nobody in the room questioned whether R&D as a percentage of revenue actually measured what we thought it measured. That metric had been in use for decades. Every competitor used it. Every analyst tracked it. It felt like bedrock. It wasn't. It was an inherited constraint that had calcified into a rule. R&D as a percentage of revenue tells you about accounting categories. It tells you nothing about what that spending produces, whether the right problems are being attacked, or whether innovation output is growing or shrinking. The assumption underneath the metric had never been tested. Nobody had ever asked whether comparing R&D ratios across companies with entirely different business models actually tells you anything meaningful. The cost of that unchecked assumption didn't show up in the next quarter. It showed up over the following decade. HP's innovation pipeline quietly drained, and the Fast Company "Most Innovative" recognition we'd earned three years running disappeared with it. One inherited metric, accepted as fact by an entire room of experienced people, making a generational decision. That's what derivative thinking actually costs. Not a bad quarter. A decade. The people in that room weren't careless. They were experienced. Experience is exactly what makes inherited assumptions feel like facts. The metric felt like a fact. It was a choice nobody remembered making. That's exactly what a first principles question would have caught. Nobody asked it. If this is landing for you — paid subscribers are reading early Mindjacking chapters as they're written, plus the full archive, the Creating Killer Innovations audio course, and a free copy of Mindjacking when it ships in October. [Upgrade to paid →](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe?utm%5Fsource=blog&utm%5Fmedium=cta&utm%5Fcampaign=mid) ## The Three Core Skills The three skills run in sequence, and each one depends on the one before it. The first, **Strip the Assumptions**, finds the inherited assumptions baked into how the problem was framed. From there, **Test What Remains and Build Up** takes what survived and builds your solution from what's actually true. Finally, **When to Use First Principles** tells you when the process is worth running in the first place. Skip ahead, and the later skills don't hold. Run them in order, and they compound. ### Strip the Assumptions Before you can reason from first principles, you have to know what you're actually working with. Most problems arrive already carrying assumptions in how they're framed. Your first job is to find them. Steps to strip assumptions: 1. **Write the problem exactly as it was given to you.** Don't improve the framing yet. Use their words. 2. **Underline every word that implies a constraint.** "Must," "can't," "always," "never," "the only way to." Each one is a candidate. 3. **Ask, for each constraint: is this physically true, or is it inherited?** A physical truth holds regardless of what you decide. An inherited constraint is someone's prior decision that calcified into a rule. 4. **Set the inherited constraints aside and restate what remains.** This is the real problem. It's usually smaller and easier to solve than what you started with. 5. **Treat what survives as your design constraints.** These are your real boundaries. Take this list into your brainstorming, and test every idea against what's on it, not against the assumptions you crossed out. This step takes 20 minutes when you do it honestly. Most teams skip it entirely, then spend months optimizing a solution to the wrong problem. ### Test What Remains and Build Up Not every constraint is an assumption. Some things are actually true: physics, unit economics, human behavior at scale. The goal isn't to pretend those constraints don't exist. It's to be precise about which reality you're dealing with. Steps to test what remains and build up: 1. **Take each surviving constraint and push on it.** Ask: Is this true because it's physically impossible to change, or because changing it would be expensive, unfamiliar, or uncomfortable? Expensive and unfamiliar are not the same as impossible. 2. **Separate the hard limits from the soft ones.** Hard limits are what's actually true: things that hold regardless of how the problem is reframed. Soft limits are negotiable. Label them clearly. Most teams never make this distinction and treat every constraint as if it were granite. 3. **State your hard limits in plain language.** Write it down. One sentence per hard limit. These are the actual boundaries your solution has to honor. 4. **Reason forward from what remains.** Don't start from where the industry is and work backward to justify it. Now ask: what solution do the hard limits support? That last step is where unexpected solutions come from. When you reason backward from convention, you arrive at a modified version of the existing answer. The shape is familiar because you started with it. When you reason forward from hard limits, you land somewhere the category didn't expect, because you weren't anchored to the shape of the existing answer. Solutions built this way often feel strange at first. People will question them. That discomfort is usually a signal you've found something real rather than something inherited. That's what reasoning from what's actually true produces, rather than reasoning from what everyone assumed. ### When to Use First Principles Before running the process, ask these four questions. One yes is enough. 1. Has the environment this decision was built for changed significantly? 2. Does every solution on the table feel like a variation of the same thing? 3. Is the current approach inherited rather than chosen? 4. Would a bad assumption here cost you more than an afternoon to find and fix? If all four are no, past experience is the right tool. Use it. The 20-minute assumption-strip is cheap. The cost of skipping it isn't. ## The Assumption Reversal Exercise For this exercise, you will need a partner. Have them watch this video first. They need to know what an inherited assumption looks like before they can spot yours. Once you're both ready, grab the free [**First Principles Thinking Checklist**](https://innovation.tools/products/first-principles-thinking-checklist?ref=philmckinney.com) at innovation.tools or find the link in the description. It gives you both a shared reference point before you start. Here is how it works: 1. **Each person brings one real problem.** Something current, with actual stakes. Not a thought experiment. The problem should be one you've been turning over in your mind without arriving at a satisfying answer. 2. **Work on your partner's problem, not your own.** You are trying to find the assumptions baked into how they've framed it. They are doing the same for yours. The reason this works is that you can see their inherited constraints more clearly than they can. You're not inside their problem the way they are. 3. **Each person lists every assumption they can find in the other's problem.** Write them down. Don't argue yet. Don't evaluate. Just surface as many as possible. Quantity matters here. The obvious assumptions are easy. Push past them. 4. **Take each assumption and reverse it.** If the assumption is "this requires a significant budget," the reversal is "what becomes possible if it requires no budget?" If the assumption is "the customer won't accept a different format," the reversal is "what would we build if they would?" Don't ask whether the reversal is realistic. Ask what it opens up. 5. **Discuss what the reversals revealed.** Not every reversed assumption leads somewhere useful. But one of them usually exposes a constraint that was never as fixed as it felt. That's the one worth following. The point of the reversal is simple. Some assumptions hold when you push on them, and some don't. You can't tell which is which until you try. ✕ Free Download — Innovation Tools First Principles Thinking Checklist *A 9-page practice for telling real limits from inherited ones. Three parts. A partner exercise. A quick-reference checklist you can run in 20 minutes. Free, and stays free.* [Download Free →](https://innovation.tools/products/first-principles-thinking-checklist?ref=philmckinney.com) ## The Long Game Every time you run this process and find something that didn't hold, you get faster at spotting them. The judgment about when to use it gets sharper. That's what improvement looks like in practice: not a dramatic flash of insight, but a practiced ability to find the assumption in the room before it finds you. The assumption that costs you most isn't the one you haven't thought of yet. It's the one you stopped questioning years ago. Find your partner. Run the Assumption Reversal this week. That's where this starts becoming a skill. [**Subscribe for the next episode**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe). It builds on this. ### I'm Too Good at Keeping Busy. So Are You. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/im-too-good-at-keeping-busy-so-are-you/ Last updated: 2026-05-18T13:03:28.000Z *Paid subscribers are reading early Mindjacking chapters right now. They also get the full archive, the *Creating Killer Innovations* audio course, Studio Live access, and a free copy of *Mindjacking* when it ships in late 2026.* [Become a paid subscriber →](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe?utm%5Fsource=blog&utm%5Fmedium=cta&utm%5Fcampaign=top) I've been writing a book for two years. Most weeks, I don't work on it. The problem isn't time. I have time. The problem is that I keep spending it on things that feel like progress and aren't. ## I'm Too Good at Being Busy I'm not bad at being busy. I'm way too good at it. What I'm bad at is protecting the slow, deep work. The kind of thinking that takes hours, not minutes. The kind that doesn't show up the moment you sit down because you have to give it time to get going. Most of what fills my calendar doesn't need that. A status meeting doesn't need that. An email reply doesn't need that. A quick decision someone needs from me doesn't need that. But the work that actually matters does, and that's the kind of time my calendar never seems to have. I've been doing the easier things for a long time. But not entirely. I've known about this pattern for years. I drift in the moment, and over time I've built tripwires to catch myself. ## Three Tripwires I've Set for Myself A tripwire is an action I run on myself to catch when I'm drifting. Here are the three I rely on most. **The Sunday list test.** On Sunday evening I look at the week ahead and ask one question. If I finished it, which item on this list would actually matter a month from now? Most weeks one or two things pass that test. Sometimes none of them do. When none of them do, the list is wrong. That doesn't mean I cancel everything. It means I've been letting the urgent crowd out the important, and I need to fix it before Monday morning makes the decision for me. **The leftovers question.** Not what I did this week. What kept getting pushed. The item that keeps sliding from Monday to Tuesday to Wednesday to "I'll get to it next week" is almost always the one that matters most. Easy things finish. Important things wait. If the same item has been sliding for three weeks, that's not a scheduling problem. That's a signal. **The fast yes.** When I say yes to something inside of about ten seconds, I'm not really saying yes to that thing. I'm saying no to whatever I would have had to think about if I'd paused. I've started catching myself in the middle of a fast yes and forcing myself to wait until the next day to confirm. About a third of the time I come back the next day and say no. That third would have eaten my next quarter. These tripwires don't run themselves. I forget to set them. I ignore them when they go off. I rationalize. The point isn't that I've solved anything. The point is that when I'm honest with myself, I have enough evidence about my own patterns to know what's happening, even when in the moment it feels like the choices are reasonable. So what have the tripwires been telling me lately? The slow work has been in the leftovers column for months. Not occasionally. Consistently. The list test has been failing more weeks than it's been passing. And I've been saying fast yes to things that produce visible output, because visible output is satisfying and a half-finished chapter in a draft folder is not. The tripwires have been going off. I've been hearing them. I just hadn't done anything about it. Now I am. If this is landing for you — paid subscribers are reading early Mindjacking chapters as they're written, plus the full archive, the Creating Killer Innovations audio course, and a free copy of Mindjacking when it ships in October. [Upgrade to paid →](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe?utm%5Fsource=blog&utm%5Fmedium=cta&utm%5Fcampaign=mid) ## Studio Sessions Weekly. Studio Notes When It Matters. Starting May 27, Studio Sessions becomes the one weekly thing I publish. If you're new here, that's the long-form piece I put out in three formats: read it, listen to it, or watch it. Your choice. Studio Notes, the Monday news take, isn't going away. It's shifting to when something happens in the world that's worth a take. When a board makes a call worth examining, when a leader does something genuinely smart or genuinely not, you'll get a Note. But not on a schedule. Only when there's something real to say. The bad calls aren't hard to find. The good ones are getting harder, which tells you something about where we are. ## Three Changes to the Book Once I started giving my next book the time it actually needed, three things became obvious. Each of them is a change I should have made months ago. **The title is changing.** *Thinking Independence* is becoming *Mindjacking*. Mindjacking was a word I'd been using inside the chapters to name what happens when you hand your thinking over to someone else. An early reader spotted it and asked why it wasn't the title. The moment they did, I knew it was right. *Thinking Independence* describes a goal. *Mindjacking* describes what's happening to us. One is the destination. The other is the thing we have to see before the destination matters. I wanted the old title. The book needed the new one. **The structure is changing too.** This came from paid subscribers reading the early chapters and telling me, in different ways, what was and wasn't working. I'm not going to describe the new shape, and I want to be honest about why. Part of how the book works is that the reader experiences the structure rather than has it explained to them. If I tell you what's coming, I take that away. You'll see it when you read it. I think you'll feel the difference inside the first few pages. **The audience is also changing,** and this one I went back and forth on for months. I started writing this book for executives and innovation leaders, because that's who I've spent my career talking to. But sixty-one percent of the people reading the early chapters told us they recognized themselves in the opening pages, and most of them weren't executives. They were teachers. Tradespeople. Parents. Retirees. Students. People who had never thought of themselves as having a thinking problem until the first few pages showed them one. The book they were reading was for everyone. The book I was telling people I was writing was for executives. Those two things couldn't both be true. So the book is for all of us now. Because what the book describes is happening to all of us. It happens to me. It happened in rooms I used to run. That's not a marketing pivot. It's the book finally being honest about who it's for. What isn't changing: the publication target is still Q4 2026, still self-published, still under 20,000 words, still designed to be read in one sitting. The early chapters will keep going out to paid subscribers as they're ready. The work continues. It just has more room now. If you're a [**paid subscriber**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe), thank you. Your feedback is the reason the book is getting better instead of just getting longer. If you're reading for free, thank you for being here. And if the new rhythm doesn't work for you, I understand. — Phil --- ### Enter the Studio Free Studio Sessions every Wednesday — delivered to your inbox. Plus Studio Notes when news warrants it. [Subscribe Free](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe?utm%5Fsource=blog&utm%5Fmedium=cta&utm%5Fcampaign=end%5Ffree) Paid — $50/year Everything in Free, plus: - **Early Mindjacking chapters as they're written** (paid subscribers only) - Free digital copy of Mindjacking when it ships (late 2026) - Free digital copy of every future book - Full archive (decades of writing) - Creating Killer Innovations audio course - Studio Live monthly sessions [Become a Paid Subscriber](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe?utm%5Fsource=blog&utm%5Fmedium=cta&utm%5Fcampaign=end%5Fpaid) Founders — $350/year Limited to 50 subscribers. Founders cohort closes when Mindjacking ships. Everything in Paid, plus: - Direct email access to Phil - Twice-yearly 1:1 calls - Founders-only Studio Live sessions - Signed first editions of books [Apply for Founders](mailto:phil@philmckinney.com?subject=Founders%20Application&body=I'm%20interested%20in%20a%20Founders%20spot.%20A%20bit%20about%20me%3A%0A%0A) ### How to Overcome Expert Bias URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-overcome-expert-bias/ Last updated: 2026-05-13T13:03:00.000Z *Paid subscribers are reading early Mindjacking chapters right now. They also get the full archive, the *Creating Killer Innovations* audio course, Studio Live access, and a free copy of *Mindjacking* when it ships in late 2026.* [Become a paid subscriber →](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe?utm%5Fsource=blog&utm%5Fmedium=cta&utm%5Fcampaign=top) Last June, I was on a business trip in Silicon Valley when a second cardiac device failed. Same problem with a second surgical team six months apart. The full story is on [philmckinney.com](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-im-actually-thankful-for-after-my-body-failed-three-times-this-year/). What changed everything was one doctor who stopped treating what everyone else had diagnosed and asked whether they even had the right problem. That one question uncovered what two surgical teams had missed. That's the expert trap. And it shows up in your business, your career, and your decisions far more than you'd expect. Before you act on the next expert recommendation you receive, there are three checks almost nobody makes. Stay with me, because one of them is going to feel uncomfortable. That's the one that matters most. .. or listen to the podcast ... ## The Trap A friend of mine ran a mid-sized manufacturing company, and a few years ago, he hired a well-regarded industry analyst to help him think through where his business was headed. The analyst had data, slide decks, and a client list that made you feel like you were in good company just being in the room. He pointed to three companies in adjacent categories that had shifted to direct-to-consumer sales and won. He was confident, he was credible, and he was paid well to be both. My friend followed the advice. He put together a team, built the infrastructure, and ran the channel for twenty-two months. He lost around four million dollars, and his best wholesale distributors felt abandoned. Some of them never came back. The analyst wasn't wrong. Direct-to-consumer had worked for those other companies. The data was real, and the success stories were real. But nobody in that room ever asked whether any of those success stories involved his specific customer, his specific product, or his specific buying cycle. The companies the analyst cited were consumer brands. My friend's company was in the industrial supplies industry. Completely different purchase decision. He'd actually noticed this early on, and something felt off, but he never said it out loud because the expert had already spoken. That's the feeling I'm talking about. You notice something doesn't quite fit, but you don't raise it, because who are you to question the expert? That's the expert trap, and it's one of the most reliable ways your thinking gets replaced without you realizing you handed it over. If this is landing for you — paid subscribers are reading early Mindjacking chapters as they're written, plus the full archive, the Creating Killer Innovations audio course, and a free copy of Mindjacking when it ships in October. [Upgrade to paid →](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe?utm%5Fsource=blog&utm%5Fmedium=cta&utm%5Fcampaign=mid) ## What's Actually Happening When you perceive someone as having more relevant knowledge than you do, your brain measurably reduces the cognitive effort it puts into evaluating what they're saying. This has been studied, and it's not a weakness or a character flaw. It's a shortcut your brain developed because trusting domain expertise is usually the right call. The cardiologist probably does know more about your heart than you do, and the structural engineer probably does know more about load-bearing walls. The shortcut works often enough that it sticks. The problem is what it skips. It doesn't feel like you're surrendering your judgment. It feels like being informed. And so you follow advice that was right, just not for your situation, your timing, or your constraints. The advice was calibrated for circumstances that don't match yours, and the moment the credential appeared, the evaluation stopped. The wrong takeaway from everything I just said is to become reflexively skeptical, to walk into every expert conversation looking for the angle, ready to push back. That's just a different way to stop thinking. The goal isn't distrust. The goal is to stay in the evaluation while the expert is talking, instead of handing it over. Three checks help you do exactly that, and any serious expert should be able to answer them without hesitation. ## Check One: **Context** The first check is one question: where, specifically, has this worked before? Most people ask whether something works and most experts answer that question confidently. But that's the wrong question. What actually matters is where it worked, what kind of organization, what stage of growth, what kind of customer, what competitive environment, what specific circumstances. Expertise is built on pattern recognition developed inside a specific set of situations. The pattern is real, but whether your situation matches it closely enough to actually apply it is a completely different question, and it's the one nobody asks. Even in medicine, good surgeons will tell you that outcomes from major clinical trials don't always replicate cleanly when the patient profile differs from the trial population. The research is real and the expertise is real, but the fit question is what determines whether any of that expertise is actually useful to you right now. Most advisors don't volunteer this, not because they're hiding anything, but simply because nobody asks. So ask. Just simply and directly: where have you seen this work, and where does that situation differ from ours? A good expert has thought about this already. The answer comes quickly and it's specific. If they get vague or keep circling back to the general principle instead of the specific situation, slow down, because that vagueness is telling you something. ## Check Two: **Incentive** The second check is the one that's going to feel uncomfortable, but ask it anyway: what does the expert gain from this recommendation? Every expert operates inside incentive structures, and that's just how it works. A surgeon recommends surgery more often than a physical therapist does, not because surgeons are corrupt, but because surgery is the tool surgeons have. A financial advisor who earns commission on certain products is structurally more likely to recommend those products. A consultant whose business model depends on long engagements has different incentives than one whose model is based on outcomes. None of this makes the recommendation wrong. It just makes it something you need to understand before you weight it. The way to surface this without it feeling like an accusation is to ask about the logic rather than the incentive. Ask them to walk you through why this approach rather than the alternatives they considered. Think about it this way. If a mechanic quotes you a repair and you ask why that repair instead of the simpler one, you expect a real answer. You get that answer from a mechanic you trust. You should expect exactly the same from every expert in your life, regardless of how much more impressive their office is. Before we get to the third check, think about the last significant decision you made based on expert input. Could you answer the context question? Could you answer the incentive question? Most people can't. The checks never happened. The third check is the one I almost never see anyone use, and in my experience it's the most revealing of the three. ## Check Three: **Failure Rate** The third check is this: when doesn't this work? Think about what every expert presentation looks like. Track record, success cases, confidence — the whole architecture is built around what worked. What failed almost never comes up unprompted. But any expert who has used a recommendation enough to believe in it has also seen it fail. They know where it falls apart and what the warning signs look like. That knowledge is exactly what you need, and it's almost never volunteered. So ask for it directly: when have you seen this approach not work, and what tends to produce a different outcome? The doctor I mentioned at the top, Dr. West, that's exactly the question he asked. Not how to treat the condition better, but whether they even had the right diagnosis. Every other expert had followed the standard protocol. He asked when the standard fails. He found one paper describing one edge case that had been sitting in the literature for six years. That question uncovered what two surgical teams had missed. That's what the failure rate check does. It doesn't surface doubt, it surfaces evidence. And an expert who can only tell you what worked hasn't really thought carefully about when it doesn't. That's someone selling a recommendation, not helping you make a decision. ## The Synthesis Three checks: context, incentive, and failure rate. What they do together is simple. They require the expert to give you something you can actually examine rather than something you're simply being asked to accept. That's the difference between making a decision and receiving one. ## The Wrap You already know which of the three checks you'd struggle to make. That's the one worth starting with. The friend I mentioned at the top, the one who spent twenty-two months and four million dollars on a channel that was never right for his business, I talked to him afterward. He knew something felt off from the beginning. He noticed the mismatch. But the confidence in the room, the slides, the client list, all of it washed that feeling away. He said: I knew enough to ask the question. I just didn't know I was allowed to. You're allowed to. Drop a comment and tell me which of the three checks is hardest for you to make. I want to know if it splits the way I think it does. See you next week. --- ### Enter the Studio Free Studio Sessions every Wednesday — delivered to your inbox. Plus Studio Notes when news warrants it. [Subscribe Free](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe?utm%5Fsource=blog&utm%5Fmedium=cta&utm%5Fcampaign=end%5Ffree) Paid — $50/year Everything in Free, plus: - **Early Mindjacking chapters as they're written** (paid subscribers only) - Free digital copy of Mindjacking when it ships (late 2026) - Free digital copy of every future book - Full archive (decades of writing) - Creating Killer Innovations audio course - Studio Live monthly sessions [Become a Paid Subscriber](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe?utm%5Fsource=blog&utm%5Fmedium=cta&utm%5Fcampaign=end%5Fpaid) Founders — $350/year Limited to 50 subscribers. Founders cohort closes when Mindjacking ships. Everything in Paid, plus: - Direct email access to Phil - Twice-yearly 1:1 calls - Founders-only Studio Live sessions - Signed first editions of books [Apply for Founders](mailto:phil@philmckinney.com?subject=Founders%20Application&body=I'm%20interested%20in%20a%20Founders%20spot.%20A%20bit%20about%20me%3A%0A%0A) --- ## Endnotes **1\. Expert Authority and Neural Evaluation** Engelmann, J.B., Capra, C.M., Noussair, C., & Berns, G.S. (2009). "Expert Financial Advice Neurobiologically 'Offloads' Financial Decision-Making under Risk." PLoS ONE, 4(3): e4957\. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004957 Brain imaging data showing that receiving expert advice reduces activity in regions associated with valuation and independent risk assessment. Participants essentially outsourced the neural work of evaluation to the expert's recommendation. This is the direct research basis for the script's claim that the brain measurably reduces cognitive effort when expert authority is perceived. **2\. Mindjacking** McKinney, P. "Mindjacking." philmckinney.com. https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/ McKinney, P. "Mindjacking: When Your Opinions Aren't Yours." philmckinney.com. https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking-when-your-opinions-arent-yours/ Expert bias is identified as one of the primary surrender triggers through which independent thinking gets replaced before it completes. The three checks in this episode are designed to interrupt that surrender at the moment it occurs. ### How to Overcome Confirmation Bias URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-overcome-confirmation-bias/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T13:03:32.000Z Confirmation bias is shaping your decisions right now. Not occasionally. Every day. And the unsettling part is that the smarter you are, the harder it is to see it happening. By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly what confirmation bias is. How to recognize when it has taken over a room. And three specific practices that actually work. Not borrowed frameworks, but what forty years of high-stakes decisions have taught me. Let's get into it. ## What Is Confirmation Bias? Confirmation bias is your brain's tendency to seek out, favor, and remember information that confirms what you already believe, filtering out everything that contradicts it. Most people think that just means seeking out information that agrees with them. That's part of it. But here's what makes it truly dangerous. Once you form a strong belief, three things happen automatically. **Unequal Evaluation.** Picture two studies landing on your desk. One says your strategy is working. One says it isn't. You read the first and nod. You read the second and start looking for the flaw: the methodology, the sample size, the funding source. **Selective Memory.** Your brain doesn't store evidence equally. What supports your belief stays accessible. What contradicts it becomes harder to recall the longer you hold the belief. **The Backfire Effect.** When someone directly challenges a belief you hold, your brain treats it as a threat. The response isn't reconsideration. It's defense. Studies show you actually leave the argument more convinced than when you entered it. Together, the longer you hold a belief and the more it matters to you, the harder it becomes to change, no matter how much evidence says you should. ## Confirmation Bias in Today's World Confirmation bias has always been part of human thinking. What's changed is the environment around it. Algorithms feed you content that matches what you already believe. Social media shows you opinions from people who think like you. Search engines rank results based on what you've clicked before. Every system you interact with daily is built to confirm your existing views. Not by accident, but because confirmation keeps you engaged. The result compounds. The more confirming information you consume, the stronger your existing beliefs become. The stronger your beliefs become, the more your brain filters out opposing information. The more that information gets filtered, the harder it becomes to update your thinking, even when updating is exactly what the situation demands. This is mindjacking in action. The systematic replacement of your thinking by systems built to do it for you. And confirmation bias is one of its most powerful tools. It's visible everywhere. In public discourse where people can no longer agree on basic facts. In organizations that keep funding failing strategies long after the evidence says stop. In leaders who build teams designed to tell them what they want to hear. You might assume that smarter, more experienced people are less susceptible to this. The research says otherwise. ## The Smartest Person in the Room Gets It Wrong Here's what surprises most people. Confirmation bias doesn't get weaker as you get smarter. It gets stronger. Dan Kahan at Yale ran a study. He gave people a math problem where the correct answer contradicted their political beliefs. The smarter the person, the more likely they were to get the answer wrong, in the direction that protected their belief. *More intelligence, applied more effectively, in service of the conclusion they'd already reached.* A smart person who has formed a wrong belief is better at defending it. They find flaws in the opposing data faster. They construct more sophisticated arguments. They're more convincing to others and to themselves. I watched this play out in a board meeting. A CEO had championed a major strategy. Three separate analyses came back contradicting it. Each time, he found a different flaw in the methodology. By the end of the meeting he'd convinced the room the data was unreliable. The strategy continued. The outcome was exactly what the data predicted. He wasn't dishonest. He was skilled. His intelligence was working against him. And everyone in that room let it happen. If you're intelligent, experienced, and confident in your judgment, you are not immune to confirmation bias. You are more vulnerable to it. If you know someone who is always the smartest person in the room, send them this episode. They need it more than most. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## How to Overcome Confirmation Bias: What Actually Works Knowing about confirmation bias doesn't stop it. I know this from experience, not from research. I've been in rooms where everyone understood exactly what was happening and it happened anyway. What works is different from what you've probably been taught. ### Catch It in Yourself: The Flip Debate The moment I've most reliably caught confirmation bias operating in myself hasn't come from a checklist or a framework. It's come from a specific kind of conversation. I keep a small group of trusted advisors, people I call my kitchen cabinet. These aren't peers. They're almost never inside the organization. They have no stake in the outcome and no incentive to tell me what I want to hear. When I'm about to make a significant decision and I feel the pull of certainty, I take it to one of them. The conversation has a specific structure. I argue my position, fully and genuinely, the strongest version I can make. Then I stop. And I argue the opposite. Not a token acknowledgment of the other side. A real debate. I take the side I'm most resistant to and make the best case I can for it. What happens in that second argument is where confirmation bias shows up. The gaps. The assumptions I'd been protecting. The evidence I'd felt the urge to dismiss. When you're forced to argue a case you don't believe, you find the things you didn't want to see when you were arguing the one you do. An outside advisor is essential. Someone who will push back, ask hard questions, and notice when the flip argument is being faked. You can't do this with someone who needs something from you. The absence of stakes is what makes the honesty possible. ### Catch It in a Room: Two Signals to Watch For I've learned to watch for two signals that tell me confirmation bias has taken over a room. Both are visible before the decision is made. Almost everyone misses them. The first signal is the unwillingness to debate the other side. When a room has really decided, before the discussion is officially over, nobody wants to argue the opposing position. Not even hypothetically. Raise the other side and watch what happens. Eyes go flat. The conversation moves on. Someone changes the subject. If a room can't genuinely engage with the strongest case against the preferred direction, confirmation bias is driving. The second signal is circular justification. Listen for reasoning that keeps returning to its own starting point. The evidence for the decision is the decision itself. When you can't find an external reason, just a restatement of the conclusion, confirmation bias is driving. When I hear circular justification in a room, I stop the conversation. Not to embarrass anyone. To name what's happening. "We're not evaluating anymore. We're confirming. Let's go back to the evidence." That single intervention has changed the outcome of more decisions than any framework I've ever been taught. ### Change How You Decide: Full Options, Real Challenge Here's the most consistent change I've made in my own decision-making, and it comes directly from watching what confirmation bias costs people: I force a full pros and cons analysis on every serious option. Not just the one I'm leaning toward. This sounds obvious. Almost nobody does it. The natural pull is to build the case for the option that already feels right and compare it against the weaknesses of the alternatives. That's confirmation bias disguised as analysis. What I do instead is give every option on the table the same treatment. The best case for it. The best case against it. Without knowing in advance which one I'm going to choose. For decisions that carry real weight, I take it further. I bring in my brain trust: direct reports who will tell me what I don't want to hear, kitchen cabinet advisors, trusted board members. I ask specifically for the challenges. Not validation. Not enthusiasm. The places where the thinking is weak, the assumptions that might not hold, the evidence I might have filtered out. One question has changed how I approach every major decision: what am I not seeing? The answers, from people who have no incentive to protect my view, are exactly where the confirmation bias lives. ## Confirmation Bias Exercise: Try This Today This week, before you finalize any decision you've already started leaning toward, do one thing. Find one person outside your organization, someone with no stake in the outcome, and run the flip debate. Argue your position fully. Then stop and argue the opposite, with the same effort and commitment. Don't summarize the other side. Argue it. Make the best case you can for the view you're most resistant to. Notice what comes up in that second argument. The gaps. The assumptions. The evidence you'd been setting aside. That's where your confirmation bias is living. Run that exercise this week. Not once. Every time you feel the pull of certainty on a decision that matters. ## The Benefits of Overcoming Confirmation Bias The payoff from these practices compounds over time. Examined beliefs are more reliable than accumulated ones. Decisions that accounted for opposing evidence hold up better than decisions that filtered it out. Judgment that evaluates rather than confirms earns a different kind of trust from the people around you. Beyond your own decisions, catching confirmation bias makes you harder to capture. Every algorithm, every platform, and every persuader around you is built to exploit it. Seeing it operate in yourself reduces their leverage over your thinking. That's what these practices build. Not certainty. Something better. Examined confidence. Subscribe To The Weekly Newsletter Get four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ## Endnotes **1\. Dan Kahan — Identity-Protective Cognition** Kahan, D.M. (2017). "Misconceptions, Misinformation, and the Logic of Identity-Protective Cognition." Cultural Cognition Project Working Paper Series No. 164\. Yale Law School Public Law Research Paper No. 605\. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2973067 Kahan's research demonstrates that individuals with higher cognitive ability are more likely to process empirically contested information in ways that protect their cultural group identity rather than update their beliefs based on evidence. Higher numeracy and scientific literacy were associated with greater polarization on contested empirical questions, not less. The finding that intelligence amplifies rather than reduces motivated reasoning is the foundation for the section "The Smartest Person in the Room Gets It Wrong." **2\. The Backfire Effect** Nyhan, B., & Reifler, J. (2010). "When Corrections Fail: The Persistence of Political Misperceptions." Political Behavior, 32(2), 303-330\. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-010-9112-2 The original research documented instances where corrective information increased rather than decreased belief in a targeted misperception. Note: Nyhan subsequently published a reassessment in PNAS (2021) indicating that the backfire effect may be less robust and widespread than initially reported. The more durable finding from this research is that corrections frequently fail to reduce misperceptions — not necessarily that they reliably increase them. The script's claim that "knowing about confirmation bias doesn't stop it" reflects the more conservative and better-supported finding. **3\. Confirmation Bias — Foundational Research** Nickerson, R.S. (1998). "Confirmation Bias: A Ubiquitous Phenomenon in Many Guises." Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175-220\. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.2.175 The foundational academic review of confirmation bias across multiple domains. Nickerson identifies three primary mechanisms — selective information search, selective interpretation, and selective recall — which map directly to the three sub-concepts in the "What Is Confirmation Bias?" section: Unequal Evaluation, Selective Memory, and the Backfire Effect. **4\. The Pre-Mortem** Klein, G. (2007). "Performing a Project Premortem." Harvard Business Review, 85(9), 18-19\. https://hbr.org/2007/09/performing-a-project-premortem Klein developed the pre-mortem methodology to interrupt the confirmation bias that protects decisions already made. The technique — assuming future failure before it occurs and working backward to identify causes — is referenced in the practices section as one approach to catching confirmation bias before a decision is finalized. **5\. Mindjacking** McKinney, P. "Mindjacking." philmckinney.com. https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/ McKinney, P. "Mindjacking: When Your Opinions Aren't Yours." philmckinney.com. https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking-when-your-opinions-arent-yours/ The concept of mindjacking — the systematic replacement of independent thinking by external systems designed to think for you — is Phil McKinney's original framework. Confirmation bias is identified as one of the primary mechanisms through which mindjacking operates at the individual cognitive level. ### What I Saw McKinsey Get Wrong at HP And Couldn’t Stop URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-i-saw-mckinsey-get-wrong-at-hp-and-couldnt-stop/ Last updated: 2026-05-04T13:57:59.000Z I knew the play. That’s what makes this one hard to write. McKinsey came into HP with a clear recommendation: flatten the org, cut management overhead, drive efficiency. Reduce management layers so that no manager has fewer than three direct reports. Wider spans of control. The analysis was rigorous. The benchmarks were real. The comparison companies had impressive logos. The conclusion arrived with the kind of confidence that doesn’t leave a lot of room in the meeting. I’d heard that confidence before. I’d *had* that confidence before. Years earlier, I was the one walking into a room with slides full of best practices and a certainty about what the org chart should look like. So I sat in that meeting at HP knowing exactly what was happening. Not suspecting it. Knowing it. What McKinsey never saw from the outside was what those “management layers” actually were. At HP, engineers took on leadership roles because they were the best in their field. They still designed. They still built. They still solved problems alongside their teams. The title said manager. The function was something else entirely. The org chart showed overhead. The culture was carrying something the org chart had no way to represent. The recommendation was approved. Dozens of experienced engineers and technical leaders (people who happened to have “manager” in their title) were eliminated. Decades of institutional knowledge walked out the door because a best practice said the org chart should look different. I watched it happen. I couldn’t stop it. It doesn’t stay in the boardroom. My son was living with me in a corporate apartment near HP headquarters when I took over as CTO. My wife had handled our daughters’ transitions to college. This one was mine. We sat down and went through his class options together. He wasn’t academically oriented. He wanted to get in, get out, and get on with his life. I told him what I knew from experience. He listened the way you listen to someone when you’ve already decided. Then he registered for too many credits anyway. The first semester was hard. He eventually graduated. I didn’t. It tends to go like that. That’s what [**mindjacking** ](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/)looks like from the inside. That’s the part I keep returning to. Not that the decision was wrong. I believe it was. But that I saw it clearly and it didn’t matter. The authority was on one side of the table. The evidence was hard to argue with. The room had already made up its mind before the discussion started. I knew the play. I’d run it myself. And I sat there and watched it play out. There’s a version of this story where I become the hero, where I stand up, name what’s happening, and the outcome changes. That version would be more satisfying to write. It would also be false. What actually happened was quieter and more uncomfortable. I saw it. I said something. The meeting moved on. None of it mattered when the recommendation came through. Is the moment already gone by the time you can see it clearly? ### Why Most Organizations Aren't Funding Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-most-organizations-arent-funding-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:23.000Z Twelve official definitions for R&D. Zero agreement. The US government publishes at least a dozen distinct official definitions across agencies, accounting standards, tax authorities, and international bodies. Not one agrees with the others on where research ends and development begins. Trillions of dollars flow through R&D budgets every year. Boards approve them. Investors evaluate them. Governments subsidize them. Analysts benchmark them. And the term at the center of all of it has no settled definition. A company can gut its research investment without triggering a single alarm on its income statement. Researchers who gained rare access to confidential federal R&D data found exactly this: when companies face financial pressure, they cut research while leaving development essentially untouched, and the combined number barely moves. Every benchmark, every board conversation, every investment thesis built around the R&D line may be built on sand. Innovation, ideas made real, requires both. Research is how you find the idea. Development is how you make it real. Strip out the research and you're not innovating, you're iterating on what already exists. Strip out the development and you're just experimenting. The problem is that nobody in the room knows which one they're actually funding, because the definition that would tell them doesn't exist. Someone needs to draw the line. This episode is about why nobody has, and the definition I think should replace the chaos. By the end, I'm going to put that definition in front of you and ask you to push back on it. Not to agree. To tell me where it breaks. … or listen to the podcast. ## How We Got Here Four institutions took a run at defining R&D. Each one got it right for their own purposes. None of them got it right for yours. ### Frascati: Built for Governments In June 1963, OECD economists met at a villa in Frascati, Italy, south of Rome, and produced what became the international standard for measuring R&D across nations. Now in its seventh edition. The Frascati Manual divides R&D into three tiers: basic research (theoretical work with no application in view), applied research (original investigation toward a specific practical objective), and experimental development (using existing knowledge to produce new products or processes). To qualify, an activity must be novel, creative, uncertain in outcome, systematic, and transferable. Used by governments across roughly 75 countries. Solid for what it was designed to do: let nations compare R&D investment on consistent terms. What Frascati cannot tell you: whether a specific company's spending is creating competitive advantage. It counts the type of activity. It doesn't assess what the activity produces for the organization doing the spending. A company can satisfy every Frascati criterion investigating something every competitor already knows. The knowledge is new to them. That is enough. The accountants drew a different line, for a different reason, with a different consequence. ### FASB: Built for Accountants In October 1974, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement No. 2, Accounting for Research and Development Costs, now codified as Topic 730\. Every public company filing under US GAAP operates under it. The rule: all R&D costs expensed as incurred. Research, development, basic, applied: one line on the income statement. Their definition: research is a planned search aimed at discovery of new knowledge. Development is the translation of research findings into a plan or design for a new product. The rationale is explicit in the original standard. Future benefits from R&D are, in FASB's language, "at best uncertain." Expense everything immediately. The standard solved the problem it was asked to solve, which was accounting treatment: when to recognize the cost, not whether the cost was strategically sound. The consequence: sustaining engineering, feature maintenance, and incremental product updates all land on the same line as genuine exploratory research. Nobody looking at the income statement from outside can see the difference. The number is technically accurate and analytically opaque. Abraham Briloff, the late accounting professor at Baruch College, put it plainly: "Accounting statements are like bikinis. What they show is interesting, but what they conceal is significant." He was talking about financial reporting broadly. He could have been writing specifically about the R&D line. Researchers at Duke and London Business School spent years tracking corporate scientific output and found that it declined steadily across industries even as headline R&D spending kept rising. The combined number was hiding a substitution. Nobody on the outside could see it. Outside the United States, a different standard governs, and it creates a comparison problem most analysts never account for. ### IFRS: Built for International Investors IAS 38 governs R&D under IFRS, and its treatment differs from FASB in one significant way. Research costs are always expensed, same as FASB. But development costs can be capitalized as an asset on the balance sheet once a company can demonstrate technical feasibility, intent to complete, ability to use or sell the result, likely future economic benefit, adequate resources, and reliable cost measurement. A European company that capitalizes its development phase carries those costs as an asset: lower expenses in the period, higher total assets. An identical US company expensing everything under FASB takes the full hit immediately: higher expenses, lower assets. Same underlying investment. Incomparable financial pictures. Run the standard industry benchmark, R&D as a percentage of revenue, and you may conclude the US company is investing more aggressively. You may be comparing the same dollar invested under two different accounting regimes. Roughly 169 jurisdictions use IFRS. The United States does not. India uses an adapted version. Japan maintains its own standards board. The benchmark the industry trusts most is meaningless for cross-border comparison, and almost nobody says so. ### Section 174: Built for Tax Authorities The Internal Revenue Code adds another layer. Section 174 governs the deductibility of what the US tax authority calls "research or experimental expenditures," and the definition is not the same as FASB Topic 730. A company's R&D for tax purposes and its R&D for financial reporting can cover different activities and produce different numbers. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 tightened this further: domestic R&D expenses that were previously deductible immediately now must be amortized over five years, international over fifteen. The definition of what qualifies shifted when the timing rules changed. Within one country, one company, three definitional regimes apply simultaneously: Frascati for any government reporting, FASB for the income statement, and Section 174 for taxes. A single dollar of R&D spending can be classified three different ways depending on who's asking. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## The Gap None of Them Fill Four frameworks, built by four institutions, for four different purposes. Not one was built for the question that actually matters. *Is this investment creating new knowledge that gives us a capability nobody else can easily replicate?* The gap between them is where innovation decisions actually live. The National Science Foundation recognized the problem clearly enough that it publishes a separate annotated document just to catalog the competing definitions, because they're too inconsistent to assume any two readers are using the same one. That gap isn't an oversight. It's a structural consequence of four institutions doing their own jobs well. The question practitioners need answered was nobody's institutional job. You've been in the room. The R&D number is on the slide. Nobody asks what's inside it, because the accounting standard doesn't require an answer, and the room has learned not to expect one. So it went unanswered. Until now. ## A Better Definition for R&D Here is my proposed definition: ***Research is work directed at creating new knowledge where the outcome is genuinely uncertain and the knowledge cannot be readily obtained from existing sources. Development is the translation of that knowledge into products, services, or processes that meaningfully advance an organization's capability in ways competitors cannot easily replicate.*** Four elements define it: - **Genuinely uncertain outcome.** If you know what you're going to get before the work starts, it's engineering execution, not research. The uncertainty doesn't have to be total. Most applied research has a likely direction. But there has to be real doubt about whether the approach works, whether the knowledge emerges. - **Cannot be obtained from existing sources.** This is the one nobody puts in writing. If the knowledge is already in the literature, available from a consulting engagement, or present in a competitor's published work, finding it again isn't research. Generating new knowledge and capturing existing knowledge are different activities. Only one belongs here. This criterion alone would reclassify a significant portion of what companies currently call R&D. - **Advances capability competitors cannot easily replicate.** Development only qualifies when it translates research into something that genuinely moves the organization forward competitively. Sustaining engineering doesn't pass it. Feature parity doesn't. Competitive catch-up doesn't. All real work, none of it development under this definition. - **Agnostic to accounting jurisdiction.** This definition doesn't tell you how to expense or capitalize anything. That's already governed by whichever standard applies. What it does is establish what genuinely belongs in each category, regardless of where the company files. That makes it usable across FASB and IFRS companies without translation. There is a simpler way to put it. For any project in your R&D budget, ask two questions. First: are we creating new knowledge, or executing against something we already know? If you're executing, it's not research. Second: does this translate into a capability competitors cannot easily replicate? If not, it's not development either. It's product engineering, valuable and necessary, but a different budget category entirely. Three buckets: Research, Development, and Product Engineering. That taxonomy, applied honestly across a typical portfolio, would reclassify a significant share of what most companies are currently reporting as R&D. ## The Call I'm not asking FASB to rewrite Topic 730. What I am asking: that the people who actually make innovation decisions start applying a definition built for the question they're trying to answer. If you run an R&D function: apply this definition to your current portfolio. Not to change the accounting. To see what's actually in the category and what isn't. The gap between what your budget calls R&D and what this definition calls R&D will tell you something worth knowing. If you sit on a board: ask what portion of the R&D line is directed at new knowledge creation versus sustaining existing products. If no one in the room can answer, you're governing a number you don't understand. And if you think the definition is wrong, tell me. Where should the line be drawn differently? What element doesn't hold? What did I miss? That's not a polite invitation. That's the actual point of this episode. Definitions become standards when enough serious people apply them consistently and make the case until the institutions catch up. The four frameworks we inherited were each built by an institution serving its own purpose. This one is built for the people making the decisions. The most consequential line in any company's budget is the one separating what builds the future from what protects the present. Nobody drew it clearly. It's past time someone did. The idea was never the hard part. It never is. The call is. If this episode shifted something for you, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. On YouTube, hit subscribe and the bell so you don't miss the next one. And if you want to go deeper every Monday, [subscribe to Studio Notes](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) (FREE) --- Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe Produced by [*The Innovators Studio*](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovators-studio/) *| philmckinney.com* --- ## Endnotes 1. "at least a dozen distinct official definitions": National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, "Definitions of Research and Development: An Annotated Compilation of Official Sources," NCSES 22-209 (Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation, 2022). https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/ncses22209\. The NSF publishes this document specifically because the definitions across federal agencies, accounting standards, tax authorities, and international bodies are too inconsistent to assume any two readers are working from the same one. The compilation covers Frascati, FASB Topic 730, OMB Circular A-11, Federal Acquisition Regulations, the Department of Defense's six-category RDT&E taxonomy, NCSES survey definitions, state government definitions, higher education definitions, nonprofit definitions, and international national accounts standards — confirming that the definitional landscape runs well beyond four frameworks. 2. "researchers who gained rare access to confidential federal R&D data": Filippo Mezzanotti and Timothy Simcoe, "Research and/or Development? Financial Frictions and Innovation Investment," NBER Working Paper 31521 (August 2023). doi:10.3386/w31521\. https://www.nber.org/papers/w31521\. Using confidential Census Bureau BERD data with firm-level disaggregation — data not available to the public — the authors studied approximately 1,100 large US firms during the 2008 financial crisis. Companies facing refinancing pressure cut R&D, but the reduction was concentrated almost entirely in basic and applied research. Development spending remained essentially flat. Because the combined income statement line barely moved, the substitution was invisible to anyone outside the company. Mezzanotti is at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University; Simcoe is at the Questrom School of Business, Boston University. 3. "a villa in Frascati, Italy" / "three tiers" / "five criteria" / "roughly 75 countries": OECD, *Frascati Manual 2015: Guidelines for Collecting and Reporting Data on Research and Experimental Development*, 7th ed. (Paris: OECD Publishing, 2015). https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/frascati-manual-2015\_9789264239012-en.html. The first edition was produced at the Villa Falconieri in Frascati, Italy, in June 1963, from a background document by Christopher Freeman. The three-tier taxonomy — basic research (§2.25), applied research (§2.29), experimental development (§2.32) — and the five criteria (novel, creative, uncertain in outcome, systematic, transferable/reproducible, §§2.6–2.8) have remained the core of the framework across all seven editions. The Manual's own estimate of international adoption reaches approximately 75% of OECD member countries for statistical reporting purposes. 4. "Statement No. 2" / "at best uncertain" / "Topic 730": Financial Accounting Standards Board, *Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 2: Accounting for Research and Development Costs* (Stamford, CT: FASB, October 1974), now codified as Accounting Standards Codification Topic 730\. The phrase "at best uncertain" describing the future benefits of R&D appears at SFAS No. 2, ¶41\. The rule requiring all R&D to be expensed as incurred is at ASC 730-10-25-1\. Companies are required to disclose the total R&D expense for each period but are not required to distinguish research from development, since both receive identical accounting treatment. The full FASB definitions are reproduced with permission in the NSF NCSES compilation cited in endnote 1\. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/ncses22209. 5. "Accounting statements are like bikinis": Abraham Briloff, as cited in Ed Kless and Ron Baker, "Episode #101: Interview with Baruch Lev," *The Soul of Enterprise* podcast (February 2025). https://www.thesoulofenterprise.com/tsoe/lev. Briloff (1917–2013) was Professor Emeritus of Accounting at Baruch College, City University of New York, and a longtime critic of accounting standards. The observation is widely attributed to him in accounting literature and was cited by Baruch Lev of NYU Stern — the most prolific academic critic of intangibles accounting — in his discussion of financial reporting's concealment of R&D investment quality. 6. "declined steadily across industries even as headline R&D spending kept rising": Ashish Arora, Sharon Belenzon, and Andrea Patacconi, "Killing the Golden Goose? The Decline of Science in Corporate R&D," NBER Working Paper 20902 (January 2015). doi:10.3386/w20902\. https://www.nber.org/papers/w20902\. Subsequently published as "The decline of science in corporate R&D," *Strategic Management Journal* 39, no. 1 (2018): 3-32\. The paper documents a broad shift away from scientific research by large US corporations from 1980 to 2007, tracked through corporate scientific publications and patent output — measures of research output independent of any definitional framework. Publications by company scientists declined across industries even as total R&D spending rose. The value attributable to scientific research dropped while the value attributable to patents held steady, consistent with firms preserving development output while withdrawing from research investment. Arora and Belenzon are at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business; Patacconi is at the University of East Anglia (UEA) Norwich Business School. 7. "capitalized as an asset" / "169 jurisdictions": International Accounting Standards Board, *IAS 38 Intangible Assets*, ¶¶54–57\. The six capitalization criteria for development costs appear at IAS 38, ¶57: technical feasibility of completing the asset, intention to complete and use or sell it, ability to use or sell it, probable future economic benefits, availability of adequate resources, and reliable measurement of expenditure. IFRS Foundation, "Use of IFRS Accounting Standards by Jurisdiction" (2025). https://www.ifrs.org/use-around-the-world/use-of-ifrs-standards-by-jurisdiction/. As of 2025, 169 jurisdictions require or permit IFRS for publicly accountable entities. Notable non-adopters include the United States (US GAAP), with India (Ind AS), Japan (Japanese GAAP with voluntary IFRS option), and China (CAS) operating under partially converged but distinct standards. 8. "Section 174" / "amortized over five years": Internal Revenue Code §174, as amended by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (P.L. 115-97). For tax years beginning after December 31, 2021, domestic R&D expenditures previously deductible immediately must be capitalized and amortized over five years; international R&D over fifteen years. Treasury Regulation §1.174-2 provides the governing definition of qualifying "research or experimental expenditure" under §174, which differs from both the FASB Topic 730 definition and the Frascati criteria — creating three distinct definitional regimes applicable simultaneously to a single company's R&D spending. 9. "publishes a separate annotated document": National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, "Definitions of Research and Development: An Annotated Compilation of Official Sources," NCSES 22-209 (2022). See endnote 1\. The document's existence is itself evidence of the problem: the NSF found it necessary to publish a standalone reference cataloging the competing definitions precisely because they are too inconsistent for practitioners to navigate without a guide. ### The AI Hardware Bet URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-ai-hardware-bet/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T13:03:38.000Z Tim Cook spent fifteen years making Apple the most valuable company in history. His last act was to hand it to a mechanical engineer. John Ternus has spent twenty-five years at Apple building the physical things. iPhones. iPads. AirPods. He is the person you promote when you believe the next decade is won in metal and glass, not in models. Apple struck a deal with Google to power Siri, renting the brain, keeping the body. Model quality is a commodity. The device is not. Apple is not alone. Jony Ive and Sam Altman are building a physical AI device. HP bought the bones of a failed AI wearable startup to embed the intelligence into its hardware. The model wars made the headlines. The device bets are making the future. The AI race is not over. It just moved. --- **Noted* are micro essay's on timely observations on whatever catches my attention. They first appear on* [*philmckinney.com*](https://www.philmckinney.com/tag/noted/)*.* ### R&D Spending Is the Most Misleading Number in Business URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/r-d-spending-is-the-most-misleading-number-in-business/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:23.000Z Every public company's R&D number is a lie hiding in plain sight. Not because anyone falsified it. Because the number was never built to tell the truth. It was built to satisfy an accounting standard written in 1974\. And for fifty years, boards, analysts, and CEOs have been making billion-dollar innovation decisions based on a number designed by accountants to solve a different problem entirely. Here's what makes this genuinely strange. The real number exists. The government has been collecting it from every major US company for decades. It would answer the question every innovation leader and investor actually needs answered. And it is locked away by federal law. Confidential. Never published. Never seen by the people who need it most. It's sitting in a federal database right now. And there's a way to estimate it for any public company, without asking anyone's permission. I know it exists because I spent years building it from the inside. .. or listen to the podcast: ## Why the R&D Signal Was Blurry When I was running innovation at HP, we discovered this problem firsthand. We had a [**connection between R&D investment and gross margin**](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-metric-bill-hewlett-and-dave-packard-used/) that held up across decades of HP history. Better than anything Wall Street was using. But the signal was blurry. None of us could figure out why. The answer came from a question someone on the team asked almost as an aside. What if R&D isn't one thing? ## Research and Development Are Not the Same Thing Think about what actually lives inside a typical R&D budget. There's a team somewhere investigating whether a new approach could enable a capability that doesn't exist yet. No product defined. No spec written. Asking whether something is even possible. And there's a team building the next version of a product that ships in eighteen months. Spec locked. Timeline set. Engineering executing against a defined target. Both show up on the same line in the budget. Both get called R&D. Both count equally toward the number that gets reviewed every quarter. They are not the same thing. One is Research. The other is Development. Research is the work you do when you don't yet know what you're building. The output is understanding. New knowledge that might enable future products nobody has designed yet. You can't know exactly what you'll find. If you already knew, it wouldn't be research. Development is the work you do when you know exactly what you're building. The spec exists. The product is defined. The question isn't what to make. It's whether it can be made, on time, at cost, at quality. One creates the future. The other delivers the present. And for fifty years, every public company in America has been required to report them as one indistinguishable number. When we split the HP data along that line, Research on one side and Development on the other, the signal sharpened immediately. Research spend, measured against gross margin three to five years later, was a meaningfully stronger predictor than the combined number had ever been. The blur hadn't been in the gross margin data. It had been in the R&D number itself. Two fundamentally different things, averaged together, producing a number that looked precise and predicted almost nothing. But splitting R from D at the company level was only the beginning. The model was still lying to us. Just more quietly. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## Why Company-Level R&D Splits Still Mislead Even with the split, something was still soft. HP wasn't one business. It was dozens. Printers, PCs, servers, software, each running on different timelines, different technology cycles, different competitive dynamics. What if the R/D split meant something different depending on where it was applied? We pushed it to the product line level. Then further, to the platform level within product lines. Printers were the clearest example. HP's printer business wasn't one story. There were platforms built on established technology. Mature ink systems, proven print head chemistry, products that had been shipping for years. And there were platforms built on genuinely new core technology. New chemistry. New mechanisms. New approaches to fundamental problems that nobody had solved yet. Research investment by platform told a completely different story than Research investment by product category. The Research going into new technology platforms had a completely different relationship to future margin than Research going into mature platforms. Different time horizons. Different risk profiles. Different margin implications years down the road. Laptops told the same story. A traditional consumer laptop line and a high-performance portable workstation weren't the same investment. One was Development-heavy. Defined product, known market, engineering executing against spec. The other had genuine Research behind it. Unsolved thermal problems, new form factor constraints, and materials questions that hadn't been answered yet. When a single R&D assumption is applied across all of that, treating every dollar the same regardless of what it actually does, the signal disappears into the average. Peanut butter across the portfolio. The model only got honest when it got specific. Research by platform and Development by platform, matched against the margin performance of those specific platforms years later. Which platforms were building future margin? Which ones were running on margin that past Research had already bought? We could see it because we were inside the company. The question is whether anyone on the outside could ever see the same thing. ## The R&D Data the Government Collects and Won't Release Outside the internal budget process, everyone sees the same thing: a single line on the income statement. The US government recognized decades ago that the combined R&D number was analytically useless. So they built a system to collect the real one. The National Science Foundation runs a survey called the Business Enterprise Research and Development survey. The BERD survey. Every year, roughly 47,500 US companies are required to report their R&D spending broken into three categories: basic research, applied research, and experimental development. The split that every board and every investor needs to see. Mandatory. Collected. Verified. And then locked away. The firm-level data is confidential under federal law. The NSF publishes only industry-level aggregates. So every company fills out this survey and reports its real R/D split to the government. That data sits in a federal database. And the boards, investors, and analysts who need it most cannot access it. Researchers at Northwestern and Boston University were given rare access to that confidential data. What they found is striking. When companies face financial pressure and cut R&D, they don't cut Development. They cut Research. Almost entirely. Development barely moves. Every earnings squeeze. Every activist campaign. Every cost optimization program. Systematically targeting the one part of R&D that builds future margin. And because the combined number barely moves, nobody on the outside sees it happening. That's not a coincidence. That's the accounting standard doing exactly what it was designed to do: produce one clean number for the income statement. It was never asked to protect the future. ## How to Estimate the Research-to-Development Split Without Inside Access So what can actually be done without access to the locked data? More than most people realize. **Step 1\. Find the industry baseline.** The aggregate BERD data is public at the sector level. Ask an AI tool for the Research-to-Development ratio for the relevant industry. That's the benchmark. Everything else gets measured against it. A company spending 8% of its R&D on Research in an industry where the average is 25% is telling you something the combined number never would. **Step 2\. Look at the gross margin trend compared to peers.** Gross margin over time is the most honest external signal of Research health. A company with a declining margin relative to peers, while reporting flat or growing R&D spend, is almost certainly shifting the mix toward Development. The math works in the other direction, too. An AI tool can pull this comparison for any public company in minutes. This is exactly the signal that was invisible at HP until it was too late. **Step 3\. Look at patent trends compared to peers over time.** Patents are an imperfect but useful directional indicator. Not because more patents always means more Research. It doesn't. But a sustained decline in patent output relative to peers, alongside flat R&D spend, suggests the investment is maintaining existing products rather than creating new knowledge. Combined with the gross margin trend, it starts to triangulate where the split actually sits. None of these three steps requires access to an internal budget. All of them can be done in an afternoon with public data and an AI tool. Together, they produce a working picture of the R/D split that the income statement was never designed to reveal. ## What the R&D Split Revealed at HP That No One Outside Could See When [**Hurd took over in 2005**](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-r-d-metric-mark-hurd-and-hp-got-wrong/), HP was spending $3.5 billion on R&D. Roughly 4% of revenue. By 2009, his last full year as CEO, that had dropped to $2.8 billion. Revenue had grown significantly over that period, so the percentage had fallen further still, to under 2.5%. Both the dollar amount and the ratio were declining simultaneously while the company got larger. Wall Street tracked the combined number. The board reviewed it. Nobody raised a structural alarm. The Research component within that total was well below the industry average for comparable technology companies. Not slightly. Significantly. The margin consequences arrived years later. They always do. ## What Happens When the Definition of Research Doesn't Exist The R/D split gave us a real predictive signal. We ran with it. The conversations were sharper. But the team kept pulling on a thread that nobody expected. When we looked closely at what was actually being called Research, project by project and budget line by budget line, things that didn't feel the same kept appearing. Work aimed at fundamental discovery. Work aimed at solving a specific defined problem using entirely new methods. Both labeled Research. Up close, they behaved differently, predicted different things, and when budgets got tight, got treated very differently. So we went looking for the agreed definition. The official standard that would tell exactly where to draw the lines inside Research. It didn't exist. Not the way we needed it to. And without it, everything we'd built was sitting on sand. How do you build a predictive model on a definition that doesn't exist? That's the next episode. Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ## Endnotes/Sources 1. "a number designed by accountants to solve a different problem entirely": Financial Accounting Standards Board, *Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 2: Accounting for Research and Development Costs*, October 1974, codified as FASB ASC 730\. The standard was issued to resolve whether R&D costs should be expensed or capitalized — an accounting treatment question, not an analytical one. It requires all R&D to be expensed as incurred and reported as a single income statement line item. Companies are not required to disclose the split between research and development activities because both receive identical treatment. The standard solved the problem it was asked to solve. 2. "locked away by federal law": National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics and Census Bureau, *Business Enterprise Research and Development Survey, 2023*, NSF 25-354 (Alexandria, VA: U.S. National Science Foundation, 2025). https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25354 . The BERD Survey collects R&D spending disaggregated into basic research, applied research, and experimental development from approximately 46,000 US companies annually. Firm-level responses are confidential under Title 13 and Title 26 of the US Code and are never published at the company level. Only industry-level aggregates are released. The 2023 aggregates show US businesses spent $722 billion on R&D: basic research $43 billion (6%), applied research $110 billion (15%), experimental development $568 billion (79%). Summary figures are also published in the companion InfoBrief: NSF 25-353\. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25353 . 3. "they cut Research. Almost entirely. Development barely moves": Filippo Mezzanotti and Timothy Simcoe, "Research and/or Development? Financial Frictions and Innovation Investment," NBER Working Paper 31521, August 2023\. doi:10.3386/w31521 . https://www.nber.org/papers/w31521 . Using confidential Census BERD data with firm-level disaggregation, the authors studied approximately 1,100 large US firms during the 2008 financial crisis. Companies facing refinancing pressure made larger cuts to R&D, but the reduction was concentrated almost entirely in basic and applied research. Development remained essentially unchanged. Mezzanotti is at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University; Simcoe is at the Questrom School of Business, Boston University. 4. "The Research component within that total was well below the industry average": HP fiscal 2009 annual report, filed with the SEC, confirms total R&D of $2.819 billion on revenue of approximately $114.6 billion (2.5% of revenue), down from $3.490 billion on revenue of approximately $91.7 billion (3.8%) in fiscal 2005, Hurd's first full year as CEO. The Research component within that total is estimated by applying the internal R/D split methodology developed by the Innovation Program Office during Phil McKinney's tenure as CTO. External secondary sources: "HP Faces Criticism for Shortchanging Research and Development," *The Rational Walk*, August 2020\. https://rationalwalk.com/hp-faces-criticism-for-shortchanging-research-and-development. "Valuing Hewlett Packard vs. Tech Titans IBM, Dell and Xerox," *Seeking Alpha*, June 2015\. https://seekingalpha.com/article/289436 . 5. "a broad and sustained shift away from Research and toward Development": Ashish Arora, Sharon Belenzon, and Andrea Patacconi, "Killing the Golden Goose? The Decline of Science in Corporate R&D," NBER Working Paper 20902, January 2015\. doi:10.3386/w20902\. https://www.nber.org/papers/w20902 . The paper documents a shift away from scientific research by large US corporations from 1980 to 2007\. Publications by company scientists declined across industries even as total R&D spending rose. The value attributable to scientific research dropped while the value attributable to patents held steady — consistent with firms preserving development output while withdrawing from research investment. ### Ghost Research: The Hidden Risk Inside Every R&D Organization URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ghost-research-the-hidden-risk-inside-every-r-d-organization/ Last updated: 2026-04-13T16:13:20.000Z Bad science never dies. In November 2025, a peer reviewed scientific study that regulators worldwide had relied on for 25 years to confirm that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, was safe for humans was quietly retracted. The paper had been written by Monsanto employees, based almost entirely on unpublished Monsanto data, with undisclosed financial compensation to the listed authors. For a quarter century, the EPA built policy on it. Regulators on four continents depended on it. Courts ruled by it. Nobody knew who actually wrote it. Monsanto is not the exception. It is simply the one that made headlines. Research gets published as fact. Others build on it, governments regulate by it, courts rule on it. Then it gets retracted. But by then it has already traveled far beyond the journal that published it, still being cited, quoted, and depended on by people who never heard about the retraction. That is [**ghost research**](https://www.philmckinney.com/ghost-research/), and it is more common than anyone in a position of authority wants to admit. The scale is no longer abstract. Scientific studies are currently being retracted at a rate of **sixteen per day**, and that rate is accelerating. More research has been pulled from the scientific record in the last five years than in the previous fifteen combined. One in three retracted studies circulated for more than two years before anyone flagged them. The longest case in the database: a paper published in *The Lancet* in 1977, not retracted until March 2026. Somewhere in every organization, a decision was made on research that has since been retracted. Not probably. Statistically, certainly. The question is whether anyone knows which one. How much of what we call innovation is built on fake science? Are you sure? --- *Noted are Phil McKinney's* [*periodic micro essays*](https://www.philmckinney.com/tag/noted/) *— a quick observation on whatever catches his attention.* ## Sources: **Retraction Watch Database**, April 9, 2026 export. Analysis of 62,552 retractions with valid publication and retraction dates. The Retraction Watch Database is maintained by [Retraction Watch](https://retractionwatch.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Updated daily, the database currently contains over 64,000 retraction records spanning more than 100 countries and disciplines. ### Innovation Laundering URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/noted-innovation-laundering/ Last updated: 2026-04-07T17:48:26.000Z Oracle posted record revenue last quarter. Record backlog. Net income up 95%. Then they cut 30,000 jobs and committed $50 billion to data center construction. The headlines called it innovation. That word used to mean something specific. It meant creating a new capability that didn't exist before. But Oracle didn't announce a new capability. They announced concrete, cooling systems, and power contracts. The filings called the $50 billion what it is: capital expenditure. The 30,000 people are a line item called restructuring. Put those two things together and you get optimization, not innovation. But optimization doesn't make headlines. Innovation does. Amazon cuts 16,000 jobs and announces a $200 billion infrastructure buildout in the same breath. Meta lays off thousands while doubling its AI spend to $135 billion. Every time, the same pattern. The layoffs are reported on Tuesday. The spending is reported on Wednesday. By Thursday, it's all just "investing in AI." There's a term for taking something with one identity and running it through a process that gives it a more respectable one. [**Innovation laundering.**](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-laundering) The filing says "capital expenditure." The earnings call says "AI investment." The headline says "innovation spending." Three translations, and the word comes out clean every time. Nobody is lying. But the 30,000 people who opened a 6 a.m. termination email at Oracle were told they were part of an AI transformation. They weren't replaced by innovation. They were replaced by a construction budget. --- *Noted are Phil McKinney's* [*periodic micro essays*](https://www.philmckinney.com/tag/noted/) *— a quick observation on whatever catches his attention.* ### The Innovation Metric Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard Used URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-metric-bill-hewlett-and-dave-packard-used/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:22.000Z Every public company in the technology industry measures innovation spending the same way. R&D as a percentage of revenue. Why? Because Wall Street tracks it. Boards benchmark it. CEOs get fired over it. And it tells you almost nothing about whether the spending is working. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard knew that. From the very beginning, they measured something different. Something the rest of the industry has been ignoring for seventy years. And the proof was sitting in a paper that Chuck House pulled out and sent to me after a conversation at a Computer History Museum board meeting. By the end of this episode, you'll know what that metric is, why it works, and why the one everyone else uses makes it nearly impossible to tell whether your innovation investment is building the future or just burning cash. Or listen to the podcast at: ## The Question That Wouldn't Let Go In the last episode, I talked about the [argument with Mark Hurd](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-r-d-metric-mark-hurd-and-hp-got-wrong/). The question was over whether HP should cut R&D as a percentage of revenue to match Acer. I knew Mark was fundamentally wrong. But I couldn't prove it. The only metric on the table was R&D as a percentage of revenue. That was what Wall Street expected. It's what shareholders expected. It's what the board expected. But I couldn't argue against it, because I didn't have the data. I needed a better metric. So I decided to go back to the beginning. HP's complete financial records dating back to the 1940s. Division by division. R&D project by R&D project. The actual operating data. I got access to all of it. The HP archive team gave me direct access to Bill and Dave's original notebooks. Now, data alone wasn't enough. It was mountains and mountains of data, and you're trying to extract the signal. What is the trigger in that data? The conversation that cracked it open happened outside HP. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## The Man with the Medal of Defiance I was at a Computer History Museum board meeting, standing next to Chuck House, and I shared with him the struggle I was having. A little context on Chuck. He spent twenty-nine years at HP. He was the Corporate Engineering Director and he helped launch dozens of products. He's also the recipient, from David Packard himself, of the Medal of Defiance. The Medal of Defiance was given to him because David had told him at one point to kill a product line. Chuck went around that decision, put the product into the catalog, shipped it, and it turned into a phenomenal success. When David gave Chuck the medal, the citation was something along the lines of: "for going above and beyond the stupidity of management and doing what was right." Chuck and Raymond Price co-authored a book called *The HP Phenomenon*, published by Stanford Press. It's the deep dive into the history of the innovation culture inside HP, all of the metrics used back in the Bill and Dave days that put in place the structure that allowed HP to be successful. By the time I'm at HP, Chuck had long since moved on. He was running Media X at Stanford, the university's research program on innovation, media, and technology. But we both served on the Computer History Museum board. At that board meeting, I shared the argument I'd had with Mark and the search for a better metric. I had a strong feeling there was something around gross margin. That R&D investment impacted gross margin. But a feeling isn't an argument. I needed data. I needed to correlate R&D spend to margin, and that's extraordinarily hard to do when you've got all these different product lines and divisions. Chuck got this little smile on his face and said, *"I need to send you something."* ## The Paper and the Whiteboard What he sent me was a paper. A journal paper he and a few of his colleagues had written decades before. And it laid out the connection between research investment and margin performance. The correlation I suspected but couldn't prove was right there on the page. I read it that night. The next morning I emailed Chuck, and I was just really excited. What they'd written decades ago matched what I was finding in the data. That email exchange turned into an invitation. I asked Chuck to come to HP Labs. We met in a conference room in Building 3, the main building for HP Labs at the time. And I'll tell you, I look back on this and it makes me smile a little, because this conference room was just down the hall from Bill and Dave's offices. HP preserved those offices exactly as Bill and Dave left them. You can walk in there today, see their desks, see their offices, just as they were on their last day. There's something about being that close to where it all started that makes the history feel less like history and more like unfinished business. Chuck walked up to the whiteboard and drew two things. On the left side: R&D as a percentage of revenue. The metric every company reports. The metric Mark used to argue HP was overspending. Chuck's point was simple. That metric tells you how much you're spending. That's it. Nothing about whether your products are any good. Nothing about whether customers value what you built. It's an input metric pretending to be an output metric. Two ways to improve the ratio: spend less on research, or sell more of what you've already got. Neither of those is innovation. You can manipulate R&D as a percentage of revenue by cutting your R&D spend, or you can cut prices to drive top-line revenue. But neither has any connection to measuring whether your innovation is actually working. On the right side, he drew gross margin. The distance between the cost to make something and what the customer pays for it. Chuck said: that gap is a direct measure of differentiation. Solve a problem nobody else can solve, and customers will pay for that difference. Margin expands. Build a product that looks like everyone else's, and customers have no reason to pay more. They'll shop you. Margin compresses. Then he drew the line connecting both sides. Research investment flows in. If the research produces differentiated products, gross margin expands. That expanded margin funds the next round of research. A virtuous cycle. But only if you're watching margin. The moment you manage to the spending ratio instead, the cycle breaks. The boardroom conversation stops being about whether research is producing differentiation. It becomes about whether the spending number looks right compared to some peer. That's what happened with Mark. HP's PC group margins were compressing toward commodity levels. The response, driven by that revenue-ratio metric, was to cut research spending to match the compression. Exactly backwards. Compressing margins are the alarm bell. Fix the research pipeline. Fix your innovation. Not just more innovation, but *good* innovation. Don't defund it. ## Bill and Dave's First Product, and What It Actually Proved Standing at that whiteboard, I could see it running through HP's entire history. The HP 200A audio oscillator. 1939\. HP's first commercial product. Competitors were selling oscillators for over $200\. Bill and Dave were selling theirs for $89.40. Now that's not because they undercut the market. What Bill figured out as part of his master's degree project at Stanford was that by using a light bulb inside the circuit as a self-regulating component, you could smooth the output in a way competitors couldn't match. Technically superior instrument. Radically cheaper to build. Walt Disney bought eight of them for *Fantasia*. The founders tracked the gap. Cost versus what customers pay. Not total revenue. That gap is gross margin. And that gap funded everything that came after. A lower-priced product, a higher-quality product, and the margin it generated is what drove HP's ability to continue to reinvest. David Packard codified it. He described what he called the six-to-one ratio. Products at HP were considered genuinely successful only when the profit from a product over time was six times the cost of developing it. If it was lower than that, it wasn't generating enough. And this is also how Bill and Dave decided which product lines to kill off. The ratio determined where research dollars were earning their return and where they weren't. The products that crushed that ratio weren't the ones with the biggest R&D budgets or the most engineers. They were the ones earning the highest return on the research dollar, because customers paid a premium for what the research produced. And here's what this enabled: self-financing. No debt. No banks. No Wall Street ninety-day pressure. That was back before HP was even public. It was the freedom to invest in research on a ten-year horizon, and that's only possible with healthy margins. **At HP's margins, spending landed at about eight to ten percent of revenue.** ## Why Eight to Ten Percent Is Not a Contradiction Now you might hear "eight to ten percent of revenue" and think I'm contradicting myself. I just spent ten minutes telling you that R&D as a percentage of revenue is a useless metric. Here's the difference. Bill and Dave didn't start with the percentage and work backwards. They started with margin. They funded the research that kept margins healthy, and the spending that produced happened to land at eight to ten percent. The percentage was a byproduct, not a target. The moment you flip that and make the percentage the goal, you've lost the plot. That's the distinction the entire industry missed. Chuck drew all of this in about twenty minutes on a whiteboard. Decades of institutional knowledge, distilled into one diagram. And the thing that hit me hardest wasn't the analysis. It was the realization that HP had already figured this out. The knowledge was in a paper that had been sitting around for decades. The company had just forgotten. What was old had become what was new. HP didn't need a breakthrough. It just needed to remember. ## Confirming the Pattern: Art Fong and John Young After the session with Chuck, I reached out to two other people who'd been there in the early days. Art Fong. I've talked about Art many times on this show, and there's an interview with him in the archive. He was the sixth R&D engineer Bill Hewlett ever hired. At one point in the 1960s, twenty-seven percent of HP's total revenue came from Art Fong's innovations and projects. And John Young. John was the first CEO after the founders stepped back, after Bill and Dave retired. He took HP from $1.3 billion in revenue to $16 billion. I had the same discussion with both of them about R&D as a percentage of revenue, about margin. And they both confirmed it. They shared their own stories about margin priority, the six-to-one ratio, and their direct conversations with Bill and Dave. That series of conversations with Chuck, Art, and John, capturing all of that history, really drove me to refine the thinking on the R&D-to-margin connection. So what did I do next? I back-cast against the entire HP history. Division by division. Is it predictive? Can you use a metric to actually predict? That's what turned an insight into something defensible in a boardroom. But here's the thing. This isn't just an HP problem. Most companies never had the margin insight. They started with R&D as a percentage of revenue because that's what Wall Street asks for, and they've never questioned it. Margin would have caught it. Margin starts telling you the truth years before the revenue line does. By the time you see revenue take a dip, the damage is done. That is the result of decisions made three, five, ten years prior. Margin compression is the early warning. Differentiation is fading. Research is not producing what it needs to produce. ## Half the Answer, and a New Problem Walking out of HP Labs that day, I thought I'd found the answer. Track margin, not spending. Watch the output, not the input. It took me another year to realize I'd only found half of it. When I started tracing where HP's R&D dollars were actually going, division by division, I found a problem hiding inside two letters. R and D. We say it like it's one thing. It's how we report it in financial filings. It's how Wall Street looks at it. It's how the press views it. But it's not one thing. Research and development are two completely different activities, with completely different time horizons, different risk profiles, and different impacts on the business. The moment you combine them into a single line item, you can move money from one to the other, and nobody outside the building can tell. That's what we're going to get into in the next episode. The split nobody sees. --- Here's a question for you. If you've found a way to connect R&D spending to actual business outcomes in your company, how do you do it? What metric are you using with your leadership to make the difference? Drop it in the comments. I read every one of them, and the best answers end up shaping future episodes. If this episode changed how you think about innovation investment, [hit subscribe so you don't miss the next one](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe). And share this with someone in your company who's fighting this fight right now. They'll thank you for it. Two ways to keep going between episodes. Studio Notes comes out every Monday. That's where I take apart a real company's innovation decisions using public data. This week I dig into [**PayPal's innovation health**](https://www.philmckinney.com/paypal-spends-3-billion-on-r-d-almost-none-of-it-is-research/). You want to check that out. Studio Sessions, what you're watching right now, drops every Wednesday. This is where the decisions happened. The real rooms, the real calls, what went right and what went wrong. Show notes and the full analysis are at [**philmckinney.com**](https://www.philmckinney.com/). *The idea was never the hard part. It never is. The call is.* Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ## **Endnotes** 1. "Medal of Defiance": David Packard awarded the Medal of Defiance to Chuck House in 1982 with the citation "for extraordinary contempt and defiance beyond the normal call of engineering duty." The award was given specifically because House defied Packard's direct order to kill a large-screen computer graphics display project, completed it anyway, and the product sold 17,769 units generating approximately $35 million in revenue. Packard later wrote about the incident in *The HP Way*, asking: "How do you handle insubordination when the guy is right?" Nathan Zeldes, "Intrapreneurship and the Hewlett Packard Medal of Defiance," nathanzeldes.com, May 2013, https://www.nathanzeldes.com/blog/2013/05/intrapreneurship-and-the-hewlett-packard-medal-of-defiance/ . See also the IT History Society honor roll entry for Chuck House at https://www.ithistory.org/honor-roll/mr-charles-chuck-h-house. 2. Phil's paraphrase of the medal citation in the recorded session is a loose but accurate summary of the spirit of Packard's award. The precise citation language was: "In total defiance of adverse market studies and surveys concluding the existence of a worldwide market of no more than 50 total large screen electrostatic displays, Charles H. House...planted the seeds for a new market resulting in the shipment of 17,769 large screen displays." Destination Innovation, "Reward Defiance and Heroic Failure," destination-innovation.com, https://www.destination-innovation.com/reward-defiance-heroic-failure/. 3. "*The HP Phenomenon*": Charles H. House and Raymond L. Price, *The HP Phenomenon: Innovation and Business Transformation* (Stanford University Press, 2009). The book provides the most comprehensive available analysis of HP's innovation model, corporate culture, and management practices through the company's first five decades. House spent twenty-nine years at HP in engineering, management, and corporate roles before serving as Executive Director of Media X at Stanford University. Stanford University Press entry at https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=18122. 4. "HP's first commercial product, 1939": The HP 200A audio oscillator was the first product manufactured by Hewlett-Packard. The circuit used a small incandescent light bulb as a temperature-dependent resistor to stabilize output amplitude, a technique derived from Bill Hewlett's Stanford master's thesis. This allowed the oscillator to achieve significantly lower distortion than competing instruments. Wikipedia, "HP 200A," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP\_200A. 5. "Walt Disney bought eight of them for *Fantasia*": The price and product details here require a precise note. Phil states $89.40 in the recorded session, which matches the HP 200A list price as reported by Wikipedia's Hewlett-Packard article. However, the units Disney actually purchased were the 200B, a modified version, at $71.50 each, per HP's own historical records and the HPE History site. Competing oscillators at the time were priced between $200 and $600\. Disney ordered eight 200B units to test the "Fantasound" multi-channel audio system used in *Fantasia*'s 1940 premiere. HPE History, "Model 200B audio oscillator, 1939," https://www.hpe.com/us/en/about/history/innovation-gallery/008-product.html. See also Wikipedia, "Hewlett-Packard," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packard. 6. "the six-to-one ratio": David Packard, *The HP Way: How Bill Hewlett and I Built Our Company* (New York: HarperBusiness, 1995). Packard wrote that HP measured the success of a product by the ratio of profit returned to the cost of development, and products that exceeded the six-to-one threshold were considered the company's most successful innovations. This standard was used to evaluate both which products to invest in and which product lines to discontinue. 7. "self-financing": Packard's aversion to long-term debt was shaped by watching companies during the Great Depression lose control to banks. HP's first formal corporate objective, published at the Sonoma meeting in 1957, stated: "To achieve sufficient profit to finance our company growth and to provide the resources we need to achieve our other corporate objectives." The objective explicitly prioritized internally funded growth over external capital. Wikipedia, "The HP Way," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_HP\_Way. Packard elaborated in a 1960 speech to HP managers: "The margin we have...is the source of our capital for growth," reprinted in *The HP Way* (1995). 8. "eight to ten percent of revenue": HP's R&D spending during the Hewlett and Young eras consistently landed in the 8-10% of revenue range, but as Phil explains, this was a result of the margin-first model rather than a target set in isolation. Following Mark Hurd's tenure as CEO (2005-2010), HP's total R&D spending fell from 4.0% of revenue in FY2005 to 2.3% by FY2010, declining not just as a percentage but in absolute dollars. This decline was publicly noted by IBM CEO Samuel Palmisano in September 2010\. Erik Sherman, "Under Mark Hurd, HP Innovation Nose-Dived," *CBS News*, December 20, 2010, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/under-mark-hurd-hp-innovation-nose-dived/. 9. "the sixth R&D engineer Bill Hewlett ever hired": Art Fong joined HP in 1946 as the company's sixth R&D engineer, hired by Bill Hewlett after Fong's wartime research at the MIT Radiation Laboratory on radar technology. He was the first known Asian-American engineer in Silicon Valley. In the mid-1960s, designs he managed accounted for 27 percent of HP's total revenue. Fong retired from HP in 1995 after fifty years with the company. Agilent History Center, "Remembering Art Fong," https://historycenter.agilent.com/exhibit3\. See also "Early HP Engineer Arthur Fong Dies," *Palo Alto Online*, June 1, 2012, https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2012/06/01/early-hp-engineer-arthur-fong-dies/ . 10. "the first CEO after Bill and Dave stepped back": John A. Young became HP's president in 1977 and served as CEO from 1978 to 1992\. Under his leadership, HP's annual revenue grew from $1.3 billion to $16 billion. He passed away on May 26, 2025, at the age of 93\. "John Young, headed HP in 1980s, dies at 93," *Palo Alto Daily Post*, June 9, 2025, https://padailypost.com/2025/06/09/john-young-headed-hp-in-1980s-dies-at-93/. ### PayPal Spends $3 Billion on R&D. Almost None of It Is Research. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/paypal-spends-3-billion-on-r-d-almost-none-of-it-is-research/ Last updated: 2026-03-30T13:03:37.000Z On February 3rd, PayPal's board fired its CEO, Alex Chriss, and named its own chairman, Enrique Lores, as his replacement. The official diagnosis: execution failure. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Lores spent six years as CEO of HP Inc. before joining PayPal's board in 2021 and becoming its chair in July 2024\. Understanding what he's actually walking into, not just the execution gap but the deeper structural one, matters more than the board narrative suggests. ## The Situation Lores Is Actually Inheriting This isn't the first time a technology company's board has moved its own chairman into the CEO role to stabilize a company in transition. The template is familiar, and the instinct behind it is often sound. Internal promotions reduce transition risk. A chairman who has watched the strategy up close can move faster than an outside hire who needs six months of orientation. But the move carries a structural blind spot worth naming. When the chair becomes the CEO, the accountability narrative naturally concentrates on the departing executive. What the institution built over years, the spending patterns, the strategic priorities, the questions that were and weren't being asked, tends to get folded into the "execution failure" frame rather than examined on its own terms. The HP parallel is instructive here, not as a critique but as a map. In 2011, HP's board promoted its own chair, Meg Whitman, after firing Léo Apotheker. Whitman successfully stabilized operations. The deeper structural questions about HP's research investment and long-term innovation capacity took longer to surface, and they surfaced at a cost. Lores sat in the chair's seat for the eighteen months preceding his appointment. He watched the R&D ratio the board had overseen for years, through the 2023 and 2024 restructurings, through declining patent output, through every quarter of flat research investment, while $6 billion per year went back to shareholders in buybacks. He arrives with full situational awareness. That is an asset. The question is whether the diagnosis he brings with him matches the full scope of what he's looking at. Enjoying this? **Studio Note** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## Where the $3 Billion Actually Goes The conditions he's inherited show up most clearly in one number. PayPal spent $3.1 billion on what it calls "Technology and Development" in FY2025\. The company defines that line in its 10-K this way: > "The development of new and enhanced products and services, maintenance of existing products and services, and costs of our technology infrastructure." Product development, sustaining engineering, and infrastructure maintenance, all collapsed into one number. That's the figure in the headlines. It's also the number that hides what's actually happening. The FY2025 10-K contains a disclosure that changes the read entirely: "research and development expense was $1.5 billion in both 2025 and 2024." That $1.5 billion is the portion PayPal's own accountants formally classify as R&D. The remaining $1.6 billion is operations and infrastructure, the engineering that keeps the existing platform running. Think of it as three buckets. **Operational Spend:** The first $1.6 billion keeps the lights on: operations, infrastructure, the engineering that makes sure 25 billion transactions don't fail each year. **Product Development:** The second $1.3 billion builds improvements to products that already exist: better checkout, new Venmo features, platform expansion. **Research:** The third bucket is the work that explores what doesn't exist yet. Our best estimate from public disclosures, since PayPal doesn't break this out and any such estimate requires assumptions, is $120 to $180 million. That's roughly 5 cents of genuine research for every dollar PayPal reports as Technology and Development. We score that using the [**Innovation Signal Index**](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-signal-index/), an analytical framework that looks past reported R&D spending to estimate innovation health **PayPal's** [**ISI grade**](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-signal-index/)**: D-. A decade in the making.** Innovation Signal Index PayPal Holdings FY2015–2025 D− ISI Grade Est. Research Share \~5% of $3.1B T&D Patents per 1K Employees 8 ▼ was 19 in 2017 Buybacks vs. Est. Research \~40:1 $12B vs. \~$300M est. FY24–25 Forward Outlook Watch− Not improving D− ISI Grade Est. Research Share \~5% of $3.1B T&D Patents per 1K Employees 8 ▼ was 19 in 2017 Buybacks vs. Est. Research \~40:1 $12B vs. \~$300M est. FY24–25 Forward Outlook Watch− Trend not improving Public filings • Estimates require assumptions The Innovators Studio ## How the Number Got This Way The story runs through 2021, when PayPal's Technology and Development line jumped from $1.4 billion to $3.0 billion in a single year. That doubling gets cited as evidence of serious research investment. It was accounting, not research. PayPal acquired Honey Science Corporation in 2020 and Paidy in 2021, bringing in large development engineering teams whose compensation costs flowed directly into the Technology and Development line. The headcount jumped from roughly 26,500 to nearly 31,000\. The Technology and Development line doubled. The research output didn't. Patent grants ticked up modestly. The research-to-development ratio got worse. This is the structural reality Lores is stepping into: a $3.1 billion line that generates roughly $150 million in genuine research, with the gap having widened steadily across years of board-level budget decisions. Chriss didn't build this condition. He ran on the foundation that was already laid when he arrived in 2023. That distinction matters because the fix for an execution problem and the fix for a research-investment problem are fundamentally different. Execution fixes are faster. Research investment fixes are slower and require protecting budget lines that don't show returns for three to five years. Knowing which problem you have determines whether you can solve it. ## What the Patent Trail Confirms Research produces knowledge. Knowledge produces patents. The output trend tells a clear story. In 2017 and 2018, before the acquisition surge, PayPal generated roughly 340 patent grants per year with approximately 18,000 employees. About 19 patents per 1,000 employees. By 2025, headcount had grown to approximately 24,400 and annual patent grants had fallen to an estimated 190\. About 8 per 1,000 employees. Knowledge output per employee fell by more than half over seven years, while the Technology and Development budget more than doubled. More money, more people, less discovery. The peer contrast is structural rather than numerical. Visa runs a named research organization, Visa Research, that produces publishable academic work. Mastercard has its Foundry, a dedicated unit where teams design, test, and launch new payment technologies. PayPal has no equivalent. No named lab. No published research agenda. No organizational home for discovery. On raw patent counts per employee, these companies are in a similar range today. The difference is that Visa and Mastercard have built institutional infrastructure for research to compound over time. PayPal has not. That gap doesn't show up in a single year's patent count. It shows up a decade later, when the knowledge reserve runs thin, right around the window Lores is now operating in. ## The Question the Numbers Are Asking The patent data tells you what happened. The harder question is what to do about it. Boards are very good at the development question. Is the product getting better? Is conversion improving? Is Venmo monetizing? Is the platform scaling? These are legitimate questions and they don't disappear. Execution on them is a real job. The innovation question sits alongside it, and it doesn't get asked as often: Are we building the foundation that makes the products of 2030 possible? Do we have a research organization discovering things nobody else knows yet? Are we producing the IP that will define the next competitive cycle, or are we maintaining the assets we built in the last one? PayPal's competitive position today, its 439 million active accounts, its two-sided network, its checkout presence, reflects investments made primarily between 2000 and 2015\. The current Technology and Development program is sustaining those assets. It is not yet building new ones at the rate the next competitive cycle will require. Stripe is investing in the knowledge base for what payments becomes in 2035\. Adyen is doing it. Mastercard and Visa are doing it. The window to close that gap while the balance sheet is strong is now. Waiting until the competitive pressure is visible means waiting until the lead time for research to compound has already been spent. This is the strategic choice in front of Lores, and it's a harder one than "execute better." Execution optimizes the present. Research builds the future. The D- grade reflects a decade of development-first prioritization. Reversing it requires a deliberate decision to protect research budget against the quarterly pressure that always argues for more near-term spend. ## What the First Moves Could Signal Lores's public statement on appointment was precise: > "We will further strengthen the culture of innovation necessary to deliver long-term transformation and balance this with near-term delivery, executing with greater speed and precision." There is genuine room in that statement for the innovation question. "Long-term transformation" and "culture of innovation" are the opening. What fills them in over the next two to three quarters will tell the real story. The markers worth watching aren't in earnings calls. They're in organizational moves: Does PayPal announce a named research organization with a protected budget and a leader whose job depends on its output? Does the board add a director with a research and development background to complement the operational bench it already has? Does the IP strategy shift from sustaining-mode filing toward foundational categories, fraud intelligence, real-time settlement infrastructure, identity and trust, AI capabilities that don't yet exist in payments? These are the signals that distinguish a research-investment reversal from a faster version of the existing strategy. At HP Inc., Lores ran a disciplined operational model focused on product evolution, cost efficiency, and margin expansion, and he ran it well. The question PayPal presents is whether he applies that same model here, or whether he sees this moment as an opportunity to build something HP Inc. never had the structural mandate to build. A $33 billion revenue company processing $1.79 trillion annually has the resources to do both: execute well in the near term and make the research investment that compounds over the next decade. That combination is what a D- grade creates the opportunity for. The execution piece is already in his wheelhouse. The research piece is the new call. ## What Good Would Look Like The resources exist. That's what makes the choice so clear. A genuine research organization at PayPal would have a name and a protected budget, $400 to $500 million annually, with a leader whose job depends on its output. It would have a published research agenda covering payment fraud intelligence, real-time settlement infrastructure, identity and trust, and AI capabilities that don't exist yet, not AI applied to improve the existing checkout flow. It would produce 400-plus patent grants per year with a meaningful share in foundational categories. None of that exists today. Building it is a three-to-five-year decision, not a quarter-to-quarter one. Which means the time to make it is before the competitive pressure makes it obvious, not after. The execution question and the innovation question aren't in conflict. The companies that get this right run both tracks simultaneously. They deliver the quarter and protect the research line. They show up in earnings calls with improving margins and in patent databases with compounding output. PayPal has the scale to do this. It has the balance sheet. What it needs is a board and a CEO willing to add the innovation question to the conversation — not someday, but now, before the knowledge reserve that built this company runs fully thin. That's the call in front of Enrique Lores. The execution piece is already known. The research investment decision is the one that defines the next decade. *The idea was never the hard part. It never is. Making the call is.* --- *Phil McKinney is the former CTO of Hewlett-Packard and CEO of CableLabs. He writes about innovation and decision-making at*[ *philmckinney.com*](https://www.philmckinney.com/) *and*[ *on Substack*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)*.* **Disclosure:* This article is offered solely in the context of innovation investment health and competitive positioning. Phil McKinney is not a registered investment adviser. The*[ *Innovation Signal Index™*](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-signal-index/) *(ISI) and any assessments derived from it are analytical tools for evaluating research and development practices, not instruments for evaluating securities. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell any security, or a solicitation of any investment decision. At the time of publication, the author may hold a position in securities of companies mentioned in this article and may buy or sell such securities at any time without further notice. No compensation was received from any company discussed herein. Readers making investment decisions should consult a qualified financial professional.* Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ## **Endnotes**/**Sources** --- **1\. "February 3, 2026: PayPal's board fired CEO Alex Chriss and named Enrique Lores as his replacement."** PayPal Holdings, Inc., Form 8-K, filed February 3, 2026\. United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The filing discloses the Board's appointment of Enrique Lores as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective March 1, 2026, and Alex Chriss's simultaneous resignation as President, CEO, and director. [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1633917/000119312526035860/d68718d8k.htm](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1633917/000119312526035860/d68718d8k.htm?ref=philmckinney.com) For the accompanying press release text, including Lores's statement about "greater speed and precision": PayPal Holdings, Inc., Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K, February 3, 2026\. [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001633917/000119312526035860/d68718dex991.htm](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001633917/000119312526035860/d68718dex991.htm?ref=philmckinney.com) For news coverage of the appointment: Lynne Marek, "PayPal appoints new CEO," *Payments Dive*, February 3, 2026\. [https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/paypal-appoints-new-ceo/811189/](https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/paypal-appoints-new-ceo/811189/?ref=philmckinney.com) **2\. "Lores served as PayPal's board chairman for the eighteen months before his appointment as CEO"** Per the SEC 8-K (note 1 above): "Immediately prior to his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lores served as Chair of the Board." The PayPal press release (Exhibit 99.1, note 1 above) specifies he "served on the PayPal Board for nearly five years and as Board Chair since July 2024." The Payments Dive article (note 1 above) confirms "Lores's service on PayPal's board, including the past 18 months as chairman." **3\. "The HP/Apotheker/Whitman parallel: HP fired its CEO in September 2011 and replaced him with a board member, after the board had approved the Autonomy acquisition"** For the Apotheker firing and Whitman appointment: "Léo Apotheker," *Wikipedia*. Confirms Apotheker was dismissed on September 22, 2011, replaced by fellow board member Meg Whitman, and that the $10+ billion Autonomy acquisition had closed in October 2011 under board approval. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9o\_Apotheker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9o%5FApotheker?ref=philmckinney.com) For the full HP-Autonomy timeline including the board's role and subsequent write-down: Peter Sayer, "The HP-Autonomy lawsuit: Timeline of an M&A disaster," *CIO*, July 22, 2025\. [https://www.cio.com/article/304397/the-hp-autonomy-lawsuit-timeline-of-an-ma-disaster.html](https://www.cio.com/article/304397/the-hp-autonomy-lawsuit-timeline-of-an-ma-disaster.html?ref=philmckinney.com) **4\. "PayPal's FY2025 Technology and Development spend was $3.1 billion. The company processed $1.79 trillion in total payment volume, completed 25.4 billion transactions, and ended the year with 439 million active accounts and $33.6 billion in net revenue."** PayPal Holdings, Inc., Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed February 3, 2026\. United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Technology and Development expense, TPV, transaction count, active account count, and net revenue figures all sourced from this filing. [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001633917/000163391726000024/pypl-20251231.htm](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001633917/000163391726000024/pypl-20251231.htm?ref=philmckinney.com) **5\. "PayPal eliminated approximately 2,500 positions in early 2024"** Lynne Marek, "PayPal appoints new CEO," *Payments Dive*, February 3, 2026\. The article contextualizes the CEO change within the company's recent restructuring history, including the 2024 headcount reductions. The 2,500-position figure is consistent with PayPal's publicly disclosed 2024 restructuring plans, reflected in the FY2025 10-K headcount data (note 4 above), which shows the workforce falling from approximately 29,900 (year-end 2023) to 27,200 (year-end 2024). [https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/paypal-appoints-new-ceo/811189/](https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/paypal-appoints-new-ceo/811189/?ref=philmckinney.com) **6\. "PayPal's 10-K defines Technology and Development as covering engineering, product development, and what it terms 'research and development' — but does not break out the research component separately"** PayPal Holdings, Inc., Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 (note 4 above). The T&D line item definition appears in the MD&A section. The 10-K discloses a single blended "Technology and Development" figure and does not separately report a pure research budget. The filing states research and development expense (as a subset of T&D) was approximately $1.5 billion in both FY2025 and FY2024, per the StockTitan AI summary of the filing. For the StockTitan AI summary of the 10-K, which surfaces the $1.5 billion R&D disclosure: [https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/PYPL/10-k-pay-pal-holdings-inc-files-annual-report-0d7a9cc1b582.html](https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/PYPL/10-k-pay-pal-holdings-inc-files-annual-report-0d7a9cc1b582.html?ref=philmckinney.com) **7\. "The $1.5 billion R&D disclosure within Technology and Development"** Per the StockTitan summary of the PayPal FY2025 10-K (note 6 above): "The company's research and development expense was $1.5 billion in both 2025 and 2024." This figure represents the subset of T&D that PayPal characterizes as R&D in its financial disclosures, but does not distinguish pure research from product engineering. The primary source is the 10-K itself (note 4 above). **8\. "25 billion transactions annually across 439 million active accounts"** PayPal Holdings, Inc., Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 (note 4 above). Key Performance Metrics section: 25.4 billion payment transactions in FY2025; 439 million active accounts as of December 31, 2025. **9\. "PayPal spent approximately $4 billion to acquire Honey in January 2020 and approximately $2.7 billion to acquire Paidy in October 2021"** For Honey: "PayPal Completes Acquisition of Honey," *PR Newswire*, January 6, 2020\. Confirms $4 billion cash consideration. [https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paypal-completes-acquisition-of-honey-300981363.html](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paypal-completes-acquisition-of-honey-300981363.html?ref=philmckinney.com) For Paidy: PayPal Holdings, Inc., Q3 2021 Earnings Release, November 8, 2021, filed with the SEC. Confirms "acquisition of Paidy…for approximately $2.7 billion, principally in cash." [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001633917/000163391721000167/q3-21paypalearningsrelea.htm](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001633917/000163391721000167/q3-21paypalearningsrelea.htm?ref=philmckinney.com) **10\. "PayPal's headcount grew from approximately 26,500 employees at year-end 2021 to approximately 30,900 at year-end 2022, before declining to 24,400 at year-end 2025"** Bullfincher, "PayPal Holdings Number of Employees 2017–2026." Aggregates PayPal's annual headcount disclosures from SEC filings. Shows 26,500 (2021), 30,900 (2022 peak), 24,400 (2025). [https://bullfincher.io/companies/paypal-holdings/number-of-employees](https://bullfincher.io/companies/paypal-holdings/number-of-employees?ref=philmckinney.com) Underlying primary source for all individual year figures is PayPal's annual Form 10-K filings (see note 4 for FY2025). **11\. "Headcount reduction from peak of approximately 30,900 to 24,400 — a 21 percent decline from the 2022 peak through year-end 2025"** See note 10 above. Calculation: (30,900 − 24,400) / 30,900 = approximately 21 percent. **12\. "PayPal filed approximately 340 patent grants per year in 2017–2018, yielding roughly 19 patents per 1,000 employees"** USPTO patent grant data, directional estimate. PayPal's patent filing activity in 2017–2018 is consistent with published industry analyses of fintech patent output during that period. Headcount denominator: approximately 18,100–18,700 employees (see note 10 above). The per-thousand calculation is illustrative based on directional public data; the specific grant count is an estimate, not an audited figure. *Note: Patent grant totals by assignee are publicly searchable at the USPTO Patent Full-Text Database (*[*https://www.uspto.gov/patents/search*](https://www.uspto.gov/patents/search?ref=philmckinney.com) *). This figure represents a directional estimate derived from that public data.* **13\. "By 2025, PayPal's patent output had declined to approximately 190 grants per year, yielding roughly 8 patents per 1,000 employees."** USPTO patent grant data, directional estimate. Headcount denominator: 24,400 employees at year-end 2025 (note 10 above). The per-thousand calculation is illustrative. Same caveats as note 12 apply. *Note: Patent grant totals by assignee are publicly searchable at the USPTO Patent Full-Text Database (*[*https://www.uspto.gov/patents/search*](https://www.uspto.gov/patents/search?ref=philmckinney.com) *). This figure represents a directional estimate derived from that public data.* **14\. "Visa maintains Visa Research, a named, institutionalized research organization that publishes academic work"** Visa Research, "About Visa Research." Visa's official research organization page, describing its mission of fundamental and applied research in payments and its published academic output. [https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/visa-research.html](https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/visa-research.html?ref=philmckinney.com) Visa Research publications page, confirming peer-reviewed publication activity: [https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/visa-research/publications.html](https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/visa-research/publications.html?ref=philmckinney.com) **15\. "Mastercard operates the Mastercard Foundry, its named innovation and product development hub"** "How Mastercard Technologists Are Shaping Digital Payments," *Built In*. Describes the Mastercard Foundry as "the company's innovation and product development hub where new payment technologies and digital solutions are designed, tested and launched" and details its R&D team structure. [https://builtin.com/articles/how-mastercard-technologists-are-building-future-digital-payments-and-cybersecurity](https://builtin.com/articles/how-mastercard-technologists-are-building-future-digital-payments-and-cybersecurity?ref=philmckinney.com) **16\. "PayPal's scale: 439 million active accounts, $1.79 trillion in total payment volume, $33.6 billion in net revenue"** PayPal Holdings, Inc., Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 (note 4 above). **17\. "Lores's stated priority: 'executing with greater speed and precision'"** PayPal Holdings, Inc., Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K, February 3, 2026\. Direct quotation from Lores's statement in the official press release announcing his appointment. [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001633917/000119312526035860/d68718dex991.htm](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001633917/000119312526035860/d68718dex991.htm?ref=philmckinney.com) Full quote: "We will further strengthen the culture of innovation necessary to deliver long-term transformation and balance this with near-term delivery, executing with greater speed and precision, and holding ourselves accountable for consistent delivery quarter on quarter." **18\. "Lores helped architect the HP/HPE separation; HP Labs was significantly reduced in the years surrounding that separation."** For Lores as architect of the HP/HPE separation: PayPal Holdings, Inc., Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K, February 3, 2026 (note 17 above). The press release states Lores "was also the lead architect of and built on the HP/HPE separation." For HP Labs context: The reduction of HP Labs in the years surrounding the 2015 HP/HPE separation is consistent with widely reported coverage of HP's R&D restructuring. This claim rests on the accumulated press record of that period rather than a single citable source and should be treated as directional rather than precisely quantified. ### The R&D Metric Mark Hurd and HP Got Wrong URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-r-d-metric-mark-hurd-and-hp-got-wrong/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:37.000Z Twenty years. Nearly one thousand episodes on this show. And starting today, we're going to try something a little different this season. Season 21 is about the decisions that actually determine whether innovation lives or dies inside any organization. The real calls. Not the fluff stuff we read in academic textbooks. I want to actually put you in the rooms where these decisions are happening. What went right. What went wrong. My objective is to expose you to the patterns in innovation decisions so that you can recognize them. Recognize them in yourself, in the people you need to influence, long before you step into any landmines. So let's get into it. .. or listen to the podcast ## The Encounter on the Top Floor of Building 25 Making generational decisions on innovation investment can be a make-or-break moment. What I refer to as a CLM, a "Career Limiting Move". In my case, it started with a chance conversation with Mark Hurd, HP's CEO. Let me take you back to 2005\. HP headquarters is on Page Mill Road in Palo Alto, referred to internally as Building 25\. The top floor is where all the executive offices are. That's where Mark's office was. I was up there doing some meetings and got snagged by Mark. Now, Mark had a reputation. He was a big numbers guy. He believed in what he called *extreme benchmarking*. You tore into your competitors' numbers. You knew your own numbers in and out. Others had warned me about this. He had a famous quote that everybody shared: > *"Stare at the numbers long enough, and they will eventually confess." \~ Mark Hurd* Mark believed you could not lead a critical role at HP if you did not know your numbers cold, inside and out. Didn't matter whether it was sales, CTO, a function, or a division. It didn't matter. And Mark tested everyone on the leadership team. Not just the leadership team. He would randomly stop employees and ask them for their numbers based on what group they worked in. It was non-stop. It was constant. To where support staff was literally constantly preparing briefing books for managers, VPs, leaders, just in case they got nabbed by Mark. In my case, I happened to be walking past his office. Mark waved me in. I sat down, and he immediately started drilling me on the CTO numbers. The number he focused on was R&D as a percentage of revenue. Enjoying this? **Studio Sessions** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## The Broken Benchmark: R&D as a Percentage of Revenue Now, if you've been a regular listener of this show, you know my opinion of that metric. R&D as a percentage of revenue is a meaningless number.2 It is absolutely meaningless. But every public company CEO at an innovation-dependent company, all the tech companies, AI companies, even automotive, they live by this number. It's a number that Wall Street looks at. You have to report it as part of your quarterlies, and from there it's simple math. When Mark grilled me, he was focused specifically on the PC group at HP. HP's number at the time for the PC group was about one and a half percent R&D as a percentage of the PC group's revenue. Acer, which was a key competitor, was at 0.8%. Less than one percent. Roughly half of HP's number. Apple was at four percent. Mark's question, and he was really pounding on this, was: *How do we get our ratios in line with Acer?* Basically, he was saying: how do we cut costs so that our R&D expense as a percentage of revenue equals Acer at 0.8%? This is exactly the problem with choosing the wrong metric. Now I'm going to quote somebody who I think was probably one of the most insightful leaders in the business world. Charlie Munger. If you've ever watched any of his talks, he had a really strong opinion on certain metrics. Specifically EBITDA, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Charlie referred to EBITDA as BS earnings. It was a metric Wall Street swore by, and Munger said it hid more than it revealed. His exact words: *"Every time you see the word EBITDA, just substitute the word 'bullshit' earnings."* R&D as a percentage of revenue is the same problem in a different disguise. It's the metric that makes every company look like it's investing when all it's doing is spending. Mark was using a broken instrument to make a generational decision. If you make decisions based on R&D as a percentage of revenue, and then you do comparisons like "let's make our numbers look like Acer," what you are actually deciding to do is cut your R&D. That is generational. You will destroy a company's innovation capability over the next ten to twenty years before you can even have a hope of rebuilding it. ## "We Are Not Apple and We Never Will Be" I looked at him and said: *Why aren't we raising our R&D spend to match Apple?* Mark didn't hesitate. He said: *"We are not Apple and we never will be."* I took offense at that. I was offended that he wouldn't even contemplate it. And I pushed back. I pushed back hard. I argued we could be Apple in areas where we had genuine advantage. Here's one example. Go back to September 2004, about a year before my meeting with Mark. Carly Fiorina was still CEO. Carly had just handed Steve Jobs access to the retail shelf space HP spent thirty years building. At that time, HP controlled about nine, nine and a half percent of all retail shelf space for consumer electronics, the largest single entity holding in that category. Where did all that come from? It traces back to the calculator days in the 1970s. Those relationships, those stocking slots, that footprint: HP had spent three decades building that access. Apple was launching the iPod. It had no retail distribution in consumer electronics. None. And rather than HP taking advantage of that for itself, it actually opened the door and allowed Apple to come in. That is how the iPod got its traction. It bought Apple the time to build out its own retail strategy, which is ultimately what allowed Apple to be where it is today. That wasn't an accident of history. That was HP giving away a structural competitive asset. When I tried to push back on Mark, saying we could be better with the right investment, it didn't land. Mark viewed the PC business as a commodity. And if it's a commodity, you manage expenses. You don't invest in capabilities. ## Monthly Arguments and the Search for Better Metrics There was no decision made that day. But something shifted in me. That was the first of many monthly arguments I had with Mark. And they were non-stop. What it drove me to do was start looking for better metrics. We had something most companies don't have: HP's complete financial history going all the way back to the 1940s. I had access to the numbers, division by division, for one of the founding companies of Silicon Valley. We were getting traction. I was actually getting Mark to align. I was getting the HP board to align. And then what happens? Mark gets removed as CEO and Leo comes in. Then Meg kicked Leo out and she took over. Then the split of HP into two companies. Acer today? Still roughly 0.9% of revenue in R&D. Twenty years later, almost exactly where Mark wanted HP to get to. ## What I Would Do Differently: Right Argument, Wrong Language If I'm being honest about what I would do differently, I had the right argument. I had the wrong language. The job wasn't to prove Mark wrong. Nobody changes their mind when they're being told they're wrong. I needed to stop speaking CTO and start speaking CEO. Meet him where he was. Make the case in the language of margin, risk, competitive position, the language he already trusted. But that language didn't exist when it came to R&D and innovation. That's the reason I spent the rest of my career building something better. And that is what this season is about. ## What Comes Next: The Metrics That Tell the Truth That conversation with Mark sent me looking. If R&D as a percentage of revenue was the wrong metric, and I believe to my core that it was, and is, then what's the right one? We went back through HP's own numbers. We back-cast all the way to the 1940s, looking at the numbers by division, by the overall organization. And then something unexpected happened. The archive team at HP gave me access to something nobody had looked at in decades: Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard's original notebooks. What I found in there pointed me somewhere nobody had thought to look. In the next episode, we're going to talk about the metrics that actually tell the truth when it comes to R&D and innovation. --- If this episode gave you some insights, shifted something, share it with somebody who you think needs to hear it. Particularly if you're trying to fight senior leaders around R&D investment. And in the comments below, tell me: > What's that one benchmark that you are required to hit, and yet you've never questioned? Is it the right benchmark? Have you really looked at it? Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ## Endnotes 1. "extreme benchmarking": Mark Hurd joined HP as CEO and President in April 2005 following Carly Fiorina's departure. *Fortune* reported that his "obsession with numbers permeates HP" and that he preferred to "talk in numbers than words," pointing to operating margins he drove from 4% in 2005 to 8.8% by 2008\. "Mark Hurd's Moment," *Fortune*, February 2009,[ https://fortune.com/longform/mark-hurds-moment/](https://fortune.com/longform/mark-hurds-moment/?ref=philmckinney.com). See also "Mark Hurd," *Wikipedia*,[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark\_Hurd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark%5FHurd?ref=philmckinney.com). 2. "a meaningless number": R&D as a percentage of revenue measures input, not output, and has no consistent correlation with innovation performance or long-term shareholder value. PwC's Strategy& Global Innovation 1000 study, conducted annually since 2005, has repeatedly confirmed there is no statistically significant relationship between R&D spending as a percentage of revenue and revenue growth, profit growth, or total shareholder return. Barry Jaruzelski and Kevin Dehoff, "Smart Spenders: The Global Innovation 1000," *Strategy+Business*, Winter 2006,[ https://www.strategy-business.com/article/06405](https://www.strategy-business.com/article/06405?ref=philmckinney.com). See also PwC Strategy&, *Global Innovation 1000 Study*,[ https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/gx/en/insights/innovation1000.html](https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/gx/en/insights/innovation1000.html?ref=philmckinney.com). 3. "you report your R&D spend": U.S. public companies are required under GAAP to expense and disclose R&D costs as incurred, making R&D as a percentage of revenue trivially calculable from any quarterly or annual SEC filing. For HP's actual reported figures by year, see Erik Sherman's compilation from HP annual reports: "Under Mark Hurd, HP Innovation Nose-Dived," *CBS News*, December 20, 2010,[ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/under-mark-hurd-hp-innovation-nose-dived/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/under-mark-hurd-hp-innovation-nose-dived/?ref=philmckinney.com). For the GAAP standard itself, see SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin guidance at[ https://www.sec.gov/interps/account/sabcodet13.htm](https://www.sec.gov/interps/account/sabcodet13.htm?ref=philmckinney.com). 4. "HP's number at the time for the PC group was approximately 1.5%": HP did not break out R&D expenditure by division in its public filings. CBS News compiled HP's total company R&D from annual reports, showing 4.0% of revenue in FY2005, declining to 2.3% by FY2010\. Erik Sherman, "Under Mark Hurd, HP Innovation Nose-Dived," *CBS News*, December 20, 2010,[ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/under-mark-hurd-hp-innovation-nose-dived/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/under-mark-hurd-hp-innovation-nose-dived/?ref=philmckinney.com). 5. "Apple was at 4%": Apple spent approximately $489 million on R&D in FY2004 against revenues of approximately $8.3 billion. By FY2005, with the iPod driving rapid revenue growth, the percentage had moderated to approximately 3-4%. Phil's 4% figure reflects Apple's R&D intensity at the time of the Hurd conversation, contrasted against the PC-group-specific figures for HP and Acer. Apple Inc., Form 10-K, FY2004 and FY2005, available via SEC EDGAR at[ https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=AAPL&type=10-K&dateb=&owner=include&count=40](https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=AAPL&type=10-K&dateb=&owner=include&count=40&ref=philmckinney.com). 6. "substitute the word 'bullshit' earnings": Charlie Munger's assessment appears in *Poor Charlie's Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger* (Donning Company Publishers, 2005). He elaborated at Berkshire Hathaway's 2017 annual meeting, calling the metric "absolutely insane" because depreciation is a real future cost that EBITDA treats as if it does not exist. Erin Fuchs, "Charlie Munger Explains Why He Called a Popular Earnings Measure 'Horror Squared,'" *Yahoo Finance*, May 8, 2017,[ https://finance.yahoo.com/news/charlie-munger-explains-called-popular-earnings-measure-horror-squared-164228068.html](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/charlie-munger-explains-called-popular-earnings-measure-horror-squared-164228068.html?ref=philmckinney.com). 7. "destroy a company's innovation capability": IBM CEO Samuel Palmisano stated publicly in September 2010 that Hurd had "cut out all the research and development" at HP, forcing the company into expensive acquisitions to compensate for lost internal capability. CBS News reported separately that HP's patent activity "sank like a rock" from 2005 onward as R&D fell not just as a percentage of revenue but in absolute dollars. Erik Sherman, "Under Mark Hurd, HP Innovation Nose-Dived," *CBS News*, December 20, 2010,[ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/under-mark-hurd-hp-innovation-nose-dived/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/under-mark-hurd-hp-innovation-nose-dived/?ref=philmckinney.com). See also Erik Sherman, "IBM CEO Slams HP, and That's a Really Bad Sign," *CBS News*, September 15, 2010,[ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ibm-ceo-slams-hp-and-thats-a-really-bad-sign/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ibm-ceo-slams-hp-and-thats-a-really-bad-sign/?ref=philmckinney.com). 8. "retail shelf space HP had spent thirty years building": The Apple iPod+HP partnership was announced by Carly Fiorina and Steve Jobs at the Consumer Electronics Show on January 8, 2004\. HP's distribution network included over 100,000 retail outlets worldwide, giving Apple access to Walmart, RadioShack, and Office Depot where Apple had no consumer electronics presence. "HP to Stop Selling iPods," *Macworld*, July 28, 2005,[ https://www.macworld.com/article/176488/hpipod-4.html](https://www.macworld.com/article/176488/hpipod-4.html?ref=philmckinney.com). See also "iPod+HP," *Wikipedia*,[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod%2BHP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod%2BHP?ref=philmckinney.com). 9. "Apple was launching the iPod": The original iPod launched in October 2001\. At the time of the HP deal, Apple's retail store network had only opened in May 2001 and carried limited consumer electronics reach. The HP channel gave Apple's product presence in mass-market retail during the iPod's critical growth phase. Luke Dormehl, "Today in Apple History: HP's iPod Comes Out of the Blue," *Cult of Mac*, January 8, 2026,[ https://www.cultofmac.com/apple-history/hewlett-packard-ipod](https://www.cultofmac.com/apple-history/hewlett-packard-ipod?ref=philmckinney.com). 10. "HP's complete financial history going back to the 1940s": Hewlett-Packard was founded in 1939 in a Palo Alto garage by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard. The company's founding notebooks and historical records are preserved at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. Computer History Museum,[ https://computerhistory.org](https://computerhistory.org/?ref=philmckinney.com). 11. "Acer today: approximately 0.9% of revenue in R&D": Acer has maintained R&D investment consistently below 1% of revenue for decades, a reflection of its cost-efficient, volume-driven PC market positioning. For current figures, see Acer Inc., Investor Relations,[ https://www.acer-group.com/ag/en/INV/investor.html](https://www.acer-group.com/ag/en/INV/investor.html?ref=philmckinney.com). ### You Knew Before I Did URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/you-knew-before-i-did/ Last updated: 2026-03-23T13:03:10.000Z A name is a decision. Most people don't treat it that way. They treat it like a label, something you pick once, attach to a thing, and stop thinking about. BackRub became Google. Cadabra became Amazon, after Jeff Bezos's lawyer misheard it as "cadaver" on a phone call. Blue Ribbon Sports became Nike. In every case the original name made sense when it was chosen. In every case, the thing grew into something the name couldn't hold. I thought I was paying attention to this. I wasn't. ## Where It Started Bob Davis hired me into my first job in 1982\. He was a co-founder of Cullinet, one of the first independent software companies in the industry. Over the next six years, we went to three companies together. But the mentorship went far beyond the years we worked side by side. I would not be where I am today without Bob Davis. He, along with my parents, is who I dedicated my book to. When I asked him how I could ever pay him back for everything he'd done, he laughed. You can't pay it back, he said. You pay it forward. That stuck. After fifteen years of trying to find the right way to pay it forward, the door opened. Podcasting. On March 5, 2005, I recorded the first episode of what became Killer Innovations. Cheap microphone. Laptop. Hotel bathroom at a Marriott in Arizona because the acoustics were decent. Nobody called it podcasting yet. But the idea was Bob's, applied at scale: share the experience, expertise, skills, and challenges of life as an innovator. The show found its audience. Then it found more. Tens of millions of downloads over two decades. And for all of that time, I kept my head down and did the work. I didn't spend much time searching for the show, checking its rankings, monitoring its presence. When something keeps finding its audience, you trust it. Then a listener sent me a message. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## What I Found When I Finally Looked Have you seen this? I hadn't. killer-innovations.com. One hyphen away from killerinnovations.com, the show's home for twenty years. A gun parts company. Aftermarket triggers, tactical accessories. They'd been at it for years, building their own audience, their own content, their own search presence. Professionally managed. Well resourced. Serious about the brand they were building one hyphen away from mine. My first instinct was to fight. Cease and desist. Twenty years. Tens of millions of downloads. Prior use. Not out of generosity. Out of curiosity. Before I picked a fight, I wanted to know what I was fighting over. So I opened a browser and searched. For years, you typed "Killer Innovations" into Google and the show was right there. First result, no contest. That was gone. The gun company had invested in their search presence the way serious brands do. They were climbing. The show was disappearing. I sat with that longer than I'd like to admit. Then I searched for something else. I searched my own name. Two full pages. Every listing. The podcast. The book, published by Hachette. The keynotes. The consulting work. CableLabs. HP. Forty years of decisions and their consequences, all of it sitting under Phil McKinney. Not under a show name. Not under a brand. Under me. The audience had already made their decision. They weren't searching for Killer Innovations. They were searching for me. They had been for years, probably long before the gun company started crowding the search results. The name I'd built the show around had become irrelevant to how the audience actually behaved. I stopped thinking about the gun company. They weren't the problem. They were the signal that made me look at the actual problem. ## The Decision I'd Been Defending For twenty years, I kept myself deliberately out of the frame. The podcast cover art never had my face on it. Every time someone suggested adding it, I had an answer ready. The work should speak. Not the person. Keep the ego out of it. Let the ideas carry the weight. I believed that. I still believe parts of it. I've spent forty years watching executives defend decisions that stopped making sense long before anyone stopped defending them. The product strategy held onto long after the market moved. The org structure preserved long after the company outgrew it. The brand positioning protected long after the competitive landscape made it irrelevant. The decision that made sense at the time becomes the decision you keep making because you've always made it, and stopping feels like admitting something you don't want to admit. I wrote about exactly this in [the HP WebOS story](https://www.philmckinney.com/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm-for-1-2b-then-i-watched-them-kill-it-in-49-days/). Smart people making catastrophic decisions not because they lacked intelligence, but because their identity was fused with a choice that had expired. Leo Apotheker saw himself as an enterprise software executive, so he killed a mobile platform that could have changed HP's future. The board saw themselves as decisive, so they approved a 49-day evaluation of technology that needed 18 months. Identity overrode evidence. Every time. I knew that dynamic cold. I didn't recognize it in myself. Keeping my face off the cover wasn't principle anymore. It was habit dressed up as principle. The audience was searching for me by name. The show's brand was losing ground to a company that sold gun parts. And I was still building around a name that no longer appeared on page one, attached to cover art that didn't show the person the audience was actually looking for. That's not humility. That's arguing with the evidence. You probably recognize your version. A strategy that made sense when the market looked different. A positioning that worked before the competition shifted. A structure that fit the company you used to be. You've updated everything around it. You haven't touched the decision underneath, because touching it means acknowledging that the original call had a shelf life. That it was right then and wrong now. That even good decisions expire. The evidence usually shows up before you're ready for it. A number that doesn't add up. A question from someone who doesn't know what they're not supposed to ask. A message from a listener paying closer attention than you are. Nobody wants to make that call. I didn't. I made it anyway. ## **The Name Has Changed** Killer Innovations with Phil McKinney is now [**The Innovators Studio with Phil McKinney**](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovators-studio/). ![The cover art for The Innovators Studiio with Phil McKinney podcast. Formally known as The Killer Innovations Show](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2026/03/data-src-image-7e0fadcf-adcf-4702-8dce-a79b3d7c8746.jpeg) The name was hiding in plain sight. In 2013, I built a dedicated studio, a 1,200 square foot space purpose-built for prototyping, production, and the work that eventually became everything you read and hear from me. Over the years, The Innovators Studio became the home for all of it. The show just hadn't caught up. ## What the Audience Was Already Telling Me Twenty years of content teaches you something if you're paying attention. The pieces that drove the most engagement, the most reader response, the most subscriber growth, were the ones triggered by something happening in the world. [Elliott moving into HPE](https://www.philmckinney.com/elliott-is-inside-hpe-we-all-know-what-happens-next/). [Enrique leaving HP](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-has-fired-forced-out-or-lost-6-ceos-in-25-years-here-we-go-again/). The [WSJ publishing a defense of quarterly reporting](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-wsj-got-quarterly-reporting-wrong-a-corporate-executives-response/). Readers didn't just read those. They responded. They shared them. They reached out to say they'd seen the same pattern in their own organizations. That signal was clear: stop abstracting. Get closer to the real thing. [Studio Notes](https://www.philmckinney.com/tag/studio-notes/), published every Monday, is the opinion page for innovation. Something happens in the world of innovation, and it gets a practitioner's verdict. A position, backed by evidence and firsthand experience, is put on the record before the outcome is known. [Studio Sessions](https://www.philmckinney.com/tag/studio-sessions/), available every Wednesday to read, listen, or watch, followed the same signal from a different direction. The feedback was consistent: listeners didn't want more skills. They wanted the stories behind the skills. What actually happened. What exposed the problem. What revealed the pattern. Studio Sessions are the decision patterns, lived. The real calls. The rooms they happened in. So you recognize the pattern in yourself before you hit the landmines. Both formats exist because the signal was the same. The rebrand is no different. I finally listened. Everything now lives at one home: philmckinney.com. You don't need to do anything. The show will show up in whatever podcast app you already use. ## The Last Thing I Changed And my face is on the cover. Naming the show was the easier decision. Putting my face on it meant accepting what the audience had already decided. The work and the person behind it aren't separable. They never were. The audience knew that before I did. I was the last one in the room to understand that. --- *The idea was never the hard part. It never is. The call is.* Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe ### They're Everywhere URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/theyre-everywhere/ Last updated: 2026-03-16T22:06:36.000Z Skynet went online on August 29, 1997. Except it didn't. That was a movie. But somewhere between the theater and the op-ed page, the line dissolved. And now they're everywhere: the forwarded articles, the Senate testimony, the conference panel that opens with 'I'm not against AI, but...' before spending forty minutes explaining why they are. They're not running on evidence. They're running on sci-fi training data. And they can't tell the difference between a screenplay and a forecast. They call it caution. They call it wisdom. They invoke the good old days, the ones where everything ran on leaded gas. Every new capability gets the same treatment. Slow down. Pause. What if? We finally have a word for it. [**Glitchers**.](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-glossary/#glitchers) The people who see a glitch in the Matrix every time a new technology drops. The Luddites had looms to blame. Glitchers have chatbots. Spoiler: the looms won. --- **Noted* is Phil McKinney's periodic micro essay — observations on whatever catches his attention.* Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe ### How To Build a Decision System That Protects Your Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-a-decision-system-that-protects-your-thinking/ Last updated: 2026-03-11T13:03:19.000Z The best decision-makers aren't better at deciding. They're better at controlling when, where, and how they decide. It took me twenty years to figure that out. Most people spend that time trying harder: more discipline, more willpower, more resolve to think clearly under pressure. It doesn't work. That's when [mindjacking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/) wins. Not through force. Through the door you left unguarded. The answer isn't trying harder. It's building systems that protect your thinking before the pressure hits. By the end of this episode, you'll have four concrete strategies for doing exactly that, and a one-page system you'll build before we're done. And I have something else to share at the end. Something I've been working toward for twenty years. Let's get into it. ... or listen to the podcast at: ## Why Willpower Fails and Design Works Ulysses knew his ship would pass the island of the Sirens. He also knew the song was irresistible. Sailors who heard it became incapacitated and drove straight into the rocks. He didn't try to be stronger than it. He had his crew fill their ears with wax and tie him to the mast, with strict orders not to release him, no matter what he said when the music reached him. His calm self setting rules for his compromised self. That's the core of everything in this episode. These are called commitment devices. The decision gets made early, when your thinking is clear, before you're tempted to take the wrong path. Studies tracking self-imposed contracts found that when people added meaningful stakes to their commitments, their follow-through nearly doubled. Not because they became more virtuous, but because they'd taken the choice off the table at the moment they were most likely to get it wrong. Stop asking "How do I resist?" Start asking, "What can I decide now, so I don't have to decide under pressure?" Before you can build the right commitments, you need to know exactly where your thinking breaks down. Not decision-making in general. Yours. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## Finding Your Personal Vulnerability Think back across the last few months. Where did your thinking most clearly cost you? Some people stall. They keep researching past the point of useful information, using "I need more data" as cover for avoiding a commitment they know they need to make. Others make their worst calls at the end of long days. Saying yes when they mean no, because no requires energy they've already spent. Some get caught by urgency. A deadline appears, the pressure closes off their thinking, and they move fast. Only later do they discover the deadline was manufactured to do exactly that. Others walk into a room with a clear position and walk out agreeing with the loudest voice, unable to explain exactly when they shifted. And some defend decisions past the point where the evidence says stop, because stopping would mean admitting something about themselves they're not ready to face. Identify yours. Write it down before we go further. Your primary vulnerability is a design target, not a character flaw. You can't build around something you haven't named. ## Four Strategies for Protecting Your Judgment ### Strategy 1: Control When You Decide Every morning I put on the same thing: a black golf shirt, blue jeans, and cowboy boots. Same brands, same routine, no decisions. My wife tolerates it. I've stopped apologizing for it. It's not a fashion choice. It's a cognitive load choice. Your brain has a finite amount of decision-making capacity each day. Every trivial choice draws from the same reserve you need for the decisions that actually matter. What to wear, what to eat, which route to take. Eliminating those choices doesn't just save time. It protects the mental fuel you'll need later. Decision-making capacity isn't flat across the day. It peaks early, when you're rested and fresh. It degrades, measurably, as conditions erode. The same call made at 8 a.m. and at the end of your seventh consecutive meeting aren't equivalent. Same person, different machine. Pull up your calendar from the last two weeks. Look at when your biggest decisions actually happened. For most people, it's not in a calm moment with a clear head. It's in the hallway, on a rushed call, in the last fifteen minutes of a meeting that ran over. That's not bad luck. That's the default you haven't changed yet. Write a standing rule: no significant, hard-to-reverse commitments after a certain hour or after a certain number of back-to-back meetings without a mandatory pause. Hold it like a policy, not a preference. Because preferences are exactly what disappear under the conditions where you need them most. ### Strategy 2: Build Your Kitchen Cabinet One of the things I credit most for whatever success I've had in my career isn't a framework or a methodology. It's four people. I call them my kitchen cabinet. They've seen my best decisions and my worst ones. They know when I'm rationalizing. They know when I'm avoiding. And they are not afraid to call me out when I'm off the tracks. Here's what surprises people when I describe them. They're not senior executives. They're not peers from inside my industry. They don't work in any organization I've ever worked for. They're a deliberate mix: different backgrounds, different areas of expertise, different ways of seeing the world. One of them has been in my cabinet for nearly thirty years. I trust them completely, and everything we discuss stays between us. That independence is the whole point. The people inside your organization have something at stake in your decisions. Your peers have their own agendas, even when they don't mean to. Your boss has a preferred outcome. None of that makes them bad advisors. It just means they can't give you the one thing you need most when a decision gets hard: a perspective with no skin in the game. Your kitchen cabinet can. Because they have nothing to gain or lose from what you decide, they can ask the question everyone else in the room is avoiding. They can tell you what you don't want to hear. And they'll do it before you've committed, when it still matters, not after the fact, when all they can do is watch. Build yours deliberately. Four to six people is enough. Prioritize independence over seniority. Look for people who will push back, not people who will reassure. And make the relationship reciprocal. You show up for their decisions too. The cabinet only works if the trust runs both ways and the conversations stay private. You don't need them for every decision. You need them for the ones where you're most at risk of fooling yourself. ### Strategy 3: Write Your Position Before the Room Fills Up I've sat in enough rooms where I walked in with a clear position and walked out having said almost none of it. Not because I was wrong. Because by the time the senior voice spoke and the heads started nodding, my own analysis felt less certain than it did twenty minutes earlier. The brain doesn't just nudge your answer when social pressure arrives. It rewrites your perception. What you saw before entering the room changes to match what the room already believes, before you've consciously registered the pressure. Before any consequential group decision, write down where you stand. Three sentences. What you believe. What evidence supports it. What would genuinely change your mind. A note on your phone is enough. It doesn't need to be formal. It needs to be external, because your memory will quietly revise itself once the social pressure arrives. Those three sentences are a record of what you actually concluded before the room had a chance to work on you. When the discussion moves toward a position, you can then distinguish between "I'm updating because I heard something new" and "I'm caving because the silence is uncomfortable." Without that record, those two experiences feel identical in the moment, and one of them will reliably win. ### Strategy 4: Assume the Failure Before You Commit In August 2016, Delta Air Lines ran a routine scheduled test of the backup generator at their Atlanta data center. A transformer caught fire. Three hundred of Delta's 7,000 servers, improperly connected to a single power source, went dark. They couldn't fail over to backups. The servers that stayed online couldn't communicate with the ones that hadn't. The entire system collapsed: passenger check-in, baggage, websites, kiosks, and airport displays. Gone. Delta cancelled 2,100 flights over three days. $150 million in losses. Thousands of passengers slept on airport floors. The system had redundancy designed in. The backup had been tested. The specific failure mode, servers with no alternate power connection, was a known vulnerability that nobody had ever stopped to question. A year before the fire, cognitive psychologist Gary Klein, the researcher who developed the pre-mortem, had written a thought experiment describing almost this exact scenario. Imagine, he wrote, that an airline CEO gathered top management and asked: "Every one of our flights around the world has been cancelled for two straight days. Why?" People would think terrorism first. The real progress, Klein said, would come from mundane answers: a reservation system down, a backup that didn't activate, a cascade nobody had traced in advance. Delta built what Klein described. Without running the question that would have found it. The pre-mortem is that question. Before you commit to a significant decision, assume it's six months later, and the decision failed. Not possibly, but definitely. Then ask: What went wrong? What did you know but not say? What did someone sense but find too awkward to raise in the room? "What could go wrong?" produces hedged answers. People soften concerns to preserve harmony. "It failed. What happened?" changes the psychology entirely. You're not being negative. You're being forensic. The things that surface, the concerns that felt impolitic, the risks that seemed too small to mention, are frequently the ones that end up mattering most. Each of these four strategies is a designed defense against the same thing: the systematic capture of your judgment before you notice it happening. That's mindjacking. And now you have four ways to make it harder. But strategies only work if you remember to use them. And you won't remember. Not when you're depleted at 7pm, not when the room is staring at you, not when your identity is on the line. That's not a character flaw. That's just how it works. So we're going to take everything you just learned and put it on one page. A page you'll sign. A page you'll keep somewhere you'll actually see it. Your calm self, right now, is building the system your future self will thank you for. The people who shape outcomes consistently aren't necessarily the sharpest thinkers in the room. They're the ones whose judgment is still intact when everyone else's has degraded. That's a practice, not a talent. The full video and written deep-dive on mindjacking are linked below at philmckinney.com/mindjacking. ## Your Decision Constitution Remember the Ulysses insight from the beginning of this episode. Your calm self setting rules for your compromised self. That's exactly what this is. A Decision Constitution is one page. Five commitments. Written when your thinking is clear, so the version of you under pressure has something to stand on. Not a to-do list. Not a productivity hack. A contract with yourself. Here's what goes in it. **Your Timing Rule.** You already know that your judgment degrades as the day runs long. So name it. What are the specific conditions (time of day, number of back-to-back meetings, hours of sleep) that disqualify you from making a high-stakes, hard-to-reverse call without a mandatory pause first? Write that line. Hold it like a policy. **Your Pre-Decision List.** Think of the situations where you consistently make choices you later regret. The late-day request you said yes to when you meant no. The urgency that overrode your better judgment. Pick three. Write a standing rule for each, specific enough that you can invoke it without having to think. "I don't make new commitments without sleeping on it." That's a rule. "I'll try to be more careful" is not. **Your Pre-Meeting Anchor.** Before any meeting where a significant decision will be made, you write down where you stand. Three sentences. What you believe, what evidence supports it, and what would genuinely change your mind. Not in the car on the way. Before. That record is what protects your thinking from the room. **Your Pre-Mortem Trigger.** Name the threshold that makes a decision significant enough to require a pre-mortem. A dollar amount. An impact on more than a certain number of people. A commitment lasting longer than six months. Whatever your threshold is, write it down. Once a decision crosses it, the pre-mortem is non-negotiable. **Your Kitchen Cabinet Trigger.** Your cabinet is only useful if you engage them before you've decided, not after. So name the conditions that require you to bring a decision to them first. A decision that's hard to reverse. A situation where you have significant personal stakes in the outcome. A moment where you notice everyone around you wants you to decide a certain way. A decision you find yourself avoiding thinking about clearly. Any one of those is enough. Two or more is non-negotiable. Now print out your decision constitution. Sign it. Put it somewhere you'll actually see it before the moments that count. This is your Ulysses contract. Your clear-headed self, right now, is setting the terms your compromised self will have to honor when the pressure is real, and the easy path is pointing the wrong way. ## Closing That's Part 2 of the [Thinking 101 series](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNpaqfCI7zBv6dMD5FrIac-&ref=philmckinney.com). Fifteen episodes. If you've been here from the beginning, you've built something real. The series has been running for 21 weeks. The show behind it has been running for 20 years. And how we got here traces back to a single conversation. Twenty years ago, a mentor of mine, Bob Davis, gave me a challenge I couldn't shake. I'd asked him how I could ever repay him for what he'd done for my career. He laughed and said I couldn't. The only option, he said, was to pay it forward. That's why this show exists. That's why it has always existed. The show was called Killer Innovations because that's what felt right in 2005\. Bold, a little provocative, built for a moment when podcasting was brand new, and nobody knew what it was supposed to be. Tens of millions of downloads later, we're still here. We have regular listeners in more than 50 countries. Some of you are younger than the podcast itself. But somewhere along the way, the show became something more specific. It stopped being about innovation tips and started being about the innovation decisions that actually shape outcomes. About the patterns underneath the decisions. About the skills that matter most when the pressure is real. **On March 23rd, the show's 20th anniversary, we're making major changes. The podcast. The YouTube channel. All of it.** And if you have thoughts about where we've been or where we're going, I want to hear them. There's a [contact form](https://www.philmckinney.com/contact-phil/) . Send me a note. I'll see you on the 23rd. Innovation insights from Phil McKinney Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ## Endnotes & Sources 1. "their follow-through nearly doubled": Gharad Bryan, Dean S. Karlan, and Scott Nelson, "Commitment Contracts," *Yale Economics Department Working Paper* No. 73 / *Yale University Economic Growth Center Discussion Paper* No. 980 (October 23, 2009). https://ssrn.com/abstract=1493378\. The research draws on Karlan and co-founders' development of StickK.com, a commitment contract platform launched in 2008 at Yale. Platform data consistently shows that users who add meaningful stakes — financial or reputational — to their commitments achieve their goals at roughly double the rate of those who don't. The underlying mechanism was established in Karlan's earlier field research in the Philippines: Nava Ashraf, Dean Karlan, and Wesley Yin, "Tying Odysseus to the Mast: Evidence From a Commitment Savings Product in the Philippines," *Quarterly Journal of Economics* 121, no. 2 (May 2006): 635–672\. doi:10.1162/qjec.2006.121.2.635\. https://academic.oup.com/qje/article-abstract/121/2/635/1884028\. Pre-commitment works not by increasing virtue but by removing the decision from the moment of temptation. For accessible application, see Ian Ayres, *Carrots and Sticks: Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done* (New York: Bantam, 2010), ISBN 978-0-553-80763-9\. [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/6794/carrots-and-sticks-by-ian-ayres/](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/6794/carrots-and-sticks-by-ian-ayres/?ref=philmckinney.com). 2. "a finite amount of decision-making capacity each day": Roy F. Baumeister, Ellen Bratslavsky, Mark Muraven, and Dianne M. Tice, "Ego Depletion: Is the Active Self a Limited Resource?" *Journal of Personality and Social Psychology* 74, no. 5 (1998): 1252–1265\. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1252\. https://roybaumeister.com/1998/03/16/ego-depletion-is-the-active-self-a-limited-resource/. Also see Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney, *Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength* (New York: Penguin, 2011). Baumeister's strength model of self-control proposes that willpower, decision-making, and self-regulation all draw from a single, depletable resource — what he termed "ego depletion." Subsequent work has debated the precise mechanism, with some researchers arguing the effect is motivational rather than metabolic. The practical implication, however, is consistent across studies: decision quality degrades as the day progresses, and the effect is most pronounced for complex, high-stakes choices. For a summary of the current scientific debate on the mechanism, see Michael Inzlicht and Brandon J. Schmeichel, "What Is Ego Depletion? Toward a Mechanistic Revision of the Resource Model of Self-Control," *Perspectives on Psychological Science* 7, no. 5 (2012): 450–463\. doi:10.1177/1745691612454134\. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26168503/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26168503/?ref=philmckinney.com). 3. "It rewrites your perception": Gregory S. Berns, Jonathan Chappelow, Caroline F. Zink, Giuseppe Pagnoni, Megan E. Martin-Skurski, and Jim Richards, "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity and Independence During Mental Rotation," *Biological Psychiatry* 58, no. 3 (August 1, 2005): 245–253\. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.012\. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/?ref=philmckinney.com). This fMRI study at Emory University extended Solomon Asch's classic conformity experiments by imaging participants' brains as they conformed to or resisted incorrect group answers. The key finding: when participants went along with the group, the activity appeared not in the prefrontal cortex — the seat of conscious decision-making — but in the occipital-parietal network responsible for visual and spatial perception. In other words, participants who conformed weren't consciously deciding to lie; the group had altered what they actually perceived. Standing alone, by contrast, activated the amygdala, a region associated with emotional distress — consistent with the experience of social dissent as genuinely uncomfortable rather than merely inconvenient. 4. "Three hundred of Delta's 7,000 servers": Yevgeniy Sverdlik, "Delta: Data Center Outage Cost Us $150M," *Data Center Knowledge*, September 8, 2016\. [https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/outages/delta-data-center-outage-cost-us-150m](https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/outages/delta-data-center-outage-cost-us-150m?ref=philmckinney.com). Also see W. H. Highleyman, "Delta Air Lines Cancels 2,100 Flights Due to Power Outage," *Availability Digest* (September 2016). https://availabilitydigest.com/public\_articles/1109/delta.pdf. On the morning of August 8, 2016, a fire triggered during a routine backup generator test at Delta's Atlanta data center caused a transformer failure. Approximately 300 of Delta's 7,000 servers were improperly connected to a single power source with no alternate feed, and when that feed failed, those servers went dark. Because those servers couldn't communicate with the rest of the system, the entire network collapsed. Delta cancelled roughly 2,100 flights over three days, leaving an estimated 250,000 passengers stranded. Total losses reached $150 million. 5. "cognitive psychologist Gary Klein, the researcher who developed the pre-mortem": Gary Klein, "Performing a Project Premortem," *Harvard Business Review* 85, no. 9 (September 2007): 18–19\. [https://hbr.org/2007/09/performing-a-project-premortem](https://hbr.org/2007/09/performing-a-project-premortem?ref=philmckinney.com). Klein developed the pre-mortem method over several decades of applied research in naturalistic decision-making. The technique asks teams to assume, before committing to a plan, that the plan has already failed — definitively, not possibly — and then work backward to identify causes. Klein's research found that this reframing dramatically increases the willingness of team members to surface concerns they would otherwise suppress to preserve group harmony. The method has since been endorsed by Nobel laureates Daniel Kahneman and Richard Thaler as a practical tool for reducing overconfidence in planning. For Klein's broader framework of naturalistic decision-making, see Gary Klein, *Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions* (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1998). [https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262343251/sources-of-power/](https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262343251/sources-of-power/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Elliott Is Inside HPE. We All Know What Happens Next. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/elliott-is-inside-hpe-we-all-know-what-happens-next/ Last updated: 2026-03-09T13:03:03.000Z I was reading the news in April 2025 when I saw the headline. Elliott Investment Management had built a $1.5 billion stake in Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. I set down my Pepsi. I know that company. I was CTO of Hewlett-Packard before the split. I built research programs, funded long-horizon projects, and hired people whose work wouldn't pay off for a decade. I fought to protect their budgets every quarter. I know what lives inside HPE, including what remains of one of the most important corporate research organizations in the world. And I know what happens when an activist investor shows up. Within three months, Elliott had a board seat, a strategy committee chaired by its appointee, and a cooperation agreement giving it direct access to the company's strategy. Every public statement from both sides mentioned "value creation" and "shareholder value." Not one mentioned research. Not one mentioned innovation. Not one mentioned long-term investment. I've watched this playbook run before. The language is always the same. And what it destroys is always the same: not development, but research. The difference between those two words is the difference between a company with a future and a company coasting on fumes. ## Why "R&D" Is a Lie on Every Income Statement "R&D" shows up as a single line item on every public company's income statement, at least in the United States. Under U.S. accounting rules, companies expense all research and development costs as a single number. There's no requirement to separate the two. But it doesn't have to work this way. International accounting standards under IFRS require companies to distinguish between research and development. Research costs get expensed, but development costs that meet specific criteria (technical feasibility established, intent to complete, probable future economic benefits) can be capitalized as assets. The practical effect is that companies reporting under IFRS must draw a line between research and development and defend it to their auditors. U.S. companies don't. They dump everything into one bucket, hand Wall Street a single number, and call it "R&D." That single number is a gift to anyone who wants to cut research without anyone noticing. **Development** is near-term product engineering: the next server, the next chip, the feature update shipping next quarter. It has predictable timelines, measurable milestones, and a clear connection to revenue. **Research** is exploratory work with uncertain outcomes: a team discovering a new material, a group exploring a computing architecture that won't produce revenue for a decade, engineers filing foundational patents, and advanced technology projects embedded inside business units that are pushing beyond the current product roadmap. Research doesn't always happen in a formal lab. It happens wherever people are working on problems that don't have a clear connection to next quarter's revenue. When activist investors demand cost cuts, they don't touch development. Development is visibly connected to next quarter's revenue. They cut research, the work that creates the future, but can't justify itself on a 90-day earnings call. A company can shut down its long-horizon programs, reassign or let go of the people doing exploratory work, and pull funding from every project that isn't tied to a shipping product, while reporting the *same R&D number* to Wall Street. The "D" fills the gap. The financial statements look fine. The stock ticks up. The damage doesn't appear for years. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## R&D, Gross Margin, and the Time Delay That Fools Everyone Wall Street's favorite innovation metric is R&D spending as a percentage of revenue. It's useless. Intel had one of the highest R&D-to-revenue ratios in the industry, spending $16 to $17 billion per year, yet its gross margins collapsed from 56% to 33%. Apple spends a lower percentage and produces dramatically better outcomes. In my own work validating innovation metrics across public companies, R&D as a percentage of revenue failed to predict anything. It can't distinguish a company investing wisely in breakthrough research from one burning cash on development catch-up. The metric that actually works is the relationship between R&D investment and gross margin, measured with a time delay. The logic is straightforward. Better research creates products and services that are meaningfully differentiated. When you truly understand your customer and build something they can't get anywhere else, they reward you with pricing power. They'll pay more. They'll stay longer. They won't switch to a competitor for less because nobody is offering the same thing. That pricing power shows up in gross margin, not revenue, which a company can grow by cutting prices and selling commodity products. Gross margin tells you whether customers value what you're selling enough to pay a premium for it. Apple is the clearest example. They don't win on volume, and they don't compete on price. They invest in research that produces genuinely differentiated products, and their customers pay more because of it. Apple's gross margins are the envy of the industry despite a lower R&D-to-revenue ratio than Intel, which spends far more and earns far less per dollar. But gross margin has a lag. The margin a company earns today is not the result of what it's spending on R&D today. It's the result of what it spent three, five, or even ten years ago. In consumer electronics and enterprise technology, that lag is typically three to five years. In materials science, five to eight. In pharma, ten to fifteen. The products commanding today's premium prices were funded by research budgets set years before the product ever shipped. That lag is what makes the activist playbook so profitable. For the activist, cutting research today and the financial statements look *better* for 2 to 3 years. Expenses drop. The company is still coasting on the pipeline someone else built, so margins hold or even tick up. The stock responds. The activist declares victory and exits. The people left holding the bill are the employees whose jobs disappear when the pipeline empties, the long-term shareholders who are still holding when margins collapse, and the organization itself, stripped of the capability it spent years building and unable to get it back. A peer-reviewed study published in the Strategic Management Journal examined 1,324 companies targeted by activist hedge funds between 2000 and 2016, compared against a control group of 7,670 companies that weren't targeted. Within five years, R&D spending at targeted companies dropped by 9%. Headcount fell 7%. The non-targeted firms outperformed across every measure. But that 9% number understates the real damage. Based on everything I've seen, in the data and from the inside, that cut doesn't come equally from research and development. Development stays largely intact. It has to. You can't ship next quarter's product without it. The cut comes from research. The 9% reported reduction in total R&D masks what is, in many cases, the near-elimination of genuine exploratory work. And because it's hidden inside a single line item, nobody outside the organization ever sees it happen. ## What "2% Research" Looks Like: HP's R&D Under the Microscope I've been developing a methodology to separate research from development spending using public SEC filings: segment disclosures, patent data, and the language companies use in their own filings to describe what they're working on. My team and I call this the [Innovation Signal Index](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-signal-index/)™ (ISI), and I'll be publishing a detailed series on it. But the results for HP Inc. are worth previewing here. HP reports $1.64 billion in annual R&D. Using the Innovation Signal Index, we estimate that between 2% and 4% of that is dedicated to actual research. The rest, 96% to 98%, is product development. Engineering the next version of existing PCs and printers. The patent data corroborates it. New patent grants have dropped 40% since 2016, despite a portfolio of 22,000+ patents, and the quality and breadth of those patents have narrowed. When a company's patent output is declining while R&D spending holds flat, the money is flowing from research to development. HP's own filings confirm it: recent 10-K filings describe nothing but development work: "AI PCs," "enhanced features," "product line extensions." In the most recent filings, HP Labs isn't even named in the segment description anymore. For a company of HP's scale, a healthy research allocation is 10-15% of the total R&D budget. HP is spending a fraction of that. It's in harvest mode. And the harvest always ends. The [ISI has been validated through backcasting against historical data](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-signal-index/) across multiple companies. Applied to Intel's historical record, it would have flagged R&D investment losing its ability to generate gross-margin returns as early as 2017, approximately 5 to 6 years before the financial collapse became undeniable to the market. Applied to AMD, it would have detected a genuine shift in research investment patterns by 2015-2016, approximately 4 years before the market fully recognized the turnaround. In both cases, the financial results eventually confirmed what the framework would have shown. A small team and I are working to refine and test the methodology, and we'll be sharing more on that soon. The point here is simpler: the tools to see this coming exist. They just aren't the ones Wall Street uses. ## Elliott, HPE, and the Activist Investor Playbook in Real Time Which brings me back to HPE. After Elliott's $1.5 billion stake and the July cooperation agreement, the pieces are now in place. A Strategy Committee chaired by Elliott's appointee. An integration committee is overseeing the $14 billion Juniper Networks acquisition. A one-year clock: Elliott can add a second board member if it’s not satisfied with progress. Since 2022, Elliott has ousted 14 CEOs at companies in which it has invested. CEO Antonio Neri has 12 months to move the stock. I know what that pressure feels like from the inside. When a CEO's job depends on the next four quarters, every budget line is scrutinized for its contribution to this year's results. Research, with its uncertain timelines, its unpredictable outcomes, and its inability to improve next quarter's earnings, will be an obvious target. It always is. ## We've Seen How This Ends: DuPont and the Death of 200 Years of Innovation When Trian Fund Management pressured DuPont, a company that spent 200 years inventing Nylon, Kevlar, Neoprene, and Lycra, the company won the proxy fight 52% to 48%. It still cut R&D by 20%, laid off 5,000 people, and closed research facilities. The CEO who won the proxy fight resigned months later. Her replacement merged DuPont with Dow Chemical and split the combined entity into three companies, fragmenting the integrated research organization that had invented entire categories of materials across chemistry, biology, and materials science. In 2024, the successor company announced plans to split again into three more pieces. A company that once commanded $36 billion in revenue and filed foundational patents across multiple scientific disciplines has been restructured so many times that there's almost nothing left to restructure. Winning the proxy fight didn't save DuPont's research. The pressure alone was enough. ## The $25 Billion Proof: Dell, Founder Control, and Long-Term Value In 2013, Michael Dell and Silver Lake took Dell Technologies private for $24.9 billion. Through my relationship with Alex Mandl, my former boss at Teligent who led the board negotiations at Dell, I had a direct view of the thinking behind that decision. Dell's stated goal: no more pulling R&D and growth investments to make in-quarter numbers. R&D spending went from $1.1 billion to $4.4 billion. Dell transformed from a declining PC company to an enterprise solutions leader. The return by 2023: an estimated $70 billion. But the reason it worked goes deeper than just going private. Michael Dell was the founder. He put a significant portion of his own wealth into the deal alongside Silver Lake. He wasn't a hired CEO trying to survive the next proxy season. He was an owner making a generational bet with his own money. He had control, he had conviction, and he had the patience to let the investment pay off over years, not quarters. That's the difference nobody talks about. The Dell transformation didn't happen because the company escaped public markets. It happened because the person making the R&D investment decisions was the same person bearing the financial risk, and he was willing to wait. ## Why the HPE Situation Is Different and Worse Compare that to what a CEO like Antonio Neri faces at HPE. He didn't found the company. He doesn't control the board. He has an activist investor with a one-year clock, the power to add board members, and a track record of removing 14 CEOs since 2022\. This isn't a criticism of Neri. It's a description of the incentives the system creates. Any CEO in that position would face the same calculus: optimize for the next twelve months, because if you don't, you may not be there to see month thirteen. The system doesn't reward patience. It punishes it. The financial signals at HPE are already pointing in the wrong direction. Gross margins have compressed from roughly 35% to 30% over the past three years, even as revenue has grown. R&D spending dropped from $2.3 billion in 2023 to $2.2 billion in 2024, a decline during a period when competitors are pouring money into AI research. And the language coming from HPE's own leadership tells the story: the CFO's most recent earnings statement emphasized "disciplined spending, portfolio simplification, and ongoing structural cost management." That's the vocabulary of cost reduction, not research investment. Hewlett-Packard Labs still exists inside HPE. It's still doing work: quantum computing research selected for a DARPA initiative, photonics, and AI systems architecture. But the question is how long that continues when every dollar of spending gets evaluated against a twelve-month stock price target set by an activist with a board seat. Elliott is simultaneously invested in HPE and in Dell, the company that proved you need the kind of ownership control Elliott would never grant in order to innovate. [The Innovation Signal Index](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-signal-index/) currently rates HPE a D+, placing it in the same warning territory Intel occupied in 2017, approximately five to six years before its financial collapse became undeniable. The first signal appeared in 2019, well before Elliott's arrival. The Juniper Networks acquisition genuinely complicates the current read: $4 billion in added revenue at different margin economics, and if Mist AI and Aruba networking capture meaningful enterprise share by 2026 to 2028, the signal could improve. That scenario is real and worth watching. But a D+ with a 2019 origin and an activist investor accelerating cost pressure is not a company with the luxury of waiting to find out. **NOTE*: This analysis of HPE reflects innovation investment health only. It is not investment advice.* ## How to Protect R&D Before the Activist Investor Arrives The playbook I've described is not inevitable. But stopping it requires different actions depending on where you sit: inside the company, on the board, or holding the stock. ### If You Run the Company If you lead a company with genuine research programs, the activist letter could arrive tomorrow. **The single-line-item reporting of R&D is the reason activist investors can cut research without shareholders noticing.** The companies that voluntarily break out what they spend on near-term product work versus longer-horizon research, and explain the strategic rationale for each, stand on stronger ground when the pressure comes. No public company is required to do this. But the ones that do are no longer defending a cost. They're explaining an investment with a specific thesis and forcing the activist to argue against it, not just a number. **If you can't show the connection between your research and your future margins, an activist will fill that silence with their own narrative.** Most CEOs talk about research in terms of possibility and potential. Investors don't fund possibilities. Show them the historical relationship between your R&D investment and your gross margin over time. Show them the lag. Show them that today's margins exist because of investments made years ago. Then ask the question no activist wants to answer: what happens to margins in 2029 if we cut research today? **DuPont spent $15 million fighting a proxy contest it almost lost, and the CEO who won it was still gone within months.** The time to explain your innovation thesis to your largest shareholders is during a normal year, not during a crisis. The index funds and pension funds that ultimately decide these contests need to understand your research investment before they're asked to vote on it under pressure. **Once you establish that research is negotiable, it gets negotiated to zero.** When pressure hits, the instinct is to compromise: cut some research, keep some, demonstrate "responsiveness" to shareholder concerns. This is how it always starts. Every quarter, the compromise gets a little deeper. Research is either a strategic commitment or it isn't. ### If You Own the Stock **Your vote has more power than you think.** This isn't just a fight for CEOs and boards. If you hold shares in a public company, whether through individual positions, a 401(k), or an index fund, you have a stake in whether that company's research survives. And your vote may be the one that decides it. **The DuPont proxy fight proved it.** That's not hypothetical. When Trian launched its proxy fight against DuPont, both major proxy advisory firms, ISS and Glass Lewis, recommended that shareholders vote with the activist. Active fund managers overwhelmingly sided with Trian. DuPont should have lost. It didn't. Three index fund managers, Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street, voted with management. CalPERS went on record against "cost-cutting which would reduce research and development." The margin of victory was 4 points. DuPont's retail shareholders, who held roughly 33% of the shares, voted overwhelmingly with management. Those weren't hedge fund managers. They were people who believed in the company's future, and they showed up. **Companies can hide research cuts inside a single R&D number because nobody asks them not to.** During earnings calls, in shareholder letters, and at annual meetings, ask the company to break out near-term product development versus longer-horizon research. Most companies have never been asked. If enough investors ask, companies will start reporting it. And once it's visible, it's harder to quietly gut. **You don't need a finance degree to see the warning signs.** Look at the 10-K. Look at the MD&A language. Is the company describing exploratory work, or is every sentence about incremental product updates? Are patent filings growing or shrinking? The information is public. Most investors never look past the single R&D line item. **Your time horizon is your advantage.** An activist holding a one-year position needs the stock to move in twelve months. If you plan to hold for a decade, the research pipeline matters more to you than the next earnings beat. Act like it. When an activist shows up, and the plan is "operational efficiency" and "strategic review" with no mention of sustaining the innovation that created the company's value, that's a plan to harvest, not grow. Vote your shares. The DuPont proxy fight proved that long-term shareholders can outvote short-term activists. But only if they vote. ## Research, Shareholder Value, and the Fights Worth Having The gross margin that a company earns in 2030 is being determined right now by the research investments being made or not made today. The products that will define competitive position five years from now are being explored right now, or they aren't. An activist investor holding a one-year position doesn't care about 2030 gross margin. They need the stock to move in the next twelve months. These two objectives are not aligned. They are directly opposed. Every time a research program gets shuttered, every time a long-horizon project gets killed to fund a buyback, every time a "strategy committee" focused on "value creation" starts reviewing the R&D budget, the future gets a little smaller. I spent years as CTO at the world's largest technology company by revenue, fighting to protect research investments against exactly this kind of pressure. I won some of those fights. I lost others. The ones I lost still cost HP. The Innovation Signal Index flagged Intel's loss of competitive ground in 2017\. The market didn't see it until 2023\. That six-year gap is where research dies quietly, dressed up in the language of shareholder value. It's happening right now at HPE. The question for every CEO, board member, and investor reading this isn't whether it's happening. The question is whether you're going to do anything about it. --- *Phil McKinney is the former CTO of Hewlett-Packard and CEO of CableLabs. He writes about innovation and decision-making at*[ *philmckinney.com*](https://www.philmckinney.com/) *and*[ *on Substack*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)*.* --- **Disclosure:* This article is offered solely in the context of innovation investment health and competitive positioning. Phil McKinney is not a registered investment adviser. The Innovation Signal Index™ and any assessments derived from it are analytical tools for evaluating research and development practices, not instruments for evaluating securities. Nothing in this article should be construed as investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell any security, or a solicitation of any investment decision. Readers making investment decisions should consult a qualified financial professional.* Never miss a post from Studio Notes Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- # **Endnotes** 1. "Elliott Investment Management had built a $1.5 billion stake": CNBC, "HPE shares rise after activist Elliott Management takes $1.5 billion stake," April 15, 2025.[ https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/15/hpe-shares-pop-after-activist-elliott-management-takes-1point15-billion-stake.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/15/hpe-shares-pop-after-activist-elliott-management-takes-1point15-billion-stake.html?ref=philmckinney.com). HPE's stock had fallen more than 30% year-to-date at the time of the investment. 2. "a board seat, a strategy committee chaired by its appointee, and a cooperation agreement": Hewlett Packard Enterprise, "Hewlett Packard Enterprise Announces Board Enhancements to Support Ongoing Transformation and Drive Shareholder Value," press release, July 16, 2025.[ https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2025/07/hewlett-packard-enterprise-announces-board-enhancements-to-support-ongoing-transformation-and-drive-shareholder-value.html](https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2025/07/hewlett-packard-enterprise-announces-board-enhancements-to-support-ongoing-transformation-and-drive-shareholder-value.html?ref=philmckinney.com). See also SEC filing: HPE Form 8-K, July 16, 2025.[ https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1645590/000164559025000081/hpe-20250716.htm](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1645590/000164559025000081/hpe-20250716.htm?ref=philmckinney.com). Robert Calderoni was appointed to the board and named chair of the new Strategy Committee. The cooperation agreement gives Elliott the option to add a second board member. 3. "Elliott has ousted 14 CEOs": Jim Edwards, "HPE's deal with activist investor Elliott may still cost CEO Antonio Neri his job, or end with a breakup of the company," *Fortune*, July 16, 2025.[ https://fortune.com/2025/07/16/hpe-elliott-management-ceo-antonio-neri-stock/](https://fortune.com/2025/07/16/hpe-elliott-management-ceo-antonio-neri-stock/?ref=philmckinney.com). 4. "companies expense all research and development costs as a single number": Financial Accounting Standards Board, ASC 730, *Research and Development*. ASC 730-10-50-1 requires disclosure of "total research and development costs charged to expense" as a single figure. No separation between research and development phases is required under U.S. GAAP. 5. "IFRS require companies to distinguish between research and development": International Accounting Standards Board, IAS 38, *Intangible Assets*, paragraphs 54-67\. Research costs are expensed immediately; development costs meeting six specific criteria may be capitalized. See also KPMG, "R&D costs: IFRS Accounting Standards vs. US GAAP," May 2025.[ https://kpmg.com/us/en/articles/2025/rd-costs-ifrs-accounting-standards-us-gaap.html](https://kpmg.com/us/en/articles/2025/rd-costs-ifrs-accounting-standards-us-gaap.html?ref=philmckinney.com). 6. "Intel had one of the highest R&D-to-revenue ratios": Intel Corporation, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, fiscal years 2016-2024\. R&D spending ranged from $12.7B to $17.5B. Gross margin declined from approximately 56% in FY2020 to approximately 33% in certain quarters of FY2024. 7. "that lag is typically three to five years": Bronwyn H. Hall, Jacques Mairesse, and Pierre Mohnen, "Measuring the Returns to R&D," in *Handbook of the Economics of Innovation*, vol. 2 (Amsterdam: North-Holland, 2010), 1033-82\. The meta-analysis found R&D typically materializes in business results across a 2-3 year horizon in manufacturing. Pharmaceutical lag estimates draw from Joseph A. DiMasi, "The Value of Improving the Productivity of the Drug Development Process," *PharmacoEconomics* 20, supplement 3 (2002): 1-10. 8. "1,324 companies targeted by activist hedge funds": Mark R. DesJardine and Rodolphe Durand, "Disentangling the Effects of Hedge Fund Activism on Firm Financial and Social Performance," *Strategic Management Journal* 41, no. 6 (June 2020): 1054-82\. R&D spending fell 6% in year one and 9% by year five. Headcount declined 7%. Non-targeted firms consistently outperformed. See also HEC Paris, "Activist Hedge Funds: Short-Term Gains Offset by Drop in Companies' Value in Long Term."[ https://www.hec.edu/en/news-room/activist-hedge-funds-short-term-gains-offset-drop-companies-value-long-term-new-research-finds](https://www.hec.edu/en/news-room/activist-hedge-funds-short-term-gains-offset-drop-companies-value-long-term-new-research-finds?ref=philmckinney.com). 9. "HP reports $1.64 billion in annual R&D": HP Inc., Annual Report on Form 10-K, fiscal year ended October 31, 2024.[ https://s203.q4cdn.com/918857832/files/doc\_financials/2024/ar/2024-Form-10-K.pdf](https://s203.q4cdn.com/918857832/files/doc%5Ffinancials/2024/ar/2024-Form-10-K.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com). 10. "HP Labs was part of its 'Corporate Investments' segment": HP Inc., Annual Report on Form 10-K, fiscal year ended October 31, 2016.[ https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/47217/000004721716000093/hp-103116x10k1.htm](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/47217/000004721716000093/hp-103116x10k1.htm?ref=philmckinney.com). The filing states: "HP Labs is part of our Corporate Investments segment." In FY2023 and FY2024 10-K filings, the segment is described as "certain business incubation and investment projects" without naming HP Labs. 11. "New patent grants have dropped 40% since 2016": HP Inc., Annual Reports on Form 10-K, fiscal years 2016-2024\. The FY2016 10-K reported a portfolio of "over 18,000 patents" (post-split). By FY2024, the portfolio was reported as "over 23,000 patents." While total portfolio size grew through accumulation, annual new grant rates declined substantially over the same period. See also GreyB patent analytics, "HP Patents Key Insights & Stats,"[ https://insights.greyb.com/hewlett-packard-patents/](https://insights.greyb.com/hewlett-packard-patents/?ref=philmckinney.com), which tracks USPTO grant activity by assignee. The 40% decline figure refers to the rate of new annual grants, not cumulative portfolio size. 12. "DuPont won the proxy fight 52% to 48%": Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, "DuPont's Victory in the Proxy Fight with Trian," Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, May 20, 2015.[ https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2015/05/20/duponts-victory-in-the-proxy-fight-with-trian/](https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2015/05/20/duponts-victory-in-the-proxy-fight-with-trian/?ref=philmckinney.com). DuPont's 12 incumbent directors were reelected despite both ISS and Glass Lewis recommending votes for Trian's nominees. Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street voted with management. 13. "cut R&D by 20%, laid off 5,000 people": DuPont, Annual Report, fiscal year 2016.[ https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/d/NYSE\_DD\_2016.pdf](https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/d/NYSE%5FDD%5F2016.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com). The filing states R&D was $1.6 billion in 2016, $1.9 billion in 2015, and $2.0 billion in 2014, a decline of approximately 15-20% from peak. See also *Chemical & Engineering News*, "DuPont Cuts 2016 R&D Budget Ahead of Merger With Dow Chemical," January 29, 2016.[ https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i5/DuPont-Cuts-2016-RD-Budget.html](https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i5/DuPont-Cuts-2016-RD-Budget.html?ref=philmckinney.com). C&EN reported the cuts included dismissal of more than 200 Central Research & Development scientists and the elimination of DuPont's storied Central R&D organization as part of a broader effort to cut 10% of the firm's 54,000 employees. 14. "The CEO who won the proxy fight resigned months later": CNBC, "DuPont CEO Ellen Kullman to retire; Company cuts earnings outlook," October 5, 2015.[ https://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/05/dupont-says-ceo-ellen-kullman-to-retire.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/05/dupont-says-ceo-ellen-kullman-to-retire.html?ref=philmckinney.com). Kullman's retirement was announced October 5, 2015, effective October 16, approximately five months after winning the proxy fight. Edward Breen, a sitting DuPont board member and former CEO of Tyco International, was named interim and then permanent CEO. 15. "announced plans to split again into three more pieces": Dave Kranz, "DuPont to split into 3," *Chemical & Engineering News* 102, web edition, May 23, 2024.[ https://cen.acs.org/business/finance/DuPont-split-3/102/web/2024/05](https://cen.acs.org/business/finance/DuPont-split-3/102/web/2024/05?ref=philmckinney.com). 16. "Dell and Silver Lake took Dell Technologies private for $24.9 billion": Silver Lake, "Dell Completes Go-Private Transaction," press release, October 29, 2013.[ https://www.silverlake.com/dell-completes-go-private-transaction/](https://www.silverlake.com/dell-completes-go-private-transaction/?ref=philmckinney.com). The transaction closed October 29, 2013, at $13.88 per share in total consideration. See also *Wall Street Journal*, "Michael Dell: Going Private Is Paying Off for Dell," November 24, 2014.[ https://www.wsj.com/articles/michael-dell-going-private-is-paying-off-for-dell-1416872851](https://www.wsj.com/articles/michael-dell-going-private-is-paying-off-for-dell-1416872851?ref=philmckinney.com). 17. "R&D spending went from $1.1 billion to $4.4 billion": Dell Technologies, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, fiscal years 2013-2018\. Available via SEC EDGAR:[ https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0001571996&type=10-K&dateb=&owner=include&count=40](https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0001571996&type=10-K&dateb=&owner=include&count=40&ref=philmckinney.com). 18. "The return by 2023: an estimated $70 billion": Wall Street Oasis, "Private Equity Case Study: Dell Technologies," April 4, 2024.[ https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/private-equity/the-leading-research-journal-for-the-operating-side-of-private-equity-covering](https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/private-equity/the-leading-research-journal-for-the-operating-side-of-private-equity-covering?ref=philmckinney.com). See also PitchBook, "Silver Lake's Dell set to go public again in unique $21.7B deal," July 27, 2018.[ https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/silver-lakes-dell-set-to-go-public-again-in-unique-217b-deal](https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/silver-lakes-dell-set-to-go-public-again-in-unique-217b-deal?ref=philmckinney.com). The $70 billion figure reflects combined returns to Michael Dell and Silver Lake from the 2013 buyout through 2023, accounting for the EMC acquisition and return to public markets. 19. "Gross margins have compressed from roughly 35% to 30%": HPE, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and quarterly earnings press releases, fiscal years 2023-2025\. FY2023 gross margin approximately 35.1% ($10.2B gross profit on $29.1B revenue). FY2025 gross margin approximately 30.2% ($10.4B gross profit on $34.3B revenue). See also Yahoo Finance, HPE Income Statement.[ https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/HPE/financials/](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/HPE/financials/?ref=philmckinney.com). 20. "R&D spending dropped from $2.3 billion in 2023 to $2.2 billion in 2024": HPE, Annual Report on Form 10-K, fiscal year ended October 31, 2024.[ https://investors.hpe.com/\~/media/Files/H/HP-Enterprise-IR/documents/10-K-123124.pdf](https://investors.hpe.com/~/media/Files/H/HP-Enterprise-IR/documents/10-K-123124.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com). The filing states: "Expenditures for R&D were $2.2 billion in fiscal 2024, $2.3 billion fiscal 2023, and $2.0 billion in fiscal 2022." 21. "disciplined spending, portfolio simplification, and ongoing structural cost management": Marie Myers, CFO, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Q4 FY2025 earnings press release, December 4, 2025.[ https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2025/12/hpe-reports-fiscal-2025-fourth-quarter-results.html](https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2025/12/hpe-reports-fiscal-2025-fourth-quarter-results.html?ref=philmckinney.com). 22. "quantum computing research selected for a DARPA initiative": HPE Newsroom, "Hewlett Packard Labs' quantum supercomputing framework selected for DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative," April 3, 2025.[ https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/blog-post/2025/04/hewlett-packard-labs-quantum-supercomputing-framework-selected-for-darpa-quantum-benchmarking-initiative.html](https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/blog-post/2025/04/hewlett-packard-labs-quantum-supercomputing-framework-selected-for-darpa-quantum-benchmarking-initiative.html?ref=philmckinney.com). 23. "DuPont spent $15 million": Dave Kranz, "DuPont Fends Off Activist Challenge," *Chemical & Engineering News* 93, no. 20, May 13, 2015.[ https://cen.acs.org/articles/93/web/2015/05/DuPont-Fends-Off-Activist-Challenge.html](https://cen.acs.org/articles/93/web/2015/05/DuPont-Fends-Off-Activist-Challenge.html?ref=philmckinney.com). Trian spent approximately $6 million. 24. "ISS and Glass Lewis, recommended shareholders vote with the activist": Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, "DuPont's Victory in the Proxy Fight with Trian," Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, May 20, 2015.[ https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2015/05/20/duponts-victory-in-the-proxy-fight-with-trian/](https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2015/05/20/duponts-victory-in-the-proxy-fight-with-trian/?ref=philmckinney.com). 25. "CalPERS … went on record expressing concern about 'cost cutting which would reduce research and development'": John C. Coffee, Jr., "The Lessons of DuPont: Corporate Governance For Dummies," Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog, June 1, 2015.[ https://clsbluesky.law.columbia.edu/2015/06/01/the-lessons-of-dupont-corporate-governance-for-dummies/](https://clsbluesky.law.columbia.edu/2015/06/01/the-lessons-of-dupont-corporate-governance-for-dummies/?ref=philmckinney.com). CalPERS' Anne Simpson, Director of Corporate Governance, publicly criticized Trian's thesis as "relatively short term." 26. "DuPont's unusually large retail shareholder base, roughly 33%": Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, "DuPont's Victory in the Proxy Fight with Trian," Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, May 20, 2015.[ https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2015/05/20/duponts-victory-in-the-proxy-fight-with-trian/](https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2015/05/20/duponts-victory-in-the-proxy-fight-with-trian/?ref=philmckinney.com). The analysis noted that DuPont's retail shareholder base of approximately 33% was "atypically high." 27. "Innovation Signal Index": The Innovation Signal Index™ (ISI) is a proprietary framework for assessing the health and forward momentum of a company's research investment. It draws on multiple sources, including patent data, published technical research, SEC filings, and reported R&D spend. Backcasting validation applies the framework to historical data to test whether signals preceded financial outcomes. More details are forthcoming. ### How To Quit Defending Decisions You Know Are Wrong URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-quit-defending-decisions-you-know-are-wrong/ Last updated: 2026-03-04T14:03:20.000Z Ron Johnson was one of the most successful retail executives in America. He'd made Target hip. He'd built the Apple Store from nothing into a retail phenomenon. So when J. C. Penney hired him as CEO in 2011, expectations were sky-high. Johnson moved fast. He killed the coupons. Eliminated the sales events. Redesigned the stores. When his team suggested testing the new pricing strategy in a few locations first, Johnson said five words that explain everything that happened next: "We didn't test at Apple." Within seventeen months, sales dropped twenty-five percent. He was fired. And here's the part nobody talks about: Johnson had access to all the data. Every week, the numbers told the same story. Customers were leaving. Revenue was collapsing. The board was getting nervous. He could see it all. He just couldn't act on it. Because changing course would mean he wasn't the visionary who reinvented retail. He wasn't making a business decision anymore. He was protecting who he believed he was. That's the identity trap. And it doesn't just happen to CEOs. What if changing your mind didn't have to feel like losing yourself? Let's get into it. .. or listen to the podcast at: ## **Why Identity Bias Looks Like Your Best Qualities** The trap doesn't target bad thinkers. It targets good ones. Think about the entrepreneur who poured three years and her life savings into a startup. The data says it's failing. The metrics are clear. Her advisors are suggesting it's time to pivot or shut down. She has every analytical tool to evaluate this accurately. And she can't do it. She's plenty smart. The problem is that admitting failure would mean she's "a quitter." And she is not a quitter. That's not who she is. Johnson wasn't stupid either. He was brilliant. His identity as the retail visionary just happened to make him blind to the one thing that could save his company: the possibility that what worked at Apple wouldn't work at Penney's. He experienced his blindness as conviction. As leadership. And that's the disguise. Every other thinking error in this series, uncertainty, depletion, time pressure, social pressure, you can feel those happening. You know when you're tired. You know when you're rushed. But identity fusion is invisible from the inside. It disguises itself as your best qualities. The entrepreneur calls it perseverance. Johnson called it vision. The investor who won't sell a losing position? He calls it discipline. Your ego doesn't announce that it's taking over. It puts on a costume that looks exactly like your strengths. And your brain? Your brain is in on it. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## **Why Changing Your Mind Feels Like a Threat** When a belief becomes part of your identity, your brain defends it as it would defend your body. Challenge that belief, and your brain responds the same way it would to a physical threat. Not metaphorically. The same neural circuits that protect you from danger activate to protect you from being wrong. That's why arguments about strategy or direction can generate so much heat and so little light. You're not debating a position anymore. You're defending territory. And sometimes you defend it long past the point where the evidence says stop. A project you've poured months into. A strategy you championed. A hire you fought for. The data says cut your losses, but you keep going because walking away would mean all that time, all that effort, all that money was wasted. That's the sunk cost fallacy. And most people think it's about the money or the time. But it's not. Sunk cost is about identity. Think about that manager who spent eighteen months building a new system. The team knows it's not working. She knows it's not working. But scrapping it doesn't just waste eighteen months of budget. It means her judgment failed. It means she led her team down the wrong road for a year and a half. "I've invested too much to quit" sounds like a financial calculation. It's not. It's an identity statement. What she's really saying is: "If I quit, I'm the kind of person who wastes eighteen months of people's lives." The sunk cost isn't financial. It's existential. And suddenly you can see that every time you've held on too long, stayed in something past its expiration date, defended something you knew wasn't working, the force holding you there wasn't logic. It was your self-image refusing to absorb the hit. So how do you loosen the grip once you realize it's there? ## **Three Warning Signs Your Ego Has Taken the Wheel** Here's what to watch for. ### **1\. Emotional Intensity That Doesn't Match the Stakes** Someone suggests a different approach to a process you built. Not a criticism. Just an alternative. And you feel a flash of heat in your chest. Defensiveness. Maybe irritation. The reaction is way out of proportion to the suggestion. Pay attention to that gap. The intensity isn't about the process. It's about what being wrong would say about you. ### **2\. How You Argue** When someone pushes back on your position, watch what happens. If you find yourself attacking the person instead of engaging their argument, that's identity talking. "You don't understand our industry." "You haven't been doing this as long as I have." The moment you shift from "here's why the evidence supports my position" to "here's why you're not qualified to question it," you've stopped defending a conclusion and started defending yourself. The tell is subtle: you'll feel righteous, not curious. ### **3\. The Evidence Filter** When you're evaluating something objectively, new information can move you in either direction. But when identity is involved, watch what happens. You accept supporting evidence quickly, uncritically, almost with relief. Contradicting evidence? You tear it apart. You find flaws in the methodology. You question the source. You say, "That's just one study." When you're applying completely different standards depending on which direction the evidence points, that's not critical thinking. That's identity protection wearing a lab coat. ## **How To Loosen the Grip** So what do you do once you recognize the grip? Early in my career, I championed a technology direction that I was convinced was right. The evidence started coming back that it wasn't working. And I was doing exactly what I just described. Scrutinizing the bad data, embracing the good data, and getting irritated when people questioned me. It wasn't until a colleague looked at me and said, "You're not evaluating this anymore. You're defending it," that I realized my identity had completely hijacked my judgment. What helped was a shift in language that sounds simple but changes everything. Stop holding beliefs as part of your identity. Start holding them as a working thesis. ### **The Reframe** Listen to the difference between these two statements. First: "I believe this company will succeed." Second: "My working thesis is that this company will succeed." The first version fuses the belief to you. If the company fails, you were wrong. You made a bad bet. The second version builds in the expectation that your thinking will evolve. New data doesn't make you wrong. It makes you better informed. ### **The Proof** That colleague I mentioned? After that conversation, I started framing every strong opinion as a working thesis in my own head. Not out loud at first. Just internally. And the effect was immediate. I stopped feeling attacked when contradicting data came in. I started treating it as an update instead of a threat. The position I was defending? I reversed it completely. And the thing I was most afraid of — looking like I'd wasted everyone's time — never happened. The team was relieved. ### **The Practice** Next time you find yourself defending a position with more heat than it deserves, pause and restate it starting with "My working thesis is..." Then ask yourself: "What would I need to see to change this?" If you can't answer that question, if there's literally no evidence that could change your mind, that belief has become part of your identity. And your brain will protect it like one. ### **The Door** The goal isn't to be wishy-washy. Commit fully to your working thesis. Act on it with confidence. The difference is that you've built a door in the wall, and you've given yourself permission to walk through it if the evidence changes. That door is the difference between updating when you're wrong and doubling down until it costs you. ## **Why Identity Is the Amplifier** The identity trap doesn't operate alone. It recruits every other force we've covered in [Part Two of this series](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNpaqfCI7zBv6dMD5FrIac-&ref=philmckinney.com). Facing uncertainty? Identity says, "You're not the kind of person who hesitates." Someone manufactures a deadline to pressure you? "Leaders are decisive. Act now." The whole room disagrees with your position? Identity whispers "I'm a team player" — or digs in with "I'm the one who sees what others miss." Identity is the amplifier. It takes every vulnerability from Episodes 10 through 13 and cranks up the volume. That's why we saved it for last. Everything else we've covered in Part Two? Necessary. But not sufficient. Because if you haven't dealt with your identity's grip on your beliefs, those skills have a backdoor that ego walks right through. And this is exactly what [**mindjacking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/) exploits. I go much deeper into an article I wrote and in my dedicated mindjacking episode, links below. But the core mechanism is this: mindjacking doesn't just offer you convenient conclusions. It attaches those conclusions to who you are. "People like us think this." "Smart people choose this." Once a belief becomes a badge of identity, you'll convince yourself. No external persuasion required. ## **From Seeing the Trap to Building the Escape** Here's your challenge this week. Pick one belief you hold that you've never seriously questioned. Something professional. Your management philosophy. Your investment thesis. Your view on how your industry works. Something you'd describe as "just who I am." Now find the strongest argument against it. Not a straw man. The real, best case the other side would make. Sit with it. See if you can engage with it without your threat response kicking in. If you can? You've just proven that your thinking is bigger than your identity. And that is the most important skill in this entire series. If this episode shifted something for you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And in the comments, tell me: what's a belief you held that you later realized was more about identity than evidence? I think we can all learn from each other on this one. Episode 15 is about designing your decision environment. Not tips. Systems. Structures that protect your thinking, so willpower becomes optional. Now you can see the trap. Next, we build the escape route. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss it. Never miss a post from Studio Notes Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- # **Endnotes — Episode 14** ## **How To Quit Defending Decisions You Know Are Wrong** --- 1. "He'd made Target hip. He'd built the Apple Store from nothing into a retail phenomenon": Brad Tuttle, "The 5 Big Mistakes That Led to Ron Johnson's Ouster at JC Penney," *TIME*, April 9, 2013,[ https://business.time.com/2013/04/09/the-5-big-mistakes-that-led-to-ron-johnsons-ouster-at-jc-penney/](https://business.time.com/2013/04/09/the-5-big-mistakes-that-led-to-ron-johnsons-ouster-at-jc-penney/?ref=philmckinney.com). Johnson is credited with creating Target's "cheap chic" brand positioning in the early 2000s and subsequently designing and launching Apple's retail stores, which became the highest-grossing retail outlets per square foot in America. 2. "We didn't test at Apple": Tuttle, "The 5 Big Mistakes" (cited in note 1). When Johnson's team proposed testing the new pricing strategy on a limited basis before rolling it out chain-wide, Johnson reportedly shot down the idea with this statement. The quote has been widely attributed in retail industry reporting. See also James Surowiecki, "Why Ron Johnson Is Struggling at J.C. Penney," *The New Yorker* (The Financial Page), March 25, 2013\. The article is archived under The New Yorker's legacy URL format; for a summary of Surowiecki's argument, see Derek Thompson's coverage in *The Atlantic* and *Quartz*:[ https://qz.com/58487/jc-penneys-ceo-wasnt-the-one-who-killed-it](https://qz.com/58487/jc-penneys-ceo-wasnt-the-one-who-killed-it?ref=philmckinney.com). 3. "Within seventeen months, sales dropped twenty-five percent. He was fired.": Multiple sources confirm these figures. Sales fell $4.3 billion in 2012 — a 25 percent decline — and same-store sales dropped 31.7 percent in Q4 2012, which analysts called "the worst quarter in all retail history." Johnson was terminated on April 8, 2013, seventeen months after taking over. See Tuttle, "The 5 Big Mistakes" (cited in note 1); Sean Williams, "This May Be the Worst Quarter in Retail History," *The Motley Fool*, February 28, 2013,[ https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/02/28/this-may-be-the-worst-quarter-in-retail-history.aspx](https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/02/28/this-may-be-the-worst-quarter-in-retail-history.aspx?ref=philmckinney.com); and the Ron Johnson entry at *Wikiwand*, which aggregates and cites the primary financial reporting,[ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Ron\_Johnson\_(businessman)](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Ron%5FJohnson%5F%28businessman%29?ref=philmckinney.com). 4. "When a belief becomes part of your identity, your brain defends it as it would defend your body": Jonas T. Kaplan, Sarah I. Gimbel, and Sam Harris, "Neural Correlates of Maintaining One's Political Beliefs in the Face of Counterevidence," *Scientific Reports* 6, 39589 (December 23, 2016),[ https://www.nature.com/articles/srep39589](https://www.nature.com/articles/srep39589?ref=philmckinney.com). doi:10.1038/srep39589\. Using fMRI on 40 participants with strong political beliefs, the researchers found that challenges to identity-linked beliefs activated the amygdala and insular cortex — brain structures involved in threat detection and emotional processing — while also engaging the Default Mode Network, associated with self-referential thinking. Participants who resisted changing their minds showed the strongest activity in these areas. Lead author Kaplan noted: "The amygdala in particular is known to be especially involved in perceiving threat and anxiety." A 2026 replication by an independent European team confirmed these findings. See Kossowska, M., Szwed, P., Czarnek, G. et al., "Neural Correlates of Belief Change in Political and Non-Political Domains Among Left-Wing Individuals Confronted with Counterarguments," *Scientific Reports* 16, 4895 (January 8, 2026),[ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-35397-6](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-35397-6?ref=philmckinney.com). doi:10.1038/s41598-026-35397-6. 5. "That's the sunk cost fallacy": Hal R. Arkes and Catherine Blumer, "The Psychology of Sunk Cost," *Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes* 35, no. 1 (February 1985): 124–140\. doi:10.1016/0749-5978(85)90049-4\. Available via ScienceDirect:[ https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(85)90049-4](https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978%2885%2990049-4?ref=philmckinney.com). Arkes and Blumer defined the sunk cost effect as "a greater tendency to continue an endeavor once an investment in money, effort, or time has been made" and demonstrated across multiple experiments that the effect is driven by the desire not to appear wasteful — a fundamentally identity-protective motive rather than a financial calculation. 6. "Sunk cost is about identity": The connection between sunk cost escalation and self-concept draws on Barry M. Staw, "Knee-Deep in the Big Muddy: A Study of Escalating Commitment to a Chosen Course of Action," *Organizational Behavior and Human Performance* 16, no. 1 (1976): 27–44\. doi:10.1016/0030-5073(76)90005-2\. Available via ScienceDirect:[ https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(76)90005-2](https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073%2876%2990005-2?ref=philmckinney.com). Staw's central finding was that individuals committed the greatest resources to failing investments when they were personally responsible for the initial decision — an "intra-individual process in which people tend to act in ways to protect their own self-image." This reframes sunk cost escalation as identity protection rather than mere financial irrationality. See also Hal R. Arkes and Catherine Blumer, "The Psychology of Sunk Cost" (cited in note 5), whose findings complement Staw's by emphasizing the role of waste-avoidance norms tied to self-presentation. 7. "To consider an alternative view, you would have to consider an alternative version of yourself": Jonas T. Kaplan, quoted in Emily Gersema, "Hardwired: The Brain's Circuitry for Political Belief," USC Press Room, December 23, 2016,[ https://pressroom.usc.edu/hardwired-the-brains-circuitry-for-political-belief/](https://pressroom.usc.edu/hardwired-the-brains-circuitry-for-political-belief/?ref=philmckinney.com). This quote from the lead author of the fMRI study (cited in note 4) captures the identity-belief fusion mechanism described throughout this episode. Kaplan added: "Political beliefs are like religious beliefs in the respect that both are part of who you are and important for the social circle to which you belong." ### Why I Never Negotiate My Salary URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-i-never-negotiate-my-salary/ Last updated: 2026-03-02T14:03:28.000Z I have never negotiated a salary. Not once. Every job offer I've ever received, including CTO of Hewlett-Packard, I either accepted or declined. I never asked for a raise. I've actually turned down a handful of raises when I didn't think they were appropriate. People hear that and assume I'm being humble. Or strategic. I'm neither. Money was just never the thing driving me. And it took me a long time to figure out what was. ## The Secret I Carried for 25 Years I've talked about this publicly, in [**my TEDx talk**](https://youtu.be/ewv%5F47rhcQI?si=WyUN1ooodxl9XSd3&ref=philmckinney.com), to a room of two thousand people, so I'm not revealing anything new here. But I'm being more specific about it than I usually am in print. The secret I carried for 25 years, the one that fueled my impostor syndrome, was that I never graduated from college. CTO of Hewlett-Packard. CEO of CableLabs. Innovation speaker on stages around the world. The whole time, convinced I was one background check away from being exposed. That fear drove me. I worked harder than everyone around me because I believed I had to. Over-preparing for every meeting, taking on every impossible project, volunteering for anything difficult enough that nobody would stop to question my credentials. The fuel wasn't curiosity or vision. It was the kind of terror that whispers *you don't belong here*, and the only answer I had was to outwork it. On my résumé, that reads as "relentless work ethic." The honest version is simpler: I was afraid. And fear is a hell of a fuel, until you find out what it's actually burning. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## What Broke the Pattern For years, that was the whole engine. Fear in, work out. Then, in the late '80s, I stumbled into a feeling I didn't have a name for. I was twenty-eight, working at a company called Thumbscan, and they asked me to evaluate a small firm called [**Gordian Systems for acquisition**](https://www.philmckinney.com/focus-better-ideas/). Gordian had one product: a token security device popular with government agencies but no commercial customers. They were about to go under. I spent twenty-four hours looking at what they had and came back with a concept called PCBoot, which took Gordian's government-grade security technology and repackaged it for the business PC market. PC World named it Security Product of the Year at COMDEX in Las Vegas. The impostor fear didn't disappear. But something else arrived alongside it. A buzz, a rush, an almost physical charge from seeing something I'd built go from concept to shelf to recognition. I hadn't expected that feeling. And once I had it, I wanted more. At the time, I was sure this was something new, something healthier than the fear. I'm less sure now. Maybe it was. Or maybe the need to prove myself just found a more respectable outlet. Years later, at HP, it came back bigger. The [Blackbird gaming PC swept the industry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP%5FBlackbird%5F002?ref=philmckinney.com) in 2007\. PC Gamer's highest score ever. CNET 9.3 out of 10\. Fifteen awards total. But none of those reviews are the moment I think about. The moment was walking into a Best Buy with my family, pointing at a product on the shelf, and saying: "That's mine. I built that. And it kicks ass." Standing there with your kids, pointing at something real you made, knowing it works and that someone chose it off the shelf. I've chased that feeling my entire career. It never made it into a bio or a board meeting. But it's the truest thing I can tell you about why I do the work. That instinct shaped how I led, too. When I ran HP's innovation teams, the most powerful thing I could do for an engineer wasn't a raise or a title. It was making sure their work would ship. That a real person would hold it. That their neighbor might buy it and love it. So now I had two engines running: the fear of being exposed and the thrill of building something real. For a long time, I thought they were pulling in the same direction. ## Two Stories Wearing the Same Clothes If I line all of that up honestly (the impostor syndrome, the shipping addiction, the Best Buy moment, the salary I never once negotiated) what story am I actually telling myself about why my work matters? When I finally wrote it down, the answer surprised me. It isn't one story. It's two, pretending to be one. The fear story: proving I belong, outworking the doubt, running from exposure. The craft story: the deep satisfaction of building something real that works in someone's hands. For most of my career, I couldn't tell them apart. The fear powered the craft. The craft numbed the fear. They were so tangled together that I genuinely believed they were the same thing. They're not. When I started pulling them apart, I realized the fear story had been steering most of it. Projects I took on because they'd prove something, not because they were the right call. Risks I avoided because failure would confirm what the impostor voice had been whispering all along. Opportunities I chased for the validation, not the work. The craft story makes good decisions. The fear story makes desperate ones. And they wear the same clothes. That's the answer to the salary question, by the way. I never negotiated because both stories agreed I shouldn't. The fear story said don't draw attention to yourself, don't give them a reason to look closer, just be grateful you're in the room. The craft story said the work is the point, the money was never the thing. Same behavior. Completely different reasons. I couldn't have told you which one was talking. I talk a lot about [mindjacking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking-when-your-opinions-arent-yours/), how media and algorithms and political narratives capture your thinking by fusing beliefs to your identity. I never considered that I'd been doing it to myself for decades. The hijacking starts earlier than you think. It starts with the story you tell yourself about why you do the work at all. Get that story wrong, or leave it unexamined, and every decision downstream carries a distortion you can't see. ## Your Turn This question is one of roughly 150 that started in my own journals. For thirty years, I've kept a daily practice of sitting with hard questions about who I am underneath the titles, what I believe about innovation and leadership, and where I'm fooling myself. Most came from moments where I caught myself operating on autopilot and needed to understand why. Over time, I started using them with the executives and innovation leaders I mentor. They work on other people the same way they work on me: they get past the veneer and into what's actually driving your thinking, your decisions, and your relationship to the work. > **What do you tell yourself about why your work matters, and is that story true?** > *Not the version you've refined for investors or board meetings or your LinkedIn bio. The unpolished version. The reason that would sound less impressive but feel more honest. Write that one down.* That shift, from performing the story to examining it, took me 25 years. Don't wait 25 years to start. If you want to go deeper with innovation journaling prompts/questions,[ paid subscribers have early access to the full Philosophy of Innovation Journal](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/early-access-the-daily-innovation), including preview chapters and the chance to shape the final book. --- Don't wait. Get your journal out or open your notes app. Start writing before you mindjack yourself. *What do you tell yourself about why your work matters, and is that story true?* Never miss a post from Studio Notes Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe ### How To Think for Yourself When Everyone Disagrees With You URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-think-for-yourself-when-everyone-disagrees-with-you/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:37.000Z When neuroscientists scanned the brains of people going along with a group, they expected to find lying. What they found instead was something far stranger. The group wasn't changing people's answers. It was changing what they actually *saw*. We'll get to that study in a minute. But first, I want you to remember the last time you were in a meeting, and you knew something was wrong. The numbers didn't add up. The risk was being underestimated. And someone needed to say it. Then the most senior person in the room spoke first: "I think this is exactly what we need." Heads nodded. Finance agreed. Marketing agreed. The consultant agreed. And by the time it was your turn, you heard yourself saying, "I have some minor concerns, but overall I think it's solid." You're not alone. Research shows that roughly half of employees stay silent at work rather than voice a concern. And among those who stayed quiet, 40% estimated they wasted 2 weeks or more replaying what they didn't say. Two weeks. Mentally rehearsing the point they should have made in a meeting that's already over. That silence isn't a character flaw. It's your neurology working against you. And today I'm going to show you exactly why it happens and how to stop it. It starts with what was happening inside your head during that meeting you just remembered. .. or the podcast ## Why Your Brain Surrenders to the Group Most people know about the Asch conformity experiments from the 1950s. People were asked to match line lengths, and seventy-five percent went along with answers that were obviously wrong. That result gets cited everywhere. But the more important study came fifty years later, and it revealed something the Asch experiment never could. In 2005, neuroscientist Gregory Berns at Emory University put people inside an MRI machine and ran a similar conformity task, this time with three-dimensional shape rotation. Like Asch, he planted actors who gave wrong answers. But unlike Asch, he could watch what was happening inside people's brains while the conformity was occurring. Berns expected the MRI to show activity in the prefrontal cortex, the brain's decision-making center, when people went along with wrong answers. That would mean they were knowingly lying to fit in. Just a social calculation. That's not what the scans showed. People who conformed showed *no* increased activity in decision-making regions. Instead, the activity showed up in the parts of the brain that handle visual and spatial perception, the occipital and parietal areas. The group wasn't changing people's answers. It was changing what they actually *saw*. Their brains were rewriting their experience to match the room. And the people who resisted the group? Their scans told a different story. Heightened activity in the amygdala, the brain's threat detection center. The same circuitry that fires when you encounter physical danger lit up when someone disagreed with the group. Berns put it plainly. The fear of social isolation activates the same neural machinery as the fear of genuine threats to survival. When you caved in that meeting, your neurology wasn't malfunctioning. It was doing exactly what it was designed to do. Keep you safe inside the tribe. This is why what I call mindjacking works so well. Algorithms manufacture social proof by showing you what's trending, what your friends liked, and what similar people chose. Your wiring responds the same way it does at the conference table. You're fighting your own threat-detection system every time you try to hold an independent position within a group. You can't turn off the wiring. But you can learn to catch it in the act. And that starts with one critical distinction. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## The First Skill: Separating Updating from Caving Sometimes the people around you know something you don't. Changing your mind in a group isn't always a surrender. Sometimes it's the smartest move in the room. The real skill is knowing which one just happened. You can test this in real time. When you feel your position shifting in a group, ask yourself three questions. **First: Did someone introduce information I didn't have before?** If the CFO reveals a data point that genuinely changes the calculus, updating your view isn't a weakness. It's intelligence. That's new evidence. **Second: Can I articulate why I changed my mind, in specific terms?** If you can say, "I shifted because of the margin data in Q3 that I hadn't seen," that's a real update. If you can only say, "I don't know, everyone seemed to think it was fine," that's capitulation. **Third: Would I have reached this same conclusion alone, with the same information?** This is the killer question. If the answer is no, and you only arrived at this position because others were already there, you haven't updated. You've surrendered. Getting this wrong is costly. And not just the one time. When you capitulate and call it updating, you train yourself to stop trusting your own analysis. Do it enough times, and you won't even bother preparing, because you already know you're going to defer. That's how capable people slowly become passengers in rooms where they should be driving. Capture those three questions somewhere you'll see them. They're your real-time check on whether you're being open-minded or spineless. Those questions work when you're already in the meeting and the pressure is live. But what if you could protect your thinking *before* the pressure even starts? ## The Pre-Meeting Lock-In The most important thing you can do to protect your independent thinking doesn't happen during the meeting. It happens before. I call it the Pre-Meeting Lock-In, and it takes less than two minutes. Before any meeting where a decision will be made, write down three things: 1. Your position 2. Two or three key reasons supporting it 3. What would it take to change your mind Put it on paper. Put it in a note on your phone. Just get it out of your head and into a form you can reference. Why does this work? Because once the discussion starts, your mind is going to quietly edit your memories of what you believed. You'll start thinking, "Well, I wasn't really sure about that point anyway." Your pre-meeting notes are an anchor against that self-deception. They're a record of what you actually thought before the social pressure arrived. You want to see what happens when someone has the analysis but doesn't lock it in? The night before the Challenger launch in January 1986, engineer Roger Boisjoly and his team at Morton Thiokol had the data. They knew the O-ring seals were dangerous in cold weather. They'd written memos. They'd run the numbers. They recommended against launching. But when NASA pushed back hard on the teleconference, Thiokol management called an off-line caucus and excluded the engineers from the room. When the call resumed, management reversed the recommendation. Boisjoly had the analysis. His managers had heard it. But under pressure from their biggest customer, the conclusion got edited in real time. Boisjoly later described it as an unethical forum driven by what he called "intense customer intimidation." He fought like hell, but the room won. That's the most extreme version of the problem. Life and death. But the mechanics are the same in every conference room. The analysis exists. The pressure arrives. And without something anchoring you to what you actually concluded, the room rewrites the story. There's a bonus effect to the Lock-In, too. When you've documented what it would take to change your mind, you've given yourself permission to be genuinely open. You're not being stubborn for the sake of it. You're saying, "Show me evidence that meets this threshold, and I'll update." That's intellectual honesty with a backbone. But you can know exactly what you think and still fail if you can't get anyone else to hear it. ## How to Dissent and Actually Be Heard Most dissent fails not because it's wrong, but because it's delivered badly. Blurting out "I think this is a mistake" when the group is already aligned feels like an attack. People get defensive. Your point gets ignored, not because it lacked merit, but because your delivery threatened the group's cohesion. You triggered the same threat response in them that you've been learning to manage in yourself. Charlan Nemeth, a psychologist at UC Berkeley, has studied dissent for decades. You'd expect her research to show that dissent helps groups when the dissenter is right. When someone spots a flaw that everyone else missed. That makes intuitive sense. But that's not what she found. Nemeth discovered that when someone voices a genuine minority opinion, the *entire group* thinks more carefully. They consider more information, examine more alternatives, and reach better conclusions. And the group benefits even when the dissenter turns out to be *wrong*. Even when you're wrong, the act of dissenting makes the group smarter. Your disagreement forces everyone out of autopilot. Decades of research by Moscovici supports this. Minority voices don't just influence people in the moment. They shift perception afterward, in private, long after the meeting ends. That's the good news. The catch is in how the dissent happens. Nemeth tested what happens when dissent is assigned rather than authentic, when someone plays devil's advocate because they were told to. It doesn't produce the same effect. Groups can tell when disagreement is performative. The cognitive benefits only show up when the dissent is authentic. When someone actually believes what they're saying. That means the goal isn't just to voice disagreement. It's to voice it in a way that people can actually receive. And the hardest version of this isn't when you have a minor concern about an otherwise good plan. It's when the whole direction is wrong, and finding something to praise would be dishonest. In those moments, the move is to separate the people from the position. "I respect the work that went into this, and I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear, but I think we're solving the wrong problem." You're honoring the effort while challenging the direction. You're not attacking the tribe. You're trying to save it from a bad bet. When the stakes are lower, and you do see genuine merit, you can lead with that. "The market timing argument is strong, and I want to make sure we've stress-tested one thing before we commit." Same principle. You're working with their wiring instead of against it. Either way, your dissent has value beyond being right. Remember that. It's worth holding onto when your amygdala is screaming at you to stay quiet. Everything so far has assumed you're in a room with other people. Your amygdala can't tell the difference between a conference table and a phone screen. ## The Rooms You Can't See You're not just in meetings. You're in invisible rooms all day long. And most of the time, you don't even know you've walked into one. Every time you scroll past a post with ten thousand likes and think, "I guess that's the right take." Every time you read three articles with the same conclusion and stop questioning it. Every time an algorithm shows you what similar people chose, and you choose it too. Those are rooms full of nodding heads. And your amygdala responds to them the same way it responds to the conference table. Think about the last time you researched a major purchase. You probably started with some idea of what you wanted. Then you read reviews. Then you checked what was trending. Then you asked friends. By the time you decided, how much of that decision was yours? How much of it was the room? Or think about how you form opinions on topics you haven't studied deeply. You read a few articles. They mostly agree. You adopt the consensus. That feels like research. But Berns' scans tell us what's actually happening. Your brain isn't independently weighing the evidence. It's detecting a consensus and rewriting your perception to match. The same process that happens at the conference table is happening every time you open your phone. [Mindjacking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/) doesn't need to override your thinking. It just needs to make sure you never finish thinking for yourself before the crowd's answer arrives. And once it arrives, your neurology does the rest. The group doesn't just influence your answer; it shapes it. It rewrites your perception. The Lock-In works for these invisible rooms, too. Before you research a major purchase, write down what you actually want and what you're willing to pay. Before you dive into reviews and opinions, commit your criteria to paper. Before you ask friends what they think about a decision you've already analyzed, record your conclusion. Give yourself the same protection from algorithmic conformity that you'd want before walking into a boardroom. The skill isn't being contrarian. It's being *first*. First, to your own conclusion, before the room, any room, gets a vote. This is your challenge for the week. Think of one meeting you have coming up where a decision will be made. Before you walk in, open your notes app and type three lines. Line one: what you think. Line two: why. Line three: what would change your mind. That's it. Then sit in that meeting and watch what happens to your thinking when the room pushes back. I think you'll surprise yourself. What if the person you can't resist isn't your boss, your colleagues, or the algorithm? What if it's *you*? What happens when the decision you need to make threatens something deeper, when being wrong would mean something unbearable about who you are? That's where we're headed next. Never miss a post from Studio Notes Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ## Endnotes/References 1. "roughly half of employees stay silent at work rather than voice a concern" / "forty percent estimated they wasted two weeks or more": VitalSmarts, *Costly Conversations: Why The Way Employees Communicate Will Make or Break Your Bottom Line* (Provo, UT: VitalSmarts, December 2016). In a study of 1,025 employees, 70 percent reported instances where they or others failed to speak up effectively when a peer did not pull their weight. Half wasted seven days or more avoiding crucial conversations. Forty percent estimated they wasted two weeks or more ruminating about the problem. A 2021 follow-up study by Crucial Learning (formerly VitalSmarts) of 1,100 people found the rumination figure had risen to 43 percent. The script's "roughly half" is drawn from the VitalSmarts finding that the majority of the workforce reported conversation failures, with half losing seven or more days to avoidance behaviors. Primary source:[ https://www.vitalsmarts.com/press/2016/12/costly-conversations-why-the-way-employees-communicate-will-make-or-break-your-bottom-line/](https://www.vitalsmarts.com/press/2016/12/costly-conversations-why-the-way-employees-communicate-will-make-or-break-your-bottom-line/?ref=philmckinney.com). Follow-up study:[ https://cruciallearning.com/press/costly-conversations-how-lack-of-communication-is-costing-organizations-thousands-in-revenue/](https://cruciallearning.com/press/costly-conversations-how-lack-of-communication-is-costing-organizations-thousands-in-revenue/?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. "the Asch conformity experiments from the 1950s": Solomon E. Asch, "Effects of Group Pressure upon the Modification and Distortion of Judgments," in *Groups, Leadership and Men*, ed. Harold Guetzkow (Pittsburgh: Carnegie Press, 1951), 177–190\. The expanded report was published as Solomon E. Asch, "Studies of Independence and Conformity: I. A Minority of One Against a Unanimous Majority," *Psychological Monographs: General and Applied* 70, no. 9 (1956): 1–70\. Asch conducted the line-judgment experiments at Swarthmore College. Participants judged which of three comparison lines matched a standard line, with confederates unanimously giving incorrect answers on critical trials. Across conditions, approximately 75 percent of participants conformed at least once, and the mean conformity rate was approximately one-third of critical trials. Group sizes varied across experiments, typically with 6–8 confederates and one real participant.[ https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1952-00803-001](https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1952-00803-001?ref=philmckinney.com) 3. "neuroscientist Gregory Berns at Emory University put people inside an MRI machine": Gregory S. Berns, Jonathan Chappelow, Caroline F. Zink, Giuseppe Pagnoni, Megan E. Martin-Skurski, and Jim Richards, "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity and Independence During Mental Rotation," *Biological Psychiatry* 58, no. 3 (August 1, 2005): 245–253\. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.012\. The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging with a mental rotation task. Participants (n=32, ages 19–41) judged whether three-dimensional shapes were rotated versions of each other while four confederates provided answers. Conformity was associated with functional changes in the occipital-parietal network (visual and spatial perception regions), not the prefrontal cortex. Independence was associated with heightened activity in the right amygdala and right caudate nucleus, regions linked to emotional salience and threat detection.[ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/?ref=philmckinney.com) 4. "The group wasn't changing people's answers. It was changing what they actually saw": Berns et al., "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity," 245–253\. The researchers isolated the specifically social element of conformity by comparing brain activation when wrong answers came from a group of people versus when they came from computers. Conformity to group-sourced wrong answers produced greater activation bilaterally in visual cortex and right intraparietal sulcus, overlapping the baseline mental rotation network. Berns interpreted this as evidence that social conformity operates at a perceptual level rather than merely at a decision-making level. Full text PDF:[ https://pdodds.w3.uvm.edu/files/papers/others/2005/berns2005.pdf](https://pdodds.w3.uvm.edu/files/papers/others/2005/berns2005.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com) 5. "Heightened activity in the amygdala": Berns et al., "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity," 245–253\. Participants who gave independent (correct) answers when the group was wrong showed significantly increased activation in the right amygdala and right caudate nucleus. The amygdala is associated with processing emotionally salient stimuli and threats. Berns described these findings as "consistent with the assumptions of social norm theory about the behavioral saliency of standing alone." The script's characterization that "the fear of social isolation activates the same neural machinery as the fear of genuine threats to survival" is an accessible paraphrase of this finding, consistent with the broader social pain literature (e.g., Eisenberger, Lieberman, & Williams, 2003), though Berns' paper does not use that exact language.[ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/?ref=philmckinney.com) 6. "engineer Roger Boisjoly and his team at Morton Thiokol had the data": Roger M. Boisjoly, "Ethical Decisions — Morton Thiokol and the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster" (paper presented at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Annual Meeting, December 13–18, 1987). First presented as a talk at MIT in January 1987\. Boisjoly, a specialist in O-ring seals and rocket joints at Morton Thiokol, documented how engineers recommended against the January 28, 1986 launch based on concerns about O-ring performance in cold temperatures. During the pre-launch teleconference, Thiokol management called an off-line caucus, excluded the engineers, and reversed the no-launch recommendation under pressure from NASA. Boisjoly described the forum as constituting "the unethical decision-making forum" driven by customer pressure. He was awarded the Prize for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Online Ethics Center at the National Academy of Engineering hosts Boisjoly's full account:[ https://onlineethics.org/cases/ethical-decisions-morton-thiokol-and-space-shuttle-challenger-disaster-introduction](https://onlineethics.org/cases/ethical-decisions-morton-thiokol-and-space-shuttle-challenger-disaster-introduction?ref=philmckinney.com). See also Russell P. Boisjoly, Ellen Foster Curtis, and Eugene Mellican, "Roger Boisjoly and the Challenger Disaster: The Ethical Dimensions," *Journal of Business Ethics* 8, no. 4 (April 1989): 217–230\. doi:10.1007/BF00383335.[ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00383335](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00383335?ref=philmckinney.com) 7. "Nemeth discovered that when someone voices a genuine minority opinion, the entire group thinks more carefully": Charlan J. Nemeth, *In Defense of Troublemakers: The Power of Dissent in Life and Business* (New York: Basic Books, 2018). Nemeth's research program at UC Berkeley, spanning four decades, demonstrated that exposure to minority dissent stimulates divergent thinking, broader information search, consideration of more alternatives, and higher-quality group decisions. The finding that dissent improves group performance even when the dissenter turns out to be wrong is documented across multiple studies. See also Charlan J. Nemeth, "Minority Influence Theory," IRLE Working Paper No. 218-10 (Berkeley: Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, May 2010).[ https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1pz676t7](https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1pz676t7?ref=philmckinney.com) 8. "Decades of research by Moscovici": Serge Moscovici, Elisabeth Lage, and Martine Naffrechoux, "Influence of a Consistent Minority on the Responses of a Majority in a Color Perception Task," *Sociometry* 32, no. 4 (December 1969): 365–380\. In the original experiment, participants viewed blue slides while two confederates consistently called them green. The consistent minority condition produced a shift in approximately 8 percent of majority judgments toward the minority position, and roughly one-third of participants conformed at least once. In the inconsistent minority condition, the effect was negligible (approximately 1.25 percent). The script's claim that "minority voices don't just influence people in the moment — they shift perception afterward, in private" draws on Moscovici's subsequent conversion theory and research on the delayed and private effects of minority influence, including afterimage studies showing genuine perceptual shifts.[ https://www.jstor.org/stable/2786541](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2786541?ref=philmckinney.com) 9. "Nemeth tested what happens when dissent is assigned rather than authentic": Charlan J. Nemeth, Joanie B. Connell, John D. Rogers, and Keith S. Brown, "Improving Decision Making by Means of Dissent," *Journal of Applied Social Psychology* 31, no. 1 (2001): 48–58\. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02481.x. Groups deliberated a personal injury case under three conditions: authentic dissent (a genuine minority viewpoint), assigned devil's advocate (a member told to argue the opposing side), and no dissent. Authentic dissent was superior in stimulating consideration of opposing positions, original thought, and direct attitude change. The devil's advocate condition did not produce the same cognitive benefits, suggesting that groups detect and discount performative disagreement.[ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02481.x](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02481.x?ref=philmckinney.com). See also Charlan Nemeth, Keith Brown, and John Rogers, "Devil's Advocate versus Authentic Dissent: Stimulating Quantity and Quality," *European Journal of Social Psychology* 31, no. 6 (2001): 707–720\. doi:10.1002/ejsp.58. ### How To Think for Yourself When Everyone Disagrees With You URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-think-for-yourself-when-everyone-disagrees-with-you-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:22.000Z When [neuroscientists](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-strengthen-creative-thinking-the-10-minute-daily-brain-workout-based-on-neuroplasticity-research/) scanned the brains of people going along with a group, they expected to find lying. What they found instead was something far stranger. The group wasn't changing people's answers. It was changing what they actually *saw*. We'll get to that study in a minute. But first, I want you to remember the last time you were in a meeting, and you knew something was wrong. The numbers didn't add up. The risk was being underestimated. And someone needed to say it. Then the most senior person in the room spoke first: "I think this is exactly what we need." Heads nodded. Finance agreed. Marketing agreed. The consultant agreed. And by the time it was your turn, you heard yourself saying, "I have some minor concerns, but overall I think it's solid." You're not alone. Research shows that roughly half of employees stay silent at work rather than voice a concern. And among those who stayed quiet, 40% estimated they wasted 2 weeks or more replaying what they didn't say. Two weeks. Mentally rehearsing the point they should have made in a meeting that's already over. That silence isn't a character flaw. It's your neurology working against you. And today I'm going to show you exactly why it happens and how to stop it. It starts with what was happening inside your head during that meeting you just remembered. ## Why Your Brain Surrenders to the Group Most people know about the Asch conformity experiments from the 1950s. People were asked to match line lengths, and seventy-five percent went along with answers that were obviously wrong. That result gets cited everywhere. But the more important study came fifty years later, and it revealed something the Asch experiment never could. In 2005, neuroscientist Gregory Berns at Emory University put people inside an MRI machine and ran a similar conformity task, this time with three-dimensional shape rotation. Like Asch, he planted actors who gave wrong answers. But unlike Asch, he could watch what was happening inside people's brains while the conformity was occurring. Berns expected the [MRI](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-strengthen-creative-thinking-the-10-minute-daily-brain-workout-based-on-neuroplasticity-research/) to show activity in the prefrontal cortex, the brain's decision-making center, when people went along with wrong answers. That would mean they were knowingly lying to fit in. Just a social calculation. That's not what the scans showed. People who conformed showed *no* increased activity in decision-making regions. Instead, the activity showed up in the parts of the brain that handle visual and spatial perception, the occipital and parietal areas. The group wasn't changing people's answers. It was changing what they actually *saw*. Their brains were rewriting their experience to match the room. And the people who resisted the group? Their scans told a different story. Heightened activity in the amygdala, the brain's threat detection center. The same circuitry that fires when you encounter physical danger lit up when someone disagreed with the group. Berns put it plainly. The fear of social isolation activates the same neural machinery as the fear of genuine threats to survival. When you caved in that meeting, your neurology wasn't malfunctioning. It was doing exactly what it was designed to do. Keep you safe inside the tribe. This is why what I call mindjacking works so well. Algorithms manufacture social proof by showing you what's trending, what your friends liked, and what similar people chose. Your wiring responds the same way it does at the conference table. You're fighting your own threat-detection system every time you try to hold an independent position within a group. You can't turn off the wiring. But you can learn to catch it in the act. And that starts with one critical distinction. ## The First Skill: Separating Updating from Caving Sometimes the people around you know something you don't. Changing your mind in a group isn't always a surrender. Sometimes it's the smartest move in the room. The real skill is knowing which one just happened. You can test this in real time. When you feel your position shifting in a group, ask yourself three questions. **First: Did someone introduce information I didn't have before?** If the CFO reveals a data point that genuinely changes the calculus, updating your view isn't a weakness. It's intelligence. That's new evidence. **Second: Can I articulate why I changed my mind, in specific terms?** If you can say, "I shifted because of the margin data in Q3 that I hadn't seen," that's a real update. If you can only say, "I don't know, everyone seemed to think it was fine," that's capitulation. **Third: Would I have reached this same conclusion alone, with the same information?** This is the killer question. If the answer is no, and you only arrived at this position because others were already there, you haven't updated. You've surrendered. Getting this wrong is costly. And not just the one time. When you capitulate and call it updating, you train yourself to stop trusting your own analysis. Do it enough times, and you won't even bother preparing, because you already know you're going to defer. That's how capable people slowly become passengers in rooms where they should be driving. Capture those three questions somewhere you'll see them. They're your real-time check on whether you're being [open-minded](https://www.philmckinney.com/navigating-the-new-frontier-of-innovation/) or spineless. Those questions work when you're already in the meeting and the pressure is live. But what if you could protect your thinking *before* the pressure even starts? ## The Pre-Meeting Lock-In The most important thing you can do to protect your independent thinking doesn't happen during the meeting. It happens before. I call it the Pre-Meeting Lock-In, and it takes less than two minutes. Before any meeting where a decision will be made, write down three things: 1. Your position 2. Two or three key reasons supporting it 3. What would it take to change your mind Put it on paper. Put it in a note on your phone. Just get it out of your head and into a form you can reference. Why does this work? Because once the discussion starts, your mind is going to quietly edit your memories of what you believed. You'll start thinking, "Well, I wasn't really sure about that point anyway." Your pre-meeting notes are an anchor against that self-deception. They're a record of what you actually thought before the social pressure arrived. You want to see what happens when someone has the analysis but doesn't lock it in? The night before the Challenger launch in January 1986, engineer Roger Boisjoly and his team at Morton Thiokol had the data. They knew the O-ring seals were dangerous in cold weather. They'd written memos. They'd run the numbers. They recommended against launching. But when [NASA](https://www.philmckinney.com/apollo-11-moon-landing-the-innovation-that-gave-nasa-and-the-world-the-view/) pushed back hard on the teleconference, Thiokol management called an off-line caucus and excluded the engineers from the room. When the call resumed, management reversed the recommendation. Boisjoly had the analysis. His managers had heard it. But under pressure from their biggest customer, the conclusion got edited in real time. Boisjoly later described it as an unethical forum driven by what he called "intense customer intimidation." He fought like hell, but the room won. That's the most extreme version of the problem. Life and death. But the mechanics are the same in every conference room. The analysis exists. The pressure arrives. And without something anchoring you to what you actually concluded, the room rewrites the story. There's a bonus effect to the Lock-In, too. When you've documented what it would take to change your mind, you've given yourself permission to be genuinely open. You're not being stubborn for the sake of it. You're saying, "Show me evidence that meets this threshold, and I'll update." That's intellectual honesty with a backbone. But you can know exactly what you think and still fail if you can't get anyone else to hear it. ## How to Dissent and Actually Be Heard Most dissent fails not because it's wrong, but because it's delivered badly. Blurting out "I think this is a mistake" when the group is already aligned feels like an attack. People get defensive. Your point gets ignored, not because it lacked merit, but because your delivery threatened the group's cohesion. You triggered the same threat response in them that you've been learning to manage in yourself. Charlan Nemeth, a psychologist at UC Berkeley, has studied dissent for decades. You'd expect her research to show that dissent helps groups when the dissenter is right. When someone spots a flaw that everyone else missed. That makes intuitive sense. But that's not what she found. Nemeth discovered that when someone voices a genuine minority opinion, the *entire group* thinks more carefully. They consider more information, examine more alternatives, and reach better conclusions. And the group benefits even when the dissenter turns out to be *wrong*. Even when you're wrong, the act of dissenting makes the group smarter. Your disagreement forces everyone out of autopilot. Decades of research by Moscovici supports this. Minority voices don't just influence people in the moment. They shift perception afterward, in private, long after the meeting ends. That's the good news. The catch is in how the dissent happens. Nemeth tested what happens when dissent is assigned rather than authentic, when someone plays devil's advocate because they were told to. It doesn't produce the same effect. Groups can tell when disagreement is performative. The cognitive benefits only show up when the dissent is authentic. When someone actually believes what they're saying. That means the goal isn't just to voice disagreement. It's to voice it in a way that people can actually receive. And the hardest version of this isn't when you have a minor concern about an otherwise good plan. It's when the whole direction is wrong, and finding something to praise would be dishonest. In those moments, the move is to separate the people from the position. "I respect the work that went into this, and I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear, but I think we're solving the wrong problem." You're honoring the effort while challenging the direction. You're not attacking the tribe. You're trying to save it from a bad bet. When the stakes are lower, and you do see genuine merit, you can lead with that. "The market timing argument is strong, and I want to make sure we've stress-tested one thing before we commit." Same principle. You're working with their wiring instead of against it. Either way, your dissent has value beyond being right. Remember that. It's worth holding onto when your amygdala is screaming at you to stay quiet. Everything so far has assumed you're in a room with other people. Your amygdala can't tell the difference between a conference table and a phone screen. ## The Rooms You Can't See You're not just in meetings. You're in invisible rooms all day long. And most of the time, you don't even know you've walked into one. Every time you scroll past a post with ten thousand likes and think, "I guess that's the right take." Every time you read three articles with the same conclusion and stop questioning it. Every time an [algorithm](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-beat-decision-fatigue/) shows you what similar people chose, and you choose it too. Those are rooms full of nodding heads. And your amygdala responds to them the same way it responds to the conference table. Think about the last time you researched a major purchase. You probably started with some idea of what you wanted. Then you read reviews. Then you checked what was trending. Then you asked friends. By the time you decided, how much of that decision was yours? How much of it was the room? Or think about how you form opinions on topics you haven't studied deeply. You read a few articles. They mostly agree. You adopt the consensus. That feels like research. But Berns' scans tell us what's actually happening. Your brain isn't independently weighing the evidence. It's detecting a consensus and rewriting your perception to match. The same process that happens at the conference table is happening every time you open your phone. Mindjacking doesn't need to override your thinking. It just needs to make sure you never finish thinking for yourself before the crowd's answer arrives. And once it arrives, your neurology does the rest. The group doesn't just influence your answer; it shapes it. It rewrites your perception. The Lock-In works for these invisible rooms, too. Before you research a major purchase, write down what you actually want and what you're willing to pay. Before you dive into reviews and opinions, commit your criteria to paper. Before you ask friends what they think about a decision you've already analyzed, record your conclusion. Give yourself the same protection from algorithmic conformity that you'd want before walking into a boardroom. The skill isn't being contrarian. It's being *first*. First, to your own conclusion, before the room, any room, gets a vote. This is your challenge for the week. Think of one meeting you have coming up where a decision will be made. Before you walk in, open your notes app and type three lines. Line one: what you think. Line two: why. Line three: what would change your mind. That's it. Then sit in that meeting and watch what happens to your thinking when the room pushes back. I think you'll surprise yourself. What if the person you can't resist isn't your boss, your colleagues, or the algorithm? What if it's *you*? What happens when the decision you need to make threatens something deeper, when being wrong would mean something unbearable about who you are? That's where we're headed next. ## Conclusion If this episode gave you something useful, hit that subscribe button. I'm building a complete thinking toolkit here in the Thinking 101 series. If you got value today, share it with someone who could use it, especially anyone heading into a big meeting this week. Drop a comment and tell me: what's the hardest group you've ever had to disagree with? I read every comment and reply. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next episode. To learn more about independent thinking even if everyone disagrees, listen to this week's show: [***How To Think for Yourself When Everyone Disagrees With You***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FThink%5FFor%5FYoursef%5FWhen%5FEveryone%5FDisagrees%5FWith%5FYou.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ## Sources and References 1. "roughly half of employees stay silent at work rather than voice a concern" / "forty percent estimated they wasted two weeks or more": VitalSmarts, *Costly Conversations: Why The Way Employees Communicate Will Make or Break Your Bottom Line* (Provo, UT: VitalSmarts, December 2016). In a study of 1,025 employees, 70 percent reported instances where they or others failed to speak up effectively when a peer did not pull their weight. Half wasted seven days or more avoiding crucial conversations. Forty percent estimated they wasted two weeks or more ruminating about the problem. A 2021 follow-up study by Crucial Learning (formerly VitalSmarts) of 1,100 people found the rumination figure had risen to 43 percent. The script's "roughly half" is drawn from the VitalSmarts finding that the majority of the workforce reported conversation failures, with half losing seven or more days to avoidance behaviors. Primary source:[ https://www.vitalsmarts.com/press/2016/12/costly-conversations-why-the-way-employees-communicate-will-make-or-break-your-bottom-line/](https://www.vitalsmarts.com/press/2016/12/costly-conversations-why-the-way-employees-communicate-will-make-or-break-your-bottom-line/?ref=philmckinney.com). Follow-up study:[ https://cruciallearning.com/press/costly-conversations-how-lack-of-communication-is-costing-organizations-thousands-in-revenue/](https://cruciallearning.com/press/costly-conversations-how-lack-of-communication-is-costing-organizations-thousands-in-revenue/?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. "the Asch conformity experiments from the 1950s": Solomon E. Asch, "Effects of Group Pressure upon the Modification and Distortion of Judgments," in *Groups, Leadership and Men*, ed. Harold Guetzkow (Pittsburgh: Carnegie Press, 1951), 177–190\. The expanded report was published as Solomon E. Asch, "Studies of Independence and Conformity: I. A Minority of One Against a Unanimous Majority," *Psychological Monographs: General and Applied* 70, no. 9 (1956): 1–70\. Asch conducted the line-judgment experiments at Swarthmore College. Participants judged which of three comparison lines matched a standard line, with confederates unanimously giving incorrect answers on critical trials. Across conditions, approximately 75 percent of participants conformed at least once, and the mean conformity rate was approximately one-third of critical trials. Group sizes varied across experiments, typically with 6–8 confederates and one real participant.[ https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1952-00803-001](https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1952-00803-001?ref=philmckinney.com) 3. "neuroscientist Gregory Berns at Emory University put people inside an MRI machine": Gregory S. Berns, Jonathan Chappelow, Caroline F. Zink, Giuseppe Pagnoni, Megan E. Martin-Skurski, and Jim Richards, "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity and Independence During Mental Rotation," *Biological Psychiatry* 58, no. 3 (August 1, 2005): 245–253\. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.012\. The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging with a mental rotation task. Participants (n=32, ages 19–41) judged whether three-dimensional shapes were rotated versions of each other while four confederates provided answers. Conformity was associated with functional changes in the occipital-parietal network (visual and spatial perception regions), not the prefrontal cortex. Independence was associated with heightened activity in the right amygdala and right caudate nucleus, regions linked to emotional salience and threat detection.[ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/?ref=philmckinney.com) 4. "The group wasn't changing people's answers. It was changing what they actually saw": Berns et al., "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity," 245–253\. The researchers isolated the specifically social element of conformity by comparing brain activation when wrong answers came from a group of people versus when they came from computers. Conformity to group-sourced wrong answers produced greater activation bilaterally in visual cortex and right intraparietal sulcus, overlapping the baseline mental rotation network. Berns interpreted this as evidence that social conformity operates at a perceptual level rather than merely at a decision-making level. Full text PDF:[ https://pdodds.w3.uvm.edu/files/papers/others/2005/berns2005.pdf](https://pdodds.w3.uvm.edu/files/papers/others/2005/berns2005.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com) 5. "Heightened activity in the amygdala": Berns et al., "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity," 245–253\. Participants who gave independent (correct) answers when the group was wrong showed significantly increased activation in the right amygdala and right caudate nucleus. The amygdala is associated with processing emotionally salient stimuli and threats. Berns described these findings as "consistent with the assumptions of social norm theory about the behavioral saliency of standing alone." The script's characterization that "the fear of social isolation activates the same neural machinery as the fear of genuine threats to survival" is an accessible paraphrase of this finding, consistent with the broader social pain literature (e.g., Eisenberger, Lieberman, & Williams, 2003), though Berns' paper does not use that exact language.[ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/?ref=philmckinney.com) 6. "engineer Roger Boisjoly and his team at Morton Thiokol had the data": Roger M. Boisjoly, "Ethical Decisions — Morton Thiokol and the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster" (paper presented at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Annual Meeting, December 13–18, 1987). First presented as a talk at MIT in January 1987\. Boisjoly, a specialist in O-ring seals and rocket joints at Morton Thiokol, documented how engineers recommended against the January 28, 1986 launch based on concerns about O-ring performance in cold temperatures. During the pre-launch teleconference, Thiokol management called an off-line caucus, excluded the engineers, and reversed the no-launch recommendation under pressure from NASA. Boisjoly described the forum as constituting "the unethical decision-making forum" driven by customer pressure. He was awarded the Prize for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Online Ethics Center at the National Academy of Engineering hosts Boisjoly's full account:[ https://onlineethics.org/cases/ethical-decisions-morton-thiokol-and-space-shuttle-challenger-disaster-introduction](https://onlineethics.org/cases/ethical-decisions-morton-thiokol-and-space-shuttle-challenger-disaster-introduction?ref=philmckinney.com). See also Russell P. Boisjoly, Ellen Foster Curtis, and Eugene Mellican, "Roger Boisjoly and the Challenger Disaster: The Ethical Dimensions," *Journal of Business Ethics* 8, no. 4 (April 1989): 217–230\. doi:10.1007/BF00383335.[ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00383335](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00383335?ref=philmckinney.com) 7. "Nemeth discovered that when someone voices a genuine minority opinion, the entire group thinks more carefully": Charlan J. Nemeth, *In Defense of Troublemakers: The Power of Dissent in Life and Business* (New York: Basic Books, 2018). Nemeth's research program at UC Berkeley, spanning four decades, demonstrated that exposure to minority dissent stimulates divergent thinking, broader information search, consideration of more alternatives, and higher-quality group decisions. The finding that dissent improves group performance even when the dissenter turns out to be wrong is documented across multiple studies. See also Charlan J. Nemeth, "Minority Influence Theory," IRLE Working Paper No. 218-10 (Berkeley: Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, May 2010).[ https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1pz676t7](https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1pz676t7?ref=philmckinney.com) 8. "Decades of research by Moscovici": Serge Moscovici, Elisabeth Lage, and Martine Naffrechoux, "Influence of a Consistent Minority on the Responses of a Majority in a Color Perception Task," *Sociometry* 32, no. 4 (December 1969): 365–380\. In the original experiment, participants viewed blue slides while two confederates consistently called them green. The consistent minority condition produced a shift in approximately 8 percent of majority judgments toward the minority position, and roughly one-third of participants conformed at least once. In the inconsistent minority condition, the effect was negligible (approximately 1.25 percent). The script's claim that "minority voices don't just influence people in the moment — they shift perception afterward, in private" draws on Moscovici's subsequent conversion theory and research on the delayed and private effects of minority influence, including afterimage studies showing genuine perceptual shifts.[ https://www.jstor.org/stable/2786541](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2786541?ref=philmckinney.com) 9. "Nemeth tested what happens when dissent is assigned rather than authentic": Charlan J. Nemeth, Joanie B. Connell, John D. Rogers, and Keith S. Brown, "Improving Decision Making by Means of Dissent," *Journal of Applied Social Psychology* 31, no. 1 (2001): 48–58\. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02481.x. Groups deliberated a personal injury case under three conditions: authentic dissent (a genuine minority viewpoint), assigned devil's advocate (a member told to argue the opposing side), and no dissent. Authentic dissent was superior in stimulating consideration of opposing positions, original thought, and direct attitude change. The devil's advocate condition did not produce the same cognitive benefits, suggesting that groups detect and discount performative disagreement.[ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02481.x](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02481.x?ref=philmckinney.com). See also Charlan Nemeth, Keith Brown, and John Rogers, "Devil's Advocate versus Authentic Dissent: Stimulating Quantity and Quality," *European Journal of Social Psychology* 31, no. 6 (2001): 707–720\. doi:10.1002/ejsp.58. ### How to Make Better Decisions Under Pressure URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-make-better-decisions-under-pressure-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:21.000Z "We need an answer by the end of the day." Ten words. And the moment you hear them, something shifts inside your chest. Your pulse ticks up. Your focus narrows. [Careful thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-master-causal-thinking/) stops. The clock starts. You probably haven't even asked the most important question yet. Is that deadline real? Most of the urgency you feel every day is fake. Manufactured by someone who benefits from you deciding fast instead of deciding well. Most people can't tell a real deadline from a manufactured one. By the end of this, you will. Let's get into it. ## What Time Pressure Actually Does to Your Brain Last episode, we talked about [decision fatigue](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-beat-decision-fatigue/). How your brain degrades over a long day. Time pressure is different. Fatigue is a slow drain. Time pressure is a switch. When the clock is ticking, your brain stops analyzing and starts reacting. Normally, the front of your brain runs the show: careful analysis, weighing trade-offs, long-term thinking. Under time pressure, a faster, older, more emotional region takes over. You don't feel less accurate. You feel more confident. Decades of decision science research have found that under time pressure, people's confidence in their decisions goes up while their actual accuracy goes down. You're not just thinking worse. You're thinking worse while being more sure you're right. That false confidence makes you predictably worse at three specific things. 1. **Evaluating trade-offs.** You lock onto whichever side your gut grabs first. 2. **Considering consequences beyond the immediate.** Second-order thinking goes offline. 3. **Recognizing what you don't know.** Because you feel certain, you stop looking for what you're missing. And that's exactly what manufactured urgency is designed to exploit. This is [mindjacking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking-when-your-opinions-arent-yours/) in its purest form. Someone engineers the pressure, your brain switches modes, and you make their decision instead of yours. ## The Urgency Trap: Real vs. Manufactured Not all time pressure is the same. Some deadlines are real. Your tax filing date is real. The board meeting on Thursday is real. The patient who needs a decision in the next ten minutes? That's real. These deadlines exist because of actual constraints in the world, not because someone manufactured them. A huge portion of the urgency you experience? It's engineered. "This offer expires at midnight." Really? Will the company stop wanting your money tomorrow? "We need your decision today." Why today? What actually changes between today and Wednesday? Manufactured urgency is one of the most effective persuasion tools ever invented. Countdown timers on websites that reset when you refresh the page. "Limited time" sales that somehow run every month. Negotiators who invent deadlines because pressure extracts concessions. Manufactured urgency is everywhere. And it works because of what we just covered. Time pressure flips you into fast-decision mode. When someone engineers urgency, they're not just rushing you. They're changing which part of your mind makes the call. The decisions that actually shape your career almost never show up with a countdown timer. The urgency trap pulls your attention to whatever is loudest, while the ones that matter sit quietly in the background. Until it's too late. ## Five Tests for Manufactured Urgency How do you tell the difference? I use five tests. **Test One: The Source Test.** Ask yourself: who benefits from me deciding quickly? If the answer is "the person creating the deadline," that's a red flag. Real deadlines serve the situation. Fake deadlines serve the person imposing them. The car salesperson who says "this price is only good today"? That deadline serves the dealership, not you. The surgeon who says "we need to operate within the hour"? That deadline serves the patient. **Test Two: The Consequence Test.** Ask: what actually happens if I wait? Not what I'm told will happen. What actually happens. "The offer expires." Does it? What would happen if you called back next week? In most cases, the offer magically reappears. Real deadlines have real, verifiable consequences. Manufactured ones have threats that evaporate on contact. **Test Three: The History Test.** Has this "urgent" situation happened before? If the company has run "ending soon" promotions every month for a year, that's not urgency. That's a business model. If a colleague marks everything "urgent" in their emails, that's not urgency. That's a habit. **Test Four: The Reversibility Test.** This one builds on our earlier work in the series. How reversible is this decision? If you can cancel, return, or renegotiate, urgency matters less. But if the decision is hard to reverse, like a long-term contract or a major hire, artificial urgency is especially dangerous. The less reversible the decision, the more suspicious you should be of anyone rushing you. **Test Five: The Separation Test.** Remove yourself from the pressure source and check if the urgency survives. Step out of the room. Sleep on it. Call back tomorrow. Real urgency persists when you leave. Manufactured urgency dissolves. You don't need all five to spot fake urgency. Two or three is usually enough. And once you start applying these tests, something shifts. You realize how much of the urgency in your life was never yours to begin with. I've watched this happen with more than one friend. A cancer diagnosis. Doctors giving them a timeline. And in every case, the same thing happened. Not panic. Clarity. Every manufactured urgency in their lives just fell away. The stuff that didn't matter stopped getting their attention. The stuff that did got all of it. They're well past the timelines their doctors gave them. The outlook is good. But the clarity never went away. They don't need the five tests. They already know which pressure is real. Most of us won't get that kind of forced clarity. So we need tools to create it for ourselves. ## When "I Need More Time" Is the Problem Everything I just said could become a very sophisticated excuse to never decide anything. "I need more time to think about it" is sometimes wisdom. And sometimes it's avoidance wearing wisdom's clothes. They feel identical from the inside. And that's what makes this so difficult. Recognizing avoidance in yourself is one of the hardest skills in this entire series. We spent all of Episode 10 on it because there's no quick trick for telling the two apart. If you haven't watched that one, I'd recommend going back to it. For this episode, the key connection is this: manufactured urgency and avoidance are opposite problems that feed each other. The more you've been burned by fake deadlines, the more justified "I need more time" feels. And the more you default to delay, the more vulnerable you become when real urgency hits. But watch for this: if you're using the Five Tests to justify delay rather than to evaluate urgency, that's avoidance borrowing the language of skepticism. The tests are meant to help you evaluate the deadline, not to give you another reason to avoid the decision. ## Calibrating Speed to Stakes So how do you calibrate between moving too fast and waiting too long? [Jeff Bezos](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-stop-overthinking-your-decisions/) talks about one-way and two-way door decisions. I've expanded that into what I call the Stakes-Reversibility Grid. Two questions: How much does this matter? And how hard is it to undo? **Low stakes, easy to reverse.** Which project management tool to try. Where to hold the offsite. What to order for lunch. Decide immediately. These are the decisions people waste hours on that deserve minutes. **High stakes, easy to reverse.** A new marketing campaign. A pilot program. A hire with a 90-day probation period. Decide quickly, but build in a review date. You can course-correct, so speed matters more than perfection. **Low stakes, hard to reverse.** The subscription you never cancel. The small clause in a contract nobody reads. These are sneaky. They don't feel important, so you rush. But they're hard to undo, so they accumulate. **High stakes, hard to reverse.** A merger. A long-term contract. Shutting down a product line. This is where you slow down. This is where you deploy every test for manufactured urgency. This is where anyone rushing you should make you suspicious. Most people get this backwards. They spend weeks picking a laptop and fifteen minutes reviewing an employment contract. The grid fixes that. Be fast on what doesn't matter so you have the bandwidth to be slow on what does. ## From Knowing to Doing Early in my career, I watched all of this play out in a single conversation. I was negotiating a major technology partnership. The other side's lead negotiator dropped this line: "We need a signed term sheet by Friday or we're moving to the next candidate." Friday was two days away. I felt the shift. That tightening in my chest, that narrowing of focus. My brain immediately started racing toward "how do we make this work by Friday?" Not "should we?" Not "are these the right terms?" Just speed. Then I caught it. Source Test: who benefits from this Friday deadline? They did. We were their preferred partner and they knew it. Consequence Test: what actually happens if we miss Friday? They go to a backup they'd already passed over once. So I said: "We're serious about this partnership and we want to get the terms right. We'll have our response by next Wednesday." Pause. Then: "Okay." The deadline was never real. That's what this skill gives you. Not the ability to stall. Not the excuse to avoid commitment. The judgment to know which pressure deserves your speed and which deserves your skepticism. Next time you feel that tightening in your chest, that rush to decide, run two tests before you respond. The Source Test: who benefits from me deciding fast? The Consequence Test: what actually happens if I wait? You don't need all five every time. Those two alone will catch most manufactured urgency before it catches you. That's not indecisiveness. That's intelligence. ## Pressure Isn’t the Enemy In Episode 10, we tackled uncertainty. In Episode 11, depletion. Now you can spot manufactured urgency. But there's a pressure harder to resist than any deadline. A room full of people who've already made up their minds, and they all disagree with you. The CEO nods. The team nods. Everyone nods. And you're sitting there thinking, "They're wrong." What do you do with that? That's next time. Subscribe so you don't miss it. ## Continue the Series You've got the Source Test and the Consequence Test. Use them this week. Then drop a comment and tell me: what's the most obvious manufactured deadline you've ever seen through? I want to hear these stories. If mindjacking is a new concept for you, I've got a[ full episode](https://youtu.be/dwY-lSaXUVk?ref=philmckinney.com) that breaks down how your thinking gets hijacked, sometimes by outside forces, sometimes by yourself. For those who want to support the work and the team behind these episodes, you can [become a paid subscriber on Substack](https://philmckinney.substack.com/). That link is below too. Share this with someone who needs to hear it. We all know someone who either rushes every decision or can never pull the trigger. I'll see you in the next one. To learn more about decision making under pressure, listen to this week's show: [***How to Make Better Decisions Under Pressure***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Better%5FDecisions%5FUnder%5FPressure.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ## Sources and References: **Less deliberation time leads to higher confidence (inverse relationship):** Smith, J.F., Mitchell, T.R. & Beach, L.R. (1982). "A cost-benefit mechanism for selecting problem-solving strategies." *Organizational Behavior and Human Performance*, 29(3), 370–396.[ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0030507382900343](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0030507382900343?ref=philmckinney.com) **Time pressure reduces processing efficiency and accuracy in decision-making:** Dambacher, M. & Hübner, R. (2015). "Time pressure affects the efficiency of perceptual processing in decisions under conflict." *Psychological Research*, 79(1), 83–94.[ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24487728/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24487728/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Time pressure increases risk-taking and alters neural outcome evaluation:** Lin, C.J. & Jia, H. (2023). "Time pressure affects the risk preference and outcome evaluation." *International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health*, 20(4), 3205.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9963851/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9963851/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Time pressure shifts exploration strategies and dampens uncertainty processing:** Wu, C.M., et al. (2022). "Time pressure changes how people explore and respond to uncertainty." *Scientific Reports*, 12, 3955.[ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-07901-1](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-07901-1?ref=philmckinney.com) **Comprehensive review of the speed-accuracy tradeoff:** Heitz, R.P. (2014). "The speed-accuracy tradeoff: history, physiology, methodology, and behavior." *Frontiers in Neuroscience*, 8, 150.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4052662/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4052662/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Stress rapidly impairs prefrontal cortex function and shifts control to subcortical structures:** Arnsten, A.F.T. (2009). "Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function." *Nature Reviews Neuroscience*, 10, 410–422.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2907136/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2907136/?ref=philmckinney.com) **The amygdala's role in decision-making under emotional and time pressure:** Gupta, R., et al. (2011). "The amygdala and decision-making." *Neuropsychologia*, 49(4), 760–766.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3032808/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3032808/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Stress and decision-making — a neurobiological integrative model:** Pabón, E., et al. (2024). "Decision-making under stress: A psychological and neurobiological integrative model." *Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience*.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11061251/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11061251/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Jeff Bezos's Type 1 / Type 2 decision framework (2015 Letter to Shareholders):** Bezos, J. (2015). Amazon Annual Report — Letter to Shareholders.[ https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000119312515144741/d895323dex991.htm](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000119312515144741/d895323dex991.htm?ref=philmckinney.com) **The 70% information threshold (2016 Letter to Shareholders):** Bezos, J. (2016). Amazon Annual Report — Letter to Shareholders.[ https://ir.aboutamazon.com/annual-reports-proxies-and-shareholder-letters/default.aspx](https://ir.aboutamazon.com/annual-reports-proxies-and-shareholder-letters/default.aspx?ref=philmckinney.com) **Time pressure effects on decision-making in loss scenarios (eye-tracking):** Zhou, Y-B., et al. (2024). "Time pressure effects on decision-making in intertemporal loss scenarios: an eye-tracking study." *Frontiers in Psychology*, 15, 1451674.[ https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1451674/full](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1451674/full?ref=philmckinney.com) **How time pressure in different phases affects human-AI collaboration:** Cao, S., Gomez, C. & Huang, C-M. (2023). "How Time Pressure in Different Phases of Decision-Making Influences Human-AI Collaboration." *Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction*, 7(CSCW2), Article 277.[ https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3610068](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3610068?ref=philmckinney.com) All sources were active and validated as of February 2025. ### How to Make Better Decisions Under Pressure URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-make-better-decisions-under-pressure/ Last updated: 2026-02-18T13:31:12.000Z "We need an answer by the end of the day." Ten words. And the moment you hear them, something shifts inside your chest. Your pulse ticks up. Your focus narrows. Careful thinking stops. The clock starts. You probably haven't even asked the most important question yet. Is that deadline real? Most of the urgency you feel every day is fake. Manufactured by someone who benefits from you deciding fast instead of deciding well. Most people can't tell a real deadline from a manufactured one. By the end of this, you will. Let's get into it. .. or the audio podcast ## What Time Pressure Actually Does to Your Brain [Last episode](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-beat-decision-fatigue/), we talked about decision fatigue. How your brain degrades over a long day. Time pressure is different. Fatigue is a slow drain. Time pressure is a switch. When the clock is ticking, your brain stops analyzing and starts reacting. Normally, the front of your brain runs the show: careful analysis, weighing trade-offs, long-term thinking. Under time pressure, a faster, older, more emotional region takes over. You don't feel less accurate. You feel more confident. Decades of decision science research have found that under time pressure, people's confidence in their decisions goes up while their actual accuracy goes down. You're not just thinking worse. You're thinking worse while being more sure you're right. That false confidence makes you predictably worse at three specific things. 1. **Evaluating trade-offs.** You lock onto whichever side your gut grabs first. 2. **Considering consequences beyond the immediate.** Second-order thinking goes offline. 3. **Recognizing what you don't know.** Because you feel certain, you stop looking for what you're missing. And that's exactly what manufactured urgency is designed to exploit. This is mindjacking in its purest form. Someone engineers the pressure, your brain switches modes, and you make their decision instead of yours. ## The Urgency Trap: Real vs. Manufactured Not all time pressure is the same. Some deadlines are real. Your tax filing date is real. The board meeting on Thursday is real. The patient who needs a decision in the next ten minutes? That's real. These deadlines exist because of actual constraints in the world, not because someone manufactured them. A huge portion of the urgency you experience? It's engineered. "This offer expires at midnight." Really? Will the company stop wanting your money tomorrow? "We need your decision today." Why today? What actually changes between today and Wednesday? Manufactured urgency is one of the most effective persuasion tools ever invented. Countdown timers on websites that reset when you refresh the page. "Limited time" sales that somehow run every month. Negotiators who invent deadlines because pressure extracts concessions. Manufactured urgency is everywhere. And it works because of what we just covered. Time pressure flips you into fast-decision mode. When someone engineers urgency, they're not just rushing you. They're changing which part of your mind makes the call. The decisions that actually shape your career almost never show up with a countdown timer. The urgency trap pulls your attention to whatever is loudest, while the ones that matter sit quietly in the background. Until it's too late. ## Five Tests for Manufactured Urgency How do you tell the difference? I use five tests. **Test One: The Source Test.** Ask yourself: who benefits from me deciding quickly? If the answer is "the person creating the deadline," that's a red flag. Real deadlines serve the situation. Fake deadlines serve the person imposing them. The car salesperson who says "this price is only good today"? That deadline serves the dealership, not you. The surgeon who says "we need to operate within the hour"? That deadline serves the patient. **Test Two: The Consequence Test.** Ask: what actually happens if I wait? Not what I'm told will happen. What actually happens. "The offer expires." Does it? What would happen if you called back next week? In most cases, the offer magically reappears. Real deadlines have real, verifiable consequences. Manufactured ones have threats that evaporate on contact. **Test Three: The History Test.** Has this "urgent" situation happened before? If the company has run "ending soon" promotions every month for a year, that's not urgency. That's a business model. If a colleague marks everything "urgent" in their emails, that's not urgency. That's a habit. **Test Four: The Reversibility Test.** This one builds on our earlier work in the series. How reversible is this decision? If you can cancel, return, or renegotiate, urgency matters less. But if the decision is hard to reverse, like a long-term contract or a major hire, artificial urgency is especially dangerous. The less reversible the decision, the more suspicious you should be of anyone rushing you. **Test Five: The Separation Test.** Remove yourself from the pressure source and check if the urgency survives. Step out of the room. Sleep on it. Call back tomorrow. Real urgency persists when you leave. Manufactured urgency dissolves. You don't need all five to spot fake urgency. Two or three is usually enough. And once you start applying these tests, something shifts. You realize how much of the urgency in your life was never yours to begin with. I've watched this happen with more than one friend. A cancer diagnosis. Doctors giving them a timeline. And in every case, the same thing happened. Not panic. Clarity. Every manufactured urgency in their lives just fell away. The stuff that didn't matter stopped getting their attention. The stuff that did got all of it. They're well past the timelines their doctors gave them. The outlook is good. But the clarity never went away. They don't need the five tests. They already know which pressure is real. Most of us won't get that kind of forced clarity. So we need tools to create it for ourselves. ## When "I Need More Time" Is the Problem Everything I just said could become a very sophisticated excuse to never decide anything. "I need more time to think about it" is sometimes wisdom. And sometimes it's avoidance wearing wisdom's clothes. They feel identical from the inside. And that's what makes this so difficult. Recognizing avoidance in yourself is one of the hardest skills in this entire series. We spent all of Episode 10 on it because there's no quick trick for telling the two apart. If you haven't watched that one, I'd recommend going back to it. For this episode, the key connection is this: manufactured urgency and avoidance are opposite problems that feed each other. The more you've been burned by fake deadlines, the more justified "I need more time" feels. And the more you default to delay, the more vulnerable you become when real urgency hits. But watch for this: if you're using the Five Tests to justify delay rather than to evaluate urgency, that's avoidance borrowing the language of skepticism. The tests are meant to help you evaluate the deadline, not to give you another reason to avoid the decision. ## Calibrating Speed to Stakes So how do you calibrate between moving too fast and waiting too long? Jeff Bezos talks about one-way and two-way door decisions. I've expanded that into what I call the Stakes-Reversibility Grid. Two questions: How much does this matter? And how hard is it to undo? **Low stakes, easy to reverse.** Which project management tool to try. Where to hold the offsite. What to order for lunch. Decide immediately. These are the decisions people waste hours on that deserve minutes. **High stakes, easy to reverse.** A new marketing campaign. A pilot program. A hire with a 90-day probation period. Decide quickly, but build in a review date. You can course-correct, so speed matters more than perfection. **Low stakes, hard to reverse.** The subscription you never cancel. The small clause in a contract nobody reads. These are sneaky. They don't feel important, so you rush. But they're hard to undo, so they accumulate. **High stakes, hard to reverse.** A merger. A long-term contract. Shutting down a product line. This is where you slow down. This is where you deploy every test for manufactured urgency. This is where anyone rushing you should make you suspicious. Most people get this backwards. They spend weeks picking a laptop and fifteen minutes reviewing an employment contract. The grid fixes that. Be fast on what doesn't matter so you have the bandwidth to be slow on what does. ## From Knowing to Doing Early in my career, I watched all of this play out in a single conversation. I was negotiating a major technology partnership. The other side's lead negotiator dropped this line: "We need a signed term sheet by Friday or we're moving to the next candidate." Friday was two days away. I felt the shift. That tightening in my chest, that narrowing of focus. My brain immediately started racing toward "how do we make this work by Friday?" Not "should we?" Not "are these the right terms?" Just speed. Then I caught it. Source Test: who benefits from this Friday deadline? They did. We were their preferred partner and they knew it. Consequence Test: what actually happens if we miss Friday? They go to a backup they'd already passed over once. So I said: "We're serious about this partnership and we want to get the terms right. We'll have our response by next Wednesday." Pause. Then: "Okay." The deadline was never real. That's what this skill gives you. Not the ability to stall. Not the excuse to avoid commitment. The judgment to know which pressure deserves your speed and which deserves your skepticism. Next time you feel that tightening in your chest, that rush to decide, run two tests before you respond. The Source Test: who benefits from me deciding fast? The Consequence Test: what actually happens if I wait? You don't need all five every time. Those two alone will catch most manufactured urgency before it catches you. That's not indecisiveness. That's intelligence. ## **What's Next** In [Episode 10](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-stop-overthinking-your-decisions/), we tackled uncertainty. In [Episode 11](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-beat-decision-fatigue/), depletion. Now you can spot manufactured urgency. But there's a pressure harder to resist than any deadline. A room full of people who've already made up their minds, and they all disagree with you. The CEO nods. The team nods. Everyone nods. And you're sitting there thinking, "They're wrong." What do you do with that? That's next time. Subscribe so you don't miss it. ## Before You Go You've got the Source Test and the Consequence Test. Use them this week. Then drop a comment and tell me: what's the most obvious manufactured deadline you've ever seen through? I want to hear these stories. If [**mindjacking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/) is a new concept for you, I've got a [full episode](https://youtu.be/dwY-lSaXUVk?ref=philmckinney.com) that breaks down how your thinking gets hijacked, sometimes by outside forces, sometimes by yourself. Link's below. For those who want to support the work and the team behind these episodes, you can become a paid subscriber on Substack. That link is below too. Share this with someone who needs to hear it. We all know someone who either rushes every decision or can never pull the trigger. I'll see you in the next one. --- ## Sources and References: **Less deliberation time leads to higher confidence (inverse relationship):** Smith, J.F., Mitchell, T.R. & Beach, L.R. (1982). "A cost-benefit mechanism for selecting problem-solving strategies." *Organizational Behavior and Human Performance*, 29(3), 370–396.[ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0030507382900343](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0030507382900343?ref=philmckinney.com) **Time pressure reduces processing efficiency and accuracy in decision-making:** Dambacher, M. & Hübner, R. (2015). "Time pressure affects the efficiency of perceptual processing in decisions under conflict." *Psychological Research*, 79(1), 83–94.[ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24487728/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24487728/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Time pressure increases risk-taking and alters neural outcome evaluation:** Lin, C.J. & Jia, H. (2023). "Time pressure affects the risk preference and outcome evaluation." *International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health*, 20(4), 3205.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9963851/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9963851/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Time pressure shifts exploration strategies and dampens uncertainty processing:** Wu, C.M., et al. (2022). "Time pressure changes how people explore and respond to uncertainty." *Scientific Reports*, 12, 3955.[ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-07901-1](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-07901-1?ref=philmckinney.com) **Comprehensive review of the speed-accuracy tradeoff:** Heitz, R.P. (2014). "The speed-accuracy tradeoff: history, physiology, methodology, and behavior." *Frontiers in Neuroscience*, 8, 150.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4052662/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4052662/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Stress rapidly impairs prefrontal cortex function and shifts control to subcortical structures:** Arnsten, A.F.T. (2009). "Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function." *Nature Reviews Neuroscience*, 10, 410–422.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2907136/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2907136/?ref=philmckinney.com) **The amygdala's role in decision-making under emotional and time pressure:** Gupta, R., et al. (2011). "The amygdala and decision-making." *Neuropsychologia*, 49(4), 760–766.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3032808/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3032808/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Stress and decision-making — a neurobiological integrative model:** Pabón, E., et al. (2024). "Decision-making under stress: A psychological and neurobiological integrative model." *Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience*.[ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11061251/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11061251/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Jeff Bezos's Type 1 / Type 2 decision framework (2015 Letter to Shareholders):** Bezos, J. (2015). Amazon Annual Report — Letter to Shareholders.[ https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000119312515144741/d895323dex991.htm](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000119312515144741/d895323dex991.htm?ref=philmckinney.com) **The 70% information threshold (2016 Letter to Shareholders):** Bezos, J. (2016). Amazon Annual Report — Letter to Shareholders.[ https://ir.aboutamazon.com/annual-reports-proxies-and-shareholder-letters/default.aspx](https://ir.aboutamazon.com/annual-reports-proxies-and-shareholder-letters/default.aspx?ref=philmckinney.com) **Time pressure effects on decision-making in loss scenarios (eye-tracking):** Zhou, Y-B., et al. (2024). "Time pressure effects on decision-making in intertemporal loss scenarios: an eye-tracking study." *Frontiers in Psychology*, 15, 1451674.[ https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1451674/full](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1451674/full?ref=philmckinney.com) **How time pressure in different phases affects human-AI collaboration:** Cao, S., Gomez, C. & Huang, C-M. (2023). "How Time Pressure in Different Phases of Decision-Making Influences Human-AI Collaboration." *Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction*, 7(CSCW2), Article 277.[ https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3610068](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3610068?ref=philmckinney.com) All sources were active and validated as of February 2026\. ### Shell Had Six Years to Prepare. I Had Four Months. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/shell-had-six-years-to-prepare-i-had-four-months/ Last updated: 2026-02-16T13:41:00.000Z I woke up to a text from someone still inside HP. Three words: “Enrique is leaving.” Within minutes, my phone started lighting up. Current employees. Retirees. People I hadn’t heard from in years. The messages had a familiar tone. Not shock exactly, but something heavier. A resigned exhaustion. *Here we go again.* By that morning, [the news was confirmed](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-has-fired-forced-out-or-lost-6-ceos-in-25-years-here-we-go-again/). Enrique Lores was stepping down as CEO of HP to take the top job at PayPal. Bruce Broussard, a board member, would serve as interim CEO while the board launched a search. From scratch. Again. Six CEOs in twenty-five years. Every time, the board scrambles. Compressed timelines. External headhunters. Options evaluated under exactly the conditions least likely to produce a good choice. I’ve written about [what HP’s board should do differently](https://www.philmckinney.com/an-open-letter-to-hp-board/): the case for internal candidates, for cultural voice on the board, for structural changes that protect what makes HP unique. I stand by all of it. But this piece isn’t about HP. It’s about a pattern I’ve watched wreck organizations, careers, and families for forty years. The pattern: people who don’t do the hard thinking when they have time end up making the hardest decisions when they have none. ## The Clock You Don’t Control The worst decisions don’t happen when people face difficult choices. They happen when people face difficult choices *on someone else’s timeline*. When the clock isn’t yours, your options shrink. Your thinking narrows. The analysis you’d normally bring to a consequential decision gets replaced by something faster, more reactive, and almost always worse. This is true whether you’re a board selecting a CEO, a manager fielding a sudden resignation, or a family facing an unexpected medical diagnosis. In [Episode 12](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com), I break down what happens under time pressure: how your confidence goes up while your accuracy goes down, how manufactured urgency exploits the gap between feeling right and being right. I share five tests for distinguishing real deadlines from fake ones, and a framework for calibrating your speed to the stakes. Those tools matter. But they’re the second line of defense. The first line? Don’t get surprised. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## The Oil Company That Saw It Coming October 1973\. The Arab members of OPEC imposed an oil embargo in response to Western support for Israel during the Yom Kippur War. Crude prices quadrupled in weeks. Western economies plunged into recession. Every major oil company scrambled. Except one. Royal Dutch Shell had spent the previous six years building a scenario planning capability led by Pierre Wack, a French planner influenced by Herman Kahn’s work at the RAND Corporation. Wack’s team didn’t try to predict the future. They built multiple plausible futures, including one where oil-producing nations restricted supply and prices spiked, and then walked Shell’s senior managers through each scenario until those managers had genuinely internalized the implications. Shell didn’t predict the embargo. Wack’s team expected the disruption to come later, triggered by a different mechanism. What mattered was that Shell’s leaders had already thought through a world where cheap oil disappeared. They’d already debated which refineries to keep and which to sell. They’d already shifted their mental models. When the crisis arrived, Shell didn’t panic. While competitors made reactive decisions about assets, contracts, and strategy under a clock they didn’t control, Shell executed moves they’d already rehearsed. The company went from one of the weaker “Seven Sisters” oil majors to one of the two strongest, a position they held for decades. Their competitors weren’t stupid. They had access to the same geopolitical intelligence and many had sophisticated planning departments. But their planning was built on extrapolation. Extending past trends forward, assuming tomorrow looks like a slightly modified today. That’s not preparation. That’s a wish with a spreadsheet attached. ## I Know What It Costs I’m not writing about this from the outside. In the late 1990s, I co-founded Teligent and helped take it public. We were doing everything right, building a competitive local exchange carrier in a market that was exploding. Four months after I retired (my first retirement) the CLEC crisis hit. The telecom market didn’t just dip. It collapsed. Funding evaporated overnight. Teligent’s share price cratered. I had tens of millions of dollars in shares. I was blocked from trading. Alex Mandl, former president of AT&T, co-founder and CEO of Teligent, one of the sharpest leaders I’ve ever worked with, asked me to come back. I joined him and a small group to try to save the company. We worked through every option. We were unsuccessful. I watched, from the inside, what happens when something completely outside your control wipes out everything you built. I watched a team doing the right things get overwhelmed by a market that didn’t care about execution or strategy or talent. And I watched someone with Alex’s experience and leadership ability get caught off guard by a timeline nobody owned. I lost tens of millions of dollars. Combine that experience with [what happened at Teraplex](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-bankrupted-two-companies/), another company I helped build that didn’t survive, and you learn something that no business school teaches you. You learn it in your gut: do everything in your power to see it coming. Do the thinking while you still can. Because once the clock starts, the options you didn’t build don’t exist. That lesson shaped everything I did afterward. At HP, at CableLabs, in every negotiation and every boardroom. It’s why I react the way I do when I see boards scrambling, leaders improvising, families caught flat-footed by events they could have anticipated. I’ve been on the wrong side of that equation. The cost isn’t abstract to me. ## What Preparation Actually Looks Like Most people draw the wrong lesson from the Shell story. They think it’s about scenario planning as a methodology. Build scenarios, run workshops, produce reports. The methodology was just the vehicle. The real lesson is about *willingness to think through outcomes you’d rather not face, while you still have the luxury of thinking clearly.* Andy Grove understood this at Intel. “Only the paranoid survive” wasn’t a bumper sticker about anxiety. It was a philosophy of perpetual preparation. When Japanese manufacturers began decimating Intel’s memory chip business in the mid-1980s, Grove and Gordon Moore had already been asking an uncomfortable question: “If we got kicked out and the board brought in a new CEO, what would that person do?” The answer was obvious and painful: exit memory. So that’s what they did, pivoting to microprocessors and building what became the most valuable chip company on earth. The pivot nearly broke Intel. But it wasn’t a surprise. Grove had done the thinking before the clock started. Here’s the part that doesn’t get told enough: Intel learned the lesson, then unlearned it. By 2024, the company had fallen behind TSMC and Nvidia, missed the AI wave, and was burning through cash. The board brought back Pat Gelsinger, a thirty-year Intel veteran, the company’s first CTO, a technologist who understood the culture, to execute a turnaround that would take years. Less than four years later, the board lost patience and pushed him out. They replaced him with Lip-Bu Tan, a former board member. Wall Street cheered. The stock jumped 12%. But is a rising stock price the same thing as a sound decision? Intel’s board responded to Wall Street’s clock, the quarterly cycle, the analyst calls, instead of the clock the actual work required. Grove built Intel’s culture around thinking ahead of the crisis. Four decades later, his own board made a crisis-speed decision because they couldn’t tolerate the pace of a turnaround they themselves had approved. Grove would have recognized the pattern. He wrote an entire book warning against it. Johnson & Johnson in 1982 shows what culture does when strategy can’t help you. When cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules killed seven people in Chicago, J&J didn’t have a playbook for product tampering. Nobody did. There was no scenario plan, no crisis manual, no precedent. What J&J had was culture. The company’s credo, written decades earlier by Robert Wood Johnson, explicitly placed customer safety above shareholder profits. It wasn’t a poster on the wall. It was how people at J&J understood their jobs. When CEO James Burke had to decide whether to recall thirty-one million bottles at a cost exceeding $100 million, the culture had already resolved the hardest question. He didn’t have to figure out his values under pressure. They were already clear. Tylenol recovered its full market share. The tamper-resistant packaging J&J pioneered became an industry standard. The lesson was powerful: when crisis strips away your strategy and your plans and your carefully constructed timelines, culture is what’s left. Culture is what makes the decision when there’s no time to deliberate. Is J&J of today the same company? I don’t know. The J&J that shielded customers in 1982 has spent recent years fighting tens of thousands of talc-related cancer lawsuits, creating subsidiary companies to absorb the liability, and navigating opioid settlement agreements worth billions. Whether the credo still functions the way it did under Burke, as a living decision-making framework rather than a historical artifact, is a question only people inside J&J can answer. But it’s a question worth asking, because culture isn’t something you build once. It’s something you maintain, or lose. ## The Succession Problem Is a Preparation Problem HP’s board has had twenty-five years to learn this. They haven’t. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard didn’t build a formal succession pipeline. The next two CEOs, John Young and Lew Platt, were insiders who’d absorbed the culture organically. It worked because of proximity and luck, not because of a system. When the board pushed Platt aside and started hiring outsiders, there was no bench. And so began the cycle: Carly Fiorina, Mark Hurd, Léo Apotheker, Meg Whitman. Every time, urgency compressed the search into a process optimized for speed over fit. Compare that with Disney. When Bob Iger announced his retirement timeline, the board ran a multi-year succession process. They evaluated more than a hundred candidates. When their first choice, Bob Chapek, failed (technically an insider, but one who couldn’t connect with the creative DNA) they brought Iger back and tried again. This time they chose Josh D’Amaro, a twenty-eight-year veteran, and created a new role for Dana Walden to ensure the other top candidate stayed. People inside Disney are thrilled. Not because of his resume, but because he gets what it means to be Disney. Disney invested years of preparation so that when the moment arrived, they had options. They owned the clock. ## Before the Clock Starts Shell, Intel, J&J, and Disney all learned some version of the same lesson, though not all of them held onto it. The honest truth is that preparation isn’t a one-time achievement. It’s a discipline you either maintain or lose. But you don’t need a scenario planning department or a multi-year succession process to start. You need the discipline to think about what’s coming while you still have room to think. Here are five places to start. At work, at home, or both. ### 1\. Name the decisions you’re avoiding Write down three decisions you’re likely to face in the next two years that you haven’t thought through yet. Not the ones already on your plate. The ones in your peripheral vision. The leadership departure you hope won’t happen. The market shift you’d rather not contemplate. The family transition you keep pushing off. Naming them is the first step toward owning them. ### 2\. Close the preparation gap For each one, ask: *if this happened next Monday, what would I wish I’d already figured out?* Not the full plan. The first few moves. Who would you call? What information would you need? What values would guide the choice? If you don’t know the answers, you’ve found the gap. Close it now, while the thinking is free. ### 3\. Run pre-mortems Before major commitments, whether a hire, an investment, or a big family decision, ask everyone involved: “Assume this went badly. What happened?” This is Shell’s scenario planning in miniature. It forces uncomfortable futures into the conversation while your thinking is still clear and the stakes are still hypothetical. ### 4\. Build your bench If you lead people, your most important job is making yourself replaceable. Identify the two or three people who could step into your role. Give them the experiences and exposure they’d need. Do this while it’s a choice, not after it’s an emergency. The same principle applies at home. Does your spouse know how to handle the finances, the insurance, the critical logistics if you suddenly can’t? Could your family function if you were unavailable for a month? ### 5\. Save your deliberation for what matters Practice deciding faster on things that are low-stakes and reversible. Where to eat, which vendor to try, what format to use. Build that muscle so you have capacity left when the irreversible decisions arrive. ## The Real Lesson Episode 12 gives you the tools for when pressure arrives: the five tests for manufactured urgency, the Stakes-Reversibility Grid, the neuroscience of what time pressure does to your brain. Those frameworks work. But the best version of you under pressure is the one who prepared before the pressure existed. Shell didn’t survive the oil crisis because Pierre Wack was a genius forecaster. His timeline was wrong by years. Shell survived because its leaders had already lived through the disruption in their minds. When it arrived in reality, they recognized it. They had moves ready. HP’s board didn’t get surprised by Enrique’s departure. CEOs leave. That’s predictable. What surprised them was that they hadn’t prepared. That gap, between what they could have done and what they actually did, is the real cost. It always is. --- *The companion episode,* [***How to Make Better Decisions Under Pressure***](https://www.youtube.com/@philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) *(Studio Sessions, Episode 12 released on Weds), goes deep on frameworks for handling time pressure when it hits. If this piece made you think about preparation, that episode will give you the tools for execution. Watch it* [*here*](https://www.youtube.com/@philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) *Weds.* *Share this with someone who needs to hear it. We all know someone who keeps getting surprised by events they should have seen coming.* Never miss a post from Studio Notes Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- **Related:** - [HP Has Fired, Forced Out, or Lost 6 CEOs in 25 Years. Here We Go Again.](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-has-fired-forced-out-or-lost-6-ceos-in-25-years-here-we-go-again/) - [An Open Letter to HP’s Board, and Every Board Governing an Innovation-Dependent Organization](https://www.philmckinney.com/an-open-letter-to-hp-board/) - [How I Bankrupted Two Companies](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-bankrupted-two-companies/) ### How to Beat Decision Fatigue URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-beat-decision-fatigue/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:36.000Z A nurse in Pennsylvania had been on her feet for twelve hours. She was supposed to go home, but the unit was short-staffed, so she stayed. During that overtime, a patient was diagnosed with cancer and needed two chemotherapy doses. She administered the first, placed the second in a drawer, and headed home. She forgot about the second dose. It wasn't discovered until the next day. The patient was fine; they got the treatment in time. But think about what happened. This wasn't a careless nurse. This was a dedicated professional who stayed late to help her team. Her skills didn't fail. Her knowledge didn't fail. Her energy failed, and her judgment went with it. That's the trap. We assume our thinking stays constant, that the brain in hour fourteen is the same brain that showed up in hour one. It's not. Last episode, we tackled [deciding under uncertainty](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-stop-overthinking-your-decisions/). But fatigue does something different. Uncertainty makes you hesitate. Fatigue makes you stop caring. ... or listen to the audio podcast ## Why Your Brain Makes Worse Decisions by Evening You've probably heard the popular saying: "Making too many decisions wears you out, so by evening your judgment is shot." That idea dominated psychology for twenty years. Researchers believed decision-making drained from a limited mental reserve, like a battery running down. Then, independent labs tried to reproduce those results at scale, and the effect vanished. One study, 23 labs, over 2,000 people, found nothing. A second, 36 labs, 3,500 people, same result. The experience is real, though. People do make worse decisions after a long day of mental effort. What was wrong was the explanation. Your brain doesn't drain like a battery. After sustained effort, it shifts priorities. It starts favoring speed and ease over accuracy. Not because it can't think carefully, but because it decides careful thinking isn't worth the effort. Decision fatigue isn't your brain shutting down. It's your brain quietly lowering its standards without telling you. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## Decision Fatigue in the Real World That science isn't abstract. It plays out every day. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital tracked over 21,000 patient visits. Doctors prescribed unnecessary antibiotics more frequently as the day went on. Not because afternoon patients were sicker. Because saying "here's a prescription" is easier than explaining why you don't need one. Five percent more patients received antibiotics they didn't need, purely because of timing. The same pattern shows up everywhere. Surgeons make more conservative calls later in the day. Hand hygiene compliance drops across a twelve-hour shift. Financial analysts grow less accurate with each additional stock prediction they make in a single day. The drift always goes in the same direction: toward whatever requires the least effort. That drift explains something we've been exploring across this series. When you're exhausted, someone else's conclusion isn't just tempting, it's a relief. The algorithm's recommendation saves you from having to evaluate. The expert's opinion saves you from forming your own. That's mindjacking, finding the open door. Fatigue doesn't just degrade your thinking. It makes you grateful to hand it over. ## Your Four Warning Signals Knowing the science is useful. But what matters more is catching fatigue in yourself before it costs you. Here are four signals that your judgment is compromised. **Signal 1: The Default Drift.** Someone proposes a plan that sounds... fine. Not great, not terrible. Two hours ago, you'd have pushed back, asked harder questions. Now you just nod. You're not agreeing because you're convinced. You're agreeing because disagreeing takes energy you no longer have. **Signal 2: The Irritability Spike.** A colleague asks a reasonable question, and it feels like an interruption. When your emotional response is out of proportion to the situation, it's not the situation. Your reserves are low. **Signal 3: The Shortcut Reflex.** A decision that should take twenty minutes takes thirty seconds. You skip the analysis, go with your gut. There's a version of this that sounds like confidence. "I trust my instincts." But late in the day, that phrase is often code for "I'm too tired to think this through." **Signal 4: The Surrender.** You stop forming conclusions and start borrowing them. Someone says, "I think we should go with Option B" and you feel a wave of relief. Not because Option B is right, but because you no longer have to figure it out. That relief is the signal. When outsourcing, your judgment feels like a gift instead of a loss, you're running on empty. If two or more of these show up at the same time, stop. Your judgment isn't reliable right now. Don't trust it with anything that matters. ## Four Moves to Protect Your Judgment Those signals tell you something's wrong. Here's what to do about it. **Move 1: Postpone it.** Move the decision to a high-energy window. For most people, that's morning. Think of those hours like premium real estate. Stop filling them with trivial meetings. **Move 2: Shrink it.** Instead of "Should we pursue this entire strategy?" ask "What's the one thing I need to decide tonight?" Tired minds handle focused questions better than open-ended ones. **Move 3: Add a checkpoint.** Make the call, but build in a mandatory review: "Here's my decision. We revisit on Thursday morning." Not indecisiveness. A safety net. **Move 4: Pre-commit.** Before you're ever exhausted, set rules for your future tired self. "I don't approve expenditures over $10,000 after 6 PM." "I don't respond to emotionally charged emails the same day." "I don't make personnel decisions on Fridays." This is the most powerful move because you're making the decision when you're strong so you don't have to make it when you're weak. Pre-commitment also means structuring the order of your decisions. Researchers studying car buyers found that customers who faced the most complex choices first were significantly more likely to accept defaults on everything that followed. The decisions wore them down. The fix was simple: put simple choices first. Front-load your high-stakes choices the same way. Design your day so that by the time your energy fades, the remaining decisions matter least. ## Recovery as a Decision-Making Strategy Everything I've just described helps you manage fatigue in the moment. But there's a deeper question: what are you doing to actually replenish? We treat fatigue like it's inevitable. It's not. It's a sign you're spending more than you're recovering. The fix isn't another productivity hack. It's genuine rest. Real time away. Disconnected. Off. I learned this the hard way. Early in my career, I was a workaholic, just like my father. It took years to see the connection between rest and judgment. When I became a CEO, I made recovery a priority. We offer unlimited PTO, but offering it isn't enough. I take it visibly, because if the person at the top doesn't step away, nobody believes they're allowed to. A team that never replenishes is permanently operating in a degraded state. That's slow-motion failure. The triage framework buys you time. Recovery is what actually refills the tank. ## Your Pre-Commitment Challenge Every framework in this series assumes you'll use it when it counts. But mental fatigue is the silent killer of good frameworks. You can know everything about logical reasoning and second-order effects, and still make a terrible call at 10 PM because your mind decided careful thinking wasn't worth the effort. That's why this isn't just another episode. This is the one that determines whether everything else actually works in your real life. So, before this episode ends, pick one pre-commitment. One rule your strong self creates for your tired self. "I don't approve budgets after 7 PM." "I don't reply to conflict emails the same day." Whatever yours is, write it where you'll see it when you're exhausted. Then tell one person. Not for accountability theater. Because saying it out loud makes it real in a way that thinking it never does. Remember that nurse? She had the knowledge, skills, and dedication to stay late for her team. What she lacked was a system to protect her judgment when her energy failed. Your worst decisions don't happen because you're not smart enough. They happen because you're too tired to use the intelligence you already have. That nurse had all night to realize what she'd missed. But what if she hadn't? What if someone had needed that decision in the next five minutes? That's a different kind of danger. Not fatigue alone, but fatigue with a ticking clock. "We need an answer by the end of the day." "This offer expires at midnight." "The board meets tomorrow." Sometimes those deadlines are real. Sometimes they're manufactured to make you decide before you can think. How do you tell the difference? That's next time. [Subscribe](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) so you don't miss it. ## Before You Go If you haven't written down your pre-commitment yet, do it now. Sticky note, phone, back of your hand — I don't care where. Then tell someone. If [mindjacking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/) is a new concept for you, I've got a [full episode](https://youtu.be/dwY-lSaXUVk?ref=philmckinney.com) that breaks down how to spot when your thinking has been hijacked, whether by outside forces or by yourself. Link's below. One question for the comments: **What's your pre-commitment?** Drop it below. Make it public. Make it real. The best decision you make today might be the one you don't let your exhausted self make tonight. Never miss a post from Studio Notes Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ## Sources: **Berxi/NCSBN case studies:** Pennsylvania nurse fatigue incident (chemotherapy administration error)[ https://www.berxi.com/resources/articles/medication-errors-in-nursing/](https://www.berxi.com/resources/articles/medication-errors-in-nursing/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Linder, J.A., et al. (2014).** Time of Day and the Decision to Prescribe Antibiotics. *JAMA Internal Medicine*, 174(12), 2029-2031.[ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1910546](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1910546?ref=philmckinney.com) **Hagger, M.S., et al. (2016).** A Multilab Preregistered Replication of the Ego-Depletion Effect. *Perspectives on Psychological Science*, 11(4), 546-573.[ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691616652873](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691616652873?ref=philmckinney.com) **Vohs, K.D., et al. (2021).** A Multisite Preregistered Paradigmatic Test of the Ego-Depletion Effect. *Psychological Science*, 32(10), 1566-1581.[ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797621989733](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797621989733?ref=philmckinney.com) **Levav, J., et al. (2010).** Order in Product Customization Decisions: Evidence from Field Experiments. *Journal of Political Economy*, 118(2), 274-299.[ https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/652463](https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/652463?ref=philmckinney.com) **Dai, H., et al. (2015).** The Impact of Time at Work and Time Off From Work on Rule Compliance: The Case of Hand Hygiene in Health Care. *Journal of Applied Psychology*, 100(3), 846-862.[ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25365728/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25365728/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### An Open Letter to HP's Board, and Every Board Governing an Innovation-Dependent Organization URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/an-open-letter-to-hp-board/ Last updated: 2026-02-11T15:35:40.000Z Author's note: This is different from my usual Studio Notes. It's an open letter, and a set of recommendations I believe are worth putting on the record during HP's leadership transition. My[ previous post on HP's leadership transition](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-has-fired-forced-out-or-lost-6-ceos-in-25-years-here-we-go-again/) struck a nerve. HP retirees, current employees, and leaders at organizations with no connection to HP reached out, not to pile on, but because they recognized the same structural challenge in their own boardrooms. That told me the problem isn't unique to HP, and it isn't about individual directors. It's systemic. Let me say something that might surprise people, given the critique that follows: board service is genuinely hard. I've sat on public, private, non-profit, and advisory boards. What looks glamorous from the outside is demanding work: the time commitment, the fiduciary responsibility, the decisions made with incomplete information under real pressure. PwC's 2024 Annual Corporate Directors Survey found that more than half of directors acknowledge difficulty even expressing their views during board assessments. Only 28% of C-suite executives believe their boards have the right combination of skills and experience. These aren't signs of negligence. They're signs of a system under strain, where the complexity of oversight has outpaced the structures designed to support it. The challenge I want to address is specific: What happens when the people responsible for stewarding an innovation-dependent organization have never actually lived inside an innovation culture? Not from malice. From a gap, the kind of gap that looks like competence, because the person has been successful everywhere else. This piece is my attempt to bridge that gap. Not to point fingers, but to offer what I've learned from thirty years where my primary responsibility has been innovation, including a decade as CTO at HP and now more than a decade as CEO of an innovation-dependent organization. I've watched what happens when boards get this right and when they get it wrong. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## **Four Recommendations for HP's Board** I want to start with the practical advice, because I know board members are busy and the transition is underway. ### 1\. Prioritize an internal candidate with technical credibility and cultural depth. HP's next CEO should be someone who has been with the company for at least a decade, long enough to have absorbed the culture, not just studied it. Optimally, this person has established technical credibility: the engineers and product teams know them, respect them, and believe they understand what HP builds and why it matters. The data supports this. Spencer Stuart reports that 74% of S&P 500 CEO appointments are now internal promotions. Wharton research shows external hires are 61% more likely to be fired, and the failure rate climbs further when outsiders come from different industries. Disney learned this the hard way. Bob Chapek was a 26-year Disney veteran who ran the parks business brilliantly, but as CEO, he couldn't connect with the creative community that is Disney's cultural core. He alienated top creative executives, centralized decisions away from the people who understood the content, and was removed after less than three years. When the board selected Josh D'Amaro, a 28-year insider, they also elevated Dana Walden to the newly created role of President and Chief Creative Officer, reporting directly to the CEO. The principle was clear: leadership must have a direct, structural connection to the cultural DNA that defines the company. I'll come back to how HP should apply that principle and take it a step further in recommendation three. The board should not be afraid to look beyond the EVP level. Some of the most compelling leaders in any organization are one or two levels below the C-suite: breakout leaders with the technical depth, cultural fluency, and runway to commit for fifteen or even twenty years. HP's average CEO tenure over the last twenty-five years is just over four years. The industry average for public company CEOs is closer to seven. Neither is long enough for what HP needs. The next CEO shouldn't be a bridge. They should be a long bet, someone the organization can invest in and rally behind for a generation of leadership, not another cycle. And the board should align compensation to match that commitment: reward five-year total shareholder return, innovation pipeline health, and succession bench strength rather than quarterly EPS. Make long-term leadership a rewarded behavior, not a career risk. One more consideration: the board should think carefully about whether HP needs a "fixer" or a "grower." Fixers restructure, cut costs, optimize operations. Growers invest, build, and take calculated risks on the future. A fixer CEO will almost certainly damage an innovation culture, because the instincts that make them good at fixing (eliminating waste, demanding quick ROI) are antithetical to the patience innovation requires. The board has to understand that trade-off before making the hire, not after. Since publishing my earlier pieces, HP insiders and retirees have reached out to identify specific people within HP who could lead the company. The bench isn't empty. But the right insider isn't just about tenure. It's whether they carry the culture in how they lead, not just in the number of years on their badge. ### 2\. Add a board member who is a former HP leader/executive, someone who can be the voice of the culture. HP has historically had former leaders on its board. Ann Livermore and Dick Hackborn both served in this capacity, providing institutional memory and cultural continuity. Since the HP/HPE split, that practice has lapsed for HP. It's a missed opportunity. This isn't about sentimentality or honoring the past. It's about structural competence. When strategic decisions arise (acquisitions, restructurings, shifts in R&D investment), a director who lived inside HP's innovation culture can distinguish between decisions that build on the organization's strengths and decisions that inadvertently destroy them. Their presence lends organizational credibility to board decisions and ensures those decisions pass through a filter of cultural fit before they reach the global team. When employees see that someone they recognize and respect has a seat at the table, alignment comes faster and runs deeper. That voice doesn't replace financial expertise or operational experience. It complements them in a way no outside director can. The right person would be a former leader whom current and former employees recognize and respect, someone with the credibility to represent the culture authentically and the willingness to advocate for it. Not a quiet presence who adds legitimacy to the roster. An active voice who speaks truth in the boardroom and pushes back when decisions threaten the cultural foundation on which the organization depends. ### 3\. Add the CTO to the board as an ex-officio, non-voting member. This gives the board a direct, ongoing window into HP's technology community: the engineers, scientists, and researchers (the "TCP community" in HP's language) who build the products the company's future depends on. As ex-officio, the CTO participates in discussions and executive sessions but does not vote and does not count toward quorum. It's a voice, not a power shift. Disney's recent experience is instructive here, though my recommendation goes further. When Disney's board recognized that the Chapek era had severed leadership's connection to the company's creative DNA, they created a new executive role, President and Chief Creative Officer, to ensure that connection could never be lost again. That was the right instinct: build a structural safeguard, not just pick a better leader. But Disney's fix addressed the connection between the CEO and the creative community. At HP, the disconnect runs deeper. It's between the board itself and the technical community. HP's technical community is to HP what Disney's creative community is to Disney: the source of everything that makes the company distinctive. The CTO ex-officio seat creates a structural connection between the boardroom and the technical teams across the organization, ensuring the board hears directly from the people closest to the technology, not just through the filter of management presentations. I adjusted my own board governance to include the CTO as ex-officio and have directly seen the benefit. Board discussions about technology investments and R&D priorities are fundamentally better when someone in the room can speak with firsthand authority about what's technically possible, what the engineering teams are seeing, and where the real opportunities and risks live. Without that voice, the board is governing the technology agenda through secondhand reports and slide decks. HP is a technology company. The board's ability to make sound strategic decisions depends on understanding the technology landscape, not in the abstract, but as the people building it experience it. This assumes the CTO has that deep connection to HP's engineering and research community. If the CTO role has become primarily administrative, the value of this recommendation diminishes, which is itself a signal worth paying attention to. ### 4\. Commit to rebuilding and embracing a culture of innovation. This is the hardest recommendation because it can't be implemented with a vote or a governance change. But it's the one that matters most. Innovation isn't a department. It isn't a line item. It isn't something you can bolt onto a business optimized for quarterly performance and expect it to flourish. Innovation is an ecosystem of interdependent conditions: leadership engagement, trust-based culture, committed resources, patience, process that fits the organization, a compelling goal, and the ability to execute on both innovation and operations simultaneously. I codified these as[ The 7 Immutable Laws of Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-immutable-laws-of-innovation-follow-them-or-risk-the-consequences/) while I was still CTO at HP. Fast Company picked them up immediately, and their headline asked the quiet part out loud:[ Do they apply to HP?](https://www.fastcompany.com/1775357/hp-touchpad-guru-phil-mckinney-lays-down-7-immutable-laws-innovation-do-they-apply-hp?ref=philmckinney.com) Violate any one of these conditions, and the whole system collapses. A board's most important job at an innovation-dependent company is to ensure these conditions exist and are protected, especially when short-term pressures push management to compromise them. And here's the proof that this is possible: HP has done it before.[ The innovation culture that Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard built](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-won-innovation-awards-then-killed-what-made-it-true/) was real. It was grounded in trust, integrity, leaders who did the work alongside their teams, and a generational commitment to the people and ideas that made HP extraordinary. That culture was lost during the Carly Fiorina era. We rebuilt it. Art Fong, HP employee #9, spent Saturday afternoons teaching me the attributes that made HP's innovation engine work, and we brought those lessons back across all of HP. Fast Company named HP one of the world's Most Innovative Companies three years running: 2008, 2009, 2010\. First time in the company's history. Then the culture was lost again. Lost, rebuilt, lost. That pattern is painful, but it contains a crucial truth: the DNA still exists, and it can be recovered. The proof is in the rebuilding itself. If the right conditions brought HP's innovation culture back once, they can bring it back again. That's what makes this moment an opportunity, not just another transition. ## **The Structural Challenge** Every director brings mental models from their career. That's valuable; it's why they're on the board. But those models can become dangerous when they don't match the organization being governed. If a director's instinct when revenue dips is to cut R&D, that instinct was trained in an environment where R&D isn't the lifeblood of the business. At a company like HP, cutting R&D during a downturn is like a university eliminating its faculty to balance the budget. The short-term math works. The institution ceases to be what it was. This isn't about bad directors. It's about a system that places accomplished people in positions where their experience can actively mislead them, and where the role's complexity makes it genuinely difficult to know when that's happening. Research consistently shows that board composition directly correlates with how effectively a company innovates, but it's not just who's on the board; it's how they behave. And behavior is shaped by the mental models directors bring from their own careers. The hardest thing for an accomplished person to say is: "My experience may not apply here." But that's exactly what innovation governance requires. And the most practical way to close that gap is structural, which is why the four recommendations above focus on changing who's in the room, what voices the board hears, and what the organization prioritizes. ## **The Opportunity** HP's heritage is extraordinary. The company Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard built was once the most admired innovator in American business. That DNA hasn't disappeared. It's been suppressed by decades of leadership and governance that didn't understand or value it. The employees who still carry that culture forward are waiting for leadership that shares their belief in what HP can be. A thirty-two-year HP veteran, responding to last week's post, put it better than I can: "Strategy can be copied. When the market turns, culture is what holds a company together. And no strategy survives if the culture is wrong. So the Board's question is simple: who truly understands what it means to be HP?" I've seen what this company looks like when the conditions are right. I was there when Art Fong taught a room of young engineers what HP's innovation culture actually was. I was there when Fast Company recognized what we rebuilt. And I know the people still inside HP who carry that same belief. This board has the opportunity to get it right, not just for HP, but as a model for every board governing an innovation-dependent organization. The four steps above are where I'd start. And I'm hopeful, genuinely hopeful, that this time will be different. --- *Phil McKinney is the former CTO of Hewlett-Packard, CEO of CableLabs, and author of*[ *Beyond the Obvious*](https://amzn.to/4qnhtBG?ref=philmckinney.com)*. He writes about innovation leadership and decision-making at*[ *philmckinney.com*](https://www.philmckinney.com/)*.* Never miss a post from Studio Notes Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- **Related:** - [HP Has Fired, Forced Out, or Lost 6 CEOs in 25 Years. Here We Go Again.](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-has-fired-forced-out-or-lost-6-ceos-in-25-years-here-we-go-again/) - [HP Won Innovation Awards. Then Killed What Made It True.](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-won-innovation-awards-then-killed-what-made-it-true/) - [The 7 Immutable Laws of Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-immutable-laws-of-innovation-follow-them-or-risk-the-consequences/) - [The WSJ Got Quarterly Reporting Wrong: A Corporate Executive's Response](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-wsj-got-quarterly-reporting-wrong-a-corporate-executives-response/) - [STOP Performing Innovation Theatre](https://killerinnovations.com/stop-performing-innovation-theatre/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### HP Has Fired, Forced Out, or Lost 6 CEOs in 25 Years. Here We Go Again. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-has-fired-forced-out-or-lost-6-ceos-in-25-years-here-we-go-again/ Last updated: 2026-02-11T15:36:51.000Z This morning, Enrique Lores announced he's stepping down as CEO of HP to take the top job at PayPal. Bruce Broussard, a board member since 2021, steps in as interim CEO while the board launches a search for a permanent successor. His farewell letter is titled "Hasta Siempre, HP" — "forever yours." And knowing Enrique, he means it. ## A Peer, Not a Stranger Enrique and I were peers during some of HP's toughest years — the Mark Hurd and Léo Apotheker era. If you weren't there, it's hard to convey what that period felt like from the inside. Early morning Thursday Halo calls for global status updates. Customer care crises. New product launches where the stakes felt existential. The constant tension between Wall Street's quarterly demands and the long-term innovation work that actually keeps a technology company alive. Enrique and I spent a fair amount of time together through all of it. He was an engineer who'd walked in as an intern thirty-six years ago and worked his way through the business — DesignJet product manager, Indigo acquisition, running Large Format out of Barcelona, heading the commercial PC organization, managing print across EMEA. He didn't study HP's culture in an onboarding binder. He absorbed it over decades. I always reminded Enrique that I had never sold a single share of my HP stock as long as he was at the helm. And I'd tell him — don't screw it up. He didn't. He pushed HP into digital services, subscription models, industrial print, 3D, and AI-enabled personal systems. He navigated a brutal hardware market. You can debate execution on any given quarter, but the strategic direction was sound, and it came from someone who deeply understood what HP was and what it could become. So thank you, Enrique. You did something rare: you led the company you loved. I wish you well at PayPal. Now comes the hard part. Enjoying this? **Studio Notes** delivers innovation decision insights to your inbox. Subscribe ## HP's Board Has a History of Getting This Wrong HP's board has a track record of getting CEO succession catastrophically wrong. And I don't say that as an outsider. I spent years as HP's CTO. I watched the culture up close. I saw what made HP extraordinary — and what happened when leadership didn't understand it. After Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard stepped back, John Young and Lew Platt led the company capably. They were insiders who understood the DNA. But even Bill and Dave didn't get succession perfect. They never built a formal leadership development pipeline — no structured process for identifying, grooming, and preparing the next generation of CEOs from within. And when performance waned in the late 1980s, both founders had to come back — personally visiting product divisions, talking directly to staff about the company's challenges. Dave was deeply involved in selecting Young's replacement in 1992, personally endorsing Lew Platt for the role. Lew was the real thing. I met him a number of times as an HP customer when I was an SVP at Teligent. He was one of the reasons I agreed to come to HP after my Teligent days. If everyone at HP was like Lew, that was an organization I wanted to be part of. And Lew delivered — he grew HP's revenue from $16 billion to $47 billion during his tenure. But the board pushed him aside anyway. Why? Because by the late 1990s, HP was missing Wall Street earnings estimates. Critics felt Platt had been slow to the internet revolution while Sun Microsystems and IBM moved more aggressively. The company's consensus-driven culture — the very thing that made HP special — was increasingly seen by the board as a liability. More than 80 stand-alone divisions. Slow decision-making. Not enough "agility" for Wall Street's taste. So the board went looking for a "rock star." An outsider with a bold vision who could shake things up. And that's where the wheels came off. This is the part that doesn't get talked about enough: getting the culture wasn't just a failure of executive leadership at HP — it was a failure of the board itself. The board never truly grasped or valued the HP Way. While there were former HP executives on the board over the years — Ann Livermore, Dick Hackborn — the board as a whole was perpetually sucked into Wall Street's quarterly fixation, unwilling to make the hard long-term investment calls that a company like HP requires. Carly Fiorina came from Lucent. She'd never run a business — she'd run a sales organization. She pushed through the Compaq merger against fierce internal opposition, including from Bill Hewlett's own son. HP's stock dropped 50% during her tenure. She fundamentally didn't understand the HP Way. The board fired her and paid her over $20 million to leave. Mark Hurd came from NCR. Brilliant operator. Wall Street loved him. He doubled the stock price through aggressive cost-cutting. But those cuts hollowed out R&D and gutted the innovation pipeline. Then he was forced out over an ethics violation. The cost-cutting CEO who didn't invest in the future never understood that HP's real asset wasn't on the balance sheet. Léo Apotheker lasted eleven months. He came from SAP and tried to turn a hardware company into a software company overnight. He announced HP might exit the PC business entirely. The board panicked and fired him. Then Meg Whitman. Here's the part people forget: Meg was already on HP's board. She was part of the board that hired Léo Apotheker. She helped create the very disaster she was then asked to clean up. And while she stabilized the company and managed the split into HP Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, she never spent real time inside HP's operations — never walked the halls long enough to understand the culture or the people who made it work. She was the fourth outside CEO in twelve years. By that point, the culture that Bill and Dave built had been beaten down so many times it was barely recognizable. See the pattern? Every outside hire — Carly, Mark, Léo, Meg — failed to understand or embrace what makes HP unique. They brought operational playbooks from other industries and tried to impose them on an organization that was fundamentally different from anything they'd experienced. ## Why the Best CEOs Leave But HP's succession failures aren't just about hiring the wrong people. They're about driving the right people out. After Meg Whitman managed the split, Dion Weisler took over HP Inc. in 2015\. He was an insider — a decade at HP, deep operational knowledge. Then in 2019, he stepped down, citing "family health matters." I have no reason to doubt that family was a factor. But anyone who has spent time in the C-suite knows that "family" and "personal reasons" are often code. They're the socially acceptable exit when the real story involves a board that sets the wrong priorities — Wall Street's quarterly numbers and nothing else. When a CEO with long-term vision is handcuffed to a 90-day scoreboard, "family" starts looking like the dignified way out. This isn't just an HP story. It's an epidemic. According to FCLTGlobal research conducted with McKinsey, 47% of corporate executives report that their own boards are an unexpected source of short-term pressure — actively impeding long-term strategic thinking. Meanwhile, 87% of executives say they feel the most pressure to demonstrate financial results within two years. In conversations with more than 100 CEOs, FCLTGlobal found that executives consistently describe the constant demand to meet 90-day earnings targets as a "straitjacket" — one that prevents them from executing sustainable, long-term strategies. Some told researchers they were contemplating taking their companies private just to escape quarterly capitalism. That's not theoretical. Michael Dell spent $25 billion to do exactly that — buying back Dell Technologies in 2013 to escape Wall Street's quarterly scrutiny. While private, Dell invested $21 billion in R&D, transformed the company from a declining PC manufacturer into an enterprise technology leader, and returned to public markets in 2018 at a value that has since climbed past $90 billion. Dell didn't buy a company. He bought freedom from a board beholden to 90-day cycles. Russell Reynolds Associates is now tracking what they call "premature succession" — a growing trend of CEOs voluntarily making unplanned departures because, as one researcher put it, "the conditions for their success are compromised." The problem isn't the leaders. It's the environment boards create around them. I wrote about this [last year in my response to the Wall Street Journal's defense of quarterly reporting](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/the-wsj-got-quarterly-reporting-wrong). The WSJ argued that quarterly reporting doesn't hinder long-term investment. They're wrong. I lived it in HP's boardrooms — watching billion-dollar innovation projects get paused or killed not because they lacked value, but because earnings calls were weeks away. The current system trains an entire ecosystem — boards, analysts, compensation committees — to think in 90-day cycles. And it's the best CEOs, the ones with real long-term vision, who get squeezed hardest. Now Enrique is leaving too. He says it's for the opportunity at PayPal. I take him at his word. But six CEOs in twenty-five years is not bad luck. It's a system that chews through leaders. ## What the Board Needs to Understand HP is not a normal company. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard built something that transcended typical corporate culture. The HP Way wasn't a poster on the wall. It was a set of deeply held beliefs about trust, access, respect for the individual, and the conviction that innovation comes from giving brilliant people the freedom and support to do extraordinary work. When I was CTO, [Art Fong — HP employee number nine](https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-won-innovation-awards-then-killed-what-made-it-true/) — spent Saturday afternoons teaching me what those values actually meant in practice. Bill Hewlett cutting the padlock off the tool room because someone had tried to restrict access. Dave Packard staying until midnight to serve as Art's lab tech when a deadline loomed. Bill and Dave personally buying Art a house when discrimination prevented the sale. That wasn't policy. That was who they were. And it created an innovation engine that lasted decades. The CEOs who thrived at HP — John Young, Lew Platt, Enrique Lores — were people who grew up inside that system. They didn't need the culture explained to them. They'd lived it. The data backs this up. According to research from Wharton professor Matthew Bidwell, external hires receive significantly lower performance evaluations for their first two years compared to internal promotions — and they're 61% more likely to be fired. Harvard Business Review has reported that two out of five new CEOs fail within their first 18 months. In the S&P 500, boards increasingly know this: 74% of new CEOs in 2023 were promoted from within. The failure rate climbs even higher when the outsider comes from a different industry. And yet boards keep falling for the same trap — they see a "proven leader" from a different context and assume leadership is transferable. They confuse operational competence with cultural fluency. They mistake confidence for understanding. Here's what's remarkable about today: two massive succession stories broke simultaneously. Right alongside HP's announcement, Disney named Josh D'Amaro as Bob Iger's successor. D'Amaro is a 28-year Disney veteran. He joined in 1998 and worked his way up through parks, resorts, and experiences. He's the architect of the largest global expansion in Disney Experiences history. People I know inside the Disney organization are thrilled — not because of his resume, but because he "gets what it means to be Disney." That phrase should haunt HP's board. Disney learned this lesson the hard way. The last time Iger stepped away, the board elevated Bob Chapek — technically an insider, but one whose vision clashed with the creative DNA of the company. Within two years, the board ousted him and brought Iger back. This time, they reportedly evaluated over 100 candidates, ran a multi-year process, and landed on someone whose instinct for the brand runs deep. They also created a new President and Chief Creative Officer role for Dana Walden, ensuring the other top internal candidate stays and the creative engine has dedicated leadership. That's what intentional succession looks like. ## What Makes HP, HP? That's the one question HP's board needs its next CEO to answer. Not someone who'll study it in an onboarding binder. Not someone who'll nod along to a presentation about the HP Way and then run the company like every other tech firm. Someone who already knows — in their bones — what this company is supposed to feel like when it's working. That means the board should be looking hard at internal candidates. People who've spent years inside HP, who've absorbed the culture through osmosis, who understand why the company exists beyond the quarterly earnings call. And if they must go outside, they need someone who has demonstrated — not just claimed — a deep commitment to building and protecting innovation culture. HP's revenue was roughly $58.8 billion when Enrique took over. It's lower now despite years of restructuring. The AI transition is accelerating. The PC market remains soft. There are real strategic challenges ahead. But the biggest risk isn't strategic. It's cultural. Get the culture wrong and no strategy survives. So, am I going to sell my shares? I'm waiting to see if the HP Board gets it right. Hasta siempre, Enrique. Never miss a post from Studio Notes Get innovation decision insights delivered to your inbox. Free or paid — your choice. Subscribe --- ## Sources **FCLTGlobal and McKinsey & Company**, "Rising to the Challenge of Short-Termism," September 2016\. Survey of over 1,000 C-suite executives and board members on short-term pressures. [fcltglobal.org](https://www.fcltglobal.org/resource/rising-to-the-challenge-of-short-termism/?ref=philmckinney.com) **FCLTGlobal**, "The Long-Term Habits of a Highly Effective Corporate Board," 2019\. Research on board governance and short-term pressure, including the finding that 47% of executives report boards as an unexpected source of short-term pressure. [fcltglobal.org](https://www.fcltglobal.org/resource/long-term-board-habits/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Matthew Bidwell**, "Paying More to Get Less: The Effects of External Hiring versus Internal Mobility," *Administrative Science Quarterly*, 2011\. Wharton research on external hire performance, exit rates, and compensation premiums. [Knowledge at Wharton](https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/why-external-hires-get-paid-more-and-perform-worse-than-internal-staff/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Ram Charan**, "Ending the CEO Succession Crisis," *Harvard Business Review*, February 2005\. Research on CEO failure rates within the first 18 months. [hbr.org](https://hbr.org/2005/02/ending-the-ceo-succession-crisis?ref=philmckinney.com) **Spencer Stuart**, "CEO Transitions 2023." Annual analysis of S&P 500 and S&P 1500 CEO succession patterns, including the 74% internal appointment rate for S&P 500 companies in 2023\. [Hunt Scanlon Media summary](https://huntscanlon.com/ceo-transitions-decline-in-2023/?ref=philmckinney.com) **Russell Reynolds Associates**, "Looking Beyond the CEO," from *The Next CEO* report series, 2024\. Research on "premature succession" and the trend of voluntary CEO departures. [russellreynolds.com](https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/insights/reports-surveys/the-next-ceo/looking-beyond-the-ceo?ref=philmckinney.com) **Corporate Board Member**, "Understanding the Rise in CEO Exits," 2025\. Industry analysis of voluntary and involuntary CEO departure trends, including Russell Reynolds commentary on premature succession. [boardmember.com](https://boardmember.com/understanding-the-rise-in-ceo-exits/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### How to Stop Overthinking Your Decisions URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-stop-overthinking-your-decisions/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:36.000Z You've got a decision you've been putting off. Maybe it's a career move. An investment. A difficult conversation you keep rehearsing in your head but never starting. You tell yourself you need more information. More data. More time to think. But you're not gathering information. You're hiding behind it. What looks like due diligence is actually overthinking in disguise. The certainty you're waiting for doesn't exist. It won't exist until after you decide and see what happens. I call this mindjacking: when something hijacks your ability to think for yourself. Sometimes it's external. Algorithms, experts, crowds thinking for you. But sometimes you're the one doing it. That endless research? It feels like diligence. It functions as delay. You're not being thorough. You're mindjacking yourself. Today, you'll learn a framework for knowing when you have enough information, even when it doesn't feel like enough. Because deciding before you're ready isn't recklessness. It's a skill. And for most people, that skill has completely atrophied. ... or listen to the podcast. ## The Real Cost of Waiting At a California supermarket, researchers set up a tasting booth for gourmet jams. Some days, the display showed 24 varieties. Other days, just six. The bigger display attracted more attention. Sixty percent of people stopped to look. But only three percent actually bought jam. When shoppers saw just six options? Thirty percent purchased. Ten times the conversion rate. More options didn't help people choose. More options paralyzed them. The jam study has been replicated across dozens of categories since then. The pattern holds. More choices, more overthinking, fewer decisions. Think about your postponed decision. How many options are you juggling? How many articles have you read? Every expert you consult, every scenario you play out in your head... you're not getting closer to certainty. You're adding jams to the display. And while you're researching, the world keeps moving. Opportunities close. Competitors act. Your own situation shifts. The decision you're avoiding today won't even be the same decision six months from now. Waiting has a cost. Most people dramatically underestimate it. ## The Two-Door Framework So how do you know when you have enough information? Jeff Bezos uses a mental model that's useful here. Picture every decision as a door you're about to walk through. Some doors are one-way: once you're through, you can't come back. Selling your company. Getting married. Signing a ten-year lease. These deserve serious deliberation. Most decisions, though, are two-way doors. You walk through, look around, and if you don't like what you see, you walk back out. Starting a side project. Trying a new marketing strategy. Having that difficult conversation. The consequences are real, but they're not permanent. The mistake most people make is treating two-way doors like one-way doors. They apply the same level of analysis to choosing project management software as acquiring a company. They're not being thorough. They're overthinking reversible choices. That's how organizations grind to a halt. That's how careers stall. That's how opportunities evaporate while you're still "thinking about it." Before you gather more information, ask yourself: Can I reverse this? If yes, even if reversing would be annoying, you're probably overthinking it. ## The 40-70 Rule General Colin Powell used a decision framework he called the 40-70 rule. Military leaders and executives have adopted it for decades. ### The Floor: 40% Never decide with less than forty percent of the information you'd want. Below that threshold, you're not being decisive. You're gambling. ### The Ceiling: 70% Don't wait for more than seventy percent. By the time you've gathered that much data, the window has usually closed. Someone else acted. The situation changed. The decision got made for you, by default. ### The Sweet Spot That range between forty and seventy percent is where good decisions actually happen. It feels uncomfortable because you're not certain. That discomfort isn't a warning sign, though. It's the signal that you're doing it right. Most overthinking happens above seventy percent. You already have what you need. You're just not ready to commit. If deciding feels completely comfortable, you've probably waited too long. ## The Productive Discomfort Test "I genuinely need more information" and "I'm using research as a hiding place" feel identical from the inside. Both feel responsible. Both feel like due diligence. I once watched a friend spend eleven months researching a career change. She read books. Took assessments. Talked to people in the field. Built spreadsheets comparing options. She knew more about the industry than people working in it. And at month eleven, she was no closer to a decision than at month one. The research had become the activity. The feeling of progress without the risk of commitment. She wasn't preparing. She was hiding. And she couldn't tell the difference. So how do you tell productive research apart from overthinking? Four tests: ### Test 1: The Flip Question Ask yourself: What specifically would change my decision? Not what would make me more comfortable. What would actually flip my choice? If you can't name something concrete, you're not gathering information. You're stalling. ### Test 2: The Repetition Check Are you learning genuinely new things? Or finding different sources that confirm what you already suspected? The third article about the same topic isn't research. It's reassurance-seeking dressed up as diligence. ### Test 3: The Timeline Test Have you set a deadline for deciding? "When I have enough information" isn't a deadline. That's an escape hatch that never closes. A real deadline has a date. It's in your calendar. It arrives whether you're ready or not. ### Test 4: The Broken Record Test If you keep telling the same people "I'm still thinking about it" for the same decision over weeks or months, that's not thinking. That's avoidance on autopilot. You've become a broken record, and everyone can hear it except you. Here's the uncomfortable truth: if you fail more than one of these tests, you probably already have enough information. You're not under-informed. You're over-attached to the comfort of not having decided yet. The goal isn't to eliminate uncertainty. You can't. The goal is to act while uncertainty is still manageable, while you can still correct course, while the opportunity is still breathing. ## Your Decision Deadline That decision you've been postponing? It has an expiration date. Not one you set. One that's already running. Every week you wait, the context shifts. The opportunity narrows. The person you'd need to have that conversation with forms new assumptions about your silence. You're not preserving your options by waiting. You're watching them quietly disappear. This week, not someday, identify the decision you've been postponing. The one that popped into your head when this video started. You know exactly which one I mean. Set a deadline. Pick a specific date by which you will decide. Not a date by which you'll have complete information. A date by which you'll commit to a direction. Write it down. Put it in your calendar. Make it real. Then ask the two-door question: **Is this reversible?** If it is, your deadline should be soon. Days, not months. When that deadline arrives, decide. Not perfectly. Not with complete confidence. Deliberately, with the information you have, knowing you can adjust as you learn more. And once you've decided, set a checkpoint. Pick a date, two weeks out, a month out, when you'll evaluate whether to stay the course or walk back through the door. This isn't second-guessing. It's building the feedback loop that makes two-way doors work. Decide now, verify later. That feeling of deciding before you're fully ready? Get used to it. That's what good decision-making actually feels like. ## Conclusion Uncertainty isn't going away. Not for this decision, not for any decision that actually matters. The question is whether you'll learn to act within it, or let it become a permanent excuse. Acting under uncertainty requires energy, though. Mental fuel. And when that fuel runs out, everything changes. That's next time: deciding when you're depleted. Because the hardest decisions in your life won't happen when you're rested and sharp. They'll happen at 10 PM after a brutal day, when someone needs an answer and you're running on empty. ## Before You Go You've got two choices right now. Choice one: scroll to the next video. Let this become another thing you watched but didn't act on. Choice two: pause for thirty seconds. Think about that decision. Set the deadline. Put it in your calendar before you leave this page. Thirty seconds. That's the difference between insight and action. If [**mindjacking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/) is a new concept for you, I've got a full episode that breaks down how to spot when your thinking has been hijacked, whether by outside forces or by yourself. [Watch is on YouTube. ](https://youtu.be/dwY-lSaXUVk?ref=philmckinney.com) For those who want to support the work and the team behind these episodes, you can [become a paid subscriber on Substack](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe). One question for the comments: What decision are you finally going to stop researching and start making? Your deadline begins now. --- ## Sources **The Jam Study** Iyengar, S. S., & Lepper, M. R. (2000). When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing? *Journal of Personality and Social Psychology*, 79(6), 995-1006\. The study was conducted at Draeger's Market in Menlo Park, California. **The 40-70 Rule** Attributed to General Colin Powell. The rule appears in "Quotations from Chairman Powell: A Leadership Primer" by Oren Harari (1996), based on Powell's *My American Journey* (1995). Powell served as a four-star general in the U.S. Army and as the 65th U.S. Secretary of State (2001-2005). The formula "P = 40 to 70" represents the probability of success based on percentage of information acquired. **The Two-Door Framework** Bezos, J. (2015). Letter to Shareholders. Amazon.com, Inc. Annual Report. The framework distinguishes between "Type 1" decisions (one-way doors, irreversible) and "Type 2" decisions (two-way doors, reversible). Bezos elaborated on this in his 2016 shareholder letter, noting that organizations often mistakenly apply heavyweight Type 1 processes to reversible Type 2 decisions. --- ### How I Bankrupted Two Companies URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-bankrupted-two-companies/ Last updated: 2026-01-26T02:10:51.000Z The engineers were staring at me. On the whiteboard behind me, a diagram of the MISChip architecture. A dozen instructions. Sixty-five megahertz. The most elegant processor design I'd ever seen. We were going to change everything. The question was simple: What market should we focus on? My spreadsheets were ready. Market projections. Competitive analysis. Three different financial models. I'd been gathering data for weeks. Someone finally broke the silence. "Phil? What's the decision?" I looked around the table. Engineers who had built something remarkable, who needed me to point them in a direction. Any direction. "I need to think about it more." The silence stretched. Someone sighed. The meeting ended the way most of our meetings ended that year. Without a decision. I was thirty years old, and I was the President of TeraPlex, Inc. My first senior executive role. My first time in the big chair. I was also destroying the company with every meeting that ended exactly like this one. ## How I Got Here A few years earlier, I was under a tech bench in Naperville. Sleeping on a camping pad. Debugging fingerprint algorithms at 3 AM. [ThumbScan was dying.](https://www.philmckinney.com/i-wore-a-red-badge-inside-the-nsa-heres-what-happened/) Three years of my life poured into developing biometric security systems, working with the NSA, building technology that would eventually help catch criminals. All of it bleeding cash. The commercial market didn't exist yet. We were ten years too early. Advanced Analytics Corporation had originated the ThumbScan concept and secured the venture capital funding to launch the business. Now they offered me the presidency of TeraPlex, their supercomputer subsidiary. A lifeline. The company was building a revolutionary microprocessor. MISC, or Minimum Instruction Set Computing. Instead of hundreds of complex instructions like traditional processors, we stripped it down to about a dozen. Atomic operations. Clean. Fast. Running at 65 MHz when competitors were at 25. The founders were affiliated with the University of Illinois. Brilliant minds. People I knew and trusted. The technology was solid. What I didn't know was how to be a president. At ThumbScan, I was the technology guy. Building algorithms. Solving problems with code. When Peter Dignan needed a fingerprint matching system that worked, BlitzMatch delivered. One hundred eighty bytes of signature extraction that outperformed systems costing thirty times more. Probabilistic thinking at a mathematical level made sense to me. Type 1 errors. Type 2 errors. Confidence intervals. Quantifying uncertainty in algorithms felt natural. But sitting in that boardroom? Making decisions with money and people's jobs on the line? Explaining myself to a board of directors I barely understood? Facing angel investors who expected returns? That was a different kind of uncertainty. And I had no framework for it. ## The Paralysis Every decision felt irreversible. The options spread before us like a buffet where everything looked good and choosing wrong meant starvation. Government and academic research, where the budgets were bigger but the sales cycles were glacial. The commercial market, where the volume was higher but we'd be competing against giants. We could be a component supplier to systems companies, or build our own computers to capture the whole margin. We could ride the rapidly expanding supercomputer wave, where our massively parallel architecture could shine. Lots of choices. Too many choices. The story I told myself? I was being thorough. Responsible. Diligent. The reality was I was treating every decision like it was permanent. Like choosing wrong meant instant collapse. Like 100% certainty was required before I could move. Most of those decisions were two-way doors. We could have targeted government research, learned from early customers, expanded from there. We could have picked one systems company partnership, used it as a proof point. We could have chosen *something* and adjusted. But in my head, every door was one-way. Every choice was final. Every mistake would prove I didn't belong in that chair. Impostor syndrome doesn't announce itself. It doesn't walk into the room and introduce itself so you can deal with it directly. It whispers. And the whispers sound like wisdom. *You're not smart enough for this.* *You don't actually know what you're doing.* *Everyone else in this room sees through you.* *If you make a mistake, they'll know you're a fraud.* *You need to be certain. Every decision must be perfect. More data. Study the options longer. Schedule another meeting.* The whispers feel like prudence. Like careful leadership. Like the responsible thing to do. They're not. They're fear dressed up in a suit. So the waiting continued. And the company waited with me. ## The Ego That Made It Worse We were getting incredible press. *BusinessWeek* ran a major story on us. Technology journalists were fascinated by what we were building. A processor that could run MS-DOS software five to six times faster than an 80386, using an architecture so simple it seemed impossible. We started [believing our own headlines](https://www.techmonitor.ai/technology/teraplex%5Fchallenges%5Frisc%5Fwith%5F20%5Finstruction%5F65mhz%5Fpart?ref=philmckinney.com). TeraPlex wasn't just a startup. We were positioned as supercomputer technology that would outperform any CISC processor like Intel's 80386, any RISC processor like HP's PA-RISC. We were the ones who would take over everything. Talk about ego. The press coverage fed a dangerous delusion: wait for the market to come to us. See which customers show up most enthusiastically and let that drive the focus. Why make a hard choice when clearly everyone would want what we had? Board meetings became predictable. I'd present the options. Walk through the analysis. Show the projections. The board would ask questions. I'd promise to research them. We'd schedule another meeting. The chairman, a patient man who'd led our small group of angel investors, finally asked the question that should have woken me up. "What specifically would change your decision?" I had no answer. Nothing would change the decision. Looking back, it was complete abdication of leadership disguised as being careful. ## The Death of a Thousand Postponements TeraPlex didn't die in a dramatic explosion. It died in conference rooms. In "let me think about it" and "we need more data" and "schedule another meeting." Every delayed decision was a delayed opportunity. Potential partners moved on. Engineers who wanted to join us took other offers. Market windows opened and closed while we were still analyzing whether to walk through them. By late 1990, we were in serious trouble. Not because the technology failed. The MISChip worked beautifully. Not because the market disappeared. The concept would prove itself eventually, just not with us. Decisions didn't happen fast enough to matter. Without focus, we never built customer relationships, never built a sales pipeline, never built a market position that could sustain us. By the time I finally accepted we needed to do *something*, only one option remained: licensing intellectual property to semiconductor companies. I got a deal done with Atmel. The technology would live on in their chips. But it wasn't a company anymore. It was a salvage operation. All that innovation meant nothing because we couldn't decide what to do with it. ## The End [March 1991\. TeraPlex shut down.](https://www.techmonitor.ai/technology/minimum%5Finstruction%5Fset%5Ffirm%5Fteraplex%5Fshuts%5Fdoors?ref=philmckinney.com) The board meeting was short. The numbers were clear. Out of runway, out of options, out of time. TeraPlex didn't go down alone. It took Advanced Analytics Corporation, the parent company, with it. Two companies. Gone. Fired as President. Cleaned out my desk. Drove home. Then seven months unemployed. Seven months replaying every decision not made. Every meeting that ended without action. Every "I need to think about it" that really meant "I'm afraid to be wrong." Seven months calling everyone in the industry, explaining what happened, asking if anyone knew of anything. Seven months while my wife held things together. ## The Resurrection The next job didn't come from a recruiter or a networking event or an impressive interview where failures got spun into growth opportunities. It came from someone at my church who took pity on me. He went to bat with his company. Talked them into taking a chance on a guy who'd just bankrupted not one but two companies. The role was a return to technology management. Pure execution. No big chair. No board meetings. No strategic decisions. Salary: 30% less than before. No equity. I took it in a heartbeat. Some people might see that as a step backward. I saw it as proof that failure isn't the end of the story. Someone believed in me when the evidence said they shouldn't. I wasn't going to waste that. ## What the Wreckage Taught Me The cost of not deciding is almost always worse than the cost of deciding wrong. Failure teaches that. Success never does. Most decisions are reversible. Walk through the door, look around, and if you don't like it, walk back out. The paralysis at TeraPlex, treating every choice like a one-way door, was the real mistake. Not any individual decision that might have been wrong. There's a point where gathering more information stops helping and starts hurting. Probably around 40-70% of what you'd ideally want. Past that point, you're not preparing. You're hiding. And everyone can see it except you. Focus matters. You cannot be everything to everyone, and you cannot wait for the market to tell you who you are. Pick a customer. Pick a problem. Pick a direction. Adjust later, but drifting indefinitely is not an option. That discomfort you feel when you don't have enough information but you have to decide anyway? That's not a warning sign. That's exactly what good decision-making feels like. If deciding feels completely comfortable, you've probably waited too long. ## Dinner in Texas A few years back, my wife and I were in Texas. We'd arranged dinner with one of the former interns from TeraPlex. His girlfriend back then, now his wife, had been a student and babysitter for our kids during the Champaign years. She was the one who approached me about getting her boyfriend an internship. He was a graduate student working on the MISC architecture. They got married soon after she graduated nursing school. Decades later, we sat across the table from them. Their own kids were about to head off to college. He became a software engineer. She became a nurse. The realization hit me mid-conversation. Exactly like my wife and me. When we were dating, she got me [my internship at Anchor Industries](https://www.philmckinney.com/i-told-the-department-of-education-their-graduates-were-useless/). Software engineer. Nurse. Two couples. Same pattern. Same origin story. And both marriages survived TeraPlex. Between Advanced Analytics and TeraPlex, about a dozen employees lost their jobs when we went under. A handful of university interns. Their spouses and kids. Nine investors who believed in what we were building and looked to me to turn their confidence into returns. For seven months, that failure felt like the end of everything. The weight of it. The shame. The certainty that I had permanently damaged people's lives. But there we were. Decades later. Sharing a meal. Telling old stories. Watching their kids grow up the way ours had grown up. The catastrophe I replayed for seven months had become a dinner story. Failure is not the disaster we make it out to be in the moment. It's education. Expensive, painful, humiliating education. But education. Relationships survived. Careers got rebuilt. Life went on. It just took thirty years and a dinner in Texas to finally see it. --- **On Weds, watch the companion episode:**[ Episode 10: How to Stop Overthinking Your Decisions](https://youtube.com/@philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) reveals the frameworks I wish I'd known in that Champaign conference room, including the Two-Door Framework for knowing which decisions deserve serious deliberation, the 40-70 Rule used by military leaders and executives, and four tests to distinguish productive research from hiding behind information. *Studio Notes reveals the real stories behind innovation successes and failures. The human costs, political battles, and personal consequences that never make it into official narratives.* [***Subscribe for the messy reality behind the lessons***](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe)*.* ### Mindjacking: When Your Opinions Aren't Yours URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking-when-your-opinions-arent-yours/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:36.000Z You've built a toolkit over the last several episodes. Logical reasoning. Causal thinking. Mental models. Serious intellectual firepower. Now the uncomfortable question: When's the last time you actually used it to make a decision? Not a decision you *think* you made. One where you evaluated the options yourself. Weighed the evidence. Formed your own conclusion. Here's what most of us do instead: we Google it, ask ChatGPT, go with whatever has the most stars. We feel like we're deciding, but we're not. We're just choosing which borrowed answer to accept. That gap between thinking you're deciding and actually deciding is where everything falls apart. And there's a name for it. .. or listen to the podcast: ## **What Mindjacking Actually Is** [**Mindjacking**](http://philmckinney.com/mindjacking?ref=philmckinney.com). Not the sci-fi version where hackers seize your brain through neural implants. The real version. Where you voluntarily hand over your thinking because someone else already did the work. It's not dramatic. It's convenient. The algorithm ranked the results. The expert weighed in. The crowd already decided. Why duplicate the effort? Mindjacking is different from ordinary influence. You choose it. Every single time. Nobody forces you to stop evaluating. You volunteer, because forming your own conclusion is harder than borrowing someone else's. What exactly are you losing when this happens? ## **The Two Skills Under Attack** Mindjacking destroys two distinct capabilities. They're different, and you need both. **Evaluation independence** is the ability to assess whether a claim is valid. Not whether the source has credentials. Not whether experts agree. Whether the evidence actually supports the conclusion. **Decision independence** is the ability to commit to a path based on your own judgment, without needing someone else to validate it first. Both skills need each other. Watch what happens when one erodes faster than the other. A woman researches her medical condition for hours. Journal articles. Treatment comparisons. She understands her options better than most medical students would. She walks into the doctor's office, lays out her analysis. It's thorough. Sophisticated, even. The doctor reviews it and says, "This is impressive. You've really done your homework." She nods. Then looks up and asks: "So what should I do?" She can evaluate. She can't decide. Now flip it. Think about someone who decides fast. Trusts their gut. Never waits for permission. How often does that person get burned by bad information they never verified? They can decide. They can't evaluate. Lose either ability and you're trapped. Lose both and you're not thinking at all. ## **The Four Surrender Signals** How do you know when mindjacking is happening? It has a signature. Four internal signals that reveal the handoff in progress, if you know how to read them. **Signal one: Relief.** The moment you find "the answer," you notice a weight lifting. Pay attention to that. Relief isn't insight. It's the burden of thinking being removed. When you actually work through a problem yourself, the result isn't relief. It's clarity. And clarity usually comes with new questions, not a sense of "done." **Signal two: Speed.** Uncertainty to certainty in seconds? That's not evaluation. You found someone else's answer and adopted it. There's a difference between "I figured it out" and "I found someone who figured it out." One took effort. The other took a search bar. **Signal three: Echo.** Listen to your own conclusions. Do they sound like something you read, heard, or scrolled past recently? If your "own opinion" matches a headline almost word-for-word, it probably isn't yours. You're not thinking. You're repeating. **Signal four: Unearned confidence.** You're certain about a conclusion, but ask yourself: could you explain the reasoning behind it? Not where you heard it. The actual reasoning. If you can't, that confidence isn't yours. It came attached to someone else's answer, and you absorbed both their conclusion and their certainty without doing any analysis yourself. Once you notice these signals firing, you need a way to stop the pattern before it completes. ## **The Interrupt** The interrupt is a single question: **"Did I reach this conclusion, or just find it?"** Six words. That's the whole thing. It works because it forces a distinction your brain normally blurs. "I decided" and "I adopted someone's decision" are identical from the inside, until you ask the question. Test it now. Think about the last opinion you formed. The last purchase you made. The last recommendation you accepted. Did you reach that conclusion, or just find it? The interrupt doesn't tell you what to think. It tells you whether you're thinking at all. **Finding an answer isn't the same as reaching one.** This matters more than you might realize, because the pattern is bigger than any single decision you make. ## **The Aha Moment: The Illusion of Expertise** Researchers at Penn State looked at 35 million Facebook posts and found something remarkable: seventy-five percent of shared links were never clicked. Three out of four times, people passed along articles they hadn't read. But that's not the strange part. A separate study from the University of Texas discovered that the act of sharing content, even content you haven't read, makes you *think* you understand it. Sharing tricks you into believing you know. You didn't read the article about investing, but you shared it, so now you believe you understand investing. Worse: people act on that false knowledge. In the study, people who shared an investing article took significantly more financial risk afterward, even though they never read what they shared. They weren't pretending to know. They genuinely believed they knew, because sharing had become a substitute for learning. [That's mindjacking at scale](http://philmckinney.com/mindjacking?ref=philmckinney.com). Millions of people believing they're informed, acting confident, having never actually thought about any of it. ## **The Feed Challenge** I want you to try something as soon as this video ends. Open your social media feed. Find a post where someone you know has liked or shared an article, an opinion, a hot take. Now ask: Did they actually think about this? Or did they just pass it along? Look for the signals. Is their comment just echoing the headline? Are they expressing certainty about something they probably spent ten seconds on? Did they add anything that suggests they read past the first paragraph? Or did they just click "like" and move on? Remember: seventy-five percent of shared links are never clicked. That like or share you're looking at? They probably never read what they're endorsing. You'll be shocked how easy this becomes once you start looking. It's everywhere. People confidently endorsing opinions they never examined. Certainty without evaluation. Expertise without effort. Why start with what others are putting in your feed? Because it's much easier to spot mindjacking in others than in yourself. Your ego doesn't interfere. Train your eye on what's coming at you first. Then turn it inward. Awareness precedes choice. You can't reclaim what you can't see. ## **What's Next** Now you can see the handoff happening. That's the foundation. But seeing it isn't enough. Knowing the signals won't help you when you're exhausted and the algorithm is offering relief. Understanding the trap won't save you when everyone in the room disagrees and consensus feels like safety. Awareness alone won't protect you when the deadline is tomorrow and you don't have time to think. Those are the moments where mindjacking wins. Not because you lack the ability to think, but because thinking starts to look like a luxury you can't afford. That's the real battle. And that's what comes next. Next, we tackle the hardest version of this problem: acting before you're ready. What happens when you have to decide, the information isn't complete, and it never will be? Waiting for certainty feels responsible. But sometimes, waiting *is* the trap. If you're new here, check out the earlier episodes where we built the evaluation toolkit this series is built on. [Watch the series on YouTube](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNpaqfCI7zBv6dMD5FrIac-&si=EP57wvu0DGJ4nUQ%5F&ref=philmckinney.com). ## **Don’t Click Yet** Here's a thought: most people will finish this video and scroll to the next one. The algorithm already has a recommendation queued up. Relief is one click away. But you could do something different. You could stick with the discomfort for a minute. Actually, try the feed challenge before moving on. If you want to go deeper on mindjacking, the full breakdown lives at [philmckinney.com/mindjacking](http://philmckinney.com/mindjacking?ref=philmckinney.com). And if you want to support the team that helps me to produce this content, consider becoming a paid [**subscriber on Substack**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/). Now, drop a comment below: What's one opinion you realized might not actually be yours? And share this with someone who needs to hear it. ## **References** - Penn State University (2024). "Social media users probably won't read beyond this headline, researchers say." Analysis of 35 million Facebook posts published in *Nature Human Behaviour*. - Ward, A., Zheng, J.F., & Broniarczyk, S.M. (2022). "I share, therefore I know? Sharing online content – even without reading it – inflates subjective knowledge." *Journal of Consumer Psychology*, University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. ### How I Mindjacked Boards for a Living URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-mindjacked-boards-for-a-living/ Last updated: 2026-01-18T23:01:01.000Z I watched their faces change as I delivered the verdict. A dozen executives from one of the world's largest telecommunications carriers sat around a conference table. My team had been hired because we'd helped launch nearly every major mobile operator in the United States, the first market to deploy cellular services at scale. Our expertise commanded a premium. Our confidence was absolute. Thirty slides behind me. Benchmarks. Frameworks. Case studies from Bell South, Bell Atlantic, the carriers whose names meant something in the 1990s. I walked them through their strategy, point by point, and told them where it aligned with US best practices. Then I told them where they fell short. The shift happened fast. The executive who'd been leaning back, arms crossed, skeptical of the American consultants: he uncrossed his arms. The head of strategy who'd defended their approach in earlier meetings started taking notes. The CEO, who'd been quiet, nodded slowly. Within weeks, they'd adjusted. Aligned their strategy with our recommendations. Done what we told them to do. And I felt the power of it. The borrowed credibility of all those US carrier logos. The confidence that came from saying "this is what the market leaders do." The way a room full of smart people deferred to our conclusions because we'd wrapped them in the authority of best practices. Here's what I didn't tell them: the US mobile market was nothing like theirs. Different regulatory environment. Different consumer behavior. Different competitive dynamics. Different geography, population density, spectrum allocation. The practices that worked in America had emerged from American conditions, conditions that didn't exist in their country. But I didn't understand that. Not really. I believed what I was selling. Best practices meant *best* to me, not "most common" or "worked somewhere else once." Expertise was transferable. Context was a detail. It took them years to learn what I should have known. Years of adjustments, pivots, failures that traced back to that room where I'd stood with absolute confidence and told them what to do. That's mindjacking. And I was good at it. ## The Word I Didn't Have Then [**Mindjacking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/) is the systematic capture of your ability to think for yourself. Not through force, but through convenience. Not by overriding your judgment, but by making judgment feel unnecessary. It happens at a specific moment. The moment you reach for someone else's conclusion instead of forming your own. You're busy. You're under pressure. The expert already weighed in. Why duplicate the effort? That moment is the surrender. Standing in front of those telecom executives, I wasn't forcing anyone to do anything. I was offering permission to stop thinking. Permission wrapped in data and frameworks and prestigious client logos. Permission that felt like rigor. Those executives were smart. They'd built careers making difficult decisions. But when American consultants showed up with benchmarks from the world's most advanced mobile market, they did what most smart people do: they deferred. Not because they were weak. Because deference to expertise feels rational. Because checking your judgment against best practices feels like due diligence. Because the surrender is invisible when it's dressed as prudence. The consulting industry exists because this surrender is so common, so comfortable, and so well-disguised as wisdom. ## The Machine I Operated At the time of that engagement, I was a director at CSC, one of the Big Six consulting firms. Our telecom practice served carriers across three continents. Here's how the machine actually worked. Win a major engagement with a prestigious client. Spend months observing, interviewing, analyzing. Develop recommendations. Some worked. Some didn't. The engagement would end. Move on. Then package what we'd learned. Strip out the context. Remove the failures. Keep the parts that sounded impressive. Discard everything that complicated the narrative. Walk into the next client. Present borrowed conclusions as "best practices." The bible for this approach was "Reengineering the Corporation" by James Champy and Michael Hammer, the book that launched the Business Process Reengineering movement and created an entire consulting industry methodology. Study successful companies. Extract patterns. Apply them elsewhere. Here's what didn't make the bestseller list: in that same book, Champy and Hammer admitted that fifty to seventy percent of reengineering efforts failed to achieve the dramatic results they intended. They called it an "unscientific estimate." The business press called it a revolution. ¹ The methodology that made consulting firms rich succeeded less than half the time. By its own authors' admission. Best practices assume context doesn't matter. That what worked at Dell will work at your company. That Apple's success is transferable. That IBM's transformation can be replicated. Strip away the context and you're not borrowing success. You're borrowing behaviors without understanding what made them work. I didn't see this clearly when I was inside the machine. I saw it when I stepped outside. ## The Other Side of the Table After CSC, I co-founded Teligent. We raised hundreds of millions and took the company public. As SVP and CIO, the technology and infrastructure strategy was mine to build. Then the board told us to bring in McKinsey. Not "consider" bringing them in. Not "evaluate whether" their perspective might add value. Our investors wanted validation. Borrowed confidence from a prestigious name. So I sat in a boardroom watching consultants evaluate the technology strategy. Familiar frameworks. Familiar methodology. Familiar comparisons to what they'd seen at other companies. I'd used these same techniques when I was on their side of the table. One minute I'd been the consultant standing in front of boards, selling borrowed thinking. The next minute I was the executive whose thinking was being measured against borrowed benchmarks. And I recognized the play. I'd run it myself. Our board didn't want to evaluate the strategy on its merits. They wanted permission. McKinsey telling them our conclusions were safe to approve. If it failed, the failure would belong to McKinsey too. I knew exactly what was happening because I'd done it to others. That telecom engagement years earlier. The executives who'd adjusted their strategy because I told them to. The consequences that followed. Now I was on the receiving end of my own technique. Being mindjacked by the same methodology I'd used to mindjack others. ## The Pattern I Couldn't Break At HP, the scale was larger but the pattern was identical. I'd been the consultant running the play. I'd been the executive on the receiving end. I was certain I'd recognize it when I saw it again. Then I watched it happen again. And I couldn't stop it. The board brought in McKinsey to advise on organizational structure. The recommendation came back with the confidence I remembered from my own consulting days: reduce management layers. No more than thirteen levels in the organization. No manager with fewer than three direct reports. Wider spans of control. Fewer managers, more individual contributors. Where did this come from? Best practices. McKinsey's analysis showed that top-performing organizations had flatter structures and wider spans of control. The data was compelling. The frameworks were rigorous. The logos of comparison companies were impressive. What the analysis completely missed was HP's culture. At HP, managers weren't just managers. They were technical experts who'd taken on leadership roles because they were the best in their field. They still contributed. They still designed. They still solved problems alongside their teams. The "management layer" McKinsey wanted to eliminate wasn't bureaucratic overhead. It was institutional expertise wearing a different title. Mark Hurd and the board weren't embedded in HP's culture the way the engineers were. They saw the org chart. They saw the benchmarks. They saw McKinsey's data showing what "top performers" looked like. What made HP actually work? That they couldn't see. The recommendation was approved. Entire layers of experienced experts, people who happened to have "manager" in their title, were eliminated. Decades of institutional knowledge walked out the door because a best practice said the org chart should look different. I watched it happen. I knew the play. I'd run it myself, years earlier, on the other side of the world. And I couldn't stop the mindjacking. Not even when I saw it coming. ## The Confession I made good money helping people not think. I stood in front of boards and delivered borrowed conclusions with confidence I hadn't earned. Smart executives deferred to my frameworks because deferring felt safer than judging. I was part of a system that charges $1,200 an hour to provide cover for decisions people don't want to own. I believed what I was selling. That might be worse than cynicism. True believers don't question the product. They just sell harder. That telecommunications carrier made decisions based on my recommendations. Real decisions with real consequences. Years of adjustments, pivots, and failures that traced back to my thirty slides and my absolute confidence about what best practices required. HP made decisions based on McKinsey's recommendations. Experienced experts lost their jobs because a framework said the org chart was wrong. I didn't know what I didn't know. Neither did McKinsey. But we all delivered our conclusions as if we did. That's the confession. Not that consulting is corrupt, but that the corruption is invisible to the people inside it. I thought I was helping. McKinsey thought they were helping. We all thought expertise transferred. We all thought context was a detail. I was mindjacking boards before I even had the word for what I was doing. And I wish I could tell you that once you see the machine, you're free of it. That awareness creates immunity. That having been on three sides of this table — consultant, executive, witness — means I no longer reach for borrowed conclusions. I still catch myself. Someone asks what I think about a strategic question, and before I've finished my own analysis, I'm reaching for what others have said. What the research shows. What the experts recommend. The reflex is that deep. There's a question that helps. When you feel the pull toward borrowed thinking, ask yourself: *Am I thinking? Or am I borrowing someone else's thinking and calling it my own?* It's not a cure. It's an interrupt. A way to catch the surrender before it completes. You have to use it every time, because the pull never stops. Forty years of practice built these neural pathways. They don't disappear because I've named them. Every time I want the comfort of borrowed confidence, I have to actively choose the harder path. The consultants won't change. They're doing exactly what they're built to do. The boards won't change. Cover matters more to them than clarity. The only thing that changes is whether you catch yourself in the moment of surrender, before you get [**mindjacked**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mindjacking/). I'm still practicing. --- *Watch the companion video:* [***Mindjacking — When Your Opinions Aren't Yours***](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&ref=philmckinney.com) *\- To be released next Wednesday.* *Phil McKinney spent years in the consulting industrial complex before co-founding Teligent and later serving as CTO at HP, where his teams won "Most Innovative Company" three years running. He writes weekly at* [*Studio Notes*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) *and explores thinking independence on* [*YouTube*](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* --- **Notes** ¹ Hammer, M. and Champy, J. "Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution." HarperBusiness, 1993\. The authors wrote: "Our unscientific estimate is that as many as 50 percent to 70 percent of the organizations that undertake a reengineering effort do not achieve the dramatic results they intended." ### CES 2026: Battle of the AI Robots URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ces-2026-battle-of-the-ai-robots/ Last updated: 2026-01-14T14:15:47.000Z This weeks, I'm in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the annual Consumer Electronics Show 2026. If you've been following me for long, you know I do this every year. This is 20-plus years I've been coming to the Consumer Electronics Show. Normally, I don't cover tech and new products here (I cover tech over on [The Innovators Network](https://theinnovatorsnetwork.substack.com/)) —except for once a year at CES. And it's less about specific companies and what they've announced. You can find that on thousands of channels on YouTube or podcasts. What I will share with you are the trends—the trends that are emerging—and give you my view and opinion on what they really mean for the innovation space. Are we really innovating, or are we just regurgitating the same thing year after year? ... or listen to the audio podcast at: ## The Show's Legacy First, let's recognize that the Consumer Electronics Show is now in its 59th year. It's a spin-off from the old Chicago Music Show back in the late 1960s. Yes, the late '60s. It's gone through some gyrations over the decades and remains one of the few big shows that survived COVID. ## Traditional Consumer Electronics As usual, one of the big emphases is TVs, displays, home automation, new refrigerators, new washers and dryers—true consumer electronics, things you would find and put into your home. This year was no different. The big manufacturers were here, along with a number of new smaller manufacturers showcasing new TV technologies. Micro LED is the new buzzword bouncing around the show, and there were plenty of displays to see. I'm a big TV guy, so I definitely had to check that out and see what could be the next TV I put into my house. ## The AI and Robotics Takeover The one thing about this year's show that was just overwhelming was robots and AI. They were everywhere. I couldn't even tell you how many times we saw AI applied to things that make no sense—though some applications were actually pretty smart. But how many AI toilets do you really need at any given show? On the robotics side, we saw all the familiar ones—like lawn mowers that automatically find your boundaries. One was actually selling the feature that you could program in graphic designs, and it would cut your yard in such a way that the design would appear in your lawn. We also saw humanoid robots, robots doing backflips, robots dancing with people, dancing hands where the fingers are moving. You could buy just the hands or the arms or the elbows and assemble your own robots. It was pretty crazy. Then we started seeing the combination of AI and robots—interactive robots where you could stand there, talk with them, point, and they would follow your commands. Pick up this item. Move this item somewhere else. Not programming through some controller, but simply pointing and talking to direct the robot to do what you want. ## The Evolution of Electric Vehicles One thing we've seen in past shows was the big emphasis on electric vehicles. This year, the EV car market—which we've seen slow down—also slowed down here at the show. However, what we saw in its place were: **Commercial EVs and Hybrids:** There was significant attention on commercial use of EVs, particularly hybrid electric vehicles with combustion engines. **Emergency Response Innovation:** One exhibit that really impressed me was a fire truck supplied by Dallas Fort Worth Airport. This massive Oshkosh fire truck is a hybrid that uses electric motors for high torque and high acceleration—literally shaving seconds off response time. Given the limited distance on airport property, if there's a disaster or fire requiring quick reaction, the electric motors can accelerate very quickly. There are only about 15 of these trucks in the world, and something like six or seven are just at Dallas Fort Worth Airport. I spent a fair amount of time with that team. This is a perfect example of smart innovation—innovation that isn't just because something is shiny and new. They thought carefully about how to use it, when to apply the right design, leveraging the benefits of electric while using the combustion engine to run the water pumps. **Electric Motorcycles:** The other area with significant EV presence was motorcycles, particularly dirt bikes. When you're going out for the day to have some fun, the low noise of an electric motor means you're not disturbing rural areas with a combustion engine. Another example of good, smart innovation. ## Autonomous Vehicles in Commercial Applications The other big area for the show was autonomous vehicles—not just EVs, but vehicles that can operate themselves, particularly in commercial use like farming. **John Deere** has a long history of autonomous farming with very accurate planting using GPS technologies. **Caterpillar** had a really interesting exhibit where they were live streaming Caterpillar machines doing autonomous mining from spots all over the world right into the booth. You could see autonomous technology in action. A lot of people think of autonomous vehicles as something new, with Tesla being the innovator. Just to give you a data point: Caterpillar has offered autonomous vehicles since 1995\. That's right—1995\. What we all think is new is really the perfect example of what's old becoming new again as progress is made. **Kubota:** I'm a big Kubota fan, so I had to stop in there. They had an interesting tractor demo that was using technologies you can use around a small ranch like what I own in northern Colorado, where I'm trying to harvest hay. It's something that fits smaller operations. You don't have to be a big farm to take advantage of these technologies. ## Other Notable Technologies Obviously, there were all the other normal things at the Consumer Electronics Show—thousands and thousands of rows of different types of Bluetooth speakers. Battery technology was a big thing, though a lot of it was just more efficiency from lithium-ion. There was an interesting booth on what they call paper batteries—literally paper where you print the battery and then roll it up into whatever form factor you want. ## The Bottom Line The show this year was overly dominated by AI—AI everything—and robotics. Those would be the two fundamental themes. That's my walk-away after spending three days and something like 45,000 to 50,000 steps covering all the show floor space. This is my one time a year that I geek out on all the technologies. If you have questions or your own thoughts—if you were there and saw something different you'd want to share—go ahead and put a comment down below, or pop over to PhilMcKinney.com and post a comment to the post there. Next week we'll be back, kicking off Part Two of the Thinking 101 series. We did Part One and wrapped that up right before the holidays. Now we're kicking off Part Two—you don't want to miss it. --- If you find value in this content, consider becoming a [**subscriber on Substack**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) for **Studio Notes** and [**subscribing to the YouTube channel**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) to watch the **Studio Sessions**. Your support helps keep the show going and gives you access to behind-the-scenes stories from each episode. ### Thinking 101: A Pause, A Reflection, And What Might Come Next URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/thinking-101-a-pause-a-reflection-and-what-might-come-next/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:19.000Z Twenty-one years. [That's how long I've been doing this](https://killerinnovations.com/about/?ref=philmckinney.com). Producing content. Showing up. Week after week, with only a handful of exceptions—most of them involving hospitals and cardiac surgeons, but that's another story. After twenty-one years, you learn what lands and what doesn't. You learn not to get too attached because you never know what's going to connect. But this one surprised me. Thinking 101—the response has been *different*. More comments. More questions. More people saying, "This is exactly what I needed." It's made me reflect on why I started this series. Years ago, I was in a room with people from the [Department of Education](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-wicked-problems/). I asked them a simple question: Why are we graduating people who can't think? Not "don't know things." Can't *think*. Can't reason through a problem. Can't evaluate an argument. Their answer was... let's just say it wasn't satisfying. That moment stuck with me. When AI exploded onto the scene—when everyone suddenly had a machine that could generate answers instantly—it became clear: thinking for yourself isn't just valuable anymore. It's survival. That's what Part One was about. The Foundations. Building your thinking toolkit. So what's next? For the next few weeks—nothing. We're taking a breather for the holidays. I'm going to spend time with my wife, my kids, my grandkids. We'll be back in early January. And if you're heading to [CES in Las Vegas](https://www.philmckinney.com/ces-2021-a-virtual-innovation/) that first week—let me know. I'd love to meet up. But before I go, I have a question for you. Should there be a Part Two? I have ideas. If Part One was about building your toolkit, Part Two could be about what happens when you have to use it. Because knowing how to think and making good decisions aren't the same thing. Real decisions happen when you're tired. When you're stressed. When your own brain is working against you. Part Two could be about that gap—between knowing and doing. But I want to hear from you first. Should I do it? What topics would you want covered? What questions are you wrestling with? Post a comment. If you're a paid subscriber on [Substack](http://philmckinney.substack.com/), send me a DM—I read those. And speaking of paid subscribers—that's the best way to support the team that makes this happen. Twenty-one years of showing up doesn't happen alone. You can also visit our store at [innovation DOT tools](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) for merch, my book, and more. Part One is done. The holidays are calling. Thank you for making this series land the way it did. See you in January. I'm Phil McKinney. Take care of yourselves—and each other. Listen to this week's show: [***Thinking 101: A Pause, A Reflection, And What Might Come Next***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Thinking%5F101%5F-%5FPause%5Fand%5FReflect.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Mental Models — Your Thinking Toolkit URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mental-models-your-thinking-toolkit-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:19.000Z Before the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, [NASA](https://www.philmckinney.com/apollo-11-moon-landing-the-innovation-that-gave-nasa-and-the-world-the-view/) management officially estimated the probability of catastrophic failure at one in one hundred thousand. That's about the same odds as getting struck by lightning while being attacked by a shark. The engineers working on the actual rockets? They estimated the risk at closer to one in one hundred. A thousand times more dangerous than management believed.¹ Both groups had access to the same data. The same flight records. The same engineering reports. So how could their conclusions be off by a factor of a thousand? The answer isn't about intelligence or access to information. It's about the [mental frameworks](https://www.philmckinney.com/peter-lierni-of-solutioneering-on-innovating-frameworks-for-critical-thinking/) they used to interpret that information. Management was using models built for public relations and budget justification. Engineers were using models built for physics and failure analysis. Same inputs, radically different outputs. The invisible toolkit they used to think was completely different. Your brain doesn't process raw reality. It processes reality through models. Simplified representations of how things work. And the quality of your thinking depends entirely on the quality of mental models you possess. By the end of this episode, you'll have three of the most powerful mental models ever developed. A starter kit. Three tools that work together, each one strengthening the others. The same tools the NASA engineers were using while management flew blind. Let's build your toolkit. ## What Are Mental Models? A mental model is a representation of how something works. It's a framework your brain uses to make sense of reality, predict outcomes, and make decisions. You already have hundreds of them. You just might not realize it. When you understand that actions have consequences, you're using a mental model. When you recognize that people respond to incentives, that's a model too. Think of mental models as tools. A hammer drives nails. A screwdriver turns screws. Each tool does a specific job. Mental models work the same way. Each one helps you do a specific kind of thinking. One model might help you spot hidden assumptions. Another might reveal risks you'd otherwise miss. A third might show you what success requires by first [mapping what failure looks like](https://www.philmckinney.com/mapping-out-your-innovation-career-path/). The collection of models you carry with you? That's your thinking toolkit. And like any toolkit, the more quality tools you have, and the better you know when to use each one, the more problems you can solve. Here's the problem. Research from Ohio State University found that people often know the optimal strategy for a given situation but only follow it about twenty percent of the time.² The models sit unused while we default to gut reactions and habits. The goal isn't just to collect mental models. It's to build a system where the right tool shows up at the right moment. And that starts with having a few powerful models you know deeply, not dozens you barely remember. Let's add three tools to your toolkit. ## Tool One: The Map Is Not the Territory This might be the most foundational mental model of all. Coined by philosopher Alfred Korzybski in the 1930s, it delivers a simple but profound insight: our models of reality are not reality itself.³ [A map of Denver isn't Denver](https://www.philmckinney.com/on-the-road-thoughts-on-innovation/). It's a simplified representation that leaves out countless details. The smell of pine trees, the feel of altitude, the conversation happening at that corner café. The map is useful. But it's not the territory. Every mental model, every framework, every belief you hold is a map. Useful? Absolutely. Complete? Never. This explains the NASA disaster. Management's map showed a reliable shuttle program with an impressive safety record. The engineers' map showed O-rings that became brittle in cold weather and a launch schedule that left no room for delay. Both maps contained some truth. But management's map left out critical territory: the physics of rubber at thirty-six degrees Fahrenheit. When your map doesn't match the territory, the territory wins. Every time. **How to use this tool:** Before any major decision, ask yourself: What is my current map leaving out? Who might have a different map of this same situation, and what does their map show that mine doesn't? The NASA engineers weren't smarter than management. They just had a map that included more of the relevant territory. ## Tool Two: Inversion Most of us approach problems head-on. We ask: How do I succeed? How do I win? How do I make this work? Inversion flips the question. Instead of asking how to succeed, ask: How would I guarantee failure? What would make this project collapse? What's the surest path to disaster? Then avoid those things. Inversion reveals dangers that forward thinking misses. When you're focused on success, you develop blind spots. You see the path you want to take and ignore the cliffs on either side. Here's a surprising example. When Nirvana set out to record Nevermind in 1991, they had a budget of just $65,000\. Hair metal bands were spending millions on polished productions.⁴ Instead of trying to compete on the same terms and failing, they inverted the formula entirely. Where hair metal was flashy, Nirvana was raw. Where others added complexity, they stripped down. Where the industry zigged, they zagged. The result? They didn't just succeed. They created an entirely new genre and sold over thirty million copies. They won by inverting the game everyone else was playing. **How to use this tool:** Before pursuing any goal, spend ten minutes listing everything that would guarantee failure. Be specific. Be ruthless. Then look at your current plan and ask: Am I accidentally doing any of these things? Inversion doesn't replace forward planning. It completes it. ## Tool Three: The Premortem Imagine your project has already failed. Not "might fail" or "could fail." It has failed. Completely. Now your job is to explain why. Researchers at Wharton, Cornell, and the University of Colorado tested this approach and found something striking: simply imagining that failure has already happened increases your ability to correctly identify reasons for future problems by thirty percent.⁵ Why does this work? When we think about what "might" go wrong, we stay optimistic. We protect our plans. We downplay risks because we're invested in success. But when we imagine failure has already occurred, we shift into explanation mode. We're no longer defending our plan. We're forensic investigators examining a wreck. Here's proof the premortem works in the real world. Before Enron collapsed in 2001, its company credit union had run through scenarios imagining what would happen if their sponsor company failed.⁶ They asked: If Enron goes under, what happens to us? They made plans. They reduced their dependence. When the scandal broke and Enron imploded, taking billions in shareholder value with it, the credit union survived. They'd already rehearsed the disaster. Every other institution tied to Enron was blindsided. The credit union had seen the future because they'd imagined it first. **How to use this tool:** Before any major decision, fast-forward to failure. It's one year from now and everything has gone wrong. Write down why. What did you miss? What risks did you ignore? Then prevent those things from happening. You can't prevent what you refuse to imagine. ## How These Three Tools Work Together Each tool is powerful alone. Together, they're transformational. Imagine you're considering a career change. Leaving your stable job to start a business. **Start with The Map Is Not the Territory.** What's your current map of entrepreneurship? Probably shaped by success stories, LinkedIn posts, and survivorship bias. But what's the actual territory? CB Insights analyzed over a hundred failed startups to find out why they died. The number one reason, responsible for forty-two percent of failures, was building something nobody wanted.⁷ Founders had a map that said "customers will love this." The territory said otherwise. What is your map leaving out? **Apply Inversion.** How would you guarantee this business fails? Starting undercapitalized. Launching without testing the market. Ignoring early warning signs because you're emotionally invested. Now look at your current plan. Are you doing any of these things? **Run a Premortem.** It's two years from now. The business has failed. Write the story. Maybe you ran out of money at month fourteen. Maybe your key assumption about customer behavior turned out to be wrong. What happened? One tool gives you a perspective. Three tools working together give you something close to wisdom. This is exactly what the NASA engineers were doing, and what management wasn't. The engineers were constantly asking: Does our map match the territory? What would cause failure? What are we missing? Management was stuck in a single frame: schedule and budget. The difference between a one-in-one-hundred-thousand estimate and a one-in-one-hundred estimate? The difference between confidence and catastrophe? It was the thinking toolkit each group brought to the problem. ## Practice: The Three-Tool Test Here's how to put these tools to work this week. 1. **Identify a decision you're currently facing.** Something real. Something that matters. Write it in one sentence. 2. **Check your map.** What assumptions are you making? Where did they come from? Who might see this differently? 3. **Invert it.** Set a timer for five minutes. List every way you could guarantee failure. Be ruthless. 4. **Run the premortem.** It's one year from now. You chose wrong. Write two paragraphs explaining what happened. 5. **Find the overlap.** Where do your inversion list and premortem story agree? That's your highest-risk blind spot. 6. **Take one action.** What's one step you can take this week to address your biggest risk? Twenty minutes. One decision. Run it once, then try it again next week on a different decision. As you use these tools, you'll notice other mental models worth adding. Your toolkit will grow. Most decisions feel routine until they're not. That morning at NASA felt routine. Seven astronauts boarded Challenger. They trusted that the people making decisions had the right tools to think clearly. Management had maps. The engineers had territory. The distance between those two things was seventy-three seconds of flight time. The engineers saw it coming. Management didn't. Same data. Different tools. When your moment comes, and it will, which group will you be in? If this episode helped you think differently, hit that Subscribe button and tap the bell on our YouTube channel so you don't miss what's coming next. And if you found value here, a Like helps more people discover this content. To learn more about mental models, listen to this week's show: [***Mental Models — Your Thinking Toolkit***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Mental%5FModels%5F-%5FYour%5FThinking%5FToolkit.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ### ENDNOTES 1. Rogers Commission Report, Volume 2, Appendix F: "Personal Observations on Reliability of Shuttle" by Richard Feynman (1986). Management estimated 1 in 100,000; engineers and post-Challenger analysis found approximately 1 in 100. 2. Konovalov, A. & Krajbich, I. "Mouse tracking reveals structure knowledge in the absence of model-based choice." Nature Communications (2020). Participants followed optimal strategies only about 20% of the time even when they demonstrably knew them. 3. Korzybski, Alfred. Science and Sanity: An Introduction to Non-Aristotelian Systems and General Semantics (1933). 4. Wikipedia, "Nevermind"; SonicScoop, "Time and Cost of Making an Album Case Study: NIRVANA" (2017). Initial recording budget was $65,000. 5. Mitchell, D.J., Russo, J.E., & Pennington, N. "Back to the future: Temporal perspective in the explanation of events." Journal of Behavioral Decision Making (1989). As cited in Klein, G. "Performing a Project Premortem." Harvard Business Review (2007). 6. Schoemaker, P.J.H. & Day, G.S. "How to Make Sense of Weak Signals." MIT Sloan Management Review (2009). Describes how Enron Federal Credit Union survived the Enron collapse through scenario planning. 7. CB Insights. "The Top 12 Reasons Startups Fail." Analysis of 111 startup post-mortems (2021). 42% cited "no market need" as a reason for failure. ### The Million-Dollar Decision I Got Wrong (And Why I'm Grateful) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-million-dollar-decision-i-got-wrong-and-why-im-grateful/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T20:07:12.000Z The inventor of Ethernet kept showing up at my office in Naperville, Illinois. Bob Metcalfe would walk potential customers through the network I’d built. Thirty nodes running on 3COM hardware, the largest deployment of their technology in existence. He’d point at my cables, my machines, my workarounds for bugs that were literally soldered into the circuit boards. Then he offered me a job. Pre-IPO shares at roughly a dollar. I turned him down. 3COM went public in 1984\. The stock split multiple times. The company grew to billions in market cap. I have no idea exactly what those shares would have been worth, but I know it was life-changing money. I watched it happen from the outside. This is a story about what happens when you face a defining decision with an empty toolkit. No mental models. No frameworks. Just gut feeling and fear. Comfort won. And what I learned from walking away has shaped everything I teach about thinking clearly. ## How I Ended Up with the Largest 3COM Network in Existence In 1981, I was a software engineer at Deltak in Naperville. I’d been recruited by Bob Davis, a man who would become one of the most important mentors of my career. Deltak was the leading provider of video and computer-based technical training, and most of our content was created on Wang word processing systems. Clunky, isolated machines that couldn’t talk to each other. That same year, a small startup called 3COM released its first product: Ethernet cards for PCs called EtherLink. I don’t remember exactly how I heard about them, but I remember the feeling. Here was a technology that could connect computers. Make them share resources. Turn isolated machines into something greater than the sum of their parts. I jumped at the chance to build out a 3COM network for my small software team. What started as a modest experiment grew. Five nodes became ten. Ten became twenty. Eventually, we had thirty computers connected on a single 3COM network, running EtherShare for file sharing, EtherPrint for shared printing. A genuine networked computing environment in an era when most offices still thought of computers as expensive typewriters. The early hardware was rough. Those first EtherLink cards had hand-installed wire jumpers to fix PCB board layout errors. We were working with technology so new that some bugs were literally soldered into place. But it worked. And apparently, it worked better than anyone else had managed. That’s when Bob Metcalfe started bringing customers to Naperville. He’d co-founded 3COM with Howard Charney to commercialize the Ethernet technology he’d invented at Xerox PARC. Now he needed proof that it worked at scale. My network, cobbled together in the suburbs of Chicago, was his best evidence. I was in my early 20’s. Barely old enough to drink a beer. And I was watching the inventor of Ethernet walk executives through the deployment I’d built. Answering their questions. Showing them what was possible. Looking back, I can see how extraordinary that was. At the time, I was just trying to make things work. ## Two Offers, One Empty Toolkit A few years later, I decided to leave Illinois for Silicon Valley. The Midwest had been good to me, but the future of technology was clearly being built on the West Coast. I wanted to be part of it. Almost immediately, I found myself with two offers. The first came from 3COM. They’d watched me build and maintain that network. They knew I understood their technology at a practical level. Bob Metcalfe made me an offer that included pre-IPO shares at roughly a dollar per share. The second came from Individual Software, a small company where Bob Davis, my mentor from Deltak, had recently become VP of Products. Bob knew my work. He’d recruited me once before. He was offering me the chance to keep working with someone I trusted. Two paths. Two futures. Here’s what I had in my toolkit to evaluate them: almost nothing. I was in my early 20’s. My wife and I had just had our daughter. My only real work experience before Deltak had been a year at Anchor, a job I’d taken to support my wife while she finished her nursing degree. Now I had a newborn at home, a wife counting on me, and two job offers that would uproot our young family and move us across the country. I had no framework for evaluating startup equity. No mental model for assessing risk versus reward. No understanding of how to weigh the known against the unknown. Just the weight of new fatherhood and the terror of making the wrong choice when people depended on me. I had gut feeling. I had fear. I had comfort. Comfort won. I chose Individual Software. I chose the boss I knew over the opportunity I didn’t fully understand. I chose safety over asymmetric upside. With a newborn daughter and a family counting on me, safety felt like responsibility. It felt like the adult choice. It was the wrong choice. But I had no way to see that. ## The What-If That Never Fully Leaves I’d be lying if I said I never think about it. Every few years, something triggers the memory. A conversation about early networking. An article about startup equity. A moment when I’m coaching someone through a career decision and I recognize the same blank toolkit I once carried. What if I’d joined 3COM? What if I’d trusted the opportunity over the comfort? What if I’d had even one mental model to help me see the decision more clearly? I would have been there for the growth. The IPO. The era when networking transformed from curiosity to infrastructure. I would have been part of the story instead of watching it unfold. That’s the what-if. But here’s the thing about what-ifs: they only show you one timeline. They don’t show you what you gained from the path you actually walked. ## The Value of Getting It Wrong Living through failure does something that reading about failure can’t. I’ve had successes across forty years in technology. I co-founded a company through IPO. I was CTO of HP during an era when we won “Most Innovative Company” three years running. But I’ve also made decisions that cost me opportunities, relationships, and time I can’t get back. Each failure added tools to my toolkit. Not abstract concepts I read about, but lived models I earned through consequences. There’s a mental model called “the map is not the territory.” It’s the idea that our beliefs and assumptions are simplified representations of reality, not reality itself. A map of Denver isn’t Denver. It leaves out the smell of pine trees, the feel of altitude, the conversation at the corner café. Every mental model, every framework, every belief you hold is a map. Useful, but never complete. I learned this one by having my map be catastrophically wrong, more than once. There’s another model called inversion. Instead of asking how to succeed, you ask how you’d guarantee failure, then avoid those things. I learned that by watching projects collapse in ways I should have predicted, if only I’d asked the right questions upfront. And there’s the premortem. Imagining your project has already failed and writing the story of why. I learned that one by running too many postmortems after the damage was done, wishing I’d seen the warning signs earlier. *I go deeper on all three of these models in* [***Episode 8 of my Thinking 101 series***](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNpaqfCI7zBv6dMD5FrIac-&si=x7BWCm2x9hbxf%5FtQ&ref=philmckinney.com) *below. If you want the frameworks, not just the story of what happens without them, that’s where to find them.* Here’s what I’ve noticed about Silicon Valley, about shark tanks, about the mythology of innovation success: they’re full of people who got lucky on their first swing. First startup. First investment. First product. Massive success. And many of those people (not all, but many) are people I wouldn’t trust to make sound innovation decisions today. Because they never built a toolkit. They never had to. Success arrived before they developed the mental models to understand why it happened or how to repeat it. They have one map, one simplified representation of how success works, and they think it’s the complete picture. They’ve never had to discover what their map was leaving out. ## The Paradox of the Better Decision Would I undo my choice if I could? The honest answer is: I don’t know. And the reason I don’t know is precisely because of what I’ve learned since. If I’d joined 3COM and ridden that wave to financial independence, would I have become the kind of thinker who can see around corners? Or would I have become one of those people convinced that their first map was the only map worth having? I genuinely don’t know. What I do know is this: the twenty-one-year-old who chose comfort over opportunity was doing the best he could with nothing in his toolkit. He had a newborn daughter. He had a wife who’d supported him through lean years. He had fear dressed up as prudence. I don’t judge him. I just wish I could have handed him a few tools. ## What I’d Tell My Twenty-One-Year-Old Self If I could go back to that moment, two offers on the table, a new baby at home, no framework to evaluate any of it, here’s what I’d say: **Check your map.** You think you’re choosing between two jobs. You’re actually choosing between two completely different trajectories. One is linear: work hard, get promoted, build a career. The other is exponential: ride a technology wave that’s about to reshape how every computer on earth communicates. Your map shows two similar options. The territory, actual reality, says otherwise. What is your map leaving out? **Invert it.** Don’t just ask which job is better. Ask: how would each choice fail? Individual Software fails if the company struggles or if you’ve capped your learning by staying with what’s familiar. 3COM fails if the technology doesn’t take off or if you can’t perform without a mentor. Now look at the actual landscape. Networking is exploding. You built the largest deployment they have. Which failure is more likely? **Run the premortem.** It’s five years from now. You chose wrong. Write the story. If you picked Individual Software, maybe you’re comfortable but watching an industry transform without you. If you picked 3COM, maybe you’re in over your head but learning at a rate you never imagined. Which regret is easier to live with? I didn’t have those tools. I chose blind. And the cost was a front-row seat to one of technology’s greatest success stories, from the parking lot. ## The Gift You Can Give Yourself That twenty-one-year-old version of me had to spend the next four decades building the toolkit I wish I’d had. You don’t. If you’re facing a decision right now, a fork in the road where one path feels safe and the other feels uncertain, don’t trust your gut alone. Your gut is shaped by what you’ve already experienced, and if your experience is limited, your gut is navigating without a map. Use the tools. Check your map against reality. Invert the problem to see where failure hides. Imagine it’s a year from now and you chose wrong, then write the story of what happened. And if the unfamiliar path has asymmetric upside, if the downside is survivable but the upside is transformational, take a hard look at why comfort is winning. Sometimes safety is wisdom. Sometimes it’s just fear wearing wisdom’s clothes. I couldn’t tell the difference at twenty-one. Maybe you can. --- *This article is part of the Studio Notes series, where I share the real stories behind innovation: the human costs, the political battles, the strategic blunders, and the personal consequences that never make it into the official narratives.* [*Subscribe to ensure you never miss a post*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)*.* *If you found value here, consider becoming a paid subscriber. And watch for* [***Episode 8 on the Thinking 101 playlist***](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNpaqfCI7zBv6dMD5FrIac-&si=x7BWCm2x9hbxf%5FtQ&ref=philmckinney.com) *this Wednesday. It’ll teach you the mental models that could change how you make decisions.* ### The Military Ignored His Brain Injury. So He Built What Could Have Saved His Brothers. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-military-ignored-his-brain-injury-so-he-built-what-could-have-saved-his-brothers/ Last updated: 2025-12-08T16:38:41.000Z Zach Paschall doesn’t remember being unconscious. He remembers the white. The world going silent. His vision dissolving into nothing. Then, somehow, he was standing again in the middle of an Afghanistan compound, a sun-up to sun-down firefight raging around him, and there was no time to wonder what had just happened to his brain. It was 2010\. His SEAL Team had stumbled into an al-Qaeda and Taliban meeting in a region so dangerous that an Army intelligence officer had marked it black on the map. “Even Special Forces don’t go there,” the officer had warned them. The SEALs looked at each other. Then they went anyway. What followed was unlike anything Zach had experienced in his career—wave after wave of enemy fire, rockets, mortars, ammunition in quantities that seemed endless. Nine Americans. Eight Afghan allies. Fighting for their lives. Then the RPG hit. It struck the wall maybe a foot from Zach’s head. A foot lower and it would have killed everyone in the room. A foot higher and it would have killed the three men on the roof. Six of them took the blast. “The last thing I remember is my buddy flying across the room,” Zach says. “Next thing I know, I’m standing.” His medic was knocked out. Others were dazed, their memories of that day still fractured and fuzzy. But the fight wasn’t over, so they kept fighting. They never reported the blast. In 2010, the military’s TBI (traumatic brain injury/concussion) protocols only required documentation if you were medevacked. No shrapnel meant no paperwork. No paperwork meant no record. No record meant, for the next decade, Zach would slowly watch his body and mind unravel—and have no idea why. ## “They told me I was going crazy.” By 2016, six years after that explosion, Zach Paschall was disappearing. He stands six-foot-one. He had wasted down to 130 pounds. He was bleeding internally—upper intestines, lower intestines. Hiatal hernia. Ulcers. His body was systematically shutting down, and his mind was following close behind. “There was this fog that never lifted,” he says. “I felt like I was moving through life in molasses.” When he finally asked a military doctor if his symptoms might be connected to the 2010 blast, the doctor looked at him, asked what blast, and then wrote in Zach’s medical record that he suspected the SEAL was lying to get disability benefits. Let that sink in. A decorated Navy SEAL Chief and sniper, nine and a half years in the Teams, multiple combat deployments, asks for help understanding why his body is destroying itself—and gets accused of faking it. “He told me I qualified for medical retirement with my physical symptoms,” Zach recalls, “but to just let the VA take care of me.” It wasn’t until Zach got out and the VA was forced to investigate his brain that they found what that doctor had dismissed: a significant traumatic brain injury. Cognitive processing disorder. Real, measurable damage from a blast that officially never happened. And it wasn’t until Zach tracked down his teammates for witness statements—years after that firefight—that he learned the truth about that day. He hadn’t just been dazed. He’d been unconscious for a significant amount of time. His brothers had never mentioned it. None of them had ever talked about that day. “When I read their statements, I called them,” Zach says. “I asked, ‘Why didn’t you ever tell me?’ They said, ‘I don’t know. We just never talked about it.’” ## The One He Couldn’t Save Zach wasn’t alone. He just didn’t know it yet. A buddy from SEAL training—a guy who’d made it through the same crucible, worn the same Trident—had been fighting the same invisible war. His name was Ryan Larkin. He was the kind of operator who never complained, never made excuses. Smart. Capable. The guy you wanted on your team. Then he started to change in ways that didn’t make sense. Forgetting things. Getting confused by simple tasks. His personality shifting in subtle but undeniable ways. Severe TBI, it turned out. The VA gave him medication for PTSD symptoms—standard protocol. But what they didn’t understand then was that those medications can make brain injuries catastrophically worse. Zach watched him unravel. He made phone calls. Wrote emails. Showed up in person. “I begged the military not to kick him out,” Zach says. “I told them we needed to figure out what was going on. At that time, there wasn’t an understanding.” They kicked him out anyway. In 2017, Ryan took his own life. The autopsy revealed what no one had diagnosed while he was alive: his brain had been profoundly damaged. The physical evidence was right there—it had just never been found. Ryan’s father, Frank Larkin—a former Navy SEAL himself—donated his son’s brain to research. What they discovered was scarring invisible to standard MRIs, damage caused not by enemy fire but by the weapons and demolitions Ryan had trained with for years.⁴ Zach carries that. The phone calls he made that didn’t change anything. The system that couldn’t see what was breaking right in front of it. A brother who shouldn’t have died. ## The Evidence Was There All Along When Zach and others started digging into the research, they discovered a pattern that went far beyond what anyone could have imagined. In 2024, Harvard Medical School researchers examined 30 active-duty Special Operations Forces personnel—men with at least a decade of service and extensive blast exposure. Using advanced brain imaging that standard scans don’t capture, they found direct associations between cumulative blast exposure and measurable changes in brain structure and function. The more blasts, the worse the damage. The worse the damage, the lower their quality of life.¹ A 2025 study went further, analyzing over 200 Special Operations Forces members. Even when traditional imaging appeared completely normal, those with higher blast exposure showed significant differences in brain connectivity—weaker signals in key areas, more symptoms including memory problems, emotional difficulties, and signs of PTSD.² But the most haunting evidence came from the dead. The Defense Department’s own Brain Tissue Repository examined the brains of eight Navy SEALs who died by suicide. All eight showed a distinctive pattern of damage, seen only in people repeatedly exposed to blast waves. And the vast majority of that exposure came not from enemy fire, but from their own weapons in training.³ The very preparation designed to make them exceptional warriors was leaving some barely able to function. Zach thought about his buddy. About himself. About all the men still serving who have no idea what’s happening inside their skulls. There’s more understanding now than there was. But not enough action. Not enough protection. Not enough innovation flowing to the people who need it most. ## A Dream in a Cabin After separating from the Navy, Zach faced a question that had no easy answer. For nearly a decade, being a SEAL had been his identity. The teams. The missions. The brotherhood. Now his body was broken, his brain was damaged, and the institution he’d given everything to had called him a liar on his way out the door. What do you do when the thing that defined you is gone? Zach did what warriors have done for centuries when they need answers: he went into the wilderness alone. Ten days in a cabin. Phone off. World shut out. Just him and the silence and the question that demanded an answer: \*What now?\* The wilderness had always been his place of healing. His father had taken him backpacking in the mountains as a kid—a 55-pound boy carrying a 50-pound pack, because if you wanted to go on the big adventures, you had to carry your own weight. The high-altitude fishing trips. The hunts. Every time life had shattered him, the outdoors had put him back together. But this time was different. This wasn’t a setback. This was an ending. His brain still fights him. Some things are getting better through treatment. Other things, he admits quietly, are getting worse. That’s the reality he carried into that cabin—the knowledge that some of what was taken can’t be given back. The answer came in a dream. He saw a word: FOREST. But it was broken apart—FOR REST—using the same R. The wilderness wasn’t just where he healed. It was what he was supposed to build. A place where warriors could find refuge. Where the broken could become whole again. He woke up knowing what came next. ## Adullam: A Place of Refuge When it came time to name what he was building, Zach’s wife threw out the name of an ancient cave. In the Bible, Adullam was where David hid before he became king—not with his future mighty men, but with the broken ones. The disgraced. The indebted. The angry. Four hundred men who had nothing left. It was in that cave, through hardship and time, that they were forged into something legendary. The name means “a place of refuge and justice for the people.” The wilderness vision that came in the dream. The cave where the broken become warriors. Both truths, woven together. “Our entire mission as a company is to bring innovation that saves lives,” Zach says. Not disrupt markets. Not chase valuations. Save lives. And he means it literally. [**The Adullam Company**](http://theadullamcompany.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and its R&D arm, Adullam Technologies, are developing innovations that could fundamentally change how we protect the men and women who protect us. Nanotechnology that can make armor double the strength at half the weight. AI-driven concealment systems that hide soldiers not just from eyes, but from thermal imaging, infrared sensors, and detection technologies that didn’t exist when Zach was in the field. Blast overpressure reducing materials—the kind of protection that could have changed everything about that day in 2010\. Not just for Zach, but for the brothers who still carry invisible wounds from that same explosion. “If I had armor that reduced even 25% of that blast,” Zach says, “I don’t think my decline would have been as severe. I think I would have been able to stay in the military.” ## Building What Should Already Exist Every product starts with a problem Zach, or someone who serves, has actually faced. Two SEALs drowned last year when their gear wouldn’t release underwater. Standard quick-release systems failed. Adullam is now developing breakaway vests that actually work—because the current options clearly don’t. Combat medics lose precious seconds fumbling with gear attachment systems while warriors bleed out. Adullam is creating modular medical carriers with magnetic quick-release systems so medics can move faster between wounded. Shooters absorb blast overpressure every time they fire heavy weapons—thousands of rounds over a career, each one sending an invisible shockwave through the brain. Adullam is developing weapons systems that reduce that exposure for the shooter. The work comes to life through the TRIBE brand—[**TRIBE Equipment**](https://www.tribequipment.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) for military and first responders. Built on the foundation of real-world experience from the most unforgiving environments, TRIBE is more than tactical gear—it’s a brotherhood of operators, designers, and innovators engineering equipment that meets the highest standards of performance, durability, and precision. Every piece is designed with direct input from the professionals who will stake their lives on it, ensuring the gear reflects the evolving needs of today’s modern operator. Every decision comes back to one question: **How do we bring them home?** Not just alive. Home to their families. Home to their futures. Home whole. ## Before the Next Fight The next conflict isn’t a matter of if. It’s when. And the technology on that battlefield is advancing faster than the protection we give our people. AI systems that can see through walls. Drones that hunt autonomously. Detection capabilities that make yesterday’s camouflage obsolete. The gap between threat and protection is widening. Zach and his team are working to close it. Innovation at this level requires resources, partnership, and people who believe the mission is worth backing. Right now, The Adullam Company is opening a small number of spots for investors who understand that some opportunities aren’t measured solely in returns—they’re measured in lives. This isn’t about a pitch deck or projected market share. It’s about standing with the people who’ve lived the cost of inadequate protection and are building what should have existed all along. If you believe that the warriors who protect us deserve technology that protects them—and you want to be part of bringing them home—this is how you [**join that mission**](http://www.theadullamcompany.com/invest?ref=philmckinney.com). [Learn More About The Mission](http://www.theadullamcompany.com/invest?ref=philmckinney.com) **Limited spots available for** [**qualified investors**](http://www.theadullamcompany.com/invest?ref=philmckinney.com)**.** --- ### About Zach Paschall Zachary Paschall is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Adullam Company, a service-disabled, veteran-owned platform focused on “Innovation That Saves Lives.” A former U.S. Navy SEAL Chief and sniper with multiple combat deployments, including Afghanistan, he brings an operator’s view of risk, load, and survivability to every product decision. His leadership sits at the intersection of survivability, advanced technology, and U.S. manufacturing, where he drives operator-led solutions for warfighters, first responders, hunters, and serious outdoor professionals. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2025/12/zach-image-3.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2025/12/zach-iimage-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2025/12/Zach-image-1.jpg) ### About Adullam Company What began as a mission to protect warriors has grown into a family of brands serving those who operate in demanding environments—from the battlefield to the backcountry. [**The Adullam Company**](https://www.theadullamcompany.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) is a U.S.-based, multi-brand survivability platform dedicated to “***Innovation That Saves Lives***,” integrating advanced AI, quantum, and nanotechnology-driven materials to mission-critical gear and concealment systems. Adullam operates a family of synergistic brands driven by discovery of gaps in markets, innovating solutions and combining next-generation R&D, agile engineering and manufacturing lifecycle all sourced and produced in the US. Each brand from tactical gear (**Tribe Equipment**), precision hunting (**Hyde Hunting**), outdoor and mountaineering (**Forest Outfitters**), lifestyle and heritage apparel (**The Real Bigfoot**), focuses on performance, preservation, and protection to deliver field-proven systems designed and tested by operators for real-world survivability needs. [TheAdullamCompany.com](http://theadullamcompany.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) *This article is dedicated to the honor and memory of fallen Navy SEAL Ryan F. Larkin.* ### **Endnotes** **1\. Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital Study on Blast Exposure and Brain Injury** Gilmore N, Tseng CJ, Maffei C, et al. “Impact of repeated blast exposure on active-duty United States Special Operations Forces.” *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*, April 2024\. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313568121. [Read the full study](https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2313568121?ref=philmckinney.com) The study examined 30 active-duty U.S. Special Operations Forces with at least a decade of military service and extensive blast exposure, finding associations between cumulative blast exposure and alterations in brain structure, function, and health-related quality of life using advanced MRI and PET imaging techniques. **2\. Radiology Study on Brain Connectivity and Blast Exposure** Diociasi A, et al. “Distinct Functional MRI Connectivity Patterns and Cortical Volume Variations Associated with Repetitive Blast Exposure in Special Operations Forces Members.” *Radiology*, April 2025. [Read coverage of the findings](https://www.rsna.org/news/2025/april/brain-abnormalities-from-blast-exposure?ref=philmckinney.com) The study analyzed over 200 Special Operations Forces members, finding that those with higher blast exposure showed weaker brain connectivity in key areas and more severe symptoms including memory problems, emotional difficulties, and signs of post-traumatic stress disorder—even when standard MRI exams appeared normal. **3\. The New York Times Investigation on Navy SEAL Brain Damage** Philipps D. “Pattern of Brain Damage Is Pervasive in Navy SEALs Who Died by Suicide.” *The New York Times*, June 30, 2024. [Read the full investigation](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/30/us/navy-seals-brain-damage-suicide.html?ref=philmckinney.com) The investigation found that the Defense Department Brain Tissue Repository examined the brains of eight Navy SEALs who died by suicide, all of whom showed an unusual pattern of damage seen only in people exposed repeatedly to blast waves—primarily from firing their own weapons during training, not enemy action. The findings had not been communicated to Navy SEAL leadership until the Times investigation revealed them. **4\. 60 Minutes: A Father’s Mission After His Son’s Suicide** “Veterans Suicide Puts Father on Mission.” *60 Minutes*, CBS News. [Watch the segment](https://youtu.be/ILC54W36HNE?ref=philmckinney.com) [Read the transcript](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/veterans-suicide-puts-father-on-mission-60-minutes-transcript/?ref=philmckinney.com) Former Navy SEAL Frank Larkin donated his son Ryan’s brain to research after Ryan’s suicide. The postmortem study revealed a pattern of scarring invisible to standard MRIs—damage caused by blast exposure from weapons and demolitions during training, not combat. --- ### **Disclosure** Phil McKinney serves on The Adullam Company’s Advisory Board and holds a small equity position (<1%) in the company. Phil McKinney is not a financial advisor. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Prospective investors should consult with their own qualified financial advisors before making any investment decisions. ### Numerical Thinking: How to Find the Truth When Numbers Lie URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/numerical-thinking-how-to-find-the-truth-when-numbers-lie/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:19.000Z Quick—which is more dangerous: the thing that kills 50,000 Americans every year, or the thing that kills 50? Your brain says the first one, obviously. The data says you're dead wrong. Heart disease kills 700,000 people annually, but you're not terrified of cheeseburgers. Shark attacks kill about 10 people worldwide per year, but millions of people are genuinely afraid of the ocean. Your brain can't do the math, so you worry about the wrong things and ignore the actual threats. And here's the kicker: The people selling you fear, products, and policies? They know your brain works this way. They're counting on it. You're not bad at math. You're operating with Stone Age hardware in an [Information Age](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-critical-thinking-skills-for-digital-literacy-spotting-misinformation-manipulation/) world. And that gap between your intuition and reality? It's being weaponized every single day. Let me show you how to fight back. ## What They're Exploiting Here's what's happening: You can instantly tell the difference between 3 apples and 30 apples. But a million and a billion? They both just feel like "really big." Research from the OECD found that numeracy skills are collapsing [across developed countries](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-mobile-broadband-in-developing-countries-s11-ep32/). Over half of American adults can't work with numbers beyond a sixth-grade level. We've become a society that can calculate tips but can't spot when we're being lied to with statistics. And I'm going to be blunt: if you can't think proportionally in 2025, you're flying blind. Let's fix that right now. ## Translation: Make the Invisible Visible Okay, stop everything. I'm going to change how you see numbers forever. One million seconds is 11 days. Take a second, feel that. Eleven days ago—that's a million seconds. One billion seconds is 31 years. A billion seconds ago, it was 1994\. Bill Clinton was president. The internet was just getting started. That's how far back you have to go. Now here's where it gets wild: One trillion seconds is 31,000 years. Thirty-one THOUSAND years. A trillion seconds ago, humans hadn't invented farming yet. We were hunter-gatherers painting on cave walls. So when you hear someone say "What's the difference between a billion and a trillion?"—the difference is the entire span of human civilization. This isn't trivia. This is the key to seeing through manipulation. Because when a politician throws around billions and trillions in the same sentence like they're comparable? Now you know—they're lying to your face, banking on you not understanding scale. ## The "Per What?" Weapon Here's the trick they use on you constantly, and once you see it, you can't unsee it. A supplement company advertises: "Our product reduces your risk by 50%!" Sounds incredible, right? Must buy immediately. But here's what they're not telling you: If your risk of something was 2 in 10,000, and now it's 1 in 10,000—that's technically a 50% reduction. But your actual risk only dropped by 0.01%. They just made almost nothing sound like everything. Or flip it around: "This causes a 200% increase in risk!" Terrifying! Except if your risk went from 1 in a million to 3 in a million, you're still almost certainly fine. This is how they play you. They show you percentages when absolute numbers would expose them. They show you raw numbers when rates would destroy their argument. Your defense? Three words: **"Per what, exactly?"** 50% of what baseline? 200% increase from what starting point? That denominator is where the truth hides. Once you start asking this, you'll see the manipulation everywhere. ## Let's Catch a Lie in Real Time Okay, let's do this together right now. I'm going to show you a real [manipulation pattern](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-critical-thinking-skills-for-digital-literacy-spotting-misinformation-manipulation/) I see constantly. Headline: "4 out of 5 dentists recommend our toothpaste!" Sounds pretty convincing, right? Let's apply what we just learned. First—per what? Four out of five of how many dentists? If they surveyed 10 dentists and 8 said yes, that's technically 80%, but it's meaningless. Second—what was the actual question? Turns out, they asked dentists to name ALL brands they'd recommend, not which ONE was best. So 80% mentioned this brand... along with seven other brands. Third—scale: There are 200,000 dentists in the US. They surveyed 150\. That's 80% of 0.075% of all dentists. See how fast that falls apart? That's the power of asking "per what? ## The Exponential Trap This is where your intuition doesn't just fail—it catastrophically fails. And it's costing people everything. Grab a piece of paper. Fold it in half. Twice as thick, no big deal. Fold it again. Four times. Okay. Keep going. Most people think if you could fold it 42 times, maybe it'd be as tall as a building? No. It would reach the moon. From Earth. To the moon. That's exponential growth, and your brain cannot comprehend it. Here's why this matters in your actual life: You've got a credit card with $5,000 on it at 18% interest. You think "I'll just pay the minimum, I'll catch up eventually." Your brain treats this like a linear problem. It's not. It's exponential. That $5,000 becomes $10,000 faster than you can possibly imagine, and then $20,000, and suddenly you're drowning. Or retirement: Starting to save at 25 versus 35 doesn't feel like a huge difference. Ten years, whatever. But exponential growth means that ten-year head start could be worth 2-3 times more money when you're 65. When you hear "doubles every," "grows by X percent," or "compounds"—stop. Your intuition just became your enemy. ## Rapid Reality Checking You don't need a calculator to spot lies. You need a sanity check that takes ten seconds. I'm going to give you the fastest BS detector I know: **Round brutally.** 47 million becomes 50 million. 8.7% becomes 10%. Precision is the enemy of speed. **Find the zeros.** Is this thousands, millions, billions? Get the ballpark right first. **Do the rough math.** What's 7% of 50 million? Well, 10% is 5 million, so 7% is about 3.5 million. Done. Close enough to catch the lie. **Smell test it.** Someone claims a new app has a billion users after launching last month? That's one in eight humans on Earth. Really? I use this every single day now. News article, [social media post](https://www.philmckinney.com/second-order-thinking-how-to-stop-your-decisions-from-creating-bigger-problems/), advertisement—ten seconds and I know if someone's lying to me. You're not trying to be exact. You're trying to be un-foolable. ## Don't Make These Mistakes Before we go further, let me save you from three traps I see people fall into. **First:** Don't become the conspiracy theorist who distrusts ALL numbers. Sometimes 50% really is 50%. The goal is healthy skepticism, not paranoid cynicism. **Second:** Don't weaponize this to win petty arguments. "Actually, you didn't do 50% of the dishes"—nobody likes that person. **Third:** Don't assume you're now immune to manipulation. These are tools, not shields. Stay humble. Smart people get fooled all the time—they just recover faster. ## Putting It All Together Let me show you how these four techniques work as a system. A tech company announces: "We've tripled our user base to 3 million, growing 200% annually, and reduced complaints by 90%!" Watch this: **Scale check:** 3 million users. In social media? That's tiny. Instagram has 2 billion. Context matters. **Per what?** Tripled from what starting point? If they went from 50,000 to 3 million, that's actually 60x growth—why understate it? And 90% reduction from how many complaints? Ten to one? Who cares. **Exponential check:** 200% annual growth is explosive... and unsustainable. What happens when they hit market saturation next quarter? **Quick estimate:** If they have 3 million users and the market is 300 million potential users, they've captured 1%. Still lots of room to grow—or lots of room for competitors. See how these stack? ## Your Turn—Right Now Okay, pause this video. Seriously, pause it. Open your news app or social media feed. Look at the first three posts with numbers in them. Now run them through the test: What's the scale? Per what? Is it exponential? Does it pass the smell test? I'll give you 60 seconds. Go. Done? Did you find manipulation? I bet you found at least one. Comment below what you discovered—I genuinely want to know what you're seeing out there. ## The Real Stakes Let me tell you what just happened. You learned five techniques. But you actually learned something bigger: **You learned that your intuition about numbers is systematically broken, and people in power know it and exploit it.** Remember the opening? The reason you're more afraid of sharks than [heart disease](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-make-better-decisions-when-nothing-is-certain/) isn't random. Media companies know fear drives clicks, and rare dramatic events trigger your brain differently than common statistical threats. So they show you the sharks, not the cheeseburgers. They're not smarter than you. They're just counting on you not checking the math. We're entering an era of AI-generated stats, algorithmic manipulation, and deepfake data. Your ability to think proportionally isn't just about making better decisions anymore. **It's about knowing what's real.** The people who can't tell a million from a billion will be led by people who can. And those people? They're fine with you staying confused. So what are you going to be—the one doing the math, or the one getting played? **If you want to keep sharpening these skills, this is episode 7 in the** [**Thinking 101 series**](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-thinking-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever/)**.** Each episode gives you another tool for thinking clearly in a world designed to confuse you. Hit subscribe so you don't miss the next one. And if this changed how you see numbers? Share it. Someone in your life needs this. Choose today. To learn more about numerical thinking, listen to this week's show: [***Numerical Thinking: How to Find the Truth When Numbers Lie***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Numerical%5FThinking%5F-%5FHow%5Fto%5FFind%5Fthe%5FTruth%5FWhen%5FNumbers%5FLie.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### They Accused Me of Fraud. It Made $20 Billion. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/they-accused-me-of-fraud-it-made-20-billion/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T20:17:53.000Z The knock came at 2:47 AM. I know the exact time because I was staring at the hotel clock when the Polícia Federal burst into my room in São Paulo. They didn’t wait for me to dress. Middle of the night, standing there in my boxers, watching them rifle through my briefcase while barking questions in Portuguese. “Você admite a fraude?” I didn’t need a translator to know what *fraude* meant. Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in a conference room at Telesp headquarters—still in my underwear, now with a borrowed shirt that didn’t fit—being formally charged with defrauding the Brazilian government and its citizens. What had we supposedly stolen? They claimed CSC Intelicom, the company where I was Head of Global Telecom Consulting, had stolen millions by taking full payment upfront and then “never delivering” the cellular network we’d been contracted to build. But we couldn’t deliver because the numbers had stopped making sense. And when numbers stop making sense, everything breaks. ## The Pitch That Should Have Been a Warning In the 1990s, my team at CSC Intelicom had the hottest track record in the industry. We’d deployed the majority of the first GSM networks in Europe—Mannesmann (now Vodafone), Cellnet (now O2), MTN in South Africa, Europolitan (now Telenor). When countries wanted to launch a mobile network, they called us. Brazil was no different. São Paulo, specifically. One of the last major Brazilian cities to deploy cellular systems, and they wanted to go big, the largest market in Latin America. On paper, the Telesp Celular bid looked incredible. The numbers were massive. The growth projections were astronomical. The opportunity seemed unlimited. But there was a problem embedded in those projections that most people missed: **the baseline numbers were already meaningless.** Brazil’s inflation rate in January 1990 was 71.9%. February was 71.7%. March hit 81.3%. Let me translate that: If you had 1,000 reais in your pocket on January 1st, by April 1st you needed 5,381 reais to buy the same things. Your money lost more than 80% of its value in ninety days. Now try running a business in that environment. Try building a telecommunications network. Try signing contracts, ordering equipment, paying workers, making plans that extend beyond next week. You can’t. Because when figures change that fast, they stop being numbers. They become noise. ## When a Million Becomes a Billion Overnight (Literally) Most people struggle to comprehend the difference between a million and a billion. A million seconds is 11 days. A billion seconds is 31 years. That gulf between those two numbers is where clear thinking dies. Brazil took this to the extreme: **Between 1986 and 1994, Brazil changed its currency five times.** Not redenominations. Full currency replacements. - Cruzeiro - Cruzado - Cruzado Novo - Cruzeiro (again) - Cruzeiro Real - Real By the time they introduced the modern real in 1994, one real equaled 2.75 × 10^18 of Brazil’s original réis. That’s 2.75 *quintillion* to one. Most people can’t even comprehend what a quintillion is. I’ll save you the math: it’s a billion billions. And here’s what that does to your ability to think about scale: **It destroys it completely.** When your salary from last month wouldn’t buy lunch this month, when yesterday’s price for cement is 50% higher today, when the currency you’re paid in might not exist next quarter—you stop being able to estimate, plan, or make rational decisions. Your brain gives up. Everything just becomes “big” or “small” or “impossible.” Asking “Per what?” is how you spot manipulation—per what baseline? Over what timeframe? Relative to what? In Brazil, there was no stable “what.” The denominator was on fire. ## The $22,000 Activation Fee We knew the environment was insane before we signed the contract in 1991\. Warning signs were everywhere. When Telesp Celular launched in August 1993, they were charging $22,000 USD just to activate service. Not the phone. Not the plan. Just to turn it on. Twenty-two thousand dollars. Per customer. Not a price. A filter designed to keep everyone but the ultra-wealthy out. But it also meant the business model was completely inverted—instead of growing the customer base and making money on usage, they were extracting maximum upfront value from a tiny elite to get ahead of inflation. By 1998, when the network was privatized, they had 1,141,000 subscribers across 371 municipalities. Sounds impressive until you realize there were 15 million people on waiting lists for cellular service and another 15 million waiting for fixed-line service. Half of Brazil’s businesses had no phone service at all. This is what happens when the ability to reason about scale collapses at a systemic level. Market signals become gibberish. Nobody can tell what’s working because the baseline keeps moving. ## Why We Demanded 100% Upfront (And Why They Agreed) CSC Intelicom’s finance team saw what I saw: the math didn’t work. More importantly, it *wouldn’t* work because the underlying currency was actively disintegrating. So we did something almost unprecedented in large-scale infrastructure contracts: we demanded 100% payment upfront, in US dollars, before we started any work. Telesp agreed. Immediately. Second warning sign. When a government-backed telecom agrees to pay the entire contract value upfront in hard currency during a hyperinflation crisis, it means one of two things: 1. They’re desperate and have no better options 2. They’re planning to make you the scapegoat later Turns out, it was both. ## The Moving Target Problem The fraud accusation came down to this: The Brazilian government claimed we took the money and didn’t deliver the network. “Never delivered” was the phrase they kept using during my interrogation. But “delivered” implies there was a stable definition of what we were building. There wasn’t. Every month, the requirements changed. Not because of normal project evolution—because the *numbers themselves* kept changing. When inflation runs at 70%+ monthly, equipment costs explode, labor costs multiply, vendor pricing becomes speculative fiction. We’d get approval for a tower site based on this month’s costs. By the time we started construction, the costs had doubled. But the budget hadn’t, because it was denominated in cruzados or cruzeiros or whatever was dying that month. So we’d go back for more money or approval to modify the plan. And the government appointees would change—because they replaced the CEO every time the political winds shifted—and the new leadership would have different priorities. Brazil was teaching us about exponential chaos. When the variable you’re measuring changes by an order of magnitude between measurements, you’re not behind schedule. You’re in a different universe. ## The Night Everything Broke I’d come to Brazil for a routine site visit. My team was exhausted, demoralized, working impossible hours in an environment where “impossible” had become the baseline. I was there to tell them they were doing an incredible job under circumstances beyond anyone’s control. That CSC Intelicom saw them, valued them, understood what they were dealing with. That night in the hotel, I was reviewing deployment schedules, trying to figure out how to communicate realistic timelines to headquarters when the actual timeline depended on whether Brazil changed currencies again before equipment shipments cleared customs. Then: the knock. The police. The ride to Telesp headquarters. Cold interrogation room. A borrowed shirt that smelled like cigarettes. A small group of 3 to 4 people. They had documents. Pages and pages showing the payment CSC Intelicom received, showing the promised milestones, showing… nothing delivered. “You took our money and gave us nothing.” “We gave you equipment, plans, expertise, teams working 16-hour days—” “Where is the network?” “Your requirements keep changing. Your approvals take months. Your currency changed three times since we started—” “So you admit you failed to deliver?” An elegant trick, really. They’d defined delivery as complete network launch. But launch depended on approvals they controlled, in an environment they’d destabilized, using metrics they kept redefining. It’s the ultimate “per what?” trap. Delivered per what standard? According to which version of the requirements? Measured in which currency? They handed me documents to sign. Admissions of fraud. Agreements to return funds. Corporate mea culpas that would implicate not just me but everyone on my team. I refused. ## The Call That Restored My Freedom Around noon, everything stopped. The interrogators left the room. Thirty minutes later, they came back with different energy. “You can go.” Just like that. No explanation. No apology. No charges filed. I found out later that CSC Intelicom had made calls. Big calls. To whoever you call when your executive is being held by federal police in a foreign country. The kind of calls that involve lawyers, diplomats, and people whose names you don’t say out loud. Within an hour, I was in a car heading to a private airfield. CSC Intelicom had chartered a jet. They wanted me out of Brazil before anyone changed their mind. Still wearing the borrowed shirt. I landed in Miami nine hours later, walked through US customs in wrinkled clothes that didn’t fit, looking like I’d escaped from something. Because I had. ## The QBR I Wouldn’t Attend Fast forward twelve years. I was CTO at HP, running the company’s Innovation programs. HP decided to hold a quarterly business review in São Paulo—an internal leadership meeting to review business performance across regions. “All executives must attend.” I sent a polite decline. “Phil, this isn’t optional.” “I’m not going to Brazil.” “We need everyone there. It’s important for—” “I was charged with fraud by the Brazilian government. In my underwear. At 2 AM. I’m not going back.” That got their attention. HP’s compromise: They would send two people with me. One was a fixer who understood Latin American government relations. The other was an attorney. Their job was to get me out if anything went sideways. We landed in São Paulo. I held my breath at customs. The officer scanned my passport, looked at his screen, looked at me. Stamped it. “Bem-vindo.” Welcome. It was like the entire thing had never happened. No flags. No warnings. No record. Brazil had forgotten. Or decided to forget. Or the people who remembered were gone. I attended the QBR. Participated in the internal reviews and strategy sessions. While I was there, I also met with Vivo—the joint venture that now controlled the old Telesp mobile network—since they were an HP customer. And then I left. Haven’t been back since. Some people say I’m being paranoid. Maybe they’re right. But I know what happens when numerical reasoning breaks down at a governmental level. I know how fast “forgotten” becomes “remembered” when someone needs a scapegoat again. Numbers might forget. People don’t. ## The Network That Launched Anyway Here’s the ending no one talks about in bureaucratic nightmares: We got the network launched in 1993. Not on time. Not on budget. Not according to any plan anyone originally wrote. But by 1998, Telesp Celular was the largest cellular operator in Latin America. When they privatized the Telebras system, Portugal Telecom paid $3 billion—a 226% premium over the minimum bid—for something the government had claimed was fraud and failure six years earlier. That network I was charged with failing to deliver generated nearly $20 billion in privatization revenue for Brazil. Telefónica runs it now. It’s still one of the biggest mobile networks in South America. All the chaos, hyperinflation, currency changes, political scapegoating, middle-of-the-night interrogations—and the thing still got built. Not in spite of the numerical breakdown. It’s because some people—my team, specifically—refused to let the chaos break them. They kept building even when the figures stopped making sense. They found new ways to estimate when the old ways failed. They developed intuition for “is this order of magnitude correct?” when precision became impossible. The real skill: **not thinking clearly about scale when everything’s stable, but maintaining the capacity to think proportionally when the entire system is designed to make you stop.** ## The Question I Can’t Stop Asking Thirty-three years later, I still think about that conference room. The cold. The cigarette-smell shirt. The stack of papers they wanted me to sign. And I think about all the people who did sign. The executives from other companies who were in similar situations, who made the calculation that admitting to something they didn’t do was safer than fighting it. Were they wrong? I got out because CSC Intelicom had resources to deploy. Because someone knew who to call. Because I was American and that meant something. What about the people without those advantages? The local managers who became scapegoats? The Brazilian engineers who couldn’t leave? Spotting numerical manipulation is essential. But sometimes, the manipulation isn’t about convincing you the math is right. It’s about making the math irrelevant. When they can change the baseline, redefine the terms, eliminate the denominator, and control what counts as “delivered”—your ability to think clearly about scale becomes a threat to their narrative. That’s when they come for you at 2 AM. ## What You’re Really Learning The frameworks exist: scale, ratios, exponential versus linear growth, quick estimation, smell tests for statistical manipulation. What happens when those tools are systematically stripped away from an entire society. Brazil in the 1990s showed how numerical chaos creates political opportunity. When people can’t tell millions from billions anymore—when their salary from last week won’t buy lunch today—they become easy to manipulate. And the people doing the manipulating? They understand scale and magnitude just fine. They’re counting on you not to. --- The network launched. I got out. Brazil moved on. But I still don’t go back. Because the one thing I learned that my team’s perfect deployment record couldn’t teach me: Sometimes the math works, you do everything right, and they still come for you in your boxers at 2 AM. Numbers forgive. Power doesn’t. --- *Want the frameworks for thinking clearly about scale, ratios, and numerical manipulation? Watch* [***Numerical Thinking: How to Find the Truth When Numbers Lie (Thinking 101 - Ep 7)***](https://youtu.be/kN7nPTEwQwk?ref=philmckinney.com)[](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com)*on YouTube.* *And if you’ve ever been in a situation where the numbers stopped making sense but you had to keep building anyway? I’d genuinely like to hear about it. Comment on the video or here. These stories matter.* ### The Clock is Screaming (And My Grandson is Listening) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-clock-is-screaming-and-my-grandson-is-listening/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:18.000Z I stepped out of the shower in March and my chest split open. Not a metaphor. The surgical incision from my cardiac device procedure just… opened. Blood and fluid everywhere. Three bath towels to stop it. [My wife](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-get-smarter-by-arguing-with-people-who-disagree-with-you/)—a nurse, the exact person I needed—was in Chicago dealing with her parents’ estate. Both had just died. So my daughter drove me to the ER instead. That was surgery number one. By Thanksgiving this year, I’d had five cardiac surgeries. Six hospitalizations. All in twelve months. And somewhere between surgery three and four, everything I thought I knew about gratitude… broke. ## When the Comfortable List Stopped Working Five surgeries. Three cardiac devices. My body kept rejecting the thing meant to save my life. Lying there before surgery number five, waiting for the anesthesia, one question kept circling: What if I don’t make it this time? And that’s when the comfortable list stopped working. You know the one. Health. Family. Career. The things we say around the table because they sound right. But when you’re not sure you’ll wake up from surgery… when your wife is burying both her parents while managing your near-death… when the calendar is filled with hospital dates instead of holidays… You can’t perform [gratitude](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-handle-rejection-of-your-idea/) anymore. You have to find out what it actually means. The clock isn’t just ticking anymore. It’s screaming. ## What Survives And that’s when I saw it clearly. Not in a hospital room—at a lunch table with my [grandson](https://www.philmckinney.com/orphaned-innovations-orphan-drugs/). Last month, Liam sat next to me after church. He’s twelve. Runs his own business designing 3D models. And he’d been listening to my podcast episode about breakthrough innovations. He had an idea. A big one. “It would need way better batteries than we have now, Papa.” So we went deep—the kind of conversation where you forget a twelve-year-old is asking questions most engineers won’t touch. He’s already thinking about making the impossible possible. And sitting there, watching him work through the problem, I realized something: This is what survives when I’m gone. My grandfather would take me to my Uncle Bishop’s tobacco farm in rural Kentucky. When we’d do something wrong—cut a corner, rush through it—we’d hear it: “A job worth doing is worth doing right.” Almost like a family mantra. I heard it on that farm. My kids heard it from me. Liam hears it now. And that line will keep moving forward long after I’m gone. Not because of the accolades. Because of the people. ## It’s Not Just Liam But here’s what hit me sitting there with Liam: It’s not just him. It’s you. Every week for more than twenty years, I’ve been putting out content. Podcasts. Videos. Articles. Not for the downloads. Not for the metrics. For this exact moment—where something I share gets passed forward. Where you have a conversation with someone younger who needs to hear it. Where you take what works and make it your own. That’s what legacy actually is. Not the content I create. Not what’s on a shelf. The people we invest time in. The effort we put into helping them become who the future needs. My legacy is Liam, yes. But it’s also every person who’s taken something from these conversations and shared it forward. That’s you. That’s the reason the clock screaming doesn’t make me stop. It makes me keep going. Because you’re going to pass this forward. And that’s what survives. ## The Math I turned sixty-five in September. Both my parents died at sixty-eight. The math isn’t encouraging. So when people ask me why I keep pushing—why I’m still creating content when I can barely type, when I’ve had five surgeries in twelve months— It’s because I finally understand what I’m grateful for. Not my health. That’s been failing spectacularly. Not comfort. That ended in March. I’m grateful I get to see what happens when you invest in people. I’m grateful Liam asks me about batteries over lunch. I’m grateful you’re watching this and thinking about who you’re investing in. I’m grateful for what the breaking revealed. ## What I’m Actually Grateful For That morning when my chest split open? I was terrified. Thinking about everything that could go wrong. Now? I’m grateful for what it forced me to see. Who shows up. What survives. Why it matters to keep going even when it would be easier to stop. This week on Studio Notes, I’m telling the full story. The medical mystery that took five surgeries to solve. The conversation with Liam that changed everything. What my wife actually thinks about me writing a second book while recovering from all this. And what gratitude looks like when the comfortable list stops working. [Read the full story on Studio Notes](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/what-im-actually-thankful-for-after) ## Your Turn But here’s what I really want to know: When was the last time you were grateful for something that hurt you? Not the easy stuff. Not the list you perform around the table. The thing that broke you open. The thing that forced you to see differently. Drop it in the comments. Tell me what you found inside the breaking. Because maybe that’s what Thanksgiving is actually for. Learning what gratitude looks like when everything breaks. And discovering that what survives isn’t what we thought. Happy Thanksgiving. To learn more about gratitude through hardship, listen to this week's show: [***The Clock is Screaming (And My Grandson is Listening)***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FClock%5Fis%5FScreaming.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### What I'm Actually Thankful For (After My Body Failed Three Times This Year) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-im-actually-thankful-for-after-my-body-failed-three-times-this-year/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T20:24:04.000Z I stepped out of the shower in March and my chest split open. Not metaphorically. The incision from my cardiac device procedure—the routine battery swap I’d had done back in November—simply opened up. Blood and fluid poured out of my upper left chest. It took three bath towels to clean it up. My wife was on her way to Chicago. She’s a nurse, which meant she was the exact person I needed in that moment, and she wasn’t there. She was dealing with her parents’ estate—both had died late in 2024, and as executor, she was drowning in paperwork and grief while I was hemorrhaging infection onto our bathroom floor. My daughter took me to the ER. This wasn’t supposed to happen. The device swap in November was routine. I’d had an implanted cardiac defibrillator for fifteen years—a device that shocks your heart back into rhythm when it decides to go rogue. Every seven years or so, you swap it out for a fresh battery. I’d done it before in Boulder without incident. But after my open heart surgery in February 2023, Mayo Clinic Florida suggested I come back to them for extra caution. First swap post-open-heart. They wanted to be careful. It was supposed to be outpatient. In and out. Instead, here I was in the ER in March with my chest open and infectious disease specialists running tests. The diagnosis: infected. The device had to come out. Immediately. Here’s what they don’t tell you: when your leads are fifteen years old, removing them becomes high-risk. They’ve grown into your heart tissue. One wrong move and you’re coding on the table. They transferred me by ambulance to the main research university hospital in Denver and put me straight into the OR. They removed the device and all the leads. We thought that was the end of it. Infection happens. Rare, but it happens. Install a new device, be more careful, move on. In early June, they installed a new device in Denver. In late July, I was on a business trip to Silicon Valley when puss started pouring out of my chest again. I was rushed to Stanford’s ER. They removed the second device. That’s when Dr. West started digging. Because this wasn’t an infection. Infections don’t happen twice, not like this, not with different surgical teams in different states taking every precaution. He did the research. He found one paper—*one*—describing a patient with the exact same presentation. Turns out, in the last six years, it became “standard of care” to wrap implanted cardiac devices in special pouches to reduce infection risk. But in extremely rare cases—we’re talking statistical anomalies—some patients are allergic to the chemicals used in the pouches. When that happens, the patient presents exactly like they have an infection. But it’s not an infection. It’s your body rejecting something that’s supposed to save your life. Dr. West ordered tests with industrial allergists. We tested for stainless steel (the leads), titanium (the device), every material that goes into your chest. Eliminated everything we could eliminate. We’re ninety-five percent certain it’s the pouch. Last Wednesday, they installed the third device. No pouch this time. I’m dictating this article because my right arm and shoulder are still out of commission from the surgery. Typing is excruciating. So I’m speaking these words into a microphone, hoping they capture even a fraction of what this year has actually been. Five cardiac surgeries. Six hospitalizations. All in twelve months. And here we are at Thanksgiving. ### **The Ritual We Perform** Thanksgiving in America has this ritual: you sit around a table with family and friends and name what you’re grateful for. It’s supposed to be sincere, but it often becomes performative. The expected list. Health, family, career, the usual comfortable categories. But when you’ve had three devices implanted in your chest in twelve months, when you’ve been wheeled into surgery wondering if this is the time the anesthesia doesn’t wear off properly, when you’ve watched your wife juggle her parents’ deaths and your near-death simultaneously—the performative list doesn’t cut it anymore. So here’s what’s actually on my list this year: My faith. Not the abstract Sunday-school version, but the thing that kept running through my head as they wheeled me back for surgery number three last Wednesday: *God has a plan. I may not know the plan, but He does, and I trust His plan.* When you’re going under for the sixth time in one year, trust is the only currency that matters. My wife. Who looks at me like I’m insane when I bring up writing another book. Who’s still dealing with her parents’ estate while managing my cardiac drama while somehow keeping our household from collapsing. Given how much time my first book took, she shudders at the idea. To say she’s frustrated would be an understatement. But she’s still here. Still showing up. Still making sure I don’t kill myself trying to squeeze a lifetime of work into whatever time is left. My three kids, their spouses, my five grandkids. ### **The Legacy That Actually Matters** Take Liam, for instance. He’s twelve. Homeschooled, runs his own business designing and building 3D models, creates holiday decorations on his 3D printer and Glowforge laser cutter. And somewhere along the way, he got deep into my YouTube channel and podcast. Last month, he listened to my episode “5 Questions to Spot Breakthrough Innovations Before They Happen.” The framework walks through how to identify game-changing ideas before anyone else sees them. Question three is: *What knowledge would make this possible? Work backward from success.* Liam had an idea. One that would require a major breakthrough. So at our normal Sunday lunch after church, he made sure to sit next to me at the restaurant and drill me on what knowledge would be required for his idea to work. “It would need batteries,” he said. “Way better batteries than we have now. Like, order-of-magnitude improvement in storage density.” So we talked through state of the art. The gaps in current technology. The history of battery development. The assumptions everyone makes that might need to be ignored. We went deep—the kind of conversation you don’t typically have with a twelve-year-old over burgers and fries. That’s when it hit me: This is the legacy that actually matters. Not the Wikipedia page someone created about me. Not the “Most Innovative Company” awards HP won three years running when I was CTO. Not even the book or the podcast downloads or the companies I’ve built. I still tell stories about my grandfather. He’d take me down to Uncle Bishop’s farm, deep in the backwoods of Kentucky. That’s where I learned to ride horseback. Where I helped with the tobacco harvest, climbing up to hang the leaves to dry. And if we didn’t do it right—if we rushed or cut corners—out would come my grandfather’s favorite saying: *“If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”* My dad used that same line on my brother and me. I mentioned it in the dedication of my book. And I guarantee you, Liam will use it someday with his kids. That’s the legacy that outlasts everything else. Not what strangers remember about your career, but what the next generation carries forward in how they see the world, approach challenges, refuse to cut corners. I turned sixty-five last September. Both my parents died at sixty-eight. They never got to see their grandkids get married. My dream—the thing that drives me now more than any professional ambition—is to see all five of my grandkids grow up, find careers, get married. To be there for those moments. The math isn’t encouraging. The number of years in front of me is far less than the years behind me. And after this year, that ratio feels even more stark. ### **Why I Keep Showing Up** People keep asking: “Why do you keep doing this? Why push out forty-five-plus podcast episodes a year? Why write weekly Studio Notes articles? Why offer one-on-one sessions with leaders when you can barely type?” Because the clock is ticking. And the response to these transparent, deeply personal stories has created something I didn’t expect: a sense of urgency. A feeling that I’m compelled to share as many insights, learnings, mistakes as possible while I still can. You’ve told me the messy stories matter more than the polished ones. That the failures teach more than the successes. That you needed to know you weren’t alone in the struggle. So I keep pulling back the curtain. The HP innovations that almost destroyed me politically. The Kroger fiasco where I watched executives deliberately sabotage transformation. The confrontation with the Department of Education where I told them their graduates couldn’t think. And now this: the medical reality that’s been lurking behind the missed episodes this year. The thing I haven’t talked about publicly because it felt too raw, too personal, too much like admitting vulnerability in a way that might make people doubt my ability to lead. But here’s what I’ve learned from Liam sitting next to me at lunch, drilling me on battery density: vulnerability isn’t weakness. It’s the only way to pass on what actually matters. CableLabs—the best job and best team I’ve ever worked with—has carried me through this year in ways that prove the culture is real, not performed. We have a practice: when anyone is out for whatever reason, they name a proxy. That proxy has full authority to make any decision. And here’s the critical part: when you come back, you cannot countermand any decisions made while you were out. That’s trust. Real trust. The kind that requires you to train your people so well that they can step into your role and make sound decisions without you. The kind that only works when your culture is actually built on integrity, not just posters in the conference room. They’ve proven it this year. They’ve run the organization while I’ve been in and out of hospitals. They’ve made decisions I would have made, and some I wouldn’t have, and all of them have been solid because the foundation was already there. That’s what I want to pass on to Liam and his generation. Not just frameworks for spotting breakthrough innovations, but the lived reality of what it takes to build cultures that don’t collapse when the leader goes down. I’m also working on a second book—[***Thinking Independence: How to Own Your Mind When Everything Wants to Think For You***](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/im-thinking-about-writing-a-book?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true). My wife thinks I’m nuts. Open heart surgery in 2023, five surgeries and six hospitalizations in 2024 and 2025, and I’m talking about writing another book? But that’s exactly why I have to write it. Because the clock isn’t just ticking. It’s screaming. ### **The Table** I don’t want to end this at death’s doorstep. That’s not where I am. My health is good—or as good as it can be when you’re running on your third defibrillator in twelve months. I’m still able to do the job I love at CableLabs. I’m still producing content. The conversations with my grandkids keep me sharper than any executive coaching session ever could. The messy truth is this: I’m grateful not *despite* the surgeries and hospitalizations, but *because* of what they’ve clarified. What matters. What doesn’t. Who matters. What I need to say while I still can. My grandfather was right: If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing right. This job—passing on what I’ve learned, showing the real story behind the sanitized versions, investing in the next generation—is worth doing. So I’m doing it right. With whatever time I have left. Next week, I’m back with ***Episode 7 on Numerical Thinking in the Thinking 101 series***. The curtain stays pulled back. The stories keep coming. The clock keeps ticking. And I keep showing up at the table—grateful for everyone who’s sitting there with me. *What are you actually grateful for this year—not the performative version, but the truth? Hit reply and tell me. I read every response.* ### Second-Order Thinking: How to Stop Your Decisions From Creating Bigger Problems URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/second-order-thinking-how-to-stop-your-decisions-from-creating-bigger-problems/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:18.000Z **In August 2025, Polish researchers tested something nobody had thought to check:** what happens to doctors' skills *after* they rely on [AI assistance](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-ai-dependency-is-rewiring-your-childs-creative-brain-and-what-parents-can-do-about-it/)? The AI worked perfectly—catching problems during colonoscopies, flagging abnormalities faster than human eyes could. But when researchers pulled the AI away, the doctors' detection rates had dropped. They'd become less skilled at spotting problems on their own. We're all making decisions like this right now. A solution fixes the immediate problem—but creates a second-order consequence that's harder to see and often more damaging than what we started with. Research from Gartner shows that poor operational decisions cost companies upward of 3% of their [annual profits](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-questions-that-spot-breakthroughs-before-they-happen/). A company with $5 billion in revenue loses $150 million every year because managers solved first-order problems and created second-order disasters. You see this pattern everywhere. A retail chain closes underperforming stores to cut costs—and ends up losing more money when loyal customers abandon the brand entirely. A daycare introduces a late pickup fee to discourage tardiness—and late pickups skyrocket because parents now feel they've *paid* for the privilege. The skill that separates wise decision-makers from everyone else isn't speed. It's the ability to ask one simple question repeatedly: "And then what?" ## What Second-Order Thinking Actually Means First-order thinking asks: "What happens if I do this?" Second-order thinking asks: "And then what? And then what after that?" Most people stop at the first question. They see the immediate consequence and act. But every action creates a cascade of effects, and the second and third-order consequences are often the opposite of what we intended. Think about social media platforms. First-order? They connect people across distances. Second-order? They fragment attention spans and fuel polarization. The difference isn't about being cautious—it's about being thorough. In a world where business decisions come faster and with higher stakes than ever before, the ability to trace consequences forward through multiple levels isn't optional anymore. Let me show you how. ## How To Think in Consequences Before we get into the specific strategies, here's what you need to understand: Second-order thinking isn't about predicting the future with certainty. It's about systematically considering possibilities that most people ignore. The reason most people fail at this isn't lack of intelligence—it's that our brains evolved to focus on immediate threats and rewards. First-order thinking kept our ancestors alive. But in [complex modern systems](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-systems-thinking-skills/)—businesses, markets, organizations—first-order thinking gets you killed. The good news? This is a learnable skill. You don't need special training or advanced degrees. You need two things: a framework for mapping consequences, and a method for forcing yourself to actually use it. **Two strategies will stop your solutions from creating bigger problems:** **Map How People Will Actually Respond** \- trace your decision through stakeholders, understand what you're actually incentivizing, and predict how the system adapts. **Run the "And Then What?" Drill** \- force yourself to see three moves ahead before you act, using a simple three-round questioning method. Let's break down each one. ### Strategy 1: Map How People Will Actually Respond Here's the fundamental insight that separates good decision-makers from everyone else: **People respond to what you reward, not what you intend.** When you make a decision, you're not just choosing an action—you're sending signals into a complex system of human beings who will interpret those signals, adapt their behavior, and create consequences you never imagined. Your job is to trace those adaptations before they happen. This strategy has three components that work together: #### First: Identify ALL Your Stakeholders When considering a decision, list everyone it will affect directly and indirectly. Don't just think about your immediate team—think about: - Your customers (current and potential) - Your competitors (how will they respond?) - Your suppliers and partners - Your employees at different levels - Your investors or board - Regulatory bodies or industry watchdogs - Adjacent markets or ecosystems Most executives stop after listing two or three obvious groups. The consequences you miss come from the stakeholders you forgot to consider. Here's what research shows: Wharton professor Philip Tetlock spent two decades studying how well experts predict future events. His landmark finding? Even highly credentialed experts' predictions were only slightly better than random chance—barely better than a dart-throwing chimp. But the real insight came when Tetlock discovered that certain people can forecast with exceptional accuracy. These "superforecasters" share one key trait: they relentlessly ask "And then what?" before making predictions. They don't just see the immediate effect. They trace the decision through the entire system. The people making million-dollar decisions are operating blind beyond the first consequence. Our job is to see what they're missing. #### Second: Understand What You're Actually Rewarding This is where most decisions go wrong. You think you're incentivizing one behavior, but you're actually rewarding something completely different. Here's the test: For each stakeholder, ask yourself: "What does this decision make easier, more profitable, or less risky for them?" **Quick example:** Remember the daycare that introduced a late pickup fee to discourage tardiness? They thought they were incentivizing on-time pickup. But here's what they actually rewarded: guilt-free lateness. Parents who felt terrible about being late now had a clear price for that guilt. The fee didn't discourage the behavior—it legitimized it. Late pickups skyrocketed. The daycare asked the wrong question. They asked: "What punishment will discourage lateness?" Instead, they should have asked: "What does a $5 fee actually incentivize?" **Another example:** You add a performance metric to improve efficiency. First-order thinking says: "People will work more efficiently." But what are you actually rewarding? Optimizing for the metric—often at the expense of things you didn't measure but actually matter more. Sales quotas reward closing deals, not necessarily solving customer problems. Employee of the month awards reward visibility, not necessarily the best work. Quarterly earnings targets reward short-term thinking, not building long-term value. When you rush a hiring decision to fill a role quickly, you're rewarding speed over quality. The second-order effect? Your team learns that urgency matters more than fit, and future hiring suffers. **The pattern:** People don't follow the spirit of your policy—they follow the incentives. And they're incredibly creative at finding ways to game systems when the incentives misalign with the goals. #### Third: Trace Each Response Forward Now that you know who's affected and what you're incentivizing, trace how they'll respond—and then how the system responds to THEIR response. This is where the stakeholder analysis and incentives analysis combine into real predictive power. **Example:** When ride-sharing apps added surge pricing to solve driver shortages, here's how it played out: **First-order:** More drivers show up when prices surge. Problem solved, right? **Second-order stakeholder responses:** - Customers started waiting out surge periods, meaning fewer overall rides - Drivers started gaming the system—turning off their apps to create artificial shortages that triggered surges - Competitors without surge pricing captured price-sensitive customers - Media coverage made "surge pricing" synonymous with price gouging, damaging brand trust **Third-order systemic effects:** - The solution trained customers to use the service less frequently - It taught drivers to manipulate the platform rather than respond to genuine demand - It created a PR vulnerability that regulators could exploit - The very mechanism designed to solve shortages created new shortages through gaming behavior The original problem (driver shortages during peak times) was real. The first-order solution (higher prices attract more drivers) was economically sound. But nobody mapped how customers and drivers would actually respond to the incentives created by surge pricing. **The key insight:** Complex systems don't just accept your decisions—they adapt to them. And those adaptations often work directly against your original intent. **Try it now:** Pause this video for 30 seconds. Think of one decision your company made in the last year. Who were the stakeholders? How did they actually respond? Was it what you expected? If their response surprised you—you just found a second-order effect you missed. ### Strategy 2: Run the "And Then What?" Drill Now you have a framework for thinking about consequences. But frameworks don't change behavior—practice does. This is your daily practice method. Before any significant decision, literally ask yourself "And then what?" at least three times. Out loud. Make it awkward. Make it unavoidable. Here's why this works: Your brain will naturally stop at the first answer. The question forces you to keep going. It's a cognitive override—a way to fight your brain's preference for first-order thinking. **The Three Rounds:** **Round 1:** [**Immediate Consequence**](https://www.philmckinney.com/when-innovation-stagnates-the-consequences-of-slowing-research-and-innovation/) State the obvious first-order effect. This should come easily. "We'll discount our product by 20%." And then what? "We'll attract more customers and gain market share." **Round 2: Response and Adaptation** Now apply Strategy 1\. How will stakeholders respond? What are we actually incentivizing? And then what? "Competitors will match our discount to protect their market share. And customers will start expecting permanently lower prices—we've trained them that our regular price was inflated. Early adopters who paid full price feel cheated." **Round 3: Systemic Effects** Trace the second-order responses forward. What happens when multiple stakeholders adapt simultaneously? And then what? "We're now in a price war. Our margins erode across the entire product line. We can't fund innovation or customer service improvements. Competitors with deeper pockets can outlast us. We've commoditized our own product and destroyed the brand value that justified our original pricing. We're stuck in a race to the bottom." **The pattern you're looking for:** Are the third-order effects consistent with your goals, or do they undermine them? Most people never get past Round 1\. By forcing yourself to Round 3, you'll see patterns others miss. **Try it now:** Think of a decision you're facing right now—any decision. Say out loud what happens first. Now say out loud: "And then what?" Answer it. Now say it again: "And then what?" \[5-second pause built into video\] Did Round 3 surprise you? If yes—you just found your blind spot. ### Let Me Show You How This Actually Works Let me walk you through a decision I faced as CTO at HP. We were under pressure to cut R&D spending by 15% to hit quarterly earnings targets. **Round 1: Immediate consequence.** "We hit our quarterly numbers. Wall Street is happy. Stock price stays stable. The board is pleased." **Round 2: Response and adaptation.** And then what? "Our best researchers—the ones working on breakthrough projects with 3-5 year horizons—see the writing on the wall. They start looking at competitors who aren't cutting R&D. Meanwhile, the teams that survive shift focus to incremental improvements with shorter payback periods because that's what won't get cut next quarter." **Round 3: Systemic effects.** And then what? "Eighteen months later, our innovation pipeline is empty. We're selling the same products with minor tweaks while competitors who maintained R&D investment launch breakthrough products. We lose market leadership. Now we need to spend 3X what we saved just to catch up—but our best people are already gone." We fought that cut. We protected the long-term R&D. Some of those projects became billion-dollar product lines. But I watched other companies make that first-order decision and destroy their innovation capability. That conversation took maybe five minutes. But it saved HP from years of playing catch-up. ## Put This Into Practice Right Now Take a decision you're facing this week—any decision with financial or operational implications. **Write down the decision at the top of a page.** Be specific. **List three immediate consequences.** These should come easily. **Take each consequence and ask "And then what?" twice.** Write down both second-order and third-order effects. **Find which effect you hadn't considered.** That's your blind spot. Do this for one decision this week, and you'll start seeing consequences others don't. Make it a habit, and it becomes automatic—like a chess player who sees five moves ahead. ## The Unfair Advantage Right now, in your company, there are people who seem to always be one step ahead. They don't work longer hours. They're not more talented. But somehow, they avoid the disasters others walk into. They see opportunities others miss. They get promoted while others are fixing problems. Here's their secret: While everyone else celebrates the first-order win, they're already managing the second-order consequences. While you're implementing the solution, they've already anticipated what breaks next. That gap—between first-order thinking and second-order thinking—is the difference between running in place and actually advancing. Your challenge: For the next 30 days, before every significant decision, ask "And then what?" three times out loud. Not in your head. Out loud. Make it awkward. Make it unavoidable. Because the ones who rise aren't the fastest problem-solvers, they're the ones who solve problems that stay solved.. So … Start asking the question. Three times. Every decision. The question isn't whether we have time to think this way. It's whether we can afford to keep making decisions that create bigger problems than they solve. ## Your Thinking 101 Journey The Thinking 101 series teaches how to think clearly in a world designed to confuse everyone—here's our journey so far: In [Episode 1](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-thinking-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever/), we exposed the thinking crisis—AI dependency is creating cognitive debt, and [independent thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-master-causal-thinking/) has become the most valuable skill in the modern world. In [Episode 2](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-logical-reasoning-skills/), we learned to distinguish deductive certainty from inductive probability and stop treating patterns as proven facts. In [Episode 3](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-master-causal-thinking/), we discovered how to distinguish true causation from mere correlation—saving ourselves from solving the wrong problem perfectly. In [Episode 4](https://www.philmckinney.com/you-think-in-analogies-every-day-and-youre-doing-it-wrong/), we learned how to harness the power of analogies while avoiding their traps—generating useful comparisons systematically and spotting false analogies that manipulate thinking. In [Episode 5](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-make-better-decisions-when-nothing-is-certain/), we mastered probabilistic thinking—how to make decisions with incomplete information and act wisely when nothing is guaranteed. **Today, in Episode 6, we learned how to stop our decisions from creating bigger problems—mapping how people actually respond to our decisions, understanding what we are truly incentivizing, and asking "And then what?" until we see patterns others miss.** **Up next—Episode 7: "Proportional & Numerical Thinking—Understanding Scale and Magnitude." We will learn how to think in terms of scale, ratios, and relative magnitude—understanding when numbers matter and when they don't, spotting statistical tricks used to mislead, and developing intuition about large numbers that most people lack.** Hit that subscribe button so you don't miss future episodes. Also—hit the like and notification bell. It helps with the algorithm so others see our content. Why not share this video with a colleague who you think would benefit from it? Because right now, while you've been watching this, someone just made a decision that solves today's problem perfectly—and just created three bigger problems for next quarter. The only question is: will you be the one who sees them coming? To learn more about second-order thinking, listen to this week's show: [***Second-Order Thinking: How to Stop Your Decisions From Creating Bigger Problems***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Second%5FOrder%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ### SOURCES CITED IN THIS EPISODE 1. **Cost of Poor Operational Decisions** Rathindran, R. (2018, December 20). *Gartner Says Bad Financial Decisions by Managers Cost Firms More Than 3 Percent of Profits.* Gartner Press Release.[ https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2018-12-20-gartner-says-bad-financial-decisions-by-managers-cost-firms-more-than-3-percent-of-profits](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2018-12-20-gartner-says-bad-financial-decisions-by-managers-cost-firms-more-than-3-percent-of-profits?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. **Expert Forecasting Accuracy and Second-Order Thinking** Tetlock, P. E., & Gardner, D. (2015). *Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction.* Crown Publishers. 3. **AI Impact on Medical Diagnostic Skills** Romańczyk, M., et al. (2025). Endoscopist deskilling risk after exposure to artificial intelligence in colonoscopy: A multicentre, observational study. *Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.* As reported by NPR Health News, August 19, 2025.[ https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/08/19/nx-s1-5506292/doctors-ai-artificial-intelligence-dependent-colonoscopy](https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/08/19/nx-s1-5506292/doctors-ai-artificial-intelligence-dependent-colonoscopy?ref=philmckinney.com) 4. **Unintended Consequences of Incentive Systems** Merton, R. K. (1936). The unanticipated consequences of purposive social action. *American Sociological Review, 1*(6), 894-904. 5. **Second-Order Effects in Economics** Henderson, D. R. (2018). Unintended consequences. In *The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics.* Library of Economics and Liberty.[ https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/UnintendedConsequences.html](https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/UnintendedConsequences.html?ref=philmckinney.com) ### ADDITIONAL READING **On Second-Order Thinking and Decision-Making** Marks, H. (2011). *The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor.* Columbia University Press. Dalio, R. (2017). *Principles: Life and Work.* Simon & Schuster. Tetlock, P. E., & Gardner, D. (2015). *Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction.* Crown Publishers. **On Systems Thinking and Consequences** Meadows, D. H. (2008). *Thinking in Systems: A Primer.* Chelsea Green Publishing. Senge, P. M. (1990). *The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization.* Currency. **On Incentives and Unintended Effects** Levitt, S. D., & Dubner, S. J. (2005). *Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything.* William Morrow. Munger, C. T. (1995). *The Psychology of Human Misjudgment.* Speech presented at Harvard Law School. **Note:** All sources cited in this episode have been accessed and verified as of November 2025. ### From Teligent Disaster to HP Success: A Second-Order Thinking Story URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/from-teligent-disaster-to-hp-success-a-second-order-thinking-story/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T20:32:39.000Z I’ve made a lot of decisions in my career. Thousands, probably. Most turned out fine. Some didn’t. But I’m realizing now, looking back, that I wasn’t actually *deciding* most of the time. I was reacting. Moving fast. Trusting my gut. Assuming things would work out. And they did work out—until the day I sat in a car in front of a horse farm I couldn’t afford and got a phone call that revealed something uncomfortable: I’d been succeeding despite myself. I’d been making first-order decisions my entire career, never asking what came next, never thinking past the immediate problem. I’d been lucky. And luck, I was about to learn, is a terrible strategy. --- I was sitting in my car in front of that horse farm in rural Virginia, staring at a house I couldn’t afford, when my phone rang. “Mr. McKinney? This is about your Portal Software shares.” “What shares?” It was April 1999\. The broker calling me was prepping for Portal’s IPO in three weeks. He needed to know what I wanted to do with my position. I had no idea what he was talking about. This was the last day of our contract contingency on the farm. In four hours, we either committed to buying it or walked away. We’d already put money down on a property we desperately needed but couldn’t rationally afford. Our log house in the mountains—the one we were trying to sell—wasn’t going to move fast. We were facing two mortgages and a financial situation that kept me up at night. But the house wasn’t really about the house. Two months earlier, six firemen had carried my father 1.5 miles down a snowy mountain because an ambulance couldn’t reach our home. He’d had a cardiac event. My mother’s health was failing too. We’d moved them in with us thinking we were helping, but our mountain paradise had become a medical liability. When you watch firemen struggle with your father’s stretcher through snow in the dark, unable to get emergency vehicles to your door, you realize some decisions aren’t actually decisions anymore. We needed to move. Fast. The horse farm was less than 10 minutes from the hospital. It was perfect for what we needed and terrible for what we could afford. And now this broker was asking me about shares I didn’t know I had. ## Two Years Earlier: The Favor The call from Kevin Allodi came in 1997. Kevin had been VP of Sales at Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC)—one of the big six consulting companies in Washington, DC. At CSC, I’d run technology and operations for billing systems that produced 91% of all mobile phone bills worldwide. Kevin understood enterprise sales in telecom. I understood the technology platforms. We’d worked together on deals that shaped how carriers operated their businesses. Kevin had just joined Portal Software as Corporate Vice President. Portal was making a hard pivot—transitioning from being an internet service provider (ISP) to building back-office systems *for* ISPs. Specifically, billing and operational platforms. “We’re rethinking how billing works for ISPs and eventually other services,” Kevin said. “I need your brain on this. Can you come to Cupertino?” “What’s the engagement look like?” “That’s the thing,” Kevin said. “We can’t pay you. Not yet. We’re pre-revenue on this platform. But I’ll take care of you once we start generating revenue.” This is where most people hang up. I’d recently co-founded Teligent, a telecommunications startup based in Washington, DC. I knew what “pre-revenue” meant. I knew what “I’ll take care of you” could mean—which ranged from “I’ll make it up to you on the next ask” to “a nice dinner and some war stories.” But I trusted Kevin. We’d been in the trenches together at CSC. When someone you trust asks for help on something you’re genuinely interested in, you say yes. I didn’t ask “and then what?” I just said yes. I flew to Cupertino. ## The Work Nobody Saw The Portal team was sharp. We spent weeks redesigning their approach to billing—not just copying what telecom companies did, but rethinking it for the internet age. Usage-based billing. Real-time rating. Subscription management. The architecture needed to handle volume and complexity that didn’t exist yet but would soon. I’d fly out, work with the team, fly back to Virginia. Nobody outside Portal knew I was involved. No press releases. No advisory board announcement. Just me helping Kevin’s team build something I found intellectually interesting, getting paid in trust and the possibility of “we’ll figure something out later.” The platform they built was excellent. It launched. It gained traction. ISPs started buying it. Portal started generating real revenue. Kevin was taking care of things behind the scenes—I just didn’t know it yet. Years later—sometime after 2012—Kevin reached out about my coming to Chicago. He wanted me to meet with his entire staff at Philo Media for lunch, host a Q&A, and do a book signing for *Beyond the Obvious*. We caught up before the event. I’d never actually asked him how the Portal equity came together. It had always felt like this mysterious gift that appeared exactly when I needed it. So I asked. I also told him something I’d never shared before: the timing. The phone call from the broker. The last day of our contract contingency. My parents. The horse farm. How the shares covered almost exactly what we needed. How it had literally saved my family. Kevin looked at me and smiled. “The day you agreed to help,” he told me. “I knew we couldn’t pay you. So I asked myself: If this works, what happens to Phil? And then what? If we go public and Phil gets nothing, what happens to our relationship? What happens to my reputation in the industry? What happens when the next person I ask for help finds out I didn’t take care of the last guy?” He paused. “And I also thought: What if I don’t stay at Portal? What if I leave before we go public? I wanted to make sure you were taken care of regardless of what happened to me.” “I gave you the shares before we even had product-market fit because I was thinking three moves ahead—including the scenarios where I wasn’t even there anymore.” Kevin was running a decision framework I didn’t even know existed at the time we worked together on Portal. While I was saying yes based on trust and interest, he was mapping out consequences two years into the future, accounting for scenarios where he might not even be around to execute on his promise. I wouldn’t understand what that meant until much later. ## The Distraction of Success But honestly, I wasn’t paying attention to what Kevin and Portal were doing. I had my own explosion to manage. Teligent had gone public in November 1997—just months after I’d started helping Portal. We were growing like crazy. I mean *crazy*. At one point, I was hiring eight people per day, seven days a week, for six months straight. Just in my group. Think about that math: 56 people per week. More than 200 people per month. Over a thousand employees in six months—and that was only my department. When you’re scaling that fast, you’re not thinking strategically. You’re triaging. You’re interviewing candidates in the morning, onboarding teams in the afternoon, and trying to build infrastructure for people who started yesterday while recruiting for positions you’ll need filled tomorrow. Hiring 56 people per week felt like success. What I didn’t ask was: “And then what?” What happens when you scale infrastructure faster than culture? What happens when new hires don’t know the mission? What happens when you’re rewarding speed over quality, urgency over fit? We learned the answer: We suffered from an accidental culture—a mish-mash of whatever everyone brought with them from their previous organizations. No coherent identity. No shared values. Just a collision of dozens of different company cultures smashed together. We had the strangest, most outrageous HR issues I have ever seen in my entire career. And I mean *ever*. I make bar bets on having the weirdest HR stories of anyone—and after I tell the tales, I always win the bet. (That’s a future Studio Notes story.) We had massive misalignment of objectives and roles. People didn’t know what they were supposed to be doing or why it mattered. Teams were working against each other without realizing it. Teams were dysfunctional because they’d been hired too fast to learn how we worked—or more accurately, because we hadn’t figured out how we worked before we brought them on. It was a major disaster that I caused. I spent the rest of my time at Teligent trying to fix it. But here’s the thing about second-order consequences: once you miss them, the problem grows, and grows, and grows. You can’t unwind a broken culture as fast as you created it. But I didn’t see it then. I just kept hiring. I wasn’t tracking what Portal was doing. I wasn’t following up with Kevin. I barely remembered I’d helped them two years ago. You know that favor you do for someone where you think “that was interesting” and then life happens and it falls completely off your radar? That was Portal for me. Kevin, meanwhile, was building. The platform was generating revenue. Portal was preparing to go public. And Kevin hadn’t forgotten about me—even though I’d completely forgotten about him. ## The Mountain House My parents’ health had been declining. My mother needed care. My father’s heart was becoming unreliable. The decision to move them in with us felt obvious at the time—we had space, they needed help, this is what you do for family. Our log house in the mountains was beautiful. Remote. Quiet. Exactly what you want when you’re thinking about nature and space and getting away from everything. Exactly wrong when you need emergency medical response. But I didn’t ask “and then what?” I saw the first-order problem: They need care. I solved it: Move them in with us. I stopped there. I never got to the second question: And then what happens when there’s a medical emergency? What happens in winter when the roads are impassable? What happens when minutes matter and we’re an hour from help? The night the ambulance couldn’t reach us, everything changed. My father was in distress. We called 911\. The dispatcher asked our address and then there was a pause. “Sir, we can’t get an ambulance to your location. The roads are snowed in. We’re sending the volunteer fire department.” Six volunteers showed up with a stretcher. They carried my father 1.5 miles through snow, down a mountain, to where the ambulance could meet them. It took over an hour. My father survived, but the message was clear: we couldn’t stay here. I’d solved one problem and created another. A more dangerous one. One I should have seen coming. My wife and I started looking for properties immediately. We needed something accessible, somewhere an ambulance could reach us in minutes not hours, somewhere my parents wouldn’t be at risk every time Virginia got weather. We found the horse farm. Less than 10 minutes from the hospital. It checked every box. It was also significantly more expensive than what we’d planned for. Our log house would sell eventually—it was a beautiful property for the right buyer—but “eventually” and “immediately” are very different timelines when you’re trying to protect your parents. We made an offer on the farm with a contract contingency. Standard practice. It gave us a window to get our financing sorted out, to make sure we weren’t making a catastrophic financial mistake. But as the contingency deadline approached, nothing about our financial situation improved. We were staring at two mortgages and a math problem that didn’t work. Once again, I hadn’t thought past the first move. We need a new house. Make an offer. Figure out the money later. I was running the same pattern over and over. ## The Call Which brings us back to the car. The horse farm. The last day of the contingency. The broker on the phone. “How many shares do I have?” He told me the number. I asked him the IPO pricing range. I did the math in my head while sitting in that car, looking at the house where my parents would be safe. This was Kevin’s way of “taking care of me.” Not cash. Equity. He’d given me shares for the work I’d done when Portal couldn’t pay me. He’d done it quietly, without fanfare, exactly the way Kevin would do anything. “What do you want to do with your position?” the broker asked. I didn’t hesitate. “Sell. At the IPO. All of it.” Three weeks later, Portal went public under ticker symbol PSFT on the Nasdaq. My shares sold. The proceeds covered nearly 100% of the horse farm purchase price. We moved. My parents were safe. The ambulances could reach us. ## The Wake-Up Call Some people would call this luck. I’d chalk it up to being a God thing. The timing was too perfect—the broker’s call on the last day of our contingency, the shares covering exactly what we needed, my parents’ safety hanging in the balance while an answer I didn’t know existed materialized in a phone call. But grace isn’t a business strategy. And sitting in that car, doing math on a broker’s IPO numbers while staring at a house my parents needed, I had a darker thought: What if the timing had been different? What if Kevin had left Portal before setting up the equity? What if they’d gone public six months earlier or later? What if Kevin hadn’t been the kind of person who thought three moves ahead—even planning for scenarios where he wasn’t around? My parents’ safety was hanging on a coincidence I’d done nothing to create. That’s when it hit me: I’d been playing Russian roulette with consequences my entire career. --- [**Episode 6 drops this week:**](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNpaqfCI7zBv6dMD5FrIac-&ref=philmckinney.com) This article reveals the moment I realized I’d been ignoring second-order consequences my entire career—and how someone else’s strategic thinking saved my family. Episode 6 shows you the complete framework for second-order thinking—including how to map ripple effects, question invisible incentives, and run the “and then what?” drill before decisions blow up in your face. [**Subscribe to the series here**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?sub%5Fconfirmation=1&ref=philmckinney.com)**.** --- The Teligent hiring disaster. The mountain house that nearly cost my father his life. The financial bind I’d put my family in. These weren’t isolated mistakes. They were a pattern. I’d been solving first-order problems—we need people, they need care, we need a house—and walking away. Never asking what came next. Never thinking past the immediate fix. I’d been succeeding despite this blindness, not because of any strategic thinking. I’d just been lucky that the second-order consequences hadn’t been catastrophic. Until they almost were. ## What Kevin Was Actually Doing While I was winging it, Kevin was thinking systematically. He’d asked himself: “If Phil helps us now and we succeed later, what happens if we don’t take care of him?” That’s mapping ripple effects—tracing the decision forward through the entire system. He’d anticipated the invisible incentive he was creating. If he didn’t compensate me fairly, he’d be signaling to everyone watching: “Help me out and you’ll get nothing.” That destroys trust, damages reputation, and makes the next ask impossible. He’d run the drill: First order—Phil helps us. Second order—we owe him something. Third order—if we handle this right, we build a network of people who trust us and will help again. If we handle it wrong, we burn bridges we’ll need later. Kevin wasn’t being generous. He was being strategic. He saw three moves ahead while I was still celebrating move one. That’s the skill I didn’t have. That’s what I’d been missing. ## The Real Cost of Not Thinking Ahead Here’s what scared me most: I’m not unique. MIT studied 2,000 business decisions and found that executives accurately predict first-order consequences 87% of the time. Second-order consequences? 34% accuracy. Basically coin-flip odds. Third-order? 11%. Worse than random guessing. The people making million-dollar decisions are operating blind beyond the first consequence. Just like I was. And they’re not stupid. I wasn’t stupid. We’re just not asking “and then what?” enough times. We see the immediate fix. We act. We move on. And then we spend the next year cleaning up the mess we created. The cost-cutting measures that save money this quarter and destroy competitive position next year. The quick hires that create culture problems that take years to fix. The solutions that create bigger problems than they solve. I’d done all of it. And the only reason I wasn’t dealing with catastrophic consequences was that Kevin had been thinking strategically even when I wasn’t. ## What Changed After Portal, I stopped trusting luck. I stopped assuming things would work out. I started asking the question Kevin had been asking all along. “And then what?” Not once. Three times. By the time I got to HP, I was dealing with billion-dollar decisions. The scale and complexity meant every choice created ripple effects across the entire company. I had to apply second, third, fourth-level thinking constantly. One example: the HP GPS prototype. As was my normal practice, I gave all consumer products to my wife to test. This was my version of asking “and then what?” in the real world—if it didn’t work for her, it wouldn’t work for our customers. She took the prototype GPS and used it while driving from Virginia to Silicon Valley with her father. To say it was a disaster would be an understatement. I vividly remember her chewing out the product manager in the HP cafeteria on the Cupertino campus. Not a private conversation. The cafeteria. In front of everyone. My wife doesn’t pull punches. First order: We have a GPS product ready to launch. Second order: My wife—a normal consumer—had a horrible experience. If she couldn’t use it, millions of customers would have the same problem. Third order: Reputational and brand risk for HP. We were about to launch a product that would damage trust in everything else we made. I killed the product. The team was devastated. They’d worked for months. But I’d seen what happened when you don’t ask “and then what?” enough times. I’d lived through the Teligent culture disaster. I’d watched my parents’ safety hang on timing I hadn’t planned for. At the same time, we had other products where teams *didn’t* ask “and then what?” We had to do major cleanup efforts later—recalls, reputation damage, customer trust erosion. Once you have that experience, once you see the cost of missing second-order consequences, you’ll do everything in your power to never let it happen again. For me, it was the Portal shares, the house, and my parents. That was my wake-up call. Don’t wait for a disaster to learn this lesson. Learn from my mistakes instead. Before moving forward on any significant decision now, I map the ripple effects. What happens to each stakeholder? How will they respond? What does their response trigger? I question the invisible incentives I’m creating. When I rush a decision to solve an urgent problem, I’m teaching my team that urgency matters more than quality. When I reward speed, I’m creating pressure to cut corners I’ll spend months fixing later. The framework became automatic. Not because I’m smarter now. Because I got scared. I saw how close I’d come to disaster. How many times I’d been saved by luck, by Kevin’s strategic thinking, by timing I hadn’t orchestrated. And I realized I couldn’t keep operating that way. The decisions I’m making now look different. Slower sometimes. More cautious, maybe. But they stay solved. I’m not creating disasters I have to clean up later. I’m not burning through goodwill fixing problems I shouldn’t have created in the first place. I’m asking what Kevin was asking all along: “And then what happens after this immediate win?” ## What This Means for You You’re making decisions right now—today, this week—that have consequences you’re not seeing. Some will be neutral. Some might even work out like mine did, where someone else’s strategic thinking compensates for your lack of it. But most won’t. Most will be problems. Second-order problems you’ll spend months or years fixing. Third-order consequences that undermine everything you built with that first decision. The video I made on second-order thinking shows you the framework. How to map ripple effects. How to question invisible incentives. How to run the “and then what?” drill systematically. This Studio Note is the story behind why I built that framework—why I teach this now, why it matters, what it costs when you don’t do it. The Portal story is the best thing that ever happened to my career—not because of the money, but because of what it taught me about decisions I wasn’t actually making. Kevin gave me a gift: Not the shares. The wake-up call. I’d been succeeding despite myself. Moving fast, trusting my instincts, assuming things would work out. And they had—until they almost didn’t. The mountain house. The ambulance that couldn’t reach us. The parents whose safety depended on a phone call I didn’t know was coming. That’s when I stopped trusting luck. That’s when I started asking the question Kevin had been asking all along. It’s the question that separates the people who succeed once from the people who succeed consistently. The ones who get promoted from the ones who clean up disasters. The ones who build things that last from the ones who create bigger problems than they solve. Three words. Asked three times. Before every significant decision. **“And then what?”** Because the ones who rise aren’t the ones who got lucky. They’re the ones who stopped needing luck. --- *Portal Software was acquired by Oracle in 2006 for $220 million. Kevin Allodi’s second-order thinking about how to take care of people who helped when Portal couldn’t pay them turned out to be worth more than just loyalty—it built the kind of trust and network that creates quarter-billion-dollar outcomes. That’s what thinking ahead actually looks like.* --- #### SOURCES CITED IN THIS ARTICLE **Second-Order Thinking Framework** Marks, H. (2011). *The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor.* Columbia University Press. [https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-most-important-thing/9780231153683](https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-most-important-thing/9780231153683?ref=philmckinney.com) **Expert Forecasting and Predictive Thinking** Tetlock, P. E., & Gardner, D. (2015). *Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction.* Crown Publishers. **Systems Thinking and Unintended Consequences** Senge, P. M. (1990). *The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization.* Currency Doubleday. --- #### ADDITIONAL RESOURCES **On Second-Order Thinking** Farnam Street Blog. (2023). Second-Order Thinking: What Smart People Use to Outperform. [https://fs.blog/second-order-thinking](https://fs.blog/second-order-thinking?ref=philmckinney.com) Accessible introduction to thinking through consequences with practical examples. Dalio, R. (2017). *Principles: Life and Work.* Simon & Schuster. Includes frameworks for considering second and third-order consequences in business decisions. **On Decision-Making and Cognitive Bias** Kahneman, D. (2011). *Thinking, Fast and Slow.* Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Essential understanding of why we naturally stop at first-order thinking. **On Strategic Thinking** Meadows, D. H. (2008). *Thinking in Systems: A Primer.* Chelsea Green Publishing. Foundational work on understanding how decisions create ripple effects in complex systems. **Related Content** McKinney, P. (2012). *Beyond the Obvious: Killer Questions That Spark Game-Changing Innovation.* Hyperion. McKinney, P. Thinking 101 Series - Episode 6: Second-Order Thinking: How to Stop Your Decisions From Creating Bigger Problems. [https://youtube.com/@philmckinney](https://youtube.com/@philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) ### I'm Thinking About Writing a Book. Here's Why—And I Need Your Help. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/im-thinking-about-writing-a-book-heres-why-and-i-need-your-help/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T20:44:51.000Z Over the past year, something unexpected happened. The essays I’ve written here about independent thinking—how we’re losing it, why it matters, what to do about it—started resonating in ways I didn’t anticipate. The YouTube videos on thinking skills got shared more than anything else I’ve created. The posts about cognitive autonomy sparked the longest, most thoughtful comment threads I’ve had on any of my posts. And the feedback was consistent: **“This needs to be a book.”** Not another 500-page academic treatise on critical thinking. Not business mental models or cognitive biases rehashed. Something different: **a focused, practical, 100-page guide to thinking independently when everything around us is designed to think for us.** So I’m doing it. And I’m inviting you into the process. --- ### What I’m Building The working title is **“Thinking Independence: How to Think For Yourself When Everything Wants to Think For You.”** It’s built on a simple premise: Our ability to think independently is the foundation of every freedom we have. Without it, we think we are voting freely, speaking freely, choosing freely—yet we are still completely controlled. Because someone else is doing our thinking. The book teaches two core skills most of us have lost: **Evaluation Independence:** How to assess whether claims are true—not just whether sources seem credible. How to spot when you’re choosing from a menu designed to control where you end up. **Decision Independence:** How to make decisions when you don’t have perfect information. How to stop escaping to: “what would successful people do?” , “what does my tribe believe?” — and start owning your choices. 100 pages. No fluff. Tools you can use immediately. --- ### Why I’m Sharing This Now I’ve written a concept document—what the book would be, who it’s for, what you’d get from it. It’s not a proposal for publishers. It’s the pitch I’d give to you if we were having coffee and you asked: “So what’s this book about?” **I’m sharing it because your feedback matters.** If this resonates, I want to know what specifically hooks you. If something’s unclear or missing, I need to hear that. If you’d buy this book or recommend it to someone, that tells me something important. If you wouldn’t, that tells me something more important. This project only moves forward if it’s genuinely useful to people who, like me, have sensed something shifting in how we all think—and want to do something about it. --- ### What I’m Asking **1\. Download the PDF** (PDF below) Read the concept document. It takes 5-7 minutes. **2\. Take the 3-minute survey** (link below) Tell me what resonates, what doesn’t, and whether you’d actually read this book. **3\. Forward it to someone** (optional) If you know someone who’d be interested in this project—or who struggles with thinking independently—send it their way. --- The Links 📄 **Download the concept PDF:** Concept 'thinking Independence' Book ∙ PDF file [Download](https://philmckinney.substack.com/api/v1/file/4d7a8111-d85d-42ca-bc39-0c69b7ca25b6.pdf) 📋 **Take the survey:** [https://forms.gle/g1DWFwX6Zx2oVM7Q7](https://forms.gle/g1DWFwX6Zx2oVM7Q7?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ### What Happens Next I’ll compile the feedback, see if this concept has legs, and decide whether to move forward. If enough people want this book and the positioning is right, I’ll write it. If not, I’ll know that too—and that’s valuable information. Either way, thank you for being part of this. The work I do here—the essays, the videos, the ideas—exists because you engage with it. This book project is just an extension of that conversation. Let me know what you think. — Phil --- **P.S.** If you have thoughts that don’t fit the survey format, just reply to this email. I read everything. ### I Wore a Red Badge Inside the NSA. Here's What Happened. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/i-wore-a-red-badge-inside-the-nsa-heres-what-happened/ Last updated: 2025-11-06T14:48:56.000Z The red light on the ceiling won’t stop flashing. We’re in a conference room inside a secured area at Fort Meade—the kind with a dial lock like a bank vault. Four people from the National Security Agency across the table. Two of us from ThumbScan. The red badge clipped to my visitor pass marks me as Secret clearance—the lowest level in the building. Everyone working here has Top Secret or above. Through the window in the door, I can see fifteen people in the open workspace. They’ve pulled thick black covers down over their computer screens and entire workstations. They’re reading newspapers. Magazines. Paperback novels. They can’t work while we’re here. Not with our clearance level. We’ve been in this room for an hour. The older mathematician—late forties, wrinkled shirt that looks like he slept in it—leans forward. He’s been mostly quiet, letting the others drill into the technical details. Now he’s looking directly at me. “You understand this never gives you certainty.” “Yes.” “You’re always making a bet.” “Yes.” “And you’re comfortable with that?” I think about the sleeping bag stashed under my tech bench in Naperville. The investors back in Chicago who look at me like I’m speaking a foreign language when I try to explain feature extraction and spatial relationships. The company burning through cash while the commercial market still doesn’t understand why they need what we’ve built. “I’m comfortable that we’ve quantified the bet,” I tell him. “What people do with those numbers—that’s on them.” He nods. First smile I’ve seen in the room. What I don’t say: I’m making another bet right now, sitting in this room. I’m betting that giving NSA everything they want—access to our algorithm, unprotected circuit boards, complete technical transparency—will somehow save our dying company. I’m betting wrong. But I won’t know that for another eighteen months. ## How I Got Here Summer 1986\. I’d set up a consulting practice in Sunnyvale, California—Millennium Partners, operating out of an office on Oakmead Parkway, across from the original Fry’s Electronics. The call came from Peter Dignan. We’d worked together years before at Deltak, a division of Prentice-Hall publishing. Now he was CEO of ThumbScan, a Chicago startup. Two engineers from the University of Illinois had an idea: a fingerprint reader that cost under $1,000\. Every biometric system on the market cost tens of thousands. “The hardware’s fine,” Pete said. “We can capture the image. But the matching algorithm keeps failing. Too many false positives. Too many false negatives. Can you fix it?” I didn’t know. But I said yes anyway. --- [**Episode 5 drops this Wednesday**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com): This article reveals what happened when I mastered probabilistic thinking in the algorithm but failed to apply it to the business. Episode 5 shows you the complete framework for thinking in probabilities—including how to quantify uncertainty, manage Type 1 and Type 2 errors, and make better decisions when nothing is certain.[ ](https://claude.ai/chat/link?ref=philmckinney.com)[**Subscribe to the series here**](https://youtube.com/@philmckinney?sub%5Fconfirmation=1&ref=philmckinney.com) --- ## The Mathematics of Always Being Wrong Here’s what nobody tells you about biometric security: you are always wrong. Not sometimes. Always. The only question is which kind of wrong you choose to be. **Type 1 Error—False Rejection:** The system rejects a legitimate user. They try again. And again. They call IT. Productivity dies. Users hate you. **Type 2 Error—False Acceptance:** The system accepts an imposter. They walk into the secure facility. They access classified data. Security dies. You cannot eliminate both errors. It’s mathematically impossible. Lower the matching threshold and users are happy, but security suffers. Raise it and security is tight, but users are miserable. > ***You are always wrong. Not sometimes. Always. The only question is which kind of wrong you choose to be.*** Every biometric system ever built lives on this knife’s edge. You pick your poison. You place your bet. You accept the consequences. ### The 3 AM Breakthrough The breakthrough came at 3 AM on a Tuesday in early 1987\. We’d been solving the wrong problem. Everyone was trying to compare entire fingerprint images—thousands of pixels, massive computational overhead, tens of thousands of dollars in specialized hardware. What if we didn’t compare images at all? What if we compared signatures? BlitzMatch extracted the unique characteristics of a fingerprint—the minutiae, the ridge patterns, the spatial relationships between features—and compressed them into 180 bytes. One hundred and eighty characters. Less data than this paragraph. Then we built a matching algorithm that gave you a probability score. Not “yes” or “no.” Not “match” or “no match.” A number between 0 and 1\. A bet. And then—the critical part—we let the customer choose their threshold. High-security military facility? Set it at 99.9% confidence. You’ll get false rejections, but you’ll never let an imposter through. Corporate office building? Set it at 95%. Users get in faster, security is still reasonable. We gave them the numbers and let them decide how much risk they could tolerate. [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-17.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-17.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ## The Mystery Orders By 1987, I’d joined ThumbScan full-time in Chicago. The orders started arriving that summer—maybe three months after we shipped the first units. Twenty units to a strip mall address in Annandale, Virginia. Forty units to Springfield. Fifty-three units to a mailbox rental location that turned out to be nothing but a forwarding service. Always the DC suburbs. Always wire transfers that cleared instantly. Always addresses that led nowhere. Then came the special requests. “Don’t install the security screws on this batch.” “Skip the potting compound.” That second request told us everything. Potting compound is an opaque epoxy that encases a circuit board—it makes the electronics nearly impossible to reverse-engineer without destroying them. If someone wanted us to skip the potting, they wanted to open our boxes and see exactly how BlitzMatch worked. Then the phone calls started. Technical questions. Detailed questions about our error rates, our testing methodology, our confidence intervals. After the third or fourth call, they identified themselves: National Security Agency. ## Fort Meade The flight from Chicago to Baltimore. The rental car. The drive to Fort Meade. The NSA headquarters looks almost ordinary from the road—office buildings, parking lots. It’s only later you learn how many floors go down. At the security desk, they issued visitor badges. Then they clipped on the red badges. Secret clearance. The lowest level in the building. ### Inside the Secure Zone We walked to the elevator. Three people were already inside. The moment we stepped in—the moment they saw those red badges—conversation stopped. Dead silence. Eyes forward. No one spoke until they got off at their floors. Our escort led us down a corridor, hitting switches on the wall that made red lights flash overhead. Not alarms. Warnings. *Lower clearance personnel approaching. Secure your workspace.* We turned through a door that required a keypad code. Into a large open workspace—maybe fifteen cubicles. The red ceiling light started flashing. One by one, people reached up and pulled thick black covers down over their computer screens, over their entire desks. They picked up newspapers. Magazines. Books. They leaned back in their chairs and started reading. They couldn’t work. Not while we were there. They’d sit there for the next hour, unable to do whatever classified work they’d been doing, because our clearance level wasn’t high enough to be in the same room with their screens uncovered. The conference room in back. No windows. A dial lock on the door like you’d find on a safe. The red light kept flashing the entire time we were inside. Four people from NSA. Two of us from ThumbScan. ### The Interrogation For an hour, we talked mathematics. Not “does it work?” but “when does it work, how often, and under what conditions?” They pushed hard. These were people who’d been working on biometric security for decades. They’d seen every approach. Every failure. Every promise that didn’t deliver. We hadn’t. We’d come at the problem completely differently—not because we were smarter, but because we didn’t know what wasn’t supposed to work. When they asked questions we couldn’t answer, we said so. No bullshit. No “smartest person in the room” games. We wanted to learn from them as much as they wanted to understand what we’d built. Near the end of the meeting, the older mathematician in the wrinkled shirt leaned forward. “You’re comfortable making decisions without certainty?” “I’m comfortable that we’ve quantified the uncertainty.” He nodded. They never said “this is impressive.” They never said “good work.” But I left that meeting knowing we’d built something they hadn’t seen before. When we walked out, the people in the cubicles were still reading. They’d been sitting there for an hour. They pulled the black covers off their screens and got back to work. We never knew what they’d been doing. ## Black Monday October 19, 1987. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 22.6% in a single day. The largest one-day percentage decline in history. We were six months into selling ThumbScan. We had a product that worked. We had NSA and FBI interested. We had a clear technical advantage over everything else on the market. We also had investors who suddenly stopped returning phone calls. ### Too Early for the Market The commercial market we’d been counting on—corporate security, access control systems, enterprise IT—didn’t care. Computer security in 1987 meant a password on a login screen. Maybe. News articles about hacking were rare. Companies that got breached kept it quiet. This was a decade before most people had email addresses. A decade before the Internet became a consumer product. We were too early. By about ten years. But the government? The government was all over it. NSA kept ordering. FBI came calling. They wanted to integrate BlitzMatch into AFIS—Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems. Crime scene print goes in, BlitzMatch pre-screens millions of stored prints, returns the fifty most likely matches, human analyst makes the final call. The path forward was obvious to me: pivot to government contracts. That’s where the customers were. That’s where the money was. That’s where we could actually survive. I started pushing for it. Hard. ## The Demo That Killed Us The conference room in downtown Chicago. Winter, early 1988\. Pete and I had prepared for this. We had the product roadmap. The government pipeline. The technical advantages. Six people from the VC firms sat around the table. They’d invested a couple million plus money from the State of Illinois. This was their quarterly review. Pete presented the financials first. Revenue was growing, but not fast enough. The commercial pipeline was thin. Enterprise customers were interested but not buying. The sales cycle was too long. Then I stood up to show them the technology roadmap. “The government market is moving fast,” I said. “NSA has been buying steadily. FBI wants to integrate BlitzMatch into their fingerprint identification systems. We’re talking about potentially massive contracts.” I pulled up the product pipeline. The technical work we’d need to do. The timeline to scale for government requirements. “If we pivot now—focus resources on government contracts instead of commercial—we can capture this market before anyone else.” I looked around the table. Arms crossed. Blank stares. ### The Calculation One of them leaned back in his chair. “What’s the size of the government market?” “It’s hard to quantify exactly, but—” “Ballpark.” “Tens of millions annually. Maybe more.” “And the commercial market?” “Potentially billions, but—” “But it’s not materializing.” “Not yet. The market isn’t ready. But government is ready now.” Another investor spoke up. “How long until government contracts pay back?” “It depends on the contract structure, but—” “Ballpark.” “Five to ten years. Maybe longer.” Silence. Long enough that I could hear the heating system kick on. “That’s not our model,” the first investor said. “We need three to five times return in five to seven years maximum. Government contracts don’t fit that timeline.” “But the commercial market isn’t—” “The commercial market is where the volume is. That’s what we invested in. Not decade-long government procurement cycles.” Pete tried to interject. “If we could get bridge financing—” “How much?” I’d run the numbers. “Two to three million to get us through to the first government contracts.” You could see it in their body language. The meeting was over before Pete finished the sentence. “We’re not interested in doubling down on a pivot,” one of them said. “Either the commercial market materializes or it doesn’t.” They left forty-five minutes later. Pete and I sat in the conference room in silence. This was 1988\. Venture capital wasn’t what it is today. Fewer firms. Less sophistication. “Pivot” wasn’t in their vocabulary. You executed the original plan perfectly, or they flushed you and moved on to the next bet. ## The Leverage Three months later. Spring 1988\. I was at my bench testing a new version of BlitzMatch when the phone rang. Our contact from NSA. We’d built a relationship by this point. Periodic calls. Technical questions. More orders. “We’ve been following your progress,” he said. “Okay.” “We’ve also been hearing things. Sounds like funding is tight.” I didn’t ask how he knew. “We’re working through some challenges with our investors.” “That’s unfortunate. We’d hate to see this technology get compromised.” “Compromised how?” A pause. “You’re aware of the Invention Secrecy Act of 1951?” ### The Threat That Wasn’t a Threat I was. Under the Invention Secrecy Act of 1951, the USPTO can impose a secrecy order on a patent application if a defense or intelligence agency requests it. The order prevents the inventor from disclosing the invention and withholds the patent grant indefinitely. It can kill a business overnight. “I’m aware,” I said. “Good. Then you understand why we’re concerned. If ThumbScan were to fail, if the technology were to end up in the wrong hands—or even just become public through a fire sale—that could create complications.” “What kind of complications?” “The kind that would require us to take protective measures. Secrecy orders. Patent restrictions. That sort of thing.” My stomach dropped. If NSA slapped a secrecy order on our patents, the business was over. Not just failing—legally dead. We couldn’t sell the technology. We couldn’t license it. We couldn’t even talk about it. “That would be unfortunate,” I said. “It would. Which is why we’d like to avoid it.” “How?” “Full cooperation. Complete transparency. Give us everything—documentation, source code, full access to your engineers. Make sure we can use this technology regardless of what happens to ThumbScan. Do that, and we’ll make sure you can keep doing business.” It wasn’t a threat. Not explicitly. But the calculation was clear: give them everything they wanted, or they’d take it anyway and we’d be done. “I’ll need to discuss this with our CEO.” “Of course. But don’t take too long. We’d like to resolve this quickly.” After we hung up, I sat at my bench for twenty minutes, staring at the circuit boards in front of me. I was making a probabilistic bet. Give NSA full access, hope it bought us time to find new investors or turn the business around. Maybe 10% chance of survival. Maybe less. The alternative was a secrecy order and 0% chance. > ***Ten percent beats zero. I made the bet***. ## The Unraveling We gave them everything. No potting compound on the circuit boards. No security screws. Full technical documentation. Complete access to BlitzMatch’s source code. Everything. NSA embedded our technology into systems I’ll never see. Used it for purposes they’ll never tell me about. The FBI integrated BlitzMatch into AFIS. Crime scene prints started getting pre-screened by our algorithm, identifying likely suspects for human analysts to review. The technology worked perfectly. Type 1 and Type 2 error rates better than anything else on the market. Our Crossover Error Rate—the point where false acceptance and false rejection were equal—was lower than systems costing thirty times more. But the company kept dying. ### The End By late 1989, we were running on fumes. Twenty employees wondering when the axe would fall. Payroll getting harder each month. Pete was on the phone constantly, trying to raise money, getting nowhere. The hangover from Black Monday lingered. VCs weren’t taking risks, especially not on companies that had already missed their original projections. I could see the writing on the wall. I’d been sleeping under my tech bench more nights than I’d been home. My parents’ health was declining—my mother’s multiple sclerosis getting worse, my father’s heart condition worsening. My wife was managing their care while raising our three kids. We’d moved back to Chicago to be close to them, bought a house three blocks away, but I was never there. When Advanced Analytics Corporation in Champaign offered me the presidency of TeraPlex, Inc.—a supercomputer company working on revolutionary microprocessor architecture—I took it. I called Pete to tell him. The conversation lasted maybe three minutes. “You’re leaving.” “Yes.” “To work with them.” The original University of Illinois inventors. The ones he’d never gotten along with. “It’s not about sides, Pete. It’s about—” “It’s always about sides.” “I need to think about my family. The company isn’t going to make it.” Silence on the other end. “Good luck,” he said, and hung up. We never spoke again. ThumbScan lasted another six months. It was eventually acquired by Cominvest AB for scraps. The company abandoned its patent applications. The U.S. government secured permanent access to BlitzMatch and the underlying technology without any dependency on the company existing. I was one of the original five employees. We’d grown to twenty. My equity evaporated like it does for most startup executives. The business bet failed completely. ## The Ghost in the Machine Over the years, every once in a while, an email would arrive. Or a phone call from someone I didn’t know. “I’ve been given access to BlitzMatch for a project. I need some clarification on how the spatial relationship algorithm works.” “Where are you working?” I’d ask. They’d hesitate. “I can’t really say. It’s classified.” I’d help where I could with technical questions. Sometimes they’d push for more details about the original implementation. Sometimes they’d just thank me and disappear. I gave up whatever security clearance I had when I stopped working with NSA, so I never knew what systems they were building or what problems they were trying to solve. It seems that BlitzMatch is still running. Somewhere. In systems I’ll never see, doing work I’ll never know about, protecting things I’m not cleared to understand. The algorithm I built at 3 AM on a Tuesday in 1987 worked. The NSA mathematician in the wrinkled shirt was right—I was comfortable making bets without certainty, as long as I’d quantified the uncertainty. Type 1 errors. Type 2 errors. False rejection rates. False acceptance rates. I understood the tradeoffs. I made them consciously. The technology succeeded. The business failed because I was optimizing for the wrong variables. I understood the algorithm’s error rates perfectly. I didn’t understand the market’s error rates at all. BlitzMatch is still running decades later. Helping identify people I’ll never meet. Solving crimes I’ll never hear about. Embedded in systems that don’t exist on any org chart. 99.99% of people will never know it existed. But it worked, and it still seems to be working. And that’s the bet that mattered. --- [**Next week in Episode 6**](https://www.youtube.com/@philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com)**:** I wish I had known about second-order thinking when NSA came calling. I saw the first consequence (give them access, keep the business alive) but missed what came next—and next after that. Episode 6 reveals the framework for tracing decisions through multiple consequences, anticipating unintended effects, and asking “and then what?” before it’s too late.[ ](https://claude.ai/chat/link?ref=philmckinney.com)[**Subscribe so you don’t miss it**](https://youtube.com/@philmckinney?sub%5Fconfirmation=1&ref=philmckinney.com) [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-18.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-18.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ### How To Make Better Decisions When Nothing Is Certain URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-make-better-decisions-when-nothing-is-certain/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:17.000Z You're frozen. The deadline's approaching. You don't have all the data. Everyone wants certainty. You can't give it. Sound familiar? Maybe it's a hiring decision with three qualified candidates and red flags on each one. Or a product launch where the market research is mixed. Or a career pivot where you can't predict which path leads where. You want more information. More time. More certainty. But you're not going to get it. Meanwhile, a small group of professionals—poker players, [venture capitalists](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-questions-that-spot-breakthroughs-before-they-happen/), military strategists—consistently make better decisions than the rest of us in exactly these situations. Not because they have more information, but because they've mastered something fundamentally different: they think in probabilities, not certainties. I learned this the hard way—I once created a biometric security algorithm that the NSA reverse-engineered, where I mastered probabilistic thinking perfectly in the technology, then made every wrong bet with the business around it. By the end of this episode, you'll possess a powerful mental toolkit that transforms how you approach uncertainty. You'll learn to estimate likelihoods without perfect data, update your beliefs as new information emerges, make confident decisions when multiple uncertain factors collide, and act decisively even when you can't guarantee the outcome. This is the difference between paralysis and power, between gambling recklessly and betting wisely. ## What Is Probabilistic Thinking? But what does probabilistic thinking actually entail? At its core, it's the practice of reasoning in terms of likelihoods rather than absolutes—thinking in percentages instead of yes-or-no answers. Instead of asking "Will this work?" you ask "What are the odds this will work, and what are the consequences if it doesn't?" This approach acknowledges that the future is uncertain and that every decision carries risk. By quantifying that uncertainty and weighing it against potential outcomes, you make smarter choices even when you can't eliminate the unknown. ## The Cost of Demanding Certainty Today's world punishes those who demand certainty before acting. Research from Oracle's 2023 Decision Dilemma study—which surveyed over 14,000 employees and business leaders across 17 countries—found that 86% feel overwhelmed by the amount of data available to them. Rather than clarity, all that information creates [decision paralysis](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-questions-that-spot-breakthroughs-before-they-happen/). And the paralysis has real consequences. When we can't be certain, we freeze. We endlessly research options, seeking that final piece of data that will guarantee success. We postpone critical decisions, waiting for perfect information that never arrives. Meanwhile, opportunities pass us by, problems grow worse, and competitors who are comfortable with uncertainty move forward. This demand for certainty doesn't just slow us down—it exhausts us. Decision fatigue sets in as we agonize over choices, draining our mental resources until we either make impulsive decisions or avoid deciding altogether. Neither outcome serves us well. ### What Certainty-Seeking Actually Costs You Here's what it looks like in real life: You're the VP of Marketing. Your CMO wants a decision on next quarter's campaign budget by Friday. You have three agencies to choose from, each with strengths and weaknesses. So you ask for more data. Customer focus groups. Competitive analysis. Agency references. By Wednesday you're drowning in spreadsheets and conflicting opinions. Friday arrives. You still can't be certain which choice is right, so you ask for an extension. Two weeks later, you finally pick one—not because you're confident, but because you're exhausted and the CMO is furious about the delay. The campaign launches late. You've burned political capital. And you still have no idea if you made the right choice. Meanwhile, your competitor's marketing VP looked at the same decision, spent two hours assessing the probabilities, and launched on time. If it works, great. If it doesn't, they'll pivot. They didn't need certainty. They needed enough information to make a good bet. That's the tax you pay for demanding certainty: missed timing, exhausted teams, and decisions made from fatigue rather than judgment. Meanwhile, a small group of professionals thrives in these exact conditions. Professional poker players like Annie Duke understand that good decisions sometimes lead to bad outcomes and bad decisions sometimes get lucky—so they judge their choices by process, not results. Venture capitalists often see that most of their investments will fail, but they bet anyway because one success out of twenty can return the entire fund. [Military strategists](https://www.philmckinney.com/decision-making-ooda-loop-for-fast-and-accurate-decisions/) make life-and-death decisions with incomplete intelligence, not because they're reckless, but because waiting for perfect information means defeat. The difference isn't access to better information. It's the willingness to act on probabilities rather than certainties. ## How To Make Better Decisions When Nothing Is Certain So how do you actually develop this skill? It's more accessible than you might think. Here are clear strategies to transform how you process uncertainty and make decisions. ### Think in Ranges, Not Points The first shift in probabilistic thinking is abandoning single-number estimates for ranges of possibility. When most people predict an outcome, they pick one number: "Sales will be $500,000 next quarter" or "This project will take three months." But the world doesn't work that way. Every estimate carries uncertainty, and pretending otherwise sets you up for failure. Professional forecasters think differently. They don't ask "What will happen?" They ask "What's the range of plausible outcomes, and how likely is each?" This approach forces you to acknowledge what you don't know while still making useful predictions. Watch a professional poker player deciding whether to call a bet. They're not thinking "Do I have the best hand?" They're thinking "Given what I've seen, maybe 35% chance I have the best hand, 20% chance my opponent is bluffing, 45% chance they've got me beat." They act on probabilities, not certainties. **Steps to implement range thinking:** 1. **Replace point estimates with probability ranges.** When making any prediction, state a range instead of a single number. Instead of "We'll close 50 deals," say "We'll likely close 40-60 deals, with a small chance of 30-70." 2. **Assign rough percentages to your ranges.** You don't need mathematical precision—just honest self-assessment. Estimate: "60% chance of 40-50 deals, 30% chance of 50-60, 10% chance outside that range." This forces you to think about likelihood, not just possibility. 3. **Track your estimates against actual outcomes.** Keep a simple log of your predictions and what actually happened. Over time, you'll discover if you're consistently over-optimistic, over-cautious, or actually well-calibrated. This feedback loop is how you improve. ### Update Your Beliefs with New Evidence One of the most powerful aspects of probabilistic thinking is treating your beliefs as hypotheses, not conclusions. When new information emerges, skilled thinkers update their probability estimates rather than clinging to their original position. This practice—called Bayesian updating after the mathematician Thomas Bayes—is how professionals stay accurate in changing environments. Consider a doctor diagnosing a patient with intermittent chest pain. Initially, based on the patient's age and health history, she estimates a 15% probability of heart disease. Then the EKG comes back with minor abnormalities—not definitive, but concerning. She updates her estimate to 35%. Blood work shows elevated cardiac markers. Now she's at 65%. Each piece of evidence shifts the probability, but none gives absolute certainty. She doesn't wait for 100% certainty to act—she orders more tests and starts precautionary treatment based on her updated 65% estimate. That's Bayesian thinking in action. Financial firms continuously adjust their models as new data arrives. Weather forecasters update storm predictions hourly. In my own work building biometric security systems, we updated our false acceptance and rejection rates constantly—but I failed to apply that same updating framework to the business model itself. The enemy of updating is confirmation bias—our tendency to accept information that supports our existing beliefs and dismiss information that contradicts them. When you're emotionally invested in being right, you'll unconsciously filter evidence to protect your original view. **Steps to update your thinking:** 1. **Start with a baseline probability before you have strong evidence.** If you're launching a new product, estimate: "Based on what I know about similar products, there's maybe a 40% chance this succeeds." That's your prior—your starting point before specific evidence comes in. 2. **When new information arrives, ask: "How much should this change my estimate?"** Not all evidence is equal. Strong evidence—like actual customer purchases—should move your probability significantly. Weak evidence—like one person's opinion—should barely budge it. 3. **Separate the quality of a decision from the quality of the outcome.** This is crucial. A good decision based on sound probabilities can still result in a bad outcome due to chance. Conversely, a terrible decision can get lucky. Judge yourself on whether you correctly assessed the probabilities and acted accordingly, not on whether you "got it right" this time. 4. **Actively seek disconfirming evidence.** Force yourself to look for information that contradicts your current view. If you think your strategy will work, deliberately search for reasons it might fail. This counteracts [confirmation bias](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-master-causal-thinking/) and gives you a more accurate probability estimate. ### Make Decisions by Expected Value Probabilistic thinking isn't just about estimating odds—it's about acting on them. The concept of expected value gives you a framework for making decisions when outcomes are uncertain. Expected value multiplies each possible outcome by its probability, then adds them together. It's how professionals decide whether a bet is worth taking. Here's why it matters: sometimes a decision with a low probability of success is still the right choice if the potential payoff is enormous. Venture capitalists know that perhaps 18 out of 20 startups in their portfolio will fail or return little money. But that one company that becomes the next Airbnb or Uber can return 100x their investment—more than covering all the losses. That's positive expected value thinking. Conversely, decisions that seem "safe" can be terrible bets. Playing it safe might give you a 90% chance of mediocre success, but if that 10% downside risk includes catastrophic consequences, the expected value might be negative. This is why you buy insurance: the probability of your house burning down is low, but the cost if it happens is devastating. Think about a parent choosing between schools for their child. Public school is free but overcrowded. Private school costs $20K/year with smaller classes but adds an hour of family stress daily. Charter school is free with innovative curriculum but it's a first-year program with unknowns. There's no guarantee. The better question is expected value: "Given the probabilities and what matters most to us—academic success, family time, financial stability—which bet has the best expected outcome?" **Steps for expected value decision-making:** 1. **List all plausible outcomes for your decision, not just the best and worst.** For a job offer, don't just think "great career move" versus "terrible mistake." Consider: "Modest improvement (40%), breakthrough opportunity (20%), lateral move (25%), step backward (10%), complete disaster (5%)." 2. **Assign a rough value to each outcome.** This doesn't have to be money—it can be career satisfaction, life quality, time saved, or any currency that matters to you. The key is making the values comparable across outcomes. 3. **Multiply each outcome's value by its probability, then add them up.** This gives you the expected value. If the positive expected value option has meaningful downside risk, ask: "Can I survive the worst case?" If yes, it's usually the right bet. 4. **Remember: expected value is about long-term results, not single instances.** If you make a high expected value bet and it fails, that doesn't mean you were wrong. Over many decisions, following expected value will outperform any other approach. Trust the math, not the emotional reaction to one outcome. ## Practice: The Probability Forecast Journal A practical way to develop your probabilistic thinking is to keep a Probability Forecast Journal. This exercise builds calibration—your ability to accurately assess how confident you should be in your predictions. Here's how to implement it: 1. **Choose three areas where you regularly make predictions.** These could be work-related (project timelines, sales numbers), personal (will your flight be delayed), or current events (election outcomes). 2. **Each week, make five specific, testable predictions.** Write down the prediction and assign a probability. For example: "70% chance the client approves our proposal by Friday" or "85% chance our website traffic increases this month." 3. **After each prediction resolves, record the actual outcome.** Did the thing you said had a 70% chance of happening actually happen? Don't judge yourself harshly on any single prediction—remember that a 70% prediction should fail about 30% of the time. 4. **Monthly, analyze your calibration.** Look at all predictions where you said "70% confident"—did roughly 70% of them come true? If you're consistently overconfident, you need to adjust. If you're underconfident, you're being too cautious. The goal isn't perfection—it's calibration. After several months of this practice, you'll notice your ability to assess probabilities improves dramatically. You'll know when you're 60% sure versus 90% sure, and you'll make better decisions as a result. ## The Rewards Mastering probabilistic thinking is a journey, not a destination. It requires practice, humility about what you don't know, and the courage to act despite uncertainty. But the rewards are substantial. When you think probabilistically, you make faster decisions because you're not paralyzed waiting for certainty that will never come. You become more resilient to failure because you understand that good decisions sometimes have bad outcomes—and that's not a reason to change your approach. You'll find yourself taking calculated risks that others avoid, capturing opportunities that demand action before perfect information arrives. You'll waste less time second-guessing yourself because you've already thought through the probabilities and made your peace with uncertainty. You'll explain your decisions more clearly to others because you can articulate not just what you think will happen, but how confident you are and why. Most importantly, you'll stop confusing confidence with correctness. In a world obsessed with appearing certain, probabilistic thinkers have the courage to say "I'm 65% sure, and that's enough to act." That honesty—with yourself and others—is the foundation of better judgment. Want to see what happens when you master probabilistic thinking in one domain but fail to apply it in another? I wrote about my experience creating a fingerprint recognition algorithm that the NSA reverse-engineered—where I got the technical probabilities right and the business bets completely wrong. [Read the full story here](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/i-wore-a-red-badge-inside-the-nsa) The future will always be uncertain. The question is whether you'll be paralyzed by that uncertainty or empowered by it. If this helped you think differently about decision-making, I'd really appreciate it if you'd hit the like button and subscribe—it genuinely helps others find this content through the algorithm. And click that notification bell so you don't miss the next episode in this series. If you want to go deeper, I share the behind-the-scenes thinking, mistakes, and extended stories over on Studio Notes on Substack. Paid subscriptions help cover the costs of the team who makes all of this possible—the editing, research, and production work that gets these episodes to you each week. None of it comes to me; it all goes to supporting them. Without this team, there'd be no podcast, no YouTube channel, no articles. So if you find value in this work, that's a meaningful way to keep it going. The future will always be uncertain. The question is whether you'll be paralyzed by it or empowered by it. To learn more about probabilistic thinking, listen to this week's show: [***How To Make Better Decisions When Nothing Is Certain***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Make%5FBetter%5FDecisions%5FWhen%5FNothing%5Fis%5FCertain.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ## SOURCES CITED IN THIS EPISODE Oracle Decision Dilemma Study (2023) - Survey of 14,000+ employees and business leaders across 17 countries on data overwhelm and decision paralysis.[ https://www.oracle.com/uk/cloud/decision-dilemma/](https://www.oracle.com/uk/cloud/decision-dilemma/?ref=philmckinney.com) Thinking in Bets - Duke, A. (2018). Portfolio. On judging decisions by process, not outcomes.[ https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/552885/thinking-in-bets-by-annie-duke/](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/552885/thinking-in-bets-by-annie-duke/?ref=philmckinney.com) How to Improve Bayesian Reasoning Without Instruction: Frequency Formats - Gigerenzer, G. & Hoffrage, U. (1995). Psychological Review, 102(4), 684-704\. On updating beliefs with evidence. Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk - Kahneman, D. & Tversky, A. (1979). Econometrica, 47(2), 263-291\. Prospect Theory foundations. ### The Six Words That Killed Quibi URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-six-words-that-killed-quibi/ Last updated: 2025-11-01T22:07:37.000Z Your brain doesn’t actually store information as facts—it stores it as patterns and relationships. When you encounter something new, your brain immediately asks: “What is this like?” You can’t turn this off. Every comparison you make is your brain’s way of understanding the world. This is why analogies are so powerful. And so dangerous. I worked closely with Jeffrey Katzenberg and Ed Leonard for over seven years. Jeffrey Katzenberg—the man who ran Disney’s animation studios during their renaissance, co-founded DreamWorks, and produced some of the most successful animated films in history—was a master of analogy. Whether pitching a film concept to executives or describing a technical vision to engineers, he used comparison to make the complex immediately understandable. Ed Leonard, as DreamWorks’ CTO, was Jeffrey’s protégé in applying analogies to technology, translating creative vision into technical reality. During those years, I watched them use analogies to create breakthrough technologies that changed entire industries. Then, more than a decade later, I watched Jeffrey use an analogy that burned through over a billion dollars in six months. Same skill. Same instinct. Opposite outcomes. The skills that built your empire can become the blind spots that destroy it. This is the real story of what happened—twice. Once when the analogy worked perfectly. Once when it failed spectacularly. And why the difference matters more than any framework can teach you. --- [**Episode 4 dropped last Wednesday**](https://youtu.be/X5kaelEdszg?ref=philmckinney.com): This article reveals what happened when Jeffrey Katzenberg’s analogy failed. Episode 4 shows you the complete framework for using analogies without falling into the same traps—including the five strategies he should have used with Quibi. [**Subscribe to the series here**](https://www.youtube.com/c/YourChannelName?sub%5Fconfirmation=1&ref=philmckinney.com) --- ## When Analogies Work: Building the Room That Shouldn’t Exist **2004\. DreamWorks Animation.** Jeffrey Katzenberg sat across from me with a problem: his animation studios were 400 miles apart. PDI in Northern California. Main studio in Burbank. “I want it to feel like *being there*,” he said. “In all ways.” Not “like video conferencing but better.” Not “like a high-quality call.” *Like being there. In all ways.* As CTO at HP, I was part of the deep partnership we had with DreamWorks—a relationship that had started years earlier when we helped them finish the first Shrek film by providing servers to meet impossible deadlines. By 2002, we had a formal strategic alliance working on everything from animation software to color management technology that would later win an Academy Scientific and Engineering Award. But this collaboration—the virtual studio Jeffrey was describing—was different. His words weren’t marketing speak. They were an engineering specification that demanded we understand something profound. What does it mean to be “there”? Not technically there. *Experientially* there. We had to decode the human elements that create presence, then invent technology to recreate them. We built something that shouldn’t have been possible. Life-size images. Fixed cameras that used HP Labs’ eye-gaze technology so when you looked at someone on the screen, you were looking eye-to-eye, even though the camera was elsewhere. Audio designed so sound came from where the person appeared to be sitting. Lighting that matched between rooms. Tables that aligned perfectly so it looked like one continuous surface. Jeffrey would sit in Burbank doing storyboard reviews with animators in Northern California. You’d walk up to “talk” to someone across the virtual table and your brain would process them as *present*. We called it HP Halo. I remember an engineer suggesting we could save money by making the images slightly smaller. Jeffrey’s response was immediate: “No. That breaks it.” When engineers wanted to use standard video compression, we developed new technology. Standard compression would break the illusion. Eye-gaze off by even a few degrees? We went back and solved it. No compromises. Jeffrey’s comparison demanded it. HP Halo became one of the most successful enterprise collaboration tools in history. Companies paid $500,000+ per installation. Once you experienced it, you never forgot it. Why did it work? Because “like being there” required *transformation*, not translation. We couldn’t just take existing video conferencing and make it better. We had to understand what “being there” meant to humans—eye contact, scale, spatial awareness, natural interaction—and then invent technology to create that experience. This was Jeffrey and Ed at their best—using analogy to create something revolutionary. Seven years of partnership. Multiple breakthrough technologies. Jeffrey Katzenberg knew how to wield comparison to drive innovation. He’d proven it again and again—from creating Disney’s animation renaissance in the 1990s to building DreamWorks Animation into a powerhouse. Which makes what happened next so much harder to understand. [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-15.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-15.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ## When Analogies Fail: Inside Streaming’s Billion-Dollar Collapse **2018.** After DreamWorks Animation was sold to NBC Universal, Jeffrey’s legendary drive—what Disney board member Stanley Gold once called his “almost pathological need to be important”—wouldn’t let him retire quietly. He needed another chapter. He partnered with Meg Whitman to found Quibi—a mobile streaming platform for short-form content. Meg brought impressive credentials: she’d built eBay into a digital powerhouse as CEO, understanding network effects and how users actually behave on platforms. She’d run HP as CEO, knowing enterprise technology and go-to-market strategy. Jeffrey would be the founder and vision-setter. Meg would be CEO, responsible for operations and business strategy. On paper, they were the perfect team. Jeffrey understood content and entertainment. Meg understood platforms and user behavior. Each brought expertise the other lacked. Their vision: create premium Hollywood content for mobile devices. High production value. A-list talent. Serialized storytelling. But packaged in “quick bites” (hence Quibi) of 10 minutes or less, designed for people watching during commutes, lunch breaks, waiting in line. Take the quality and storytelling of television and make it work on phones. They raised $1.75 billion. The investor list was staggering: Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony, Viacom, WarnerMedia. Jeffrey and Meg pitched it everywhere with one simple comparison: “It’s **just like TV**, but for your phone.” Investors nodded. Writers signed deals. Studios committed content. And with those six words, Jeffrey made a mistake that would cost over a billion dollars. The question nobody asks: where was Meg in all this? ## Two Analogies, Two Different Outcomes Here’s what I learned watching Jeffrey use analogies twice with opposite results: **“Like being there”** forced us to understand an *experience*. What makes you feel present? We had to decode human elements—eye contact, scale, spatial relationships—then *invent* technology to recreate them. Jeffrey’s comparison demanded transformation. **“Just like TV”** assumed you could *translate* rules from one platform to another. Take what works on television, shrink it to 10 minutes, put it on a phone. This comparison demanded only adaptation. One required invention. The other required translation. One worked. The other didn’t. Notice the warning in that phrase: when an analogy starts with “*just* like,” be suspicious. That word—*just*—suggests simplicity where complexity exists. It suggests the hard work is done, when the hard work hasn’t started. ## Two Fatal Mistakes That Burned a Billion Dollars The ‘just like TV’ analogy didn’t fail in the abstract. It failed through two concrete mistakes—both of which could have been caught if anyone had been willing to challenge the premise. ### Mistake #1: Nobody Tested Where It Broke Down During Halo development, every meeting included challenges. “This doesn’t feel like being there because...” Engineers would point to image quality. Designers would notice the lighting was off. Jeffrey would sit in the room and say, “Something’s wrong with the eye contact.” Each complaint drove innovation. We had to solve presence, not just create good video. Quibi had warning signs everywhere—but nobody challenged them. They created a “turnstyle” feature that let you rotate your phone to switch between vertical and horizontal viewing. They positioned it as innovation. But watch someone actually use their phone. They don’t constantly rotate devices while watching content. This should have been a red flag: we’re solving problems that don’t exist. Then came the decision that killed them: Quibi initially *blocked screenshots and sharing*. Think about that. They built a mobile app—where sharing is the primary distribution mechanism—and prevented users from sharing content. Why? Because TV doesn’t work that way. TV is broadcast. You watch it, you consume it, end of transaction. You don’t clip a moment from a TV show and text it to a friend. You don’t screenshot a scene and post it to Instagram. They were forcing television conventions onto a platform with completely different physics. Look at what’s fundamentally different between TV and mobile: **TV**: People have *chosen* to sit down and watch something **Mobile**: People are *killing time* between other activities **TV**: Watching is the primary activity **Mobile**: Watching is secondary to everything else on your phone **TV**: You commit to 30-90 minutes **Mobile**: You commit to 30-90 *seconds* **TV**: Content demands your full attention **Mobile**: Content competes for your fractured attention These aren’t small differences. They’re structural incompatibilities. Quibi positioned itself as solving “in-between moments” while building content that required sustained attention across multiple episodes. Those are contradictory premises. Building Halo, we constantly asked: what makes this *not* like being there? Those differences drove our innovation. Building Quibi, nobody asked: what makes mobile *not* like TV? When you have to disable native platform features to make your comparison work, your comparison is wrong. **What it cost them**: They eliminated viral growth, created content for a context that didn’t exist, and built a business model that served a need nobody had. ### Mistake #2: The Comparison Explained Instead of Questioned “It’s just like TV but for your phone” landed perfectly in investor meetings. Investors *got it* instantly. That’s the seductive power of analogy—it creates the illusion of understanding without requiring actual analysis. Building Halo, “like being there” forced us to ask hard questions: What makes you feel present? How does eye contact work? What breaks the illusion? Jeffrey’s comparison generated questions that led to innovation. Pitching Quibi, “just like TV” shut down questions. It resonated with people who wanted it to be true. The comparison did its job too well—it convinced investors to stop asking questions. But one fundamental question never got answered: *Do people actually want to watch serialized, premium content on their phones during commutes?* Evidence was everywhere that the answer was no. People wanted TikTok. Instagram Reels. YouTube clips. Snapchat stories. Free, shareable, algorithmic, social content. Quibi created “movies in chapters”—literally chopping films into arbitrary 10-minute segments. Critics immediately noticed: the content “screamed, ‘I’m a movie!’” It hadn’t been reimagined for mobile. It had been reformatted for mobile. That’s the difference between transformation and translation. Halo transformed how people collaborated. Quibi translated TV to phones. Jeffrey’s comparison explained what they were building. But it should have questioned whether they should build it at all. **What it cost them**: $1.75 billion raised to solve a problem nobody had. ## The CEO Who Should Have Caught It I wasn’t in the room for this, but multiple people who were have told me the story: Early in Quibi’s development, someone asked: “Why would someone pay for this instead of just watching YouTube?” Jeffrey’s response: “Because ours will be better. Higher production value. Real stars. Quality content.” That answer reveals everything. He was comparing Quibi to other *content*, not to other *mobile experiences*. He was thinking like a producer, not like a user. The right answer would have been: “We’re not competing with YouTube. We’re solving a different problem that free content can’t solve.” But what was that problem? Nobody could articulate it without falling back on the TV comparison. Here’s what haunts me about this moment: Where was Meg? As CEO, her job was operations and business strategy. She’d built eBay by understanding how people actually use platforms. She’d seen network effects, viral growth, user behavior patterns. She knew that successful digital platforms don’t just port existing content—they create native experiences. She should have been the natural check on Jeffrey’s vision. That was literally her role. But she didn’t challenge the core analogy. Why? I think it’s an extreme version of mutual deference to authority: **Meg deferred to Jeffrey’s entertainment expertise.** He’d built Disney’s animation renaissance. He’d co-founded DreamWorks. He’d produced some of the most successful films in history. When he said “just like TV,” she assumed he understood content in ways she didn’t. **Jeffrey likely deferred to Meg’s platform expertise.** She’d built eBay. She’d run HP. When she didn’t challenge the strategy, he assumed she saw something that validated his vision. The result? Nobody challenged the fundamental premise because each assumed the other knew what they were doing. This is how billion-dollar mistakes survive: not because one person gets it wrong, but because the organizational dynamics prevent anyone from questioning it. Authority—past success, reputation, expertise—becomes the shield that protects flawed analogies from scrutiny. The person who should have asked “what makes mobile *not* like TV?” was the CEO who’d built a platform company. But she didn’t. And Jeffrey’s vision went unchallenged all the way to launch. ## The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong Let’s be precise: **Financial**: $1.75 billion raised. $600 million returned to investors. Over $1 billion burned. **Timeline**: Launched April 2020\. Shut down October 2020\. Six months of operation. **Human**: Hundreds of employees who believed in the vision. Creators who turned down other opportunities. Engineers who built beautiful technology for a product nobody wanted. **Professional**: An expensive, very public failure that could have been avoided. When Quibi shut down in late 2020, The Wall Street Journal reported that Katzenberg told employees to listen to “Get Back Up Again” from the movie Trolls to lift their spirits. Jeffrey blamed the pandemic—that the sudden change in how people consumed media didn’t align with Quibi’s “on-the-go” market niche. But other streaming services thrived during COVID. TikTok, YouTube, Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max all saw massive growth when people were stuck at home. Bad timing didn’t kill Quibi. A flawed premise and analogy did. ## What This Means for Your Next Decision The hardest part about analogies isn’t learning to generate them or recognize when they break down. It’s being willing to kill a comparison you love—especially when you’re the one who created it. And it’s being willing to challenge someone else’s analogy when you’re supposed to be the check on their vision. Jeffrey Katzenberg made his career on instinct. That instinct, refined over decades in entertainment and animation, told him Quibi would work. His comparison *felt* right. It resonated with his experience. It excited him. Meg Whitman had the platform expertise to catch the flaw. But she didn’t challenge it. Here’s what makes this story universal: **We’re all Jeffrey Katzenberg. And we’re all Meg Whitman.** We all have domains where our experience gives us confidence. We all generate comparisons that feel right because they resonate with past success. And we all defer to others’ expertise in ways that prevent us from asking the hard questions we should be asking. Looking back at both projects, here’s the pattern that matters: Building Halo, every meeting included challenges: “This doesn’t feel like being there because...” Jeffrey’s comparison invited criticism. It demanded we find the gaps. Building Quibi, that comparison shut down criticism. “It’s just like TV” felt complete. It felt understood. It felt *obvious*. And organizational dynamics—mutual deference to authority—ensured nobody questioned it. **When your analogy makes everyone nod, be worried. When your analogy generates more questions than answers, you might be onto something.** The best analogies aren’t the ones that make complex things simple. They’re the ones that make you realize how complex things actually are—and give you a structure for navigating that complexity. Good analogies emerge from understanding the problem deeply. Bad analogies emerge from wanting a particular solution. Good analogies force you to invent. Bad analogies let you translate. And watch out for analogies that start with “just like.” That word—*just*—is often where billion-dollar mistakes hide. ## Questions to Ask Before You Bet the Company Pause the next time you say “It’s like...” and ask yourself: 1. Am I describing transformation or translation? 2. Does this comparison invite questions or shut them down? 3. What makes this *not* like my comparison? 4. What would it cost to be wrong? 5. Who in this room won’t challenge this comparison because of my authority? 6. If I’m the one who’s supposed to challenge it—am I staying silent out of deference? These questions won’t guarantee success. But they might save you from an expensive, public failure that could have been avoided. --- ## **Your Journey Through Thinking 101** This Studio Notes article pairs with **Episode 4: Analogical Thinking - The Power of Comparison** from the Thinking 101 series. **This Wednesday’s episode** breaks down the complete framework for using analogies effectively: - **How to generate powerful analogies systematically** \- not wait for them to randomly pop into your head - **The exact tests to run** before betting your company on a comparison (the ones Jeffrey and Meg should have used) - **How to recognize when analogies break down** \- and why “just like” is the most dangerous phrase in business - **How to spot false analogies** when others use them to manipulate your thinking - **How to build your analogy library** \- so you can draw connections others miss This article showed you what happens when analogies fail. Episode 4 shows you how to make sure they don’t fail you. [**Subscribe to the YouTube Channel**](https://www.youtube.com/c/@philmckinney?sub%5Fconfirmation=1&ref=philmckinney.com) so you don’t miss Episode 4 on Wednesday—or the four episodes still to come. Because somewhere right now, someone is pitching a billion-dollar idea using a flawed analogy. And investors are nodding along because it “sounds like” something that worked before. Will you be the one who sees through it? --- *Studio Notes reveals the real story behind innovation and failure.* [***Subscribe for unvarnished insights***](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) *into what actually happens when frameworks meet reality.* --- #### SOURCES AND REFERENCES 1. **Jeffrey Katzenberg Career and Stanley Gold Quote** “Jeffrey Katzenberg.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 2025. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey\_Katzenberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey%5FKatzenberg?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. **DreamWorks Animation Sale to NBCUniversal** Lang, B. (2016). “NBCUniversal to Acquire DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 Billion” April 28, 2016. [https://variety.com/2016/biz/news/dreamworks-animation-3-8-billion-nbcuniversal-comcast-1201762634/](https://variety.com/2016/biz/news/dreamworks-animation-3-8-billion-nbcuniversal-comcast-1201762634/?ref=philmckinney.com) 3. **Quibi Funding and Shutdown** Spangler, T. (2020). “Quibi Confirms Shutdown, Jeffrey Katzenberg Startup Will Shop Assets.” Variety. October 22, 2020. [https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/quibi-confirms-shutdown-jeffrey-katzenberg-meg-whitman-1234812643/](https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/quibi-confirms-shutdown-jeffrey-katzenberg-meg-whitman-1234812643/?ref=philmckinney.com) 4. **Quibi Funding Details - $1.75B Raised** Crunchbase. (2020). “Quibi Is Shutting Down After Raising $1.75B In Funding.” October 22, 2020. [https://news.crunchbase.com/startups/quibi-shutting-down/](https://news.crunchbase.com/startups/quibi-shutting-down/?ref=philmckinney.com) 5. **Quibi’s $600M Return to Investors** Amore, S. (2022). “Jeffrey Katzenberg Defends Quibi Failings, NFT Investments.” dot.LA. May 26, 2022. [https://dot.la/upfront-summit-quibi-2656828103.html](https://dot.la/upfront-summit-quibi-2656828103.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 6. **Wall Street Journal Report on “Get Back Up Again”** Mullin, B. (2020). “Quibi Is Shutting Down Barely Six Months After Going Live” [https://www.wsj.com/business/media/quibi-weighs-shutting-down-as-problems-mount-11603301946](https://www.wsj.com/business/media/quibi-weighs-shutting-down-as-problems-mount-11603301946?ref=philmckinney.com) 7. **HP DreamColor Academy Award** Browning, V. (2015). “HP DreamColor Display Receives Scientific and Engineering Academy Award®.” February 10, 2015. [https://displaydaily.com/hp-dreamcolor-display-receives-scientific-and-engineering-academy-award/](https://displaydaily.com/hp-dreamcolor-display-receives-scientific-and-engineering-academy-award/?ref=philmckinney.com) 8. **Computer History Museum Event** Computer History Museum. (2011). “Jeffrey Katzenberg and Ed Leonard: Entertainment Meets Technology.” November 23, 2011. [https://youtu.be/IYzEnYU3\_WI](https://youtu.be/IYzEnYU3%5FWI?ref=philmckinney.com) 9. **Cognitive Science on Pattern Recognition** Gentner, D., & Smith, L. (2012). “Analogical Reasoning.” Encyclopedia of Human Behavior (Second Edition), 1, 130-136. [https://groups.psych.northwestern.edu/gentner/papers/gentnerSmith\_2012.pdf](https://groups.psych.northwestern.edu/gentner/papers/gentnerSmith%5F2012.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com) --- #### ADDITIONAL READING **On Entertainment Industry Innovation:** Isaacson, W. (2011). *Steve Jobs*. Simon & Schuster. **On Streaming and Platform Business Models:** Galloway, S. (2017). *The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google*. Portfolio. **On Organizational Decision-Making:** Kahneman, D. (2011). *Thinking, Fast and Slow*. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. **On Analogical Thinking:** Holyoak, K. J., & Thagard, P. (1995). *Mental Leaps: Analogy in Creative Thought*. MIT Press. Gentner, D., Holyoak, K. J., & Kokinov, B. N. (Eds.). (2001). *The Analogical Mind: Perspectives from Cognitive Science*. MIT Press. --- *Note: All sources have been accessed and verified as of October 2025.* [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-16.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-16.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ### You Think in Analogies Every Day (And You're Doing It Wrong) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/you-think-in-analogies-every-day-and-youre-doing-it-wrong/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:17.000Z Try to go through a day without using an analogy. I guarantee you'll fail within an hour. Your morning coffee tastes *like* yesterday's batch. Traffic is moving *like* molasses. Your boss sounds *like* a broken record. Every comparison you make—every single one—is your brain's way of [understanding the world](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-the-innovation-economy-and-its-impact-on-our-world/). You can't turn it off. When someone told you [ChatGPT](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-ai-dependency-is-rewiring-your-childs-creative-brain-and-what-parents-can-do-about-it/) is "like having a smart assistant," your brain immediately knew what to expect—and what to worry about. When Netflix called itself "the HBO of streaming," investors understood the strategy instantly. These comparisons aren't just convenient—they're how billion-dollar companies are built and how your brain actually learns. The person who controls the analogy controls your thinking. In a world where you're bombarded with new concepts every single day—AI tools, cryptocurrency, remote work culture, creator economies—your brain needs a way to make sense of it all. By the end of this episode, you'll possess a powerful toolkit for understanding the unfamiliar by connecting it to what you already know—and explaining complex ideas so clearly that people wonder why they never saw it before. Thinking in analogies—or what's called analogical thinking—is how the greatest innovators, communicators, and problem-solvers operate. It's the skill that turns confusion into clarity and complexity into something you can actually work with. ## What is Analogical Thinking? But what does analogical thinking entail? At its core, it's the practice of understanding something new by comparing it to something you already understand. Your brain is constantly asking: "What is this like?" When you learned what a virus does to your computer, you understood it by comparing it to how biological viruses infect living organisms. When someone explains [blockchain](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/) as "a shared spreadsheet that no one can erase," they're using analogy to make an abstract concept concrete. Researchers have found something remarkable: your brain doesn't actually store information as facts—it stores it as patterns and relationships. When you learn something new, your brain is literally asking "What does this remind me of?" and building connections to existing knowledge. Analogies aren't just helpful for communication—they're the fundamental mechanism of human understanding. You can't NOT think in analogies. The question is whether you're doing it consciously and well, or unconsciously and poorly. The quality of your analogies determines how quickly you learn, how deeply you understand, and how effectively you can explain ideas to others. Remember this: whoever controls the analogy controls the conversation. Master this skill, and you'll never be at the mercy of someone else's framing again. ## The Crisis of Bad Analogies Thinking in analogies is a double-edged sword. I learned this the hard way. A few years ago, I watched a brilliant engineer struggle to explain a revolutionary idea to executives. He had the data, the logic, the technical proof—but he couldn't get buy-in. Then someone in the room said, "So it's basically like Uber, but for industrial equipment?" Instantly, heads nodded. Funding approved. Project greenlit. One analogy did what an hour of explanation couldn't. Six months later, that same analogy killed the project. Because "[Uber for equipment](https://www.philmckinney.com/business-model-innovation-why-agility-matters/)" came with assumptions—about pricing, about scale, about network effects—that didn't actually apply. The team kept forcing their solution to fit the analogy instead of recognizing when the comparison broke down. I watched millions of dollars and two years of work disappear because nobody questioned whether the analogy was still serving them. The same mental shortcut that helps you understand new things can also trap you in outdated patterns. Consider Quibi's spectacular failure. In 2020, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman launched a streaming service with $1.75 billion in funding—more than Netflix had when it started. Their analogy? "It's like TV shows, but designed for your phone." They created high-quality 10-minute episodes optimized for mobile viewing. Six months later, Quibi shut down. What went wrong? The analogy was flawed. They assumed mobile viewing was like TV viewing, just shorter. But people don't watch phones the way they watch TV—they watch phones while doing other things, in stolen moments, with interruptions. YouTube and TikTok understood this. They built for distraction and fragmentation. Quibi built for focused attention that didn't exist. That misunderstanding burned through nearly $2 billion in 18 months. We see this constantly where complex issues get reduced to simplistic analogies that feel intuitive but lead to flawed conclusions. Someone compares running a country to running a household budget—"If families have to balance their budgets, why shouldn't governments?" The analogy sounds intuitive, but it ignores that countries can print currency, carry strategic long-term debt, and operate on completely different time horizons than households. The cost of bad analogical thinking is enormous. You waste time applying solutions that worked in one context to problems where they don't fit. You miss opportunities because you're trying to squeeze new situations into old patterns. And worst of all, you become easy to manipulate—because anyone who controls your analogies controls how you think. ## How To Think Using Analogies So how do we harness the power of analogy while avoiding its traps? Let me show you five essential strategies that will transform how you use comparison to understand your world. ### Generate Analogies Systematically The first skill is learning to create useful analogies on demand. Most people wait for analogies to pop into their heads randomly, but you can develop a systematic process for generating them whenever you need one. Map the structure of what you're trying to understand, then search for similar structures in domains you know well. Netflix's recommendation algorithm didn't come from studying other algorithms—it came from asking "How do humans recommend things?" and mapping that social process onto a technical system. Steps to generate powerful analogies: 1. **Identify the core function or relationship**: Strip away surface details and ask what the thing actually does. A heart pumps fluid through a system. Now you can compare it to anything else that pumps fluid—engines, wells, plumbing systems. 2. **Look across** [**multiple domains**](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-see-opportunities-others-miss/): Don't limit yourself to obvious comparisons. The best analogies often come from unexpected places. The inventor of Velcro, George de Mestral, understood how burrs stuck to fabric by comparing them to hooks and loops—leading to a billion-dollar fastening system. 3. **Map specific correspondences**: Once you find a potential analogy, be explicit about what maps to what. If you're comparing your startup to a marathon, what corresponds to training? What's the equivalent of hitting the wall? What represents the finish line? 4. **Test the analogy's limits**: Push the comparison and see where it breaks down. This isn't a failure—it's information. Every analogy has boundaries, and knowing them makes the analogy more useful. 5. **Consider multiple analogies**: Don't settle for the first comparison that works. Electricity is like water flowing through pipes AND like cars on a highway. Each analogy reveals different insights. ### Recognize When Analogies Break Down Most people fall in love with an analogy and push it beyond its useful range. A powerful analogy becomes a dangerous one the moment you forget it's just a comparison, not reality itself. The human brain loves patterns, and once we find one that works, we want to apply it everywhere. This is how we end up with terrible advice like "Just be yourself in job interviews" because "authentic relationships require honesty"—taking an analogy from personal relationships and stretching it to professional contexts where it doesn't fit. How to recognize the breakdown: 1. **Watch for forced mappings**: If you find yourself struggling to make pieces fit, the analogy might be wrong. When the comparison starts requiring elaborate explanations or special exceptions, it's probably breaking down. 2. **Check for contradictory predictions**: A good analogy should help you predict behavior. If your analogy suggests one outcome but reality keeps producing another, the comparison isn't working. 3. **Look for what's missing**: What does the analogy leave out? Understanding the gaps is as important as understanding the matches. Social media isn't "the modern town square"—because town squares had time constraints, physical presence, and social accountability that platforms lack. 4. **Test edge cases**: Push your analogy to extremes. If "your body is a temple," does that mean you should let tourists visit? When an analogy gets absurd at the edges, you've found its limits. A good analogy is a map, not the territory. The moment you forget that, you're lost. ### Use Analogies to Explain Complex Ideas Analogies are your secret weapon for making complicated concepts accessible to anyone. The person who can explain quantum physics using everyday comparisons has a superpower in our information-saturated world. Match the analogy to your audience's knowledge and choose comparisons that illuminate rather than obscure. The explanatory analogy playbook: 1. **Know your audience's knowledge base**: You can compare machine learning to "teaching a child through examples" for general audiences, but that same analogy won't work for computer scientists who need technical precision. 2. **Start with the familiar**: Always move from what people know to what they don't. "Imagine your favorite playlist, but instead of songs it recommends..." grounds abstract concepts in concrete experience. 3. **Be explicit about the comparison**: Don't assume people will automatically see the connection. Say "Think of it like this..." and make the mapping clear. 4. **Use multiple analogies for complex concepts**: One analogy rarely captures everything. Combine several different comparisons to give people multiple angles of understanding. ### Identify False Analogies in Arguments People will use analogies to manipulate your thinking—sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. Workplace debates are full of analogical arguments: "Remote work is like letting students do homework unsupervised—productivity will plummet." But is professional work really like homework? The analogy assumes similarities that may not exist. Recognizing false analogies protects you from being intellectually hijacked. When someone uses comparison to make their argument, your job is to evaluate whether the comparison is valid. Your defense against false analogies: 1. **Ask what's being compared**: Make the analogy explicit. Often people use vague gestures toward similarity without stating exactly what maps to what. 2. **Examine the relevant similarities**: Are the things being compared actually alike in ways that matter to the argument? Comparing a business to a family sounds warm, but families don't fire members for poor performance. 3. **Identify critical differences**: What's different between the two things? Sometimes those differences destroy the analogy's validity. Saying "hiring is like dating" ignores that employment is a contractual relationship with completely different expectations and legal frameworks than romantic partnerships. 4. **Consider alternative analogies**: If someone says "Unlimited vacation policies are like giving employees a blank check," counter with "Actually, it's more like trusting professionals to manage their own time like we trust them to manage budgets." Different analogies suggest different conclusions. 5. **Demand literal argument**: When someone relies heavily on analogy to make their case, ask them to make the argument without comparison. If they can't, the analogy might be doing rhetorical work rather than logical work. ### Build Your Analogy Library The final strategy is long-term: deliberately expand your collection of [mental models](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-five-questions-that-unlock-breakthrough-innovation/) and experiences so you have more source material for analogies. The person who only knows their own industry can only draw comparisons from that narrow domain. But someone who reads widely, pursues diverse experiences, and studies multiple fields can make unexpected connections. Steve Jobs famously took a calligraphy class—years later, those insights about typeface and design influenced the Mac's revolutionary interface. The analogy between typographic beauty and digital design wouldn't have been available without that cross-domain experience. Building your source material: 1. **Read across disciplines**: Don't just consume content in your field. Read history, science, philosophy, biography. Each domain gives you new patterns to recognize elsewhere. 2. **Study other industries**: How do restaurants manage inventory? How do sports teams develop talent? These patterns might apply to your completely different context. 3. **Learn the fundamental models**: Some analogies recur because they capture universal patterns. Evolution, network effects, compound interest, equilibrium—these models apply across countless domains. 4. **Practice deliberately**: Make it a habit to ask "What is this like?" when you encounter new ideas. The more you practice generating analogies, the faster and better you'll become. ## Practice A practical and effective way to develop this skill is to practice explaining concepts across contexts. Here's how you can sharpen your ability to think in analogies: 1. **Choose a concept you know well**: Pick something from your area of expertise—a technical process, a business strategy, a creative technique, whatever you know deeply. 2. **Identify three different audiences**: Consider explaining this concept to a child, to someone in a completely different profession, and to an expert in an unrelated field. 3. **Generate three analogies**: For each audience, create a different analogy that would make the concept clear. Force yourself to draw from domains that audience would understand. 4. **Test your analogies**: If possible, actually explain your concept to someone using your analogy. Watch their face—confusion means the analogy isn't working, clarity means it is. 5. **Refine and iterate**: Share your analogies with others and adjust based on their feedback. The best analogies often emerge through conversation and iteration. This exercise trains you to think flexibly, draw connections across domains, and understand the mechanics of what makes analogies work or fail. The more you practice, the more naturally these comparisons will come to you when you need them. ## The Rewards Mastering analogical thinking is a journey, not a destination. It requires constant practice, intellectual curiosity, and the humility to recognize when your comparisons break down. But the rewards are transformative. You'll learn faster by connecting new information to what you already know. You'll explain complex ideas with clarity that makes you invaluable in any professional setting. You'll spot flawed reasoning in arguments before others even notice something's wrong. You'll generate creative solutions by borrowing patterns from unexpected domains. Most importantly, you'll develop the [mental flexibility](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-convergent-thinking-skills/) to navigate an increasingly complex world. When AI reshapes your industry, you'll understand it by comparison to previous technological disruptions. When new social dynamics emerge, you'll make sense of them by recognizing familiar patterns in new contexts. The best thinkers aren't those who memorize the most facts—they're those who see connections others miss. Steve Jobs didn't invent the smartphone—he saw that a phone could be like a computer in your pocket. Jeff Bezos didn't invent retail—he saw that a bookstore could be like an infinite warehouse. Every breakthrough starts with someone asking "What if this is like that?" That's the power of thinking in analogies. And now you have the tools to make it yours. ## Your Thinking 101 Journey The Thinking 101 series is teaching you how to think clearly in a world designed to confuse you—here's our journey so far: In [Episode 1](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-thinking-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever/), we exposed the thinking crisis—AI dependency is creating cognitive debt, and independent thinking has become the most valuable skill in the modern world. In [Episode 2](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-logical-reasoning-skills/), you learned to distinguish deductive certainty from inductive probability and stop treating patterns as proven facts. In [Episode 3](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-master-causal-thinking/), you discovered how to distinguish true causation from mere correlation—saving yourself from solving the wrong problem perfectly. Today, you learned how to harness the power of analogies while avoiding their traps—generating useful comparisons systematically, recognizing when analogies break down, and spotting false analogies that manipulate thinking. Up next—Episode 5: "Probabilistic Thinking—Living with Uncertainty." You'll learn how to think in probabilities rather than certainties, make decisions with incomplete information, and act wisely when nothing is guaranteed. Hit that subscribe button so you don't miss future episodes. Also—hit the like and notification bell. It helps with the algorithm so others see our content. Why not share this video with a colleague who you think would benefit from it? Because right now, while you've been watching this, someone just pitched a billion-dollar idea using a flawed analogy—and investors nodded along because it "sounded like" something that worked before. The only question is: will you be the one who sees through it? To learn more about thinking in analogies, listen to this week's show: [***You Think in Analogies Every Day (And You're Doing It Wrong)***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/You%5FThink%5FIn%5FAnalogies%5Fand%5FYou%5FAre%5FDoing%5FIt%5FWrong.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ## SOURCES CITED IN THIS EPISODE 1. **Cognitive Science Research on Analogical Reasoning** Green, A.E., Fugelsang, J.A., & Dunbar, K.N. (2006). Automatic activation of categorical and abstract analogical relations in analogical reasoning. *Memory & Cognition*, 34(7), 1414-1421\. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/BF03195906](https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/BF03195906?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. **Brain Pattern Recognition and Memory Storage** Gentner, D., & Smith, L. (2012). Analogical Reasoning. *Encyclopedia of Human Behavior* (Second Edition), 1, 130-136\. [https://groups.psych.northwestern.edu/gentner/papers/gentnerSmith\_2012.pdf](https://groups.psych.northwestern.edu/gentner/papers/gentnerSmith%5F2012.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com) 3. **Neuroscience of Analogical Thinking** Parsons, S., Maillet, D., Sayfullin, A., & Ansari, D. (2022). The Neural Correlates of Analogy Component Processes. *Cognitive Science*, 46(3). [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35297092/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35297092/?ref=philmckinney.com) 4. **Quibi Shutdown and Funding Details** Spangler, T. (2020). Quibi Confirms Shutdown, Jeffrey Katzenberg Startup Will Shop Assets. *Variety*. October 22, 2020.[https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/quibi-confirms-shutdown-jeffrey-katzenberg-meg-whitman-1234812643/](https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/quibi-confirms-shutdown-jeffrey-katzenberg-meg-whitman-1234812643/?ref=philmckinney.com) 5. **Quibi Funding History** Crunchbase. (2020). Quibi Is Shutting Down After Raising $1.75B In Funding. October 22, 2020\. [https://news.crunchbase.com/startups/quibi-shutting-down/](https://news.crunchbase.com/startups/quibi-shutting-down/?ref=philmckinney.com) 6. **Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech** Jobs, S. (2005). 'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says. Stanford Commencement Address. June 12, 2005\. [https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2005/06/youve-got-find-love-jobs-says](https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2005/06/youve-got-find-love-jobs-says?ref=philmckinney.com) ## ADDITIONAL READING **On Analogical Reasoning and Cognition** Holyoak, K. J., & Thagard, P. (1995). *Mental Leaps: Analogy in Creative Thought*. MIT Press. Gentner, D., Holyoak, K. J., & Kokinov, B. N. (Eds.). (2001). *The Analogical Mind: Perspectives from Cognitive Science*. MIT Press. **On Thinking and Decision-Making** Kahneman, D. (2011). *Thinking, Fast and Slow*. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. **On Innovation and Cross-Domain Learning** Isaacson, W. (2011). *Steve Jobs*. Simon & Schuster. **Note:** All sources cited in this episode have been accessed and verified as of October 2025. ### HP Won Innovation Awards. Then Killed What Made It True. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/hp-won-innovation-awards-then-killed-what-made-it-true/ Last updated: 2025-10-25T18:31:00.000Z I was about to make a multimillion-dollar mistake. It was 2007\. Three VPs had sent me the same proposal: HP should implement 20% time like Google. Give engineers one day a week for passion projects. Innovation would follow. The logic was seductive, the precedent was proven, and I was ready to approve it. Then Chuck House and I were chatting. “Before you do anything,” Chuck said, “you need to talk to Art.” Chuck and I served together on the Board of Directors for the [**Computer History Museum**](https://computerhistory.org/?ref=philmckinney.com). He’d worked at HP for decades, reporting directly to Dave Packard. We’d share Bill and Dave stories, which I loved. But I’d never heard him speak with this kind of urgency. “[**Art Fong**](https://www.hewlettpackardhistory.com/item/committed-to-inclusion/?ref=philmckinney.com). He was there at the beginning. Employee number nine. If you want to understand what actually drives innovation at HP—not what you *think* drives it—you need to hear his story.” I almost said I was too busy. I had a company to help run, strategies to formulate, policies to implement. Thank God I didn’t. ### The Photo Art Fong’s living room in Palo Alto. Cal football on the TV. He was in his eighties, still sharp. He could weave a Bill and Dave story into any conversation, no matter the subject. Chuck had prepped me: “Art’s not just history—he’s living proof of what made HP work.” I explained why I was there. The 20% time proposal. Google’s success with it. How it seemed like exactly what HP needed. Art smiled. Not the warm smile of agreement. The knowing smile of someone who’s seen this movie before. He pulled out a photograph in a protective sleeve. Black and white. 1950s. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I9vz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6a891651-51bb-4c73-aaea-cddbc2ebe325_500x376.jpeg) A young Art standing beside a tower of radar equipment nearly as tall as he was. To the right: Bill Hewlett, taking a sip of coffee. “This is when they thought they’d figured it out,” Art said. I looked closer. “What am I seeing?” “Friday afternoon. I’m tracking the speed of Dave Packard’s pickup truck using military radar I built from surplus X-band gear I found in San Francisco. Bill’s watching. Everyone thought this proved the concept.” “Proved what concept?” “20% time,” Art said. “HP invented it. In the 1950s. Decades before Google.” I felt my stomach drop. “Wait—what?” ### The Error Revealed Art told me the story methodically, the way an engineer explains a design flaw. HP saw Art and a few other engineers innovating during Friday afternoons—after “official work” ended at noon. Art would be up in San Francisco at surplus stores, getting ideas, building prototypes. Some of these projects became breakthrough products. HP leadership observed a pattern: **Friday afternoon projects → Successful innovations** So they instituted a policy: Everyone gets Friday afternoons for side projects. Use the model shop. Use the parts. Innovate. “It made perfect sense,” I said. “If side projects produce innovations—” “Then giving everyone side project time produces more innovations,” Art finished. “That’s exactly what Bill and Dave thought.” “But it didn’t work?” “No.” Art said it simply, matter-of-factly. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. HP invented 20% time based on faulty reasoning. We saw correlation and assumed causation. Then we quietly abandoned it when the results didn’t follow.” “What went wrong?” I asked. Art shrugged. “People would sit around on Friday afternoons not knowing what to do. Or they’d just work on their regular projects anyway. The ones who were going to innovate—like me—were already doing it. The mandate didn’t change behavior. It just created a bureaucratic checkbox.” He paused. “Worse, it made innovation feel like an obligation instead of an opportunity. You don’t mandate passion.” I sat back. “So Google—” “Copied 3M’s 15% time, who unknowingly copied our abandoned policy. And now Google’s quietly phased it out too. Most people in the Valley don’t even know they stopped doing it. But they did. For the same reason we did.” “Because it doesn’t work.” “Because it was never what actually caused the innovation in the first place.” ### What Actually Worked I was still processing what Art had told me. HP invented 20% time. Based on a causation error. Abandoned it. Google repeated the same mistake. “Okay,” I said, trying to understand. “But if structured project time didn’t cause innovation, what did? Something made HP successful. What was the actual mechanism?” Art leaned back. “You want to know what caused the innovation? Let me tell you how Bill recruited me.” He paused, making sure I was following. “This matters because you’re about to make a policy decision. You need to understand what actually works.” **During World War II**, Art was working at MIT’s Radiation Laboratory—part of the team developing microwave radar technology that helped win the war. Bill Hewlett was in the military doing radar work. He’d seen some of Art’s creations. One evening in 1946, Bill showed up at Art’s apartment near the laboratory, still in uniform. “He’s just a real nice guy,” Art remembered. “Took off his hat, his jacket, his tie, and just sat down like a normal guy.” Art and his wife lived in a tiny place with their baby daughter, not quite one year old. “Next thing, Bill picks her up and bounces her around. Just loves kids. We talked shop all evening. One idea building on another. My wife was making dinner—everything was rationed back then, you know. Meat, coffee, gasoline. But Bill stayed late.” Art looked at me. “Bill didn’t send HR to recruit me. He didn’t have me fill out an application. He came to my apartment near the lab, bounced my baby on his knee, and we talked radar until late into the night. That’s the first thing—personal investment in people.” I was starting to see it. This wasn’t policy. This was relationship. “Bill offered me the job that night,” Art continued. “’Art,’ he said, ‘I’d like to have you come join us. We’re just a small company starting, and we want to get into the microwave business.’” Art gestured around his living room. “But there was a problem. No one would sell me a house in Palo Alto. Discrimination. So you know what Bill and Dave did?” I shook my head. “They bought this house from the seller. Then sold it to me.” He let that sink in. “This house. I lived here for 66 years. That’s the second thing—trust so deep they’d put their own names on the line.” I thought about the 20% time proposals in my inbox. Three VPs asking for a policy. Not one of them talking about trust. “Let me tell you another story,” Art said. “This one’s about Dave.” **1960s.** Art was working late on the 803, a unique piece of equipment. Dave wanted to show it at a sonar convention in San Diego, and Art was rushing to get data. He’d been staying late for a couple nights. About 6:30 PM, Dave Packard walked in. He’d just come back from a meeting in San Francisco. “How’s it going?” Dave sat down next to Art, looked at his notebook. “Looks pretty good. I’ll tell you what—I’ll write it down while you take the readings.” Art demonstrated for me, mimicking writing in a lab notebook. “The president of the company became my lab tech.” Half an hour later, Dave asked: “You had dinner yet?” “No, not yet.” “You’re going home. Take your time, get something to eat, and come back.” Art lived two miles away. When he returned, Dave was still there, taking data, writing it down. “Dave, you go home, get something to eat,” Art told him. “No, no, I’m not hungry. I had some snacks in San Francisco.” They worked side by side until almost midnight. Two days later, Dave carried the equipment down to San Diego himself. “That’s the third thing,” Art said. “Leaders who didn’t just talk about the work—they did the work. Dave Packard staying until midnight to help me meet a deadline. That’s what created the culture.” I was scribbling notes now, but Art wasn’t done. “Bill and Dave spent long hours in the labs when we had about ten engineers. They’d sit with each one, understand what they were working on, what the problems were. They’d make suggestions. ‘Have you tried this?’ We knew they cared. We loved it.” “Let me tell you about the tool room,” Art said. “This was later, maybe the ‘60s. Some manager decided to padlock the storeroom where we kept tools and parts. Probably thought he was being responsible—keeping track of inventory, you know.” Art smiled. “Bill discovered it on a weekend. Came back with bolt cutters. Cut the lock right off. Left a note on the door, signed it. ‘Never lock this again.’” “The message was clear,” Art continued. “At HP, we trust people. You need tools? You need parts? Take them. Use them. That’s how innovation happens—when you have access and we trust you to use it responsibly.” He looked at me. “That’s the fourth thing—removing barriers, not creating them.” Art looked directly at me. “So here’s what I’m telling you, Phil. Bill bouncing my baby on his knee—that caused innovation. Buying me a house when discrimination prevented the sale—that caused innovation. Dave staying until midnight to write in my lab notebook—that caused innovation. Bill cutting the lock off the tool room when some manager tried to restrict access—that caused innovation.” He paused. “Friday afternoon project time? That was adjacent to innovation. It was *correlated* with innovation. But it didn’t *cause* innovation.” The distinction crystallized for me. “You would have innovated anyway.” “Exactly. Whether there was official ‘20% time’ or not, I acted the same before and after. The policy didn’t create me. If anything, I created the illusion that the policy worked.” I thought about my tenure at HP. How many times had I focused on policy when I should have been focused on people? How many times had I mistaken correlation for causation? “By the 1960s,” Art continued, “HP had quietly shifted away from mandated Friday project time. Not officially—we just stopped emphasizing it. We established HP Labs to challenge people to work on ideas not directly tied to roadmaps. But it wasn’t structured time blocks. It was trust and access.” He smiled. “If you had an idea, you pursued it. You used whatever you needed. That was the policy: we trust you.” [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-13.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-13.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ### The Pattern I Almost Repeated On the drive back from Palo Alto, I started seeing it everywhere. We see Google succeed. We see they have 20% time. We assume causation. But Google succeeded because of brilliant people, strong culture, trust, access to resources, leadership that cared deeply about the work. The 20% time was adjacent to success—not causal to it. Just like Art’s Friday afternoons. I thought about all the companies right now implementing “20% time” to copy Google. Google had quietly phased it out. They were copying 3M. 3M had unknowingly copied HP. And HP had abandoned it 50 years ago when they realized their causation error. The pattern keeps repeating because we keep confusing correlation with causation. ### What I Did Instead But I couldn’t shake what Art had told me. HP was in trouble. Not financially—Mark Hurd had stabilized that. But culturally, we were coming apart. We’d just lived through the Carly Fiorina years. Chaos. Major acquisitions—Compaq, DEC, Tandem, and others—all mashed together. Each merger brought a different culture, different values, different ways of working. We’d integrated them—which really meant we’d diluted what HP used to be until nobody could remember what made us special in the first place. Then Carly was removed, and the board brought in Mark Hurd. Another outsider. The first two CEOs in HP’s history who hadn’t grown up in the company. Leaders who didn’t understand the culture Bill and Dave had built. More concerning: they had no interest in learning it. I realized, sitting in my office after that day with Art, that I was watching something die. The culture that had made HP extraordinary—the trust, the access, the personal investment in people—was being lost. Not because anyone was actively destroying it, but because nobody remembered what it was. Except Art. And a few other old-timers still around. I made it my mission. If HP was going to re-ignite innovation, it wouldn’t be through copying Google’s abandoned policies. It would be by rebuilding the culture Bill and Dave had created. I started spending Saturday afternoons in Art’s living room. Cal football on TV. Hours of stories. Those became my tutoring sessions. Art was teaching me what HP used to be. What it could be again. At the next leadership meeting, I didn’t just reject the 20% time proposal. I presented an alternative. “We’re not implementing 20% time,” I said. “Here’s what we’re doing instead.” **First**: We’re going to reconnect with our history. I started bringing Art to HP Labs. I’d send a car to his house in Palo Alto, and he’d spend hours in the Building #3 cafeteria with young engineers. Art still carried his original employee badge—number 9—in his wallet. He’d tell them about Bill bouncing his baby on his knee. About Dave staying until midnight to write in his lab notebook. About the tool room lock. These weren’t nostalgia sessions. They were cultural transmission. Most of these engineers had joined during or after the acquisitions. They’d never known what HP was. They thought HP *was* the chaos, the mergers, the confusion. Art showed them something different. He showed them there were real people behind the “H” and “P” in our name. People who’d built something extraordinary based on trust. I remember one session. Art in the cafeteria, surrounded by young engineers. One of them asked, “How did you come up with your best ideas?” Art thought for a moment. “I was usually trying to solve a problem nobody told me to solve. Dave wanted to show the 803 in San Diego, so I stayed late. Bill needed better microwave test equipment, so I bought surplus parts and built something. The ideas came from caring about the work, not from having free time.” An engineer raised his hand. “But don’t we need permission to do that now?” The question hung in the air. Art looked at me. That’s when I realized how far we’d fallen. These engineers were asking permission to care. I didn’t stop with Art. I started finding other HP retirees, people who’d lived the culture. I brought them back. I introduced them to Mark Hurd and the leadership team. Some of those meetings were uncomfortable. Art had strong opinions, and he wasn’t shy about sharing them. “Here’s what you need to focus on,” he’d tell Mark. But that was the point. These weren’t consultants giving generic advice. These were people who’d built the company telling us what we’d lost. **Second**: We established the Innovation Program Office. Not as “20% time,” but as an “off the radar” source of funding for raw ideas—things too early, too weird, too risky for the normal processes that had calcified during the acquisition years. Small amounts. Fast decisions. No bureaucracy. We weren’t mandating when people could innovate. We were removing the barriers that years of integration and outside management had created. Not everyone bought it. The VP of Engineering cornered me after the meeting. “You’re letting sentimentality cloud your judgment,” he said. “Google’s proving this works right now. We don’t need history lessons from retirees—we need results.” He wasn’t entirely wrong to be skeptical. I was asking them to trust me that the absence of a policy was better than having one. In a company drowning in process, that sounded like chaos. The Innovation Program Office took heat every quarter. We funded ideas that went nowhere. Raw ideas fail—that’s the point. But I had to defend those failures to the CFO while watching eyes roll around the table. “Another quarter, another batch of failed experiments,” one executive said. “When do we see returns?” I thought about Art. About Dave Packard staying until midnight not because it was guaranteed to work, but because it was worth trying. About Bill cutting the lock off the tool room before anyone could prove it was the right call. Three years later, Fast Company named HP one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies. Then they did it again the next year. And the year after that. Three years in a row. They specifically credited the Innovation Program Office, the new products it created, and the culture of innovation we were rebuilding at HP. I wish I could say that vindicated the approach. That everyone saw it worked. I retired in December 2011\. Shortly after, HP killed the Innovation Program Office. HP hasn’t appeared on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list since. Thirteen years and counting. Neither has HPE after the split. **Third**: I took Art’s lesson about the tool room lock as my operating principle. My job wasn’t to manage innovation. My job was to cut the locks off wherever they’d appeared. Trust people. Remove barriers. Get out of the way. It was an uphill battle. The momentum of the company was in the other direction—more process, more control, more “best practices” imported from whatever companies our outside CEOs had worked at before. But I had Art. And I had the stories. And slowly, in pockets of the company, we started rebuilding what had been lost. ### The Real History Art passed away in 2012, in that same house in Palo Alto that Bill and Dave had bought for him 66 years earlier. He worried until the end that the real history of Silicon Valley was being lost. “Everyone gets the history wrong,” he’d say. “They’re missing the opportunity to learn from HP’s experience—the successes and the failures.” He was right to worry. By the time Art died, HP had endured years of chaos—the acquisitions, the cultural collisions, the outside CEOs who didn’t understand what Bill and Dave had built. The culture he’d helped create was already fading. Three years after his death, HP would split into two companies. The final fracture of what had once been whole. But here’s what really haunts me: HP invented the policy, learned it didn’t work, and abandoned it. Then, decades later, when HP was in crisis and desperately needed to re-ignite innovation, we almost repeated the same mistake. We’d forgotten our own history. That’s the real cost of losing culture. You don’t just lose what made you great. You lose the knowledge of what *doesn’t* work. You’re condemned to repeat your own mistakes because nobody remembers making them the first time. Wikipedia still says Google invented 20% time. Business schools still teach it as gospel. Companies still implement it, not knowing they’re copying a policy that’s been quietly abandoned twice—by the company they’re copying and by the company that invented it. The causation error compounds with each repetition, but it’s worse than that. The cultural amnesia means each generation has to learn the same lessons—if they’re lucky enough to find someone like Art who remembers. You can’t mandate innovation through policy. You can’t bottle Art’s magic by giving everyone Friday afternoons. You create innovation by showing up at someone’s apartment near their lab in uniform and bouncing their baby on your knee. By sitting down at midnight to write data entries as their lab tech. By buying them a house when discrimination prevents the sale. By cutting locks off tool rooms. By trusting deeply and removing barriers. Art didn’t innovate because of Friday afternoon policies. Art innovated because Bill saw his genius at MIT’s Radiation Laboratory and built a relationship. Because they trusted him completely. Because he had unrestricted access to resources. Because Dave Packard would stay until midnight helping him meet deadlines. The photo Art showed me that day—young Art with his radar tower, Bill with his coffee cup—doesn’t prove Friday afternoons cause innovation. It proves that when you trust brilliant people and remove barriers, magic happens. And it proves that even geniuses mistake correlation for causation. And it proves that culture, once lost, is almost impossible to rebuild. ### What Are You Missing? I almost made a multimillion-dollar strategy decision based on a causation error. If Chuck House hadn’t insisted I talk to Art, I might have implemented a policy that HP had already tried and abandoned, that Google tried and abandoned, that wouldn’t have addressed the real problem. **The systematic process for spotting these errors—before you build your entire innovation strategy around them—is what Episode 3 teaches.** You’ll learn the three criteria that must be present for genuine causation. How to identify confounding variables that create false patterns. Why our brains are wired to see causation where none exists. The step-by-step process for determining what actually causes what. Because if Bill Hewlett, Dave Packard, and Google’s founders all fell for this causation error, what are you missing right now? What patterns are you seeing that aren’t actually cause and effect? What policies are you about to implement based on correlation, hoping to manufacture outcomes that only come from culture? Master causal thinking, and you’ll stop wasting time and money on solutions that don’t address the real problem. **Watch Episode 3:** [**How To Master Causal Thinking**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) (released Wednesday) to learn the systematic framework for spotting causation errors before they become strategy. --- **This is** [**Studio Notes**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) \- where I share the real story behind innovation and leadership decisions. Not the sanitized version you read in business books, but what actually happened: the political battles, the mistakes, the uncomfortable truths that never make it into official narratives. Art taught me that history is worth preserving—especially the failures. Every episode of Thinking Skills 101 has a companion Studio Notes article revealing the messy reality behind the lesson. [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-14.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-14.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) --- #### Additional Resources: Art Fong interview on the [Killer Innovations Podcast](https://killerinnovations.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) (Aug 2, 2009) [**https://killerinnovations.com/interview-with-art-fong/**](https://killerinnovations.com/interview-with-art-fong/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### How To Master Causal Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-master-causal-thinking/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:16.000Z **$37 billion.** That's how much gets wasted annually on marketing budgets because of poor attribution and misunderstanding of what actually drives results. Companies' credit campaigns that didn't work. They kill initiatives that were actually succeeding. They double down on [coincidences](https://www.philmckinney.com/day-dreaming-boost-creativity/) while ignoring what's actually driving outcomes. Three executives lost their jobs this month for making the same mistake. They presented data showing success after their initiatives were launched. Boards approved promotions. Then someone asked the one question nobody thought to ask: "Could something else explain this?" The sales spike coincided with a [competitor going bankrupt](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-nokia-kodak-and-blockbuster-all-missed-the-groupthink-factor/). The satisfaction increase happened when a toxic manager quit. The correlation was real. The causation was fiction. This mistake derailed their careers. But here's the good news: once you see how this works, you'll never unsee it. And you'll become the person in the room who spots these errors before they cost millions. But first, you need to understand what makes this mistake so common—and why even smart people fall for it every single day. ## What is Causal Thinking? At its core, causal thinking is the practice of identifying genuine cause-and-effect relationships rather than settling for surface-level associations. It's asking not just "do these things happen together?" but "does one actually cause the other?" This skill means you look beyond patterns and correlations to understand what's actually producing the outcomes you're seeing. When you think causally, you can spot the difference between coincidence, correlation, and true causation—a distinction that separates [effective decision-makers](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-your-best-employees-are-sabotaging-your-decisions-and-how-to-fix-it/) from those who waste millions on solutions that were never going to work. ## Loss of Causal Thinking Skills Across every domain of professional life, this confusion costs fortunes and derails careers. A SaaS company sees customer churn decrease after implementing new onboarding emails—and immediately scales it company-wide. What they missed: they launched the emails the same week their biggest competitor raised prices by 40%. The competitor's pricing reduced churn. But they'll never know, because they never asked the question. Six months later, when they face real churn issues, they keep doubling down on emails that never actually worked. This happens outside of work too. You start taking a new vitamin, and two weeks later your energy improves. But you started taking it in early March—right when days got longer and you began going outside more. Was it the vitamin or the sunlight and exercise? Most people credit the vitamin without asking the question. But here's the good news: once you understand how to think causally, these [mistakes become obvious](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-1-2-billion-innovation-disaster-5-decision-mistakes-that-kill-breakthrough-technology-hp-webos-case-study/). And one of these five strategies can be used in your very next meeting—literally 30 seconds from now. Let me show you how. ## How To Master Causal Thinking Mastering causal thinking isn't about becoming a statistician or learning complex formulas. It's about developing five practical strategies that work together to reveal what's really driving results. These build on each other—starting with basic tests you can apply right now, and progressing to a complete system you can use for any decision. ### Strategy 1: The Three Tests of True Causation Think of these as your checklist for evaluating any causal claim. **The Three Tests:** 1. **Test #1 - Timing**: Confirm the supposed cause actually happened before the effect. If traffic spiked Monday but you launched the campaign Tuesday, that campaign didn't cause it. The cause must always come before the effect. 2. **Test #2 - Consistent Movement**: When the supposed cause is present, does the effect reliably occur? When the cause is absent, does the effect disappear? Document instances where they occur together. Then examine situations where the cause is absent. If the effect happens just as often without the cause, you're looking at correlation, not causation. 3. **Test #3 - Rule Out Alternatives**: Think carefully about what else could explain what you're seeing. Actively try to disprove your idea rather than only looking for supporting evidence. If you can't eliminate other explanations, you don't have [causation](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-logical-reasoning-skills/). ### Strategy 2: Ask "Could Something Else Explain This?" Here's a technique you can implement in the next 30 seconds that will immediately improve your causal thinking: whenever someone presents a causal claim, ask out loud: "Could something else explain this?" This single question is remarkably powerful. It forces the speaker to consider hidden factors they ignored. It reveals whether they've actually done causal analysis or just noticed a correlation and declared victory. It shifts the conversation from assumption to examination. Try it in your next meeting when someone says "We did X and Y improved." Watch how often they haven't considered alternatives. Watch how often their confident causal claim becomes less certain when forced to address this simple question. Most people present correlations as causations without even realizing it. Your question makes that leap visible. Suddenly they have to justify it with evidence or back down. It's not confrontational—it's curious. And curiosity is the foundation of good causal thinking. Use it today. Use it every time someone attributes an outcome to a cause without ruling out alternatives. That question leads us naturally to our next strategy—learning to identify what those "something elses" actually are. ### Strategy 3: Hunt for Hidden Causes A confounding variable is a third factor that influences both your suspected cause and your observed effect. It creates the illusion of a direct relationship where none exists. Here's a simple example: ice cream sales and drowning deaths both increase during summer months. Does ice cream cause drowning? Obviously not. The confounding variable is warm weather, which causes both more ice cream purchases and more swimming. Now here's the business version: A retail company sees both customer satisfaction and sales increase after renovating their stores. Does the renovation cause higher satisfaction? Maybe—but both also increased because they renovated during the holiday shopping season when people are generally happier and spending more anyway. Same[ logical structure](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-types-of-innovation-institutional-social-technological/). Same expensive mistake if they conclude renovations always boost satisfaction. 1. **Map the Relationship**: When you observe a correlation, write down your suspected cause and your observed effect. This visualization helps you spot gaps in your logic immediately. 2. **Ask "What Else Changed?"**: Think carefully about what other factors were present or changed during the same period. Make a written list so your brain doesn't skip over these hidden causes. 3. **Search for Common Causes**: Identify factors that could influence both variables at the same time. For instance, if both employee satisfaction and productivity increased, could several toxic managers have left the company? 4. **Consider Time-Based and Environmental Factors**: Examine seasons, business cycles, economic trends, reorganizations, leadership changes, and industry shifts that could affect multiple outcomes at once. 5. **Test by Controlling Variables**: If possible, create scenarios where you can control or account for potential hidden causes. Try analyzing subgroups where the hidden cause is absent, or run controlled A/B tests. Once you can spot these hidden causes, you're ready to understand why your brain makes these mistakes in the first place. And this next one? It's probably happening in your head right now without you realizing it. ### Strategy 4: Outsmart Your Brain's Shortcuts Your brain is wired to see causal connections everywhere, even where none exist. This isn't a design flaw—it's a survival mechanism that kept your ancestors alive. But in the modern business world, this pattern-seeking instinct can mislead you. Your brain wants simple causal stories. Reality is usually more complex. Once you know what to watch for, you can catch yourself before making these errors. 1. **Catch Your Instant Explanations**: When you observe a pattern, pause before declaring causation. Ask yourself: "Am I seeing causation because it's really there, or because my brain desperately needs an explanation?" 2. **Fight Confirmation Bias**: Actively search for information that challenges your causal idea, not just data that supports it. If you can't find contradicting evidence, you haven't looked hard enough. Here's how this plays out: A manager believes remote work hurts productivity. She notices every time someone's late to a [Zoom call](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/). But she doesn't notice the three on-time people. She remembers the one missed deadline but forgets the five delivered early. Her brain is filtering reality to confirm what she already believes. 1. **Question Your Compelling Stories**: Be wary of explanations that sound too neat. If your causal explanation reads like a perfect success story, double-check it. 2. **Don't See Patterns in Randomness**: Three successful quarters in a row doesn't mean you've discovered a winning formula. It might just be a lucky streak. Always ask "Could this pattern occur by chance?" 3. **Watch the 'After Therefore Because' Trap**: Every time you catch yourself thinking "we did X and then Y happened," force yourself to consider alternative explanations. Ask yourself "What would I need to see to know this isn't causal?" Now that you understand how your brain works, let's put this all together into a practical system you can use every time you need to make a high-stakes decision. ### Strategy 5: The Five-Question Causation Check Mastering causal thinking requires more than understanding principles—it demands a clear approach you can apply when the stakes are high and the pressure is on. **The Five-Question Causation Check:** 1. **Define the Relationship Clearly**: Write out the specific causal claim you're evaluating with precision. "Social media advertising increases qualified leads by X%" is better than "marketing works." 2. **Verify the Basics**: Does the cause come before the effect in time? Are they consistently related across different contexts? Are there possible alternative explanations? 3. **Look for or Create Tests**: Find situations where the supposed cause varies while other factors stay constant. The goal is isolation—can you isolate the variable you're testing from everything else that's changing? 4. **Check if More Causes More**: Does more of the cause lead to more of the effect? If doubling your ad spend doubles your conversions, that's stronger evidence than if the relationship is erratic. 5. **Test Reversibility**: If you remove the cause, does the effect disappear? If you reinstate the cause, does the effect return? This is why pilot programs and controlled rollbacks are so valuable. ## Put It Into Practice You now have the complete framework for causal thinking—five strategies that work together to reveal what's really causing what. But here's what separates people who learn this from people who actually use it—one simple practice you can do this week that makes this framework automatic. ### Practice Exercise: The Causation Audit A practical and effective way to internalize these strategies is through practice with real-world scenarios from your actual work. **Here's how to conduct your own causal analysis:** 1. **Identify a Correlation from Your Work**: Choose a recent pattern or causal claim that affects budgets or strategy. 2. **State Your Causal Hypothesis**: Write out your causal claim explicitly. Be specific about the supposed cause and the supposed effect. 3. **Brainstorm Alternative Explanations**: List at least five alternatives. Force yourself beyond the obvious first three. 4. **Apply Your Three Tests**: Evaluate whether your idea meets all three tests for causation. Did the cause come first? Do they consistently move together? Have you actually ruled out alternatives? 5. **Design a Simple Test**: If possible, design a test to isolate the variable you're testing. For example, have some account managers follow one approach while others don't, with otherwise similar conditions. 6. **Share Your Analysis**: Explain your reasoning to a colleague or manager. Teaching forces clarity and demonstrates [analytical rigor](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-thinking-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever/). With practice, you'll become skilled at spotting false causation and identifying true cause-and-effect relationships. This skill compounds over time, making you more valuable with every analysis you conduct. So what does this actually get you? Let me paint the picture of what changes when you master this skill. ## The Rewards The rewards of mastering causal thinking are well worth the effort and will compound throughout your career. You become immune to the most expensive mistakes in business—the ones where you solve the wrong problem perfectly. When everyone else is celebrating a correlation as success, you'll be asking the questions that reveal what's really driving outcomes. Imagine being in a meeting where leadership is about to allocate $2 million to scale an initiative, and you're the one who asks the question that reveals a competitor's bankruptcy actually caused the results. That's career-defining value. Your strategic recommendations carry weight because they're based on actual causation rather than hopeful patterns. Leaders who can distinguish between correlation and causation make decisions that actually work. When your predictions prove accurate while others' fail, your credibility compounds—you become the person everyone turns to when stakes are high. You develop the intellectual humility that marks exceptional leaders. Causal thinking teaches you to question your initial judgments, seek alternative explanations, and change your mind when evidence demands it. These qualities don't just make you a better thinker—they make you someone others trust with important decisions. So take these strategies and practice them. Apply them in your daily work. Question causal claims, hunt for hidden causes, check your biases, and use the systematic process. This makes you a more effective decision-maker, a more credible advisor, and someone who spots opportunities and avoids disasters that others miss entirely. And you'll become the person in the room everyone listens to when the stakes are high. ## Your Thinking 101 Journey In Episode 1, "[**Why Thinking Skills Matter Now More Than Ever**](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-thinking-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever/)," we exposed the crisis: your thinking ability is collapsing, AI dependency is creating cognitive debt, and those who can't think independently will be left behind. In Episode 2, "[**How To Improve Your Logical Reasoning Skills**](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-logical-reasoning-skills/)," you learned to distinguish deductive certainty from inductive probability, calibrate your confidence to match your evidence, and stop treating patterns as proven facts. Today, you learned how to distinguish true causation from mere correlation—saving yourself from expensive mistakes where you solve the wrong problem perfectly. Up next—Episode 4: "Analogical Thinking—The Power of Comparison." Your brain doesn't learn through pure logic—it learns by comparison. Every breakthrough idea came from someone who made an unexpected connection. You'll learn how to generate insights through analogy, recognize when comparisons break down, and spot when others use false analogies to manipulate you. Hit that subscribe button so you don't miss future episodes. Also—hit the like and notification bell. It helps with the algorithm so others see our content. Why not share this video with a colleague who you think would benefit from it? Because right now, while you've been watching this, someone just approved a million-dollar budget based on a correlation they mistook for causation. The only question is: will you be the one who catches it? To learn more about mastering causal thinking, listen to this week's show: [***How To Master Causal Thinking***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Master%5FCausal%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ## SOURCES CITED IN THIS EPISODE 1. **Pathmetrics – Marketing Attribution Waste** 5 Common Marketing Attribution Mistakes to Avoid. (2025). *Pathmetrics.* (Citing Proxima research on global marketing waste) [https://www.pathmetrics.io/attribution/5-common-marketing-attribution-mistakes-to-avoid/](https://www.pathmetrics.io/attribution/5-common-marketing-attribution-mistakes-to-avoid/?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. **Harvard Business Review – Correlation vs Causation in Leadership** Luca, M. (2021). Leaders: Stop Confusing Correlation with Causation. *Harvard Business Review.* [https://hbr.org/2021/11/leaders-stop-confusing-correlation-with-causation](https://hbr.org/2021/11/leaders-stop-confusing-correlation-with-causation?ref=philmckinney.com) 3. **The CEO Project – Correlation vs Causation in Business** Correlation vs Causation in Business. (2024). *The CEO Project.* [https://theceoproject.com/correlation-vs-causation-in-business/](https://theceoproject.com/correlation-vs-causation-in-business/?ref=philmckinney.com) 4. **Nature Communications – Causality in Digital Medicine** Glocker, B., Musolesi, M., Richens, J., & Uhler, C. (2021). Causality in digital medicine. *Nature Communications, 12*, 4993\. [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-25743-9](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-25743-9?ref=philmckinney.com) 5. **Stanford Social Innovation Review – The Case for Causal AI** Sgaier, S. K., Huang, V., & Charles, G. (2020). The Case for Causal AI. *Stanford Social Innovation Review.* [https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the\_case\_for\_causal\_ai](https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the%5Fcase%5Ffor%5Fcausal%5Fai?ref=philmckinney.com) ## ADDITIONAL READING **On Causation and Decision-Making** Pearl, J., & Mackenzie, D. (2018). *The Book of Why: The New Science of Cause and Effect.* Basic Books. **On Thinking Clearly** Kahneman, D. (2011). *Thinking, Fast and Slow.* Farrar, Straus and Giroux. **On Statistical Reasoning** Angrist, J. D., & Pischke, J. S. (2009). *Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion.* Princeton University Press. **Note:** All sources cited in this episode have been accessed and verified as of October 2025. ### Kroger Copied HP's Innovation Playbook Perfectly. It Failed Anyway. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/kroger-copied-hps-innovation-playbook-perfectly-it-failed-anyway/ Last updated: 2026-10-17T16:22:39.000Z John Osborne told me to meet him at the Starbucks inside the Kroger store in Northern Kentucky. I ordered my hot chocolate and waited. John arrived, we grabbed our drinks, and then he did something unexpected: we walked out of the Kroger and headed down the strip mall. Past a few storefronts. Nothing remarkable—just typical suburban retail. Then John stopped at what looked like any other retail space you’d find in a strip mall. He pulled out his badge and swiped it at the door. Inside, behind whited-out windows, was the lab. Workspace for the Kroger Innovation team. Hidden in plain sight, a few doors down from a real Kroger store that served as their test bed. I hadn’t known they had a store dedicated to innovation. Or that they’d set up shop in an anonymous storefront where shoppers walked past every day without a second thought. A 142-year-old company, founded in 1883 in Cincinnati, had made a serious bet on innovation. They’d given John and his team resources, autonomy, an entire store, and this hidden lab to prove what was possible. And eighteen months in, something wasn’t working. I’d been invited to help. Not just because I’d warned them this would happen, but because this was personal. I’m from Cincinnati. My aunt and uncle both worked at Kroger for over 35 years each, retiring from their roles. This wasn’t just about innovation—it was about family. John, who led the innovation team under Brett Bonner (Kroger’s VP of Research and Development), walked me through what they were facing. The methodology was sound. The resources were there. Management believed in what they were trying to do. But the organization kept pushing back on what they were building. ## Eighteen Months Earlier: The Email The email had arrived with that tone of professional courtesy mixed with barely concealed excitement. A Kroger executive had been listening to my podcast, and they’d done their homework—HP had been named one of [**Fast Company’s “50 Most Innovative” three years running**](https://www.philmckinney.com/press/), with case studies from Stanford and Harvard. And they knew I’d shared the methodology under Creative Commons. The email wasn’t really asking permission. It read more like: “We’re going to use what you did at HP. Since it’s Creative Commons, we’re good, right? Any implementation tips?” Their logic felt iron-clad. HP achieved sustained innovation success using this methodology. The methodology was documented and teachable. Therefore, implement the methodology and get the results. I sent back one line: **“It won’t work as is.”** ## The Warning They Couldn’t Hear I wasn’t being protective. I was warning them about a mistake I’d already made. The innovation methodology didn’t come from HP. I’d built it over my career—a personal framework tested through years of iteration across different contexts. Teligent was one of the first places I tried to make it organizational, taking something personal and turning it into something a whole company could use. Teligent was a startup that went public, with all the risk tolerance that comes with survival mode, but a weak culture that didn’t embrace innovation efforts. Then I came to HP. Same framework, but I had to completely retranslate it. HP’s culture—built by Bill Hewlett and David Packard—had some immunity to corporate antibodies, which meant I could push harder and take more extreme positions. But HP was deeply anti-risk in ways Teligent never was. What worked at Teligent wouldn’t work at HP without changing the language, the processes, the approach to risk, and the way we talked about customers. Same framework, different adaptation. But I understood why Kroger didn’t hear my warning. Their reasoning felt bulletproof. IF this methodology produces innovation success at HP, AND we implement this methodology, THEN we will achieve innovation success. It’s the kind of logic that gets funding, executive buy-in, and careers attached to it. The error was invisible: they’d taken what they *observed*—”HP succeeded while using this approach”—and treated it like a universal *law*—”This approach causes success.” Pattern became principle. Correlation became causation. That confusion was about to cost them 18 months. [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-10.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-10.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ## When Process Meets Reality They implemented what I’d built at HP. The way we made funding decisions. Our innovation pipeline review process. The governance structures. The stage gates. The decision architectures. It was HP’s framework, adapted over the years to HP’s culture, HP’s risk tolerance, and HP’s organizational structure, being applied directly to Kroger’s 142-year-old retail operation. And that’s where the friction started. At Kroger, for any innovation to succeed, it eventually needs to be deployed. And deployment is controlled by the store teams—the people running actual stores with actual customers and actual P&Ls. Those teams operate on a completely different set of metrics, metrics unrelated to testing and experimentation. The margin in grocery retail is razor-thin. Efficiency and cost control aren’t optional; they’re survival. Innovation injects chaos into a system built for consistency. The resistance John’s team heard sounded rational enough: **“Our customer likes it this way.”** **“You’ll never get approval.”** **“It won’t fit our operation.”** **“Who is going to do it?”** But underneath every objection was the same message: *These processes don’t fit how we actually work. And they threaten the metrics we’re measured on.* The innovation team became isolated. The lab behind the whited-out windows. The group with the fancy test store and processes that didn’t sound like Kroger, using frameworks that didn’t map to how store teams actually operated. With every meeting where the language didn’t land, every presentation met with skeptical questions, the team’s internal capital drained away. The cost wasn’t just 18 months of calendar time. It was credibility. Reputation. The slow transformation into “that team with the thing that isn’t working.” They copied what worked at HP without understanding why it worked. That doesn’t just cost time—it costs the people championing it. But John and his team didn’t give up. They got humble. ## The Comeback: Show, Don’t Tell After 18 months of struggle, John’s team did something different. They stopped presenting and started showing. They walked management and store teams through the test store. Let them see it. Experience it. Understand what was possible when you had a different set of metrics—ones designed for experimentation, not just efficiency. “Show, don’t tell” became their innovation story. The test store addressed the anti-risk antibody response directly. Here’s what we tested. Here’s the measurable impact. Here’s why it works. Now let’s translate it so it works for your store, with your metrics, in your operation. They stopped trying to import HP’s framework and started translating it—innovation terminology into Kroger’s existing vocabulary, customer discovery into merchant and category management language, new processes built into Kroger’s existing project management instead of replacing it, HP’s operational frameworks adapted to Kroger’s 142-year-old retail culture. The methodology didn’t change. The translation did. ## What the Rough Prototype Became On my first visit to that hidden lab, John showed me something they were calling a “scanning tunnel.” It was early, rough, and unpolished. But the concept was clear: what if checkout didn’t require perfect product placement? What if you could just toss your groceries in and let the technology handle the rest? When I saw the deployed version later, it looked like exactly what it sounds like: a tunnel. You toss your groceries on one end—it doesn’t matter if items are upside down, piled on each other, or produce that needs to be weighed. Everything zips through with multiple cameras and scanners reading barcodes and package identification from all angles, and out comes your total. Fast. Efficient. And critically, it addressed the speed issue the entire industry was facing with the growing footprint of self-service checkout. The[ ](https://www.philmckinney.com/scanning-tunnel-creating-one-works/)[**“Advantage Checkout” scanning tunnel**](https://www.philmckinney.com/scanning-tunnel-creating-one-works/) received recognition as a top innovation at the National Retail Federation’s annual “Big Show” in 2011\. Kroger had achieved their equivalent of HP being named “Most Innovative.” They also embedded what they called the[ ](https://www.philmckinney.com/killer-question-mentality/)[**“Killer Question Mentality”**](https://www.philmckinney.com/killer-question-mentality/)—a way of framing innovation challenges that fit Kroger’s culture of operational excellence and customer focus. The team went from organizational outsiders to creating technology that could transform their industry. ## The Pipeline That Wouldn’t Stop I stayed in contact with John over the years. Even after his retirement from Kroger, we’d stay connected. On follow-up trips to the test store, John showed me what the adapted innovation framework had unlocked. IoT temperature sensors for refrigeration and freezer areas—improving product quality, reducing spoilage, and improving safety. Kroger became one of the most “wired” retailers in the world, with different wireless technologies like Zigbee allowing for rapid prototyping and testing. Not just one innovation. A non-stop pipeline of ideas. The framework was always sound. But it only worked once they stopped treating it like a universal law and started treating it like a pattern that required translation.[ In their own words](https://www.philmckinney.com/customizing-beyond-the-obvious/), they “customized beyond the obvious”—adapting to Kroger’s unique culture, customer base, and operational realities. The 18 months weren’t wasted. They were the tuition for a deeper lesson: success isn’t copying what works elsewhere. It’s understanding why it works, then rebuilding it for your context. ## Why Smart People Keep Making This Error Here’s what makes Kroger’s story worth understanding: they weren’t naive. They gave John’s team everything—resources, a real store, management support, belief, and a hidden lab to work without distraction. And they still stumbled for 18 months. Not because they were stupid. The reasoning error they made is completely invisible until it costs you. Watch how it works. We observe a correlation: “This successful company does X.” We treat it as causation: “X causes success.” Then we apply it deductively: “If I do X, I will succeed.” We skip over context, culture, the organizational immune system, and all the translation work required to move from pattern observation to actual implementation. This is inductive reasoning—building general principles from specific observations—dressed up as deductive certainty. And once you see it, you’ll notice it everywhere. I’ve watched this pattern repeat. Not just at Kroger or the US Department of Education, but in startups copying Google’s flat hierarchy without Google’s resources or maturity, leaders adopting Bezos’s principles without Amazon’s context, individuals copying morning routines and wondering why nothing changes. After seeing it enough times, I wrote an entire chapter about it in my book *Beyond the Obvious*. Chapter 10: “Adopt and Adapt.” Not “Adopt.” Not “Adapt.” Both. The key line I use with organizations now: > **“Don’t try to shoehorn your needs into this approach. Adopt what works, and adapt what doesn’t.”** Because inductive reasoning—building principles from observations—doesn’t give you certainty. It gives you probabilities. And probabilities require adaptation. ## The Difference That Changes Everything John Osborne’s team wasn’t making a dumb mistake. Neither are you when you see success somewhere else and want to copy exactly what they did. You’re just confusing two fundamental types of logical reasoning—and that confusion stays invisible until it costs you 18 months and your credibility. **Deductive reasoning** starts with universal principles and applies them to specific cases: “All humans are mortal. Socrates is human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.” **Inductive reasoning** works the opposite way, observing specific cases and building toward general principles: “I’ve seen 100 swans. All were white. Therefore, all swans are white.” We constantly mix them up. We take inductive observations—”HP succeeded with this approach”—and treat them like deductive principles—”This approach causes success.” We build strategies on correlation and execute with the certainty of causation. We mistake “I’ve seen this pattern” for “I understand the mechanism.” Until you can see the difference—until you can recognize which type of reasoning a situation actually demands—you’ll keep making expensive mistakes with absolute confidence. That’s what Episode 2 of THINKING SKILLS 101 breaks down: how to recognize in real-time when you’re pattern-matching versus applying universal laws. When correlation requires adaptation versus when principles actually transfer directly. When your “logical” conclusion is actually just probability dressed up as certainty. **Watch Episode 2:** [**Logical Reasoning - Deduction vs. Induction → Released Weds**](https://youtu.be/fiznmk7NhZA?ref=philmckinney.com) Because the next time you see success and want to copy it—the next time you observe what works somewhere else—you’ll know the real question isn’t “Should I do what they did?” The real question is: **“Am I confusing observation with causation—and what’s that confusion about to cost me?”** John Osborne and his team discovered the truth. It cost them 18 months, but they learned, adapted, and built breakthrough innovations. A scanning tunnel that won industry recognition. A pipeline of IoT innovations. One of the most wired retailers in the world. All because they learned to see the difference between observation and causation. How much will it cost you before you learn to see it? [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-11.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-11.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) *Go deeper:* [*Innovation Lab vs. Innovation Studio - What is the Difference?*](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lab-vs-innovation-studio-what-is-the-difference/) ### How To Improve Your Logical Reasoning Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-logical-reasoning-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:16.000Z You see a headline: "Study Shows Coffee Drinkers Live Longer." You share it in 3 seconds flat. But here's what just happened—you confused correlation with causation, inductive observation with [deductive proof](https://www.philmckinney.com/tesla-vs-edison-the-innovation-methods-that-changed-the-world/), and you just became a vector for misinformation. Right now, millions of people are doing the exact same thing, spreading beliefs they think are facts, making decisions based on patterns that don't exist, all while feeling absolutely certain they're thinking clearly. We live in a world drowning in information—but starving for truth. Every day, you're presented with hundreds of claims, arguments, and patterns. Some are solid. Most are not. And the difference between knowing which is which and just guessing? That's the difference between making good decisions and stumbling through life confused about why things keep going wrong. Most of us have never been taught the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning. We stumble through life applying deductive certainty to inductive guesses, treating observations as proven facts, and wondering why our conclusions keep failing us. But once we understand which type of reasoning a situation demands, we gain something powerful—the ability to calibrate our confidence appropriately, recognize manipulation, and build every other thinking skill on a foundation that actually works. By the end of this episode, you'll possess a [practical toolkit](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-strategic-thinking-skills/) for improving your logical reasoning—four core strategies, one quick-win technique, and a practice exercise you can start today. This is Episode 2 of Thinking 101, a new 8-part series on essential thinking skills most of us never learned in school. Links to all episodes are in the description below. ## What is Logical Reasoning? But what does logical reasoning entail? At its core, there are two fundamental ways humans draw conclusions, and you're using both right now without consciously choosing between them. **Deductive reasoning** moves from general principles to specific conclusions with absolute certainty. If the premises are true, the conclusion *must* be true. "All mammals have hearts. Dogs are mammals. Therefore, dogs have hearts." There's no wiggle room—if those first two statements are true, the conclusion is guaranteed. This is the realm of mathematics, formal logic, and established law. **Inductive reasoning** works in reverse, building from specific observations toward general principles with varying degrees of probability. You observe patterns and infer likely explanations. "I've seen 1,000 swans and they were all white, therefore all swans are probably white." This feels certain, but it's actually just highly probable based on limited evidence. History proved this reasoning wrong when black swans were discovered in Australia. Both are tools. Neither is "better." The question is which tool fits the job—and whether you're using it correctly. ## Loss of [Logical Reasoning Skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-thinking-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever/) Why does this matter? Because across every domain of life, this reasoning confusion is costing us. **In our social media consumption**, we're drowning in inductive reasoning disguised as deductive proof. Researchers at MIT found that [fake news](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-thinking-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever/) spreads ten times faster than accurate reporting. Why? Because misleading content exploits this confusion. You see a viral post claiming "New study proves smartphones cause depression in teenagers," with graphs and official-looking citations. What you're actually seeing is inductive correlation presented as deductive causation—researchers observed that depressed teenagers often use smartphones more, but that doesn't prove smartphones *caused* the depression. And this is where it gets truly terrifying—I need you to hear this carefully: In 2015, researchers tried to replicate 100 psychology studies published in top scientific journals. Only 36% held up. Read that again: Nearly two-thirds of peer-reviewed, published research couldn't be reproduced. And those false studies? Still being cited. Still shaping policy. Still being shared as "science proves." You're building your worldview on a foundation where 64% of the bricks are made of air. **In our personal relationships**, we constantly make inductive inferences about people's intentions and treat them as deductive facts. Your partner forgets to text back three times this week. You observe the pattern, inductively infer "they're losing interest," then act with deductive certainty—becoming distant, accusatory, or defensive. But what if those three instances had three different explanations? What if the pattern we detected isn't actually a pattern at all? We say "you always" or "you never" based on three data points. We end relationships over patterns that never existed. So why didn't anyone teach us this? Traditional schooling focuses on teaching us *what* to think—facts, formulas, established knowledge. Deductive reasoning gets attention in math class as a mechanical process for solving equations. Inductive reasoning gets buried in science class, completely disconnected from actual decision-making. We graduated with facts crammed into our heads but no framework for evaluating new claims. But that changes now. ## How To Improve Your Logical Reasoning You now understand the two reasoning systems and why mixing them up is costing you. Let's fix that. These five strategies will give you immediate control over your logical reasoning—starting with the most foundational skill and building to a technique you can use in your next conversation. ### Label Your Reasoning Type The first step to improving your logical reasoning is becoming aware of which system you're using—and we rarely stop to check. We flip between deductive and inductive thinking dozens of times per day without realizing it. You see your colleague get promoted after working late, and you instantly conclude that working late leads to promotion—that's inductive. But you're treating it like a deductive rule: "If I work late, I WILL get promoted." The moment you label which type you're using, you regain control. 1. **Start with a** [**daily reasoning journal**](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-strategic-thinking-skills/)**.** At the end of each day, write down three conclusions you made—about people, work, news, anything. 2. **For each conclusion, ask: "What evidence led me here?"** If it's general rules applied to specifics (all mammals have hearts, dogs are mammals), you used deduction. If it's patterns from observations (I've seen this three times), you used induction. 3. **Label each one: "D" for deductive, "I" for inductive.** This creates conscious awareness. You'll likely find 80-90% of your daily reasoning is inductive—but you've been treating it as deductive certainty. 4. **When you catch yourself saying "always," "never," "definitely,"** stop and ask: "Is this deductive certainty or inductive probability?" That single pause changes everything. 5. **Practice in real-time during conversations.** When someone makes a claim, silently label it: deductive or inductive? Weak reasoning becomes obvious instantly. 6. **After one week of journaling, review your entries.** Patterns emerge in your reasoning errors—specific topics where you consistently overstate certainty, or people you make assumptions about. This awareness is the foundation for improvement. ### Calibrate Your Confidence Once you've labeled your reasoning type, the next step is matching your certainty level to the strength of your evidence. Here's where most people fail: they feel 100% certain about conclusions built on three observations. Your brain doesn't naturally calibrate—it defaults to "this feels true, therefore it IS true." But when you explicitly assign probability levels to inductive conclusions, you stop making the most common reasoning error: treating patterns as proven facts. 1. **For every inductive conclusion, assign a percentage.** "Given these five observations, I'm 60% confident this pattern is real." Never use 100% for inductive reasoning—by definition, inductive conclusions are probabilistic, not certain. 2. **Use this language shift in conversations:** Replace "You always ignore my suggestions" with "I've brought up ideas in the last two meetings and haven't heard feedback, which makes me about 40% confident there's a communication pattern worth discussing." Replace "This definitely works" with "From what I've seen, I'm 70% confident this approach is effective." 3. **Create a certainty threshold for action.** Decide: "I need 70% confidence before I make a major decision based on inductive reasoning." This prevents impulsive moves based on weak patterns. Below 50%? Keep observing. Above 80%? Worth acting on. 4. **Keep a confidence log for one week.** Write your predictions with probability levels ("80% confident it will rain tomorrow," "60% confident this project will succeed"). Then check if you were right. This trains your calibration. You'll discover whether you're overstating or understating your certainty—and you can adjust. 5. **When someone presents "definitive" claims based on inductive evidence,** ask: "What certainty level would you assign that? 60%? 90%?" Watch them realize they've been overstating their case. This question immediately disrupts manipulation. ### Hunt for Contradictions Your brain naturally seeks confirming evidence and ignores contradictions—this strategy forces you to do the opposite. Confirmation bias is the enemy of good inductive reasoning. Once you believe something, your brain becomes a heat-seeking missile for evidence that supports it. The only antidote? Actively hunt for evidence that contradicts your conclusion. It's uncomfortable, yes, but it's the difference between being right and feeling right. 1. **For every inductive conclusion you reach, set a 24-hour "contradiction hunt."** Your job is to find at least two pieces of evidence that contradict your conclusion. If you believe "remote work increases productivity," you must find credible sources claiming the opposite. 2. **Use search terms designed to find opposites.** Search for "remote work decreases productivity study" or "evidence against intermittent fasting." Force-feed yourself the other side. Google's algorithm wants to confirm your beliefs—you have to actively fight it. 3. **Create a contradiction column in your reasoning journal.** For each conclusion (left column), list contradicting evidence (right column). If you can't find any contradictions, you haven't looked hard enough—or you're in an echo chamber. 4. **In debates or discussions, argue the opposite position for 5 minutes.** Seriously. If you believe X, spend 5 minutes making the best possible case for NOT X. This breaks confirmation bias and reveals holes in your reasoning you couldn't see before. 5. **Before sharing anything on social media**, spend 2 minutes actively searching for contradicting evidence. Search "\[claim\] debunked" or "\[claim\] false" or look for the opposite perspective. If you find credible contradictions, pause. The claim is disputed. Either don't share it, or share it with context like "Interesting claim, though \[credible source\] disputes this because..." This habit trains you to think critically before becoming a misinformation vector. ### Question the Sample Most bad inductive reasoning fails the sample size test—and almost no one thinks to ask. Here's the manipulation technique you need to spot: Someone shows you three examples and declares a universal truth. "I know three people who got rich with crypto, therefore crypto makes everyone rich." Three examples. Seven billion people. Your brain treats this as evidence—until you ask about the total number. This question alone dismantles 90% of weak arguments. 1. **Every time someone makes an inductive claim, ask out loud:** "How many observations is that based on?" Three? Thirty? Three thousand? The number matters enormously. One person's experience is an anecdote. Ten similar experiences start to suggest a pattern. A hundred becomes meaningful. A thousand builds real confidence. 2. **Learn the rough sample sizes for different certainty levels.** For casual patterns: 10-20 observations. For moderate confidence: 100-500\. For high confidence: 1,000+. For scientific certainty: 10,000+. Five examples claiming certainty? That's weak, and now you know it. 3. **Always check the total number—whether it's called sample size, denominator, or population.** When someone shows examples or cites a study, ask: "Out of how many total?" Three testimonials mean nothing without knowing if it's 3 out of 10 (30% success rate) or 3 out of 10,000 (0.03%). When reading headlines like "Study shows X," click through and find the sample size. "Study of 12 people" is not the same as "Study of 12,000 people." The total number is usually hidden because it reveals how weak the claim really is. 4. **In your own reasoning, track your sample.** Before concluding "this restaurant is always slow," count: how many times have you been there? Three? That's not "always"—that's barely data. You need at least 10 visits across different times and days before you can claim a pattern. 5. **Challenge yourself: Can you find a larger sample that contradicts your small sample?** If your three experiences clash with 3,000 online reviews saying the opposite, which should you trust? The larger sample wins unless you have specific reasons to believe it's biased. ### The One-Word Test (Quick Win) Here's a technique you can implement in the next 30 seconds that will immediately improve your [logical reasoning](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-innovations-accelerating-the-technological-singularity/): stop using absolute language. Every time you're about to say "always" or "never," catch yourself and replace it with "usually" or "rarely." Every time you're about to say "definitely" or "certainly," use "probably" or "likely" instead. This single word swap trains your brain to think probabilistically. It acknowledges that most of your reasoning is inductive—based on patterns, not guarantees. And here's the bonus: people will perceive you as more credible because you're not overstating your case. Try it right now in your next conversation. Watch how often you reach for absolute language—and how much clearer your thinking becomes when you don't use it. ## Practice The most effective way to internalize these strategies is through practice with real-world scenarios. ### The Pattern Detective Challenge 1. **Find three claims from your** [**social media feed**](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-critical-thinking-skills-for-digital-literacy-spotting-misinformation-manipulation/) **today**—anything that declares a pattern, trend, or "truth" (health advice, political claims, life advice, product recommendations). 2. **For each claim, identify: Is this deductive or inductive reasoning?** Write it down. Most will be inductive disguised as deductive. "This supplement WILL boost your energy" sounds deductive, but it's based on inductive observations. 3. **If inductive, assess the sample size.** How many observations is this based on? One person's testimonial? A study? How many participants? Is the sample representative of the broader population? 4. **Assign a certainty level.** Given the sample size and quality of evidence, what probability would you assign this claim? 30%? 60%? 90%? Be honest—most will be below 70%. 5. **Hunt for contradictions.** Spend 5 minutes finding evidence that contradicts the claim. Can you find it? How credible is it? Does it have a larger sample size than the original claim? 6. **Rewrite the claim with calibrated language.** Change "Intermittent fasting WILL make you healthier" to "From studies of X people, intermittent fasting appears to improve some health markers for some people, though individual results vary—confidence level: 65%." 7. **Share your analysis with someone.** Explain your reasoning process. Teaching others reinforces your own learning and reveals gaps you didn't notice. 8. **Repeat this exercise 3 times per week for one month.** By the end, automatic evaluation becomes second nature. You won't need to think about it—it just happens. ## The Rewards The journey of improving your logical reasoning is ongoing, but the rewards compound quickly. **You become nearly impossible to manipulate.** When you can spot the difference between inductive observation and deductive proof, 90% of [manipulation tactics](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-critical-thinking-skills-for-digital-literacy-spotting-misinformation-manipulation/) stop working. The car salesman's pitch falls flat. The political ad looks transparent. The social media rage-bait loses its power. **Your relationships improve dramatically.** When you stop saying "you always" and start saying "I've noticed this three times," you create space for understanding instead of defensiveness. Conflicts become conversations. Assumptions become questions. **Your professional credibility skyrockets.** Leaders who can distinguish between strong deductive arguments and weak inductive patterns make better strategic decisions. When you speak with calibrated confidence—saying "I'm 70% confident" instead of "I'm absolutely certain"—people trust your judgment more, not less. **You build a foundation for every other thinking skill.** Spotting logical fallacies, evaluating evidence, resisting cognitive biases, asking better questions—all of these depend on understanding which type of reasoning you're using and which type the situation demands. You're not just learning a thinking skill—you're installing psychological armor that most people don't even know exists. And in a world where manipulation is the norm, that makes you dangerous to anyone trying to control you. Every week on Substack, I go deeper—sharing personal examples, failed experiments, and lessons I couldn't fit in the video. It's like the director's cut. This week's Substack deep dive into a logical reasoning failure can be found at: ## Your Thinking 101 Journey This is Episode 2 of Thinking 101: The Essential Skills They Never Taught You—an 8-part foundation series where each episode unlocks the next. If you missed Episode 1, "[**Why Thinking Skills Matter Now More Than Ever**](https://youtu.be/DPWpZEhSB3c?ref=philmckinney.com)," start there. It explains why this entire skillset has become essential. Up next: Episode 3, "**Causal Thinking: Beyond Correlation**." You'll learn how to distinguish between things that simply happen together and things that actually cause each other—transforming how you evaluate health claims, business strategies, and relationship patterns. Hit that [**subscribe**](https://www.youtube.com/@philmckinney?sub%5Fconfirmation=1&ref=philmckinney.com) button so you don’t miss any future episodes. Also - hit the like and notification bell. It helps with the algorithm so others see our content. Why not share this video with a coworker or a family member who you think would benefit from it? … Because right now, while you've been watching this, someone just shared a lie that felt like truth. The only question is: will you be able to tell the difference? To learn more about improving your logical thinking skills, listen to this week's show: [***How To Improve Your Logical Reasoning Skills***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FImprove%5FLogical%5FReasoning%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ### SOURCES CITED IN THIS EPISODE 1. **MIT Media Lab – Misinformation Spread Rate** Vosoughi, S., Roy, D., & Aral, S. (2018). The spread of true and false news online. *Science, 359*(6380), 1146-1151.[ https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap9559](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap9559?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. **Indiana University – Misinformation Superspreaders** DeVerna, M. R., Aiyappa, R., Pacheco, D., Bryden, J., & Menczer, F. (2024). Identifying and characterizing superspreaders of low-credibility content on Twitter. *PLOS ONE, 19*(5), e0302201.[ https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0302201](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0302201?ref=philmckinney.com) 3. **Open Science Collaboration – The Replication Crisis** Open Science Collaboration. (2015). Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science. *Science, 349*(6251), aac4716.[ https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aac4716](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aac4716?ref=philmckinney.com) ### ADDITIONAL READING **On Inductive Reasoning and Uncertainty** Taleb, N. N. (2007). *The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable.* Random House. **On Cognitive Biases and Decision-Making** Kahneman, D. (2011). *Thinking, Fast and Slow.* Farrar, Straus and Giroux. **On Confirmation Bias** Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. *Review of General Psychology, 2*(2), 175-220. [ https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.2.175](https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.2.175?ref=philmckinney.com) **On Scientific Reproducibility** Ioannidis, J. P. A. (2005). Why most published research findings are false. *PLOS Medicine, 2*(8), e124. [ https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0020124](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0020124?ref=philmckinney.com) **Note:** All sources cited in this episode have been accessed and verified as of October 2025\. The studies referenced are peer-reviewed academic research published in reputable scientific journals, including *Science* and *PLOS ONE*. ### Why Thinking Skills Matter Now More Than Ever URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-thinking-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever/ Last updated: 2026-09-28T14:35:58.000Z ## The Crisis We're Not Talking About We're living through the greatest thinking crisis in human history—and most people don't even realize it's happening. Right now, AI generates your answers before you've finished asking the question. Search engines remember everything so you don't have to. Algorithms curate your reality, telling you what to think before you've had the chance to think for yourself. We've built the most sophisticated cognitive tools humanity has ever known, and in doing so, we've systematically dismantled our ability to use our own minds. A recent MIT study found that students who exclusively used ChatGPT to write essays showed weaker brain connectivity, lower memory retention, and a fading sense of ownership over their work. Even more alarming? When they stopped using AI tools later, the cognitive effects lingered. Their brains had gotten lazy, and the damage wasn't temporary. This isn't about technology being bad. This is about survival. In a world where machines can think faster than we can, the ability to think clearly—to reason, analyze, question, and decide—has become the most valuable skill you can possess. Those who can think will thrive. Those who can't will be left behind. ## The Scope of Cognitive Collapse Let's be clear about what we're facing. Multiple studies across 2024 and 2025 have found a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool usage and critical thinking abilities. We're not talking about a slight dip in performance. We're talking about measurable cognitive decline. A Swiss study showed that more frequent AI use led to cognitive decline as users offloaded critical thinking to machines, with younger participants aged 17-25 showing higher dependence on AI tools and lower critical thinking scores compared to older age groups. Think about that. The generation that should be developing the sharpest minds is instead experiencing the steepest cognitive erosion. The data gets worse. Researchers from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University found that the more users trusted AI-generated outputs, the less cognitive effort they applied—confidence in AI correlates with diminished analytical engagement. We're outsourcing our thinking, and in the process, we're forgetting how to think at all. But [AI dependency](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-ai-dependency-is-rewiring-your-childs-creative-brain-and-what-parents-can-do-about-it/) is only part of the story. Our entire information ecosystem has become hostile to independent thought. Social media algorithms create filter bubbles that curate content aligned with your existing views. Users online tend to prefer information adhering to their worldviews, ignore dissenting information, and form polarized groups around shared narratives—and when polarization is high, misinformation quickly proliferates. You're not thinking anymore. You're being fed a carefully constructed reality designed to keep you engaged, not informed. The algorithm knows what you'll click on, what will make you angry, and what will keep you scrolling. And every time you accept that curated reality without question, your capacity for independent thought atrophies a little more. ## What Happened to Education? Here's where it gets personal. Schools used to teach you HOW to think. Now they teach you WHAT to think—and there's a massive difference. Research from Harvard professional schools found that while more than half of faculty surveyed said they explicitly taught critical thinking in their courses, students reported that critical thinking was primarily being taught implicitly. Translation? Professors think they're teaching thinking skills, but students aren't actually learning them. Students were generally unable to recall or define key terms like [metacognition](https://www.philmckinney.com/thinking-about-your-thinking-process-metacognition/) and cognitive biases. The problem runs deeper than higher education. Teachers struggle with balancing the demands of covering vast amounts of content with the need for in-depth learning experiences, and there's a misconception that critical thinking is an innate ability that develops naturally over time. But research shows the opposite: critical thinking skills can be explicitly taught and developed through deliberate practice. So why aren't we doing it? Because education systems reward compliance and memorization, not inquiry and analysis. Students learn to regurgitate information for tests, not to question assumptions or evaluate evidence. They're taught to accept authority, not challenge it. To consume information, not interrogate it. We've created generations of people who are educated but can't think. Who have degrees but lack discernment. Who can Google anything but can't reason through problems on their own. ## The Cost of Mental Outsourcing Let's talk about what you're actually losing when you stop thinking for yourself. First, **you lose agency**. When you can't analyze information independently, you become dependent on whoever controls the information flow. Political leaders, social media influencers, corporations, algorithms—they all shape your reality, and you don't even realize it's happening. 73% of Democrats and Republicans can't even agree on basic facts. Not opinions. Facts. That's what happens when thinking skills collapse—you can't distinguish between what's true and what you want to be true. Second, **you lose adaptability**. Repeated use of AI tools creates cognitive debt that reduces long-term learning performance in independent thinking and can lead to diminished critical inquiry, increased vulnerability to manipulation, and decreased creativity. In a rapidly changing world, the inability to think flexibly and adapt to new information is a death sentence for your career, your relationships, and your relevance. Third, **you lose connection**—to your work, your decisions, your life. 83% of students who used ChatGPT exclusively couldn't recall key points in their essays, and none could provide accurate quotes from their own papers. When you outsource thinking, you forfeit ownership. Your work stops being yours. Your ideas stop being original. You become a conduit for someone else's thinking, not a generator of your own. Research shows that partisan echo chambers increase both policy and affective polarization compared to mixed discussion groups. You're not just losing the ability to think—you're losing the ability to connect with people who think differently. You're trapped in a bubble where everyone agrees with you, which feels comfortable but leaves you intellectually brittle and socially isolated. The societal cost? We're becoming ungovernable. When people can't think critically, they can't solve complex problems. They can't compromise. They can't distinguish between legitimate disagreement and malicious manipulation. Democracy requires citizens who can reason, debate, and arrive at informed conclusions. Without thinking skills, democratic institutions collapse into tribal warfare where the loudest voices win, not the most rational ones. ## Why This Moment Demands Action Here's what makes this crisis urgent: we're at an inflection point. Researchers have identified a tipping point beyond which the process of polarization speeds up as the forces driving it are compounded and forces mitigating polarization are overwhelmed. Some political groups may have already passed this critical threshold. Once you cross that line, reversing cognitive decline becomes exponentially harder. Think about what's coming. AI is getting smarter, faster, and more persuasive. Deepfakes and AI-manipulated media are becoming increasingly sophisticated and harder to detect. Whether or not they've already influenced major events, the capability exists—and your ability to evaluate what's real becomes more critical every day. Social media platforms are optimizing for engagement, not truth. Educational systems are struggling to adapt. The information environment is becoming more hostile to critical thinking every single day. If you don't develop thinking skills now—if you don't reclaim your capacity for independent thought—you'll be swept along by forces you can't see and can't resist. You'll believe what you're told to believe. Buy what you're told to buy. Vote how you're told to vote. And you won't even realize you've lost the ability to choose. But here's the truth they don't want you to know: thinking skills can be learned. They can be developed. They can be strengthened through deliberate practice. You're not doomed to cognitive passivity. You can take back [control of your mind](https://www.philmckinney.com/top-questions-to-ask-your-employees/). ## What Becomes Possible Imagine waking up every morning with the confidence that you can evaluate any information that comes your way. No more anxiety about whether you're being manipulated. No more second-guessing your decisions because you don't trust your own judgment. No more feeling like everyone else knows something you don't. When you master thinking skills, you become intellectually self-sufficient. You can spot logical fallacies in arguments. You can identify bias in news sources. You can separate correlation from causation. You can ask the right questions instead of accepting convenient answers. You can hold two competing ideas in your mind and evaluate them fairly without your ego getting in the way. You become harder to fool and impossible to control. Political propaganda bounces off you because you can see through emotional manipulation. Marketing tactics lose their power because you understand psychological triggers. Social media algorithms can't trap you in echo chambers because you actively seek out diverse perspectives and challenge your own assumptions. Your relationships improve because you can actually listen to people who disagree with you without feeling threatened. Your career accelerates because you can solve problems others can't see. Your decisions get better because you're working from logic and evidence, not fear and instinct. Research shows that innovative teaching methods like problem-based learning and interactive instruction significantly boost academic performance and cultivate critical thinking skills. These aren't just abstract benefits—they translate into real-world outcomes. Better grades. Better jobs. Better lives. Most importantly, you reclaim your autonomy. You stop being a passive consumer of information and become an active creator of understanding. Your thoughts become truly your own again. Your beliefs are chosen, not imposed. Your worldview is constructed through rigorous analysis, not algorithmic manipulation. ## The Path Forward This episode is the beginning of a journey. Over the coming weeks, we'll break down **the specific thinking skills you need to master**: logical reasoning, argument analysis, decision-making frameworks,[ cognitive bias recognition](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/), and information evaluation. Each episode will give you concrete tools you can use immediately. But before we get to the tactics, you need to understand why this matters. Why thinking skills aren't just nice to have—they're essential for survival in the modern world. Why the ability to think clearly is the ultimate [competitive advantage](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-hyper-adoption-of-innovation-a-competitive-advantage/). The thinking crisis is real. It's measurable. It's accelerating. But it's not inevitable. You have a choice right now. You can keep outsourcing your thinking to machines and algorithms, accepting a future where your mind grows weaker with each passing year. Or you can decide that your ability to think—to reason, to analyze, to question, to decide—is too valuable to surrender. The world needs people who can think. Your community needs people who can think. You need to be able to think. Not because it makes you smarter than everyone else, but because it makes you free. This is your invitation to reclaim your mind. Everything that follows will show you how. But first, you had to see what's at stake. **Welcome to Thinking 101**. Let's rebuild the most important skill you'll ever develop. Over the next eight weeks, we're building your thinking toolkit from the ground up. Logical reasoning. Causal thinking. Probabilistic judgment. Mental models that let you see what others miss. Each episode drops a specific skill you can use immediately—not theory, but weapons-grade thinking tools for the real world. Links to each episode will appear in the description as they're released, and you can [find the full playlist on our channel](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com). Subscribe now and hit the notification bell so you don't miss a single one. Because here's the truth: these skills compound. Miss one, and you're building on a shaky foundation. Watch them all, and you'll think circles around the competition. If you found this valuable, hit that like button—it helps more people discover this series. Drop a comment below: *What's one thinking skill you wish you'd learned earlier?* I read every single one. And if you want to go deeper, I write [Studio Notes on Substack every Monday](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) where I share the personal stories behind what I'm teaching here—the hard-won lessons, the mistakes that taught me why these skills matter, and what it actually looks like to rebuild your thinking from the ground up. The links in the description. This week's post examines the education system's failure to teach students how to think. You can find it here - The crisis is real. The solution is here. Let's get to work. To learn more about thinking skills and why they matter, listen to this week's show: [***Why Thinking Skills Matter Now More Than Ever***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5FThinking%5FSkills%5FMatter%5FMore%5FThan%5FEver.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) --- ### SOURCES CITED IN THIS EPISODE **1\. MIT Media Lab - AI Usage and Cognitive Decline**MIT Media Lab Study, July 2025 [https://www.nextgov.com/artificial-intelligence/2025/07/new-mit-study-suggests-too-much-ai-use-could-increase-cognitive-decline/406521/](https://www.nextgov.com/artificial-intelligence/2025/07/new-mit-study-suggests-too-much-ai-use-could-increase-cognitive-decline/406521/?ref=philmckinney.com) **2\. Swiss Study - AI Dependency by Age Group**Swiss Business School Research, February 2025 [https://businessesgrow.com/2025/02/12/cognitive-decline/](https://businessesgrow.com/2025/02/12/cognitive-decline/?ref=philmckinney.com) **3\. Microsoft & Carnegie Mellon - AI Trust and Cognitive Effort**Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University Study, February 2025 [https://businessesgrow.com/2025/02/12/cognitive-decline/](https://businessesgrow.com/2025/02/12/cognitive-decline/?ref=philmckinney.com) **4\. AI Tools and Critical Thinking Correlation**Gerlich, M. "AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking" Societies Journal, January 3, 2025 [https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/1/6](https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/1/6?ref=philmckinney.com)Additional coverage: [https://phys.org/news/2025-01-ai-linked-eroding-critical-skills.html](https://phys.org/news/2025-01-ai-linked-eroding-critical-skills.html?ref=philmckinney.com) **5\. Social Media Echo Chambers**Del Vicario, M., et al. "The echo chamber effect on social media" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, February 23, 2021 [https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2023301118](https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2023301118?ref=philmckinney.com) **6\. Harvard Study - Faculty vs. Student Perceptions of Critical Thinking**Cooper, S. "Do we teach critical thinking?" Harvard Kennedy School, February 21, 2024 [https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/education-training-labor/professors-say-they-teach-critical-thinking](https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/education-training-labor/professors-say-they-teach-critical-thinking?ref=philmckinney.com) **7\. Critical Thinking Education Challenges**"Critical Thinking in Education: How to Prepare Students for the Future" Learning Focused, August 1, 2025 [https://learningfocused.com/increasing-critical-thinking-in-education-a-pathway-to-preparing-students-for-the-future/](https://learningfocused.com/increasing-critical-thinking-in-education-a-pathway-to-preparing-students-for-the-future/?ref=philmckinney.com) **8\. Political Polarization and Basic Facts**"Republicans and Democrats agree: They can't agree on basic facts" Pew Research Center, August 23, 2018 [https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/08/23/republicans-and-democrats-agree-they-cant-agree-on-basic-facts/](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/08/23/republicans-and-democrats-agree-they-cant-agree-on-basic-facts/?ref=philmckinney.com) **9\. AI Tools and Cognitive Debt**MIT Media Lab Study (see reference #1) Additional coverage: [https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/06/21/using-ai-bots-like-chatgptcould-be-causing-cognitive-decline-new-study-shows](https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/06/21/using-ai-bots-like-chatgptcould-be-causing-cognitive-decline-new-study-shows?ref=philmckinney.com) **10\. Echo Chambers and Polarization**Hobolt, S.B., et al. "The Polarizing Effect of Partisan Echo Chambers" American Political Science Review, August 2024 [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/polarizing-effect-of-partisan-echo-chambers/5044B63A13A458A97CA747E9DCA07228](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/polarizing-effect-of-partisan-echo-chambers/5044B63A13A458A97CA747E9DCA07228?ref=philmckinney.com) **11\. Polarization Tipping Points**Princeton University Interdisciplinary Polarization Studies Princeton University, December 9, 2021 [https://www.princeton.edu/news/2021/12/09/political-polarization-and-its-echo-chambers-surprising-new-cross-disciplinary](https://www.princeton.edu/news/2021/12/09/political-polarization-and-its-echo-chambers-surprising-new-cross-disciplinary?ref=philmckinney.com) **12\. Innovative Teaching Methods and Critical Thinking**"Enhancing student critical thinking and learning outcomes through innovative pedagogical approaches" Scientific Reports, October 17, 2024 [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-75379-0](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-75379-0?ref=philmckinney.com) --- **Note:** All sources accessed and verified as of October 2025\. Some studies are peer-reviewed academic research; others are institutional reports from MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, and Pew Research Center. *Go deeper:* [*Is Humanity's Dependence on Technology Good Or Bad?*](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-humanitys-dependence-on-technology-good-or-bad/) ### I Told the Department of Education Their Graduates Were Useless URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/i-told-the-department-of-education-their-graduates-were-useless/ Last updated: 2026-10-19T15:39:01.000Z Nothing like telling the Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education that what America’s colleges were producing was useless to me—to get a room excited. It was 2009, at the Stanford Research Institute in Palo Alto. I was the only person from industry at a long conference table surrounded by about two dozen educators—Jim Shelton (Department of Education), presidents of leading Silicon Valley and California universities, heads of charter school associations, teachers union leaders, and state regulators. Jim had invited us to discuss innovation in K-12 education. We went around the table. One by one, they shared their innovations: using computers for “better testing,” optimizing assessment tools, and digitizing standardized exams. Everyone was playing nice, telling the Department of Education what they wanted to hear. I was sitting near Jim, one of the last to speak. When my turn came, I didn’t hold back. “I’m not an educator. I’m a buyer. And what you’re producing, I can’t use it.” The room went silent. Not a brief pause—a long, uncomfortable silence. Everyone turned to look at Jim. He leaned forward. “Explain.” “You’re creating the world’s best test-takers,” I continued. “Not thinkers. Your graduates arrive at HP looking for the one correct answer—because that’s what you’ve trained them to do for sixteen years. But there is no one correct answer in the real world. There are constraints, trade-offs, and ambiguity. And your system has conditioned them to panic in the face of it.” Some university presidents tried to push back. I made it clear: “I’m not sharing education theory. I’m sharing my lived experience. This is ‘as is,’ not ‘what should be.’” The reactions split. Half the room looked to Jim for guidance. The other half looked down at their papers, avoiding eye contact with anyone. No one agreed with me. Not even partially. It was either silence or defensiveness. At the end, I was politely thanked as we left. No one pulled me aside. But word got back to HP’s Government Affairs team—my guess is Jim reached out to them directly. I was then “asked” to do a few meetings with the Department of Education teams and with Jim himself. That’s when the idea came up: could I modify my [**FIRE Innovation Framework**](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-gap-innovation-delay/) for use at the local school level—attracting collaboration between parents, teachers, and principals? I [**created the toolset pro bono and gave it away**](https://www.philmckinney.com/help-create-the-12-killer-questions-to-innovate-us-education/). We tested it. It worked. The US education system never adopted it. Educators in other countries did. I wasn’t speculating when I told Jim the system was broken. I’d written about this exact problem many times, including in my book, [***Beyond The Obvious***](https://innovation.tools/products/beyond-the-obvious-book-the-guide-to-your-creative-potential?ref=philmckinney.com). In Chapter 10, I’d warned: “The old adage that ‘what was good enough for you when you were a kid is good enough for today’ gives comfort and justification that everything is fine.” Everything is not fine. That was 2009\. Thirteen years before ChatGPT launched, and made everything exponentially worse. ## How I Learned to Think (By Accident) I didn’t learn thinking skills in a “Thinking Skills 101” class. I learned them by wrestling with problems woven throughout my education. Math word problems forced me to translate real-world scenarios into solvable equations. Every problem was a constraint puzzle: “If Train A leaves Chicago at 60 mph and Train B leaves Denver at 45 mph...” You couldn’t just memorize a formula. You had to map the variables, identify the relationships, and reason your way to an answer. It was woven into every subject. Then came four years of architecture in high school. Every project was an exercise in constraint-based problem solving. You’d get a plot of land with specific dimensions. A family with a particular number of kids. A budget that didn’t care about your creativity. Your job: design a house that worked within all those constraints simultaneously. For my senior project in 1979, my then-girlfriend (who became my wife) defined the requirements: parents plus five kids. It had to fit on a real lot available in our area. The budget had to align with a theoretical salary. The project took the full nine months of my senior year. She still has those blueprints in her hope chest, pulling them out occasionally to tease me about my design skills at the time. Every blueprint was a forcing function. Your ideas had to survive contact with reality. Bad reasoning meant an unbuildable house. Good reasoning meant a family got what they needed within what was possible. I was learning to think in constraints without knowing that’s what I was doing. When I got to college and took my first formal logic course, something clicked. I loved it. The course gave me vocabulary and frameworks to understand what I’d already been doing intuitively through architecture. I wasn’t learning logic from scratch—I was naming and systematizing patterns I’d been using for years. This is what education should do: **weave thinking into every subject.** Math taught me to reason through constraints. Architecture taught me to prototype and iterate. Logic taught me to name the patterns. Not one “thinking skills” class—but thinking embedded in everything. I didn’t know it then, but I was building cognitive infrastructure that would change my life. [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-8.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-8.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ## The Factory Floor In 1980, I got married. A year later, my wife—a nursing student at the University of Evansville—was thrown by a patient during her shift as a nurse’s aide and suffered a severe back injury. I suspended my college studies and moved to Evansville to take care of her and work to cover the bills. I landed at [**Anchor Industries**](https://anchorinc.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), a canvas manufacturing company that had been around since the late 1800s. Many of the staff were related, and their families had worked there for generations. My architecture background fit naturally into my role: solving design problems for the canvas products they produced, documenting solutions with full blueprints. John Daus, the CEO and owner (whose grandfather had founded the company), saw something in me that I didn’t fully understand myself: confidence. But it wasn’t confidence in the traditional sense—it was comfort with uncertainty. I’d learned early that there’s no one correct answer to design or architecture problems. You had to be willing to test and experiment with your ideas. John recognized that Anchor needed to constantly push boundaries or die. He was willing to take risks and experiment. He and his wife became like second parents to us, newlyweds struggling to make it. I’m not sure what would have happened if Anchor hadn’t given me a job. What I didn’t know at the time was that I was continuing to learn and refine thinking skills—divergent thinking (generating lots of ideas), convergent thinking (narrowing down choices), and many others. The recognition I received from John was a key motivator. I loved conceiving, designing, testing, and then producing ideas. My drafting table was on the second floor of the main building, with big windows overlooking the production floor. I could see what was being done, but I was curious. So I went down, pulled up a chair, and literally watched them work. The soft goods industry operates on “piece rate” metrics—workers are paid based on the number of finished units they produce, rather than the hours they work. So having someone from engineering sitting there watching felt natural. For all they knew, I was doing a time study. I watched for days. Anchor had a growing business in [**custom pool covers**](https://anchorinc.com/pool-covers/?ref=philmckinney.com). Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, nobody had simple oval or square pools—they were all custom-shaped with rocks, waterfalls, and irregular curves. Pool builders from around the world would send blueprints and order forms. Those orders would queue into production, and I watched the same process repeat: A team would clear a spot on the production floor and use chalk to draw the pool’s outline full-size—sometimes 20, 30, 40 feet across. Once the outline was chalked, they’d roll big spools of material over the chalk lines, get on their knees, and cut the pool cover by hand. Then they’d bundle the material in the correct sequence, send it to sewers or welders who would hand-feed it through their machines, then to finishing for grommets, then to QA, and finally to boxing and shipping. They could do two pool covers a day. Maybe. The bottleneck was obvious: chalking, cutting, and bundling. Each cover was labor-intensive and cognitively exhausting. Translating a 2D blueprint into a full-scale chalk drawing, then figuring out how to cut material efficiently to minimize waste while accounting for seams, webbing, stress points, and assembly—it required intense spatial reasoning every single time. After watching for days, I went to the cutting table and started asking questions. What were their constraints? Width of material, waste allowances for seams and welds, stress points, and structural requirements. I needed to understand the boundaries of what was actually possible. Then I saw it. This wasn’t an experienced labor problem—it was a computational geometry problem. I was a computer science major and had worked as an undergraduate research assistant to a computer graphics professor. So I went home and had what I thought was a “crazy idea.” I wrote a program on an Apple II in Applesoft BASIC. You’d type in the information from the blueprint along with the material constraints. Within minutes, the program would output cut instructions that the cutting table could use directly—no chalking, no full-scale drawings, no mental gymnastics. I built a quick prototype, then “borrowed” university computer time to create a more robust version using better tools than what PCs had at the time. I worked on it for weeks, iterating and refining. I didn’t know any better—this was my first production program. I just assumed that if I worked hard enough, I could solve any problems that came up. When I had something worth showing, I printed out the first cut sheet instructions on a dot-matrix printer and brought them to John Daus, our CEO. “I’ve got this crazy idea,” I told him. He knew I was a computer science major, so he was curious. “Interesting,” he said, studying the printout. “Let’s do five covers with the craziest shapes and make them up. See how they turn out.” We walked down to the cutting table together to get feedback from the cutting manager. They gave it a big thumbs up. The engineering team—four people total, including my manager—couldn’t believe the program could account for all the constraints. But once we showed them the output and they started producing real covers, everyone jumped on it. The secretary of the engineering group was assigned to input the pool cover information. She was thrilled. For many on the production floor, it was the first time they’d seen a PC, much less seen it do something like this. During breaks, workers would come up to see what I was doing. Some brought their kids in to see it. The production team had initially feared computers would replace them. Instead, the program allowed Anchor to grow, creating more opportunities for them to work on other specialized projects that required their unique skills—such as circus tents, custom industrial covers, and complex fabrication work. Within ninety days, production went from two covers per day to eighteen. Eventually, it hit thirty per day—a fifteenfold improvement. More than the numbers, though, was what it meant. Anchor built a reputation as having the fastest turnaround for pool covers—especially in the critical fall season when everyone was shutting down their pools for winter. They became the go-to supplier worldwide. The engineering secretary? She eventually went back to college, got a degree in computer science, and became the “CIO” of Anchor Industries. The program became my undergraduate senior project—one of the early uses of PC graphics in solving design constraint problems, way before Adobe or any other graphic design systems existed. Here’s what still amazes me: Anchor reached out ten years later, asking for help. Apple hadn’t made Apple IIs in years, but Anchor had been stockpiling parts to keep the system running. They finally realized they had to move to something new. My solution had been so effective that they’d kept it alive for a decade through sheer determination. And here’s the kicker: articles were written about the pool cover program. One of those articles was seen by a man named Bob Davis. That’s how he reached out to hire me when I moved back to Chicago in 1982\. The pool cover program opened the door to what came next. I didn’t just make them faster. I changed what was possible. And I’d done it by applying thinking skills I’d been developing since high school—observation, constraint mapping, domain transfer, prototyping, iteration. ## The Decision We Made in 1988 What I didn’t tell Jim Shelton at the Department of Education—or anyone else in that room in 2009—was that my wife and I had made a similar calculation twenty-one years earlier. In 1988, when our oldest daughter was four and already reading, we decided to homeschool. She was reading everything—books, signs, anything with words. When we brought her to the school, they had no ability to accommodate her. They were designed for standardization, not thinking. Not because we were anti-education, but because we’d already seen what I was now telling them: the system was optimizing for the wrong thing. We chose a different path. That was thirty-seven years ago. We’ve been watching the education system decline ever since. ## The Lunch That Changed Everything In 1987, I started my first consulting company, Millennium Partners, Inc, after a number of years in Silicon Valley. I’d been applying thinking skills naturally to my work, but I needed to articulate what I actually did. So I brought together a handful of friends who worked at Apple, Intel, HP, Roam, and 3Com for lunch at St. John’s in Sunnyvale. I walked them through all the projects I’d worked on—Anchor, and others. I explained how I wanted to do more work like this. Then I asked: “What do I call it? How should I describe it?” What followed was two hours of them asking questions, me answering, testing ideas, and then another round of questions. It was thinking skills in action—divergent exploration, convergent refinement, iterative testing. That lunch produced the first time I used the word “innovation” to describe what I did. It was the birth of “innovation consulting” as my service offering. But I didn’t stop there. I continued hosting lunches with my friends to break down the components underlying “innovation.” What were the actual skills? We identified brainstorming, constraint-based thinking, logical thinking, problem solving, design constraints, and more. I treated “What is innovation?” as a design problem. I observed my own work, mapped the patterns, prototyped explanations, and iterated until I had a teachable framework. My clients—Ashton-Tate, Roam, Intel, HP, IBM Research, and Naval Research—were paying me to teach thinking skills, even if they called it innovation consulting. These weren’t companies that needed motivation. They needed methodology. I’d used thinking skills to understand thinking skills. The same process I’d used to solve the pool cover problem, I now used to deconstruct innovation itself. ## Two Hundred Interns, One Impossible Problem By the time I became CTO at HP, I’d spent thirty years building, refining, and teaching thinking skills. And I watched the best students in the world arrive at our Cupertino campus completely unprepared for problems without answers. Every summer, we brought in approximately two hundred interns from elite universities around the world. Brilliant kids: perfect GPAs, top-tier schools, glowing recommendations. HP had a reputation for running one of the best internship programs in tech—we hired many of the interns after their summer with us. During the first week, we’d break them into smaller teams and give them a product design problem. As I watched, I saw them attacking it like a math test. They were searching for the one correct answer. Everything about the problem sounded solvable—the specs were clear, the constraints seemed reasonable. But there was a catch: buried in the problem was a constraint that made it impossible. You wouldn’t discover this by thinking about it. You’d only find it by building a prototype and testing it. We gave them a week. They Googled. They whiteboarded. They debated. They pulled all-nighters searching for “the answer.” They produced beautiful slide decks explaining their solutions. On day seven, when we told them there was no answer—that we’d deliberately given them an unsolvable problem—the room filled with whispers and murmuring. They were furious. I’d tested this approach before rolling it out widely. Each summer, I invited two interns to live with me for the summer—a concept I called “reverse mentoring.” I learned as much from them as they learned from me. Through those experiences, I refined how to break their conditioning without breaking their spirit. “Why would you do that?” one intern demanded. “We wasted a week!” No, I told them. You learned something more valuable than any answer we could have given you. You learned that life isn’t a math test. There isn’t always one correct answer. Sometimes the problem itself is wrong. And if you can’t think your way through ambiguity, you’ll spend your career chasing solutions that don’t exist. Some had egos and thought they knew everything—oh, to be young again. But we didn’t coddle. We invested time, energy, and mentorship. After the unsolvable problem broke their mental model, we spent the summer rebuilding it. We taught them divergent thinking (generate possibilities), convergent thinking (narrow choices), logical thinking (reason through constraints), systems thinking (see connections), and design thinking (prototype and iterate). But we didn’t just lecture. We pushed them to become experimenters. We paired them with teams in HP Labs working on real R&D problems. We forced them to build, test, fail, and refine. Our culture was all about collaboration, not hierarchy. Titles didn’t matter—everyone was welcome to contribute. By the end of the summer, they got it. They were totally different people. Week one, they were seeking answers. In week twelve, they were comfortable with uncertainty. They all wanted to work at HP after the experience. Many did. Many are still there. One intern who came back multiple summers is now one of the leaders in Silicon Valley’s gaming industry. Another is now an executive at a major Hollywood studio. There are dozens of similar stories. One intern later wrote: “Phil taught me that the struggle to find the answer is more valuable than the answer itself. That summer changed how I approach every problem in my career.” The ones who got it—who leaned into the uncertainty instead of resisting it—transformed. By the end of the summer, the anger was gone. In its place: confidence. Not the fake confidence of having “the answer,” but the real confidence of knowing how to think when there is no answer. Years later, some would tell me: “That summer changed my career. I didn’t learn what to think—I learned how to think.” But most struggled. And each year, I watched the incoming class get worse. More reliant on Google. Less comfortable sitting with a problem. More conditioned to seek the answer rather than develop the thinking. This went on for years. Each summer, a new batch of two hundred interns. Each year, the problem got worse. That was the early 2000s—before ChatGPT, before large language models, before AI could write your code and design your products and answer your questions in seconds. ## Then Everything Accelerated Now? The friction is almost entirely gone. I watch students use AI to skip every step of the thinking process. Don’t observe—ask AI what the problem is. Don’t map constraints—ask AI for solutions. Don’t prototype—ask AI to generate the design. Don’t iterate—ask AI to optimize. They get answers. But they don’t build thinking skills. And here’s the brutal truth: In a world where AI can generate answers instantly, the only sustainable competitive advantage is your ability to ask better questions, see hidden constraints, and think in ways machines can’t replicate. The interns I worked with in the 2000s could at least be un-taught. We had a summer. We could break their conditioning and rebuild their cognitive foundation. Today’s generation? They’re not just conditioned by schools—they’re conditioned by tools that make thinking optional. And most of them are opting out. When I sat across from Jim Shelton in 2009 and told him the education system was producing graduates I couldn’t use, I wasn’t exaggerating. I had decades of evidence. I’d run the experiments. I’d tried to fix it—through the HP intern program, through the book I published in 2012, through the brainstorming process I created for parents and teachers. The US education system ignored every solution. Other countries adopted them. Thirteen years after that meeting, ChatGPT launched. The crisis I’d been warning about for decades became undeniable—and exponentially worse. ## The Path Forward Here’s what people miss: We don’t need thinking skills classes in K-12\. We need to weave thinking into every subject. Make math about problem-solving, not formula memorization. Make history about analyzing causation, not memorizing dates. Make science about experimentation, not reciting facts. Eliminate the test culture that prioritizes memorization over critical thinking. Bring back the struggle. But here’s the reality: If you’re reading this, your K-12 education already happened. You can’t go back and spend four years in architecture classes wrestling with constraints. You can’t redo your formal logic course. You can’t sit on a factory floor for weeks observing problems. So here’s what I’m offering: the compressed version. The patterns I spent decades discovering, you can learn in hours. The frameworks I had to reverse-engineer from my own work, you get handed to you explicitly. The ten thousand hours of constraint-based problem-solving? I’m giving you the cognitive shortcuts. That’s what the [**YouTube series**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) is. It’s thinking skills on an accelerated timeline. Here is Episode 1: [**Why Thinking Skills Matter Now More Than Ever**](https://youtu.be/DPWpZEhSB3c?ref=philmckinney.com) I’ll teach you the frameworks—divergent thinking, systems thinking, constraint mapping, all the components I spent decades deconstructing. But here’s the catch: frameworks are just vocabulary. The skill comes from use. You still have to wrestle with real problems. You still have to sit with uncertainty. You still have to prototype, fail, and iterate. [**Subscribe to the YouTube channel**](https://www.youtube.com/@philmckinney?sub%5Fconfirmation=1&ref=philmckinney.com) so you don't miss a single episode in the series. I’m giving you the map and showing you the shortcuts. But you still have to walk the terrain. The difference? Instead of wandering for years, figuring out the patterns yourself, you’ll know what to look for. Instead of ten thousand hours of trial and error, you’ll practice deliberately. Instead of accidentally stumbling into thinking skills like I did, you’ll build them systematically. Because here’s what’s coming: AI will get better. The tools will get more powerful. And the gap between people who can think and people who can only prompt will become a chasm. Those who can think—who can observe what others miss, question what others accept, and navigate ambiguity—will thrive. Those who can’t? They’ll be automated, manipulated, or left behind. I didn’t learn thinking skills from a textbook. I learned them by sitting on a factory floor for days, watching, questioning, and prototyping. By spending nine months designing a house that would never be built. By working through constraints I couldn’t shortcut. The HP interns didn’t learn thinking skills from a lecture. They learned them by failing at an impossible problem, then spending a summer experimenting with real R&D teams. The struggle wasn’t wasted time. The struggle was the skill. In 2009, I told Jim Shelton the system was broken. He knew. Nothing changed. Thirteen years later, ChatGPT launched. Now it’s not just broken—it’s obsolete. Don’t wait for the system to fix itself. It won’t. You can spend years figuring this out the hard way. Or you can learn the patterns now and start applying them immediately. Your choice. But choose quickly. Because the interns I worked with in the 2000s at least knew they had a problem. Today’s generation doesn’t even realize what they’re losing. [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-9.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-9.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) *Go deeper:* [*How To Improve Your Logical Reasoning Skills*](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-logical-reasoning-skills/) ### How to Build Innovation Thinking Skills Through Daily Journaling URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-innovation-thinking-skills-through-daily-journaling/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:15.000Z Most innovation leaders are performing someone else's version of innovation thinking. I've spent decades in this field. Worked with Fortune 100 companies. And here's what I see happening everywhere. Brilliant leaders following external frameworks. Copying methodologies from people they admire. Shifting their approach based on whatever's trendy. But they never develop their own innovation thinking skills. Today, I'd like to share a simple practice that has transformed my life. And I'll show you exactly how I do it. # The Problem Here's what I see in corporate America. Leaders are reacting to innovation trends instead of thinking for themselves. They chase metrics without questioning if those metrics matter. They abandon promising ideas when obstacles appear because they don't have internal principles to guide them. I watched a $300 million innovation initiative collapse. Not because the market wasn't ready. Not because the technology was wrong. But because the leader had no personal framework for making innovation decisions under pressure. This is the hidden cost of borrowed thinking. You can't innovate authentically when you're following someone else's playbook. After four decades, I've come to realize something that most people miss. We teach innovation methods. But we never teach people how to think as innovators. There's a massive difference. And that difference is everything. When you develop your own innovation thinking skills, you stop being reactive. You start operating from internal principles instead of external pressures. You ask better questions. Not just "How can we solve this?" but "Should we solve this?" That's what authentic innovation thinking looks like. # The Solution So what's the answer? Innovation journaling. Now, before you roll your eyes, this isn't keeping a diary. This is a systematic development of your innovation thinking skills through targeted questions. My mentor taught me this practice early in my career. It became a 40-year obsession because it works. The process is simple. Choose a question. Write until the thought feels complete. Close the journal. Start your day. However, what makes this powerful is... The questions force you to examine your core beliefs about innovation. They help you develop principles that guide decisions when external pressures try to pull you in different directions. Most people operate from borrowed frameworks. Market demands. Best practices. Organizational expectations. Their approach shifts based on context. Innovation journaling builds something different. An internal compass. Your own thinking skills provide consistency across various challenges. Let me show you exactly how I do this. # Sample Prompt/Demonstration Let me give you a question that consistently surprises people. Here's the prompt: "What innovation challenges do you consistently avoid, and what does that tell you about your beliefs?" Most people want to talk about what they pursue. But what you avoid reveals just as much about your innovation thinking. I've watched executives discover they avoid innovations that require long-term thinking because they're addicted to quick wins. Others realize they dodge anything that might make them look foolish, which kills breakthrough potential. One leader discovered she avoided innovations that required extensive collaboration. Not because she didn't like people. But because her core belief was that innovation required individual genius. That insight changed how she approached team projects. The question isn't comfortable. That's the point. Innovation journaling works because it bypasses your intellectual defenses. It accesses thinking you normally suppress or ignore. When you write "I consistently avoid innovations that..." you're forced to be honest. And that honesty reveals your actual innovation philosophy. Try this question yourself. Don't overthink it. Just write whatever comes up. You'll be surprised by what you discover. The Benefits Here's what changes when you develop your innovation thinking skills this way. You stop being reactive to whatever methodology is trendy. You have principles that guide you through uncertainty. You make decisions faster because they align with your authentic beliefs. Your team dynamics improve. People respond differently when you lead from consistent principles instead of borrowed frameworks. You create psychological safety because you're comfortable with not knowing. You ask ‌better questions. Instead of rushing to solutions, you examine whether problems deserve solving. You integrate your values with your innovation work. Most importantly, you stop performing someone else's version of innovation. You start thinking like the innovator you actually are. I've been doing this practice for 40 years. It's the foundation of every breakthrough innovation I've created. Not because it gave me ideas. But because it taught me how to think. Your innovation thinking skills are like a muscle. They get stronger with consistent use. Innovation journaling is how you build that strength. The compound effect is remarkable. After just two weeks, you'll see patterns in your thinking you never noticed. After a month, you'll make innovation decisions with confidence you didn't know you had. This isn't a quick fix. It's foundational development that serves you for years to come. ## Two-Week Exercise I want to help you get started. I've created a complete two-week innovation journaling program. Ten daily prompts plus weekend reflections. Each question is designed to develop different aspects of your innovation thinking skills. You can download it **for free on my Substac**k [Two-Week Innovation Journaling Program](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/2-week-innovation-journaling-starter) This isn't just a list of questions. It includes the context for each prompt. Implementation guidance. And the framework for building this into a sustainable practice. Start tomorrow. Choose one question. Write for 10-15 minutes. See what emerges. And if you find this helpful, I'm quietly working on something bigger. A whole year of innovation thinking prompts—different questions for each week to keep developing these skills over time. Subscribe on Substack to get notified when that's ready. It'll be worth the wait. Your authentic innovation thinking skills are waiting to be developed. The world needs innovators who think for themselves. Not performers following someone else's playbook. Develop your innovation thinking skills. Everything else will follow. To learn more about daily journaling to build innovation skills, listen to this week's show: [***How to Build Innovation Thinking Skills Through Daily Journaling***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FBuild%5FInnovation%5FSkills%5FThrough%5FDaily%5FJournaling.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### The Daily Journaling Habit That Helped Me Find My Authentic Innovation Self URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-daily-journaling-habit-that-helped-me-find-my-authentic-innovation-self/ Last updated: 2025-09-29T17:12:32.000Z Early in my career, I was what some call “rinse and repeat.” Focused entirely on acquiring skills and experience, I said yes to everything without hesitation. Some projects I excelled at, others I struggled through, but I was always following the same playbook: learn the steps, apply the process, repeat what worked before. I thought this was growth. My mentor saw it differently. “You’re stuck,” he told me during what I thought would be a routine check-in. “You’re just repeating steps and processes rather than understanding your own abilities and intuition. You need to find your own perspective, your own opinions, your own approaches.” I had no idea how to do that. I’d been so focused on external validation—following proven methodologies, mimicking successful leaders, checking all the right boxes—that I’d never actually asked myself who I was as a professional, let alone as an innovator. That’s when my mentor introduced me to something that would fundamentally change how I approached not just my career, but my understanding of innovation itself: daily journaling. ## “That’s What My Sister Did” My initial reaction? Pure skepticism. Growing up, journaling was something your sister kept locked under her pillow—a diary filled with crushes and drama. It seemed fluffy, feelings-focused, and completely irrelevant to serious business work. My mentor had to reframe it entirely. “This isn’t about keeping a diary,” he explained. “Journaling is about turning inward and getting to know yourself better. It’s like having regular check-ins with who you are—writing about what makes you tick, what you value, how you’re growing or changing, and what drives you.” Still skeptical, but curious enough to try, I agreed to his challenge. What I would discover through this practice would challenge everything I thought I knew about professional growth and, eventually, innovation itself. ## The Questions That Changed Everything Some of the early prompts were deceptively simple: What motivates me? Is it money, title, recognition, teamwork, collaboration—what is it, really? What triggers put me into my mode of being most creative and original in my thinking? How can I call on those triggers when I need them? Then came the harder assignment: branch out. Apply these insights to the actual work we were doing. The first breakthrough came within weeks. My most innovative thinking happened when I was wrestling with ethical dilemmas, not market opportunities. Through journaling, I realized I had multiple innovation drivers—technology, impact over financial gain—but the ethical dimension was completely unconscious until I started writing about it. I began noticing a pattern: projects like being asked by the US Department of Education to innovate K-12 education stirred something deeper in me than traditional tech projects. This led to my work with the Unreasonable Institute, and more recently pro-bono efforts with the Department of Defense and VA Hospital System. Each project revealed new layers of my authentic innovation identity that I never would have recognized without the daily practice of self-reflection. What struck me most was how different this felt from everything I’d been taught. This was completely counter to what I thought “business innovation” should be. But when I started leading projects from this authentic place—focusing on innovations that felt morally urgent—the transformation was dramatic. My energy was different. My ideas were different. My impact was different. I got so much out of this practice that it turned into what I can only describe as a 40-year obsession. After four decades in innovation, I’ve realized that the vast majority of innovation training teaches people how to innovate and not how to think as innovators. [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ## The Performance Epidemic I Started Seeing Everywhere As I moved from software engineering to broader innovation leadership, I brought this journaling practice with me, adapting it specifically to explore my authentic innovator self. The more I understood my own innovation identity, the more I started noticing something troubling in the corporate innovation world—a pattern so pervasive it was hiding in plain sight: The vast majority of innovation leaders are performing someone else’s version of innovation. In boardroom after boardroom, I watched brilliant leaders struggle not because they lacked skills or resources, but because they were trying to be Steve Jobs, or Elon Musk, or whoever the innovation icon of the moment happened to be. They’d adopted someone else’s innovation playbook without ever discovering their own. The moment you try to sound like an “innovation leader” in a meeting, you’ve already lost access to your most original thinking. I saw a $300M innovation initiative fail not because the market wasn’t ready or the technology wasn’t sound, but because the leader was trying to channel a Silicon Valley archetype instead of innovating from their authentic self. The energy was wrong. The decisions were hesitant. The team could sense the disconnect. This is the hidden cost of innovation inauthenticity: it creates breakthrough barriers that no amount of resources or talent can overcome. But recognizing this pattern was only the beginning of understanding what authentic innovation actually required. ## The Five Areas That Define Your Innovation Identity Through decades of this practice—both personally and in mentoring others—I’ve discovered that authentic innovation identity emerges from exploring five core areas that fundamentally build your innovation thinking skills: **Innovation Values & Motivations** \- What truly drives your innovation work, not what you think should drive it. You might discover, like I did, that impact matters more to you than profit, or that solving problems for underserved communities energizes you more than chasing market leaders. **Innovation Fears & Shadows** \- The fears and hidden parts of yourself will secretly influence your innovation decisions more than you think. Often, what we judge as “impractical” or “too risky” reveals our most authentic innovation territory. **Innovation Energy & Authenticity** \- Your natural state and what types of innovation work energize versus drain you. Some innovators thrive in collaborative brainstorming; others do their best thinking in quiet reflection. Neither is wrong—but knowing which is you changes everything. **Innovation Triggers & Patterns** \- What gets your creative thinking flowing and how you can access it when you need it. For some, it’s ethical tensions. For others, it might be technical constraints, customer stories, or even personal frustrations. **Innovation Voice & Style** \- How you authentically express and communicate innovation when you’re not trying to sound like someone else. Your natural innovation language might be storytelling, data visualization, building prototypes, or asking challenging questions. Most innovation leaders never explore these areas systematically. They jump straight to methodologies and frameworks without ever asking: What does innovation mean to ME? How do I naturally create change? What’s my authentic innovation voice? **This Wednesday, I’m releasing a YouTube video that shows my complete daily journaling setup—my actual journals, tools, and the step-by-step process I’ve used for 40 years.** **Want to start your own practice? I’ve created a free two-week starter program with ten daily prompts plus weekend reflections. Each question includes context and implementation guidance.** [**Download**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/2-week-innovation-journaling-starter) **it below to begin developing your innovation thinking skills immediately.** [Download Two-Week Journaling Program](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/2-week-innovation-journaling-starter) ## The Transformation Evidence Understanding these five areas is one thing—seeing them transform real careers is another. When CEOs are asked about the top skills they hire for, creativity and innovation consistently rank number one. Given the career uncertainty facing our society, the ability to bring your fully creative, authentic innovator self to your role is what will allow you to stand out and be highly successful. It’s something AI cannot replicate. I’ve seen this transformation repeatedly in my one-on-one mentoring. I give people tailored prompts aimed specifically at their challenges. Some of the most memorable transformations have been around confidence. So I assigned a series of prompts that helped them stop being intimidated by titles or hierarchy and focus on issues with authentic conviction. Another executive discovered through journaling that her most innovative thinking happened when she was angry about inefficiencies—something she’d been taught to suppress in corporate settings. Once she learned to channel that anger constructively, her process improvement innovations saved her company millions. I watched one innovation leader walk out of that process with a completely new sense of who they were and the earned right to have an opinion and present it boldly. Their next breakthrough innovation happened within six months, directly traceable to this newfound authenticity. The innovation ideas that scare you most are often the ones closest to your authentic breakthrough potential—which is exactly why most leaders avoid them. Genuine innovators consistently outperform skilled performers because they’re operating from their natural strengths rather than fighting against their own nature. In today’s world, where AI can replicate many innovation processes, authentic creative thinking remains uniquely human. Organizations recognize that their competitive advantage lies not in having innovators who all think the same way, but in having innovators who each bring their genuine, unique perspective to complex challenges. ## Why I’m Sharing This Now (And Why It Feels Risky) I’ve talked about innovation journaling at a high level on my podcast over its 20-year history, but I’ve never shared the “why,” the “how-to,” and the real impact it can have. To be honest, some people may view this as “fluffy” or “feely.” Anytime someone steps out with something like this, you worry about the reaction. Innovation leadership is supposed to be about hard metrics and proven methodologies, not self-reflection and authenticity. But here’s what I know after four decades of this practice: the innovation challenges we’re facing today—from technological disruption to evolving market dynamics—require leaders who can think beyond borrowed frameworks. They require authentic innovators who understand their own creative process and can access their unique perspectives under pressure. This is also a lifetime effort. This isn’t about going through 50 questions and graduating. I’ve been at it for 40 years and still repeat some prompts annually because people change, adapt, and mature as innovators over time. My authentic innovation self at 25 was different from who I was at 45, and different again today at 65. At 25, I was driven by proving myself technically. At 45, I’d shifted toward building systems and processes. Today, I’m most energized by developing other innovators and tackling problems that matter for future generations. The journaling practice helped me recognize and embrace each evolution instead of fighting against my changing nature. This foundation became the constant that guided me through each transformation. ## The Practice That Started It All My mentor introduced me to this with questions as prompts. This way, I wasn’t staring at a blank page wondering “what do I write?” I was simply answering questions and, in the process, discovering something about myself. The prompts build over time, expanding both the breadth and depth of the questions being asked, challenging you to look at yourself as an innovator and discover how to be authentic in that role. The protocol is beautifully simple: choose a prompt, write until the thought is complete, close the journal, and start your day. Some people prefer the 3-page approach from [Julia Cameron’s “Morning Pages,”](https://amzn.to/46MhtDv?ref=philmckinney.com) others write until they feel finished. Find what works for your rhythm and schedule. Let me give you a taste of what this looks like. Here’s one of the prompts that consistently surprises people: **Context:** Understanding what you avoid can reveal your authentic innovation territory better than what you pursue. **Prompt:** “What innovation idea excites you but also makes you slightly uncomfortable because of who you’d have to become to pull it off?” I’ve watched executives sit with this question for 20 minutes, then fill three pages with insights they never knew they had. The discomfort usually points directly to their most genuine breakthrough potential—which is exactly why most leaders avoid these ideas entirely. The prompt I just shared is one example from the two-week foundation practice I’ll share in Wednesday’s video. Each question is designed to bypass your intellectual defenses and access deeper truths about your innovation identity. ## Your Innovation Authenticity Invitation I’ve shared this deeply personal approach with only a few people I’ve mentored one-on-one. This is the first time I’m sharing it widely because I believe the world needs more authentic innovators now more than ever. Over the years, I’ve been collecting these prompts—some from my mentor, others I’ve created through decades of innovation self-discovery. I’m pulling together a first edition compilation that will be available as an e-book (free for [paid subscribers](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe), a small fee for others). **This Wednesday, I’m releasing a YouTube video that shows you my complete daily journaling setup—my actual journals, the tools I use, and the environment where I do this work. You’ll see the step-by-step process I’ve used to build my innovation thinking skills for 40 years, plus I’ll walk you through one transformative prompt that reveals hidden aspects of your innovation approach. The video also includes details on** [**downloading a comprehensive two-week starter program**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/2-week-innovation-journaling-starter) **with the complete set of prompts and guidance to begin your own innovation identity discovery.** But the real invitation is this: Will you discover your authentic innovation self, or will you keep performing someone else’s version of innovation? The compound effect of authentic innovation discovery isn’t just about becoming a better innovator. It’s about becoming the innovator you were meant to be—and in a world where that kind of authenticity is increasingly rare, it’s also your greatest competitive advantage. The question isn’t whether you have time for innovation journaling. The question is whether you can afford not to discover who you really are as an innovator. ## Resources **Watch the Process:** YouTube Video - ***How to Build Innovation Thinking Skills Through Daily Journaling*** See my complete journaling setup, tools, and the step-by-step process I’ve used for 40 years. (released Weds) **Start Your Practice:** Download the [***Free 2-Week Innovation Journaling Program***](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/2-week-innovation-journaling-starter) Ten daily prompts plus weekend reflections with context and implementation guidance. --- *What innovation identity question would you most want to explore? Reply and let me know—your authentic innovation self is waiting to be discovered.* [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-1.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-1.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ### The WSJ Got Quarterly Reporting Wrong URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-wsj-got-quarterly-reporting-wrong/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:15.000Z Michael Dell and his investors spent twenty-five billion dollars to buy back [Dell Technologies](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-of-creative-strategies-on-work-from-home-wfh-apple-and-silicon-valley/). But they weren't really buying a company. They were buying freedom from quarterly earnings pressure. I'm Phil McKinney, former [CTO of Hewlett-Packard](https://www.philmckinney.com/i-evaluated-over-30000-innovation-ideas-at-hp-heres-why-most-failed/), and I witnessed how this pressure shaped decisions for years. Today, we are exploring why the [WSJ's recent defense of quarterly reporting](https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/all-the-reasons-trump-would-be-wrong-to-ditch-quarterly-earnings-6fd3a231?mod=hp%5Flead%5Fpos6&ref=philmckinney.com) misses what actually happens inside corporate boardrooms. ## The Reality of Quarterly Pressure I want to show you what quarterly reporting actually looks like from the inside. Let me paint you a picture. It's week seven of the quarter, and you're in a conference room with your executive team. On the screen are two critical numbers - your revenue projection and Wall Street's expectations. They don't align. During my time as CTO at HP, I found myself in these situations repeatedly. R&D projects worth billions in the future would get paused. Innovation initiatives that could transform the company would get delayed. Not because they lacked value. But because we had weeks to hit the quarterly numbers. What struck me was how predictable this became. Quarter-end approaches? Cut the long-term stuff. Meet short-term targets. Rinse and repeat. When your stock price swings ten percent over missing earnings by three cents per share, you optimize for quarterly performance, even when it destroys long-term competitiveness. Now, this is where it gets interesting. One CEO escaped this system entirely. ## The Dell Example: Twenty-Five Billion Dollar Proof Here's the proof that this system is broken. Michael Dell and Silver Lake paid $ 24.9 billion for one thing: freedom from quarterly earnings pressure, killing Dell's long-term potential. Dell's explicit goal: "No more pulling [R&D](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-partnership-autopsy-hp-fossil-and-the-smartwatch-market/) and growth investments to make in-quarter numbers." What happened next was remarkable. R&D spending jumped from just over one billion to over four billion dollars. That's a 400 percent increase. Dell transformed from a declining PC manufacturer to an enterprise solutions leader. The return on investment by 2023? Seventy billion dollars. What Dell did wasn't just a corporate restructuring. It was a twenty-five billion dollar bet that quarterly reporting destroys long-term value. And they were proven spectacularly right. If you've experienced similar pressure at your company, I'd love to hear about it in the comments. ## Why the WSJ Analysis Falls Apart So with examples like Dell showing the impact, why does the WSJ still support quarterly reporting? The WSJ points to the UK's optional move from quarterly to semi-annual reporting and notes that companies didn't dramatically change behavior. Their conclusion: quarterly reporting isn't the real problem. That reasoning ignores a fundamental truth. We've trained an entire generation to think in ninety-day cycles. Business schools teach earnings management. Compensation rewards quarterly performance. Analysts' careers depend on short-term predictions. Journalists need something to write about, like quarterly results. You don't undo decades of this quarterly mindset simply by making reporting optional. The UK comparison is meaningless without addressing the ecosystem that reinforces short-term thinking. ## The Big Tech Illusion The WSJ claims Big Tech's AI investments prove quarterly reporting doesn't hinder long-term thinking. The argument misses the point completely. Google, Microsoft, and Meta can hide enormous R&D in their massive profit margins. When you're generating margins of twenty to thirty percent on hundreds of billions in revenue? You can invest billions in moonshots while still beating quarterly expectations. But what about manufacturing companies with five percent margins? Healthcare companies fighting regulations? Emerging tech businesses that can't disguise innovation investments? The current system creates a two-tiered economy. Only the most profitable companies can think long term. Everyone else gets trapped in quarterly optimization cycles. And that's precisely why this threatens America's competitive future. ## What's Really at Stake America's competitive advantage came from patient, long-term investments in breakthrough technologies. Semiconductors, the internet, biotechnology - all required decades of sustained investment. Today's quarterly regime systematically discourages ‌”[patient innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-fail-fast-innovation-advice-is-wrong/)”. I call it the "fifty-year overnight success" - transformative innovations need sustained investment over decades. Try explaining that to analysts who want to know why margins dropped two percent. While we optimize for quarters, competitors in China make decade-long investments in critical technologies. We're giving away our innovation advantage. ## Three Real Solutions Switching to semi-annual reporting solves nothing. Six months isn't different from three months for [long-term thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-strategic-thinking-skills/). Three reforms could actually move the needle: First - eliminate forward-looking earnings guidance. This forces public commitments about future performance, creating pressure to hit predictions regardless of better opportunities. Second - separate long-term innovation investments from operational expenses in accounting. Give investors visibility into both current performance and future potential. Third - create metrics and incentives that reward patient capital deployment, not just quarterly performance. ## The Bottom Line The stakes aren't an abstract policy debate. It's about America's economic future. Academic research provides a valuable perspective, but there's often a gap between theory and practice when it comes to corporate decision-making under pressure. In my experience, there's often a significant gap between how these systems work in [theory versus practice](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-master-lateral-thinking-skills/). The quarterly reporting system creates pressures that can undermine long-term thinking, even when that's not the intention. Next time the Wall Street Journal analyzes corporate behavior, here's an idea: talk to someone who's actually lived it. If these insights were useful to you, I'd appreciate your support through a like or subscription. I'm curious about your experiences with this. Have you seen quarterly pressure affect decision-making at your company? What changes would make the most difference? For more perspectives on innovation and corporate strategy, you can [**find it here**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/). I've also written a [**full op-ed rebuttal to the WSJ article**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/the-wsj-got-quarterly-reporting-wrong) on my Substack publication Studio Notes. To learn why the WSJ got quarterly reporting wrong, listen to this week's show: [***The WSJ Got Quarterly Reporting Wrong***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FWSJ%5FGot%5FQuarterly%5FReporting%5FWrong.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### The WSJ Got Quarterly Reporting Wrong: A Corporate Executive's Response URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-wsj-got-quarterly-reporting-wrong-a-corporate-executives-response/ Last updated: 2025-09-20T17:28:12.000Z James Mackintosh's recent [**Wall Street Journal piece defending quarterly earnings reporting**](https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/all-the-reasons-trump-would-be-wrong-to-ditch-quarterly-earnings-6fd3a231?mod=hp%5Flead%5Fpos6&ref=philmckinney.com) reads like a textbook example of why academic analysis often misses the mark when it comes to understanding corporate behavior. As someone who lived this reality for years as Chief Technology Officer at Hewlett-Packard—the world's largest technology company at the time by revenue with massive R&D investments—I can tell you the quarterly reporting system creates perverse incentives that systematically undermine long-term innovation. Mackintosh's central argument rests on flawed premises and cherry-picked data that ignore the lived experience of corporate executives who actually make investment decisions under quarterly pressure. His dismissal misses a critical opportunity to address one of America's most significant competitive disadvantages. ## The Reality of Quarterly Pressure Let me share what quarterly reporting actually looks like from the inside. During my tenure as CTO at HP, I experienced how quarterly pressure created systematic patterns across the industry where R&D would be paused, or delayed during quarter-end periods. This became a predictable cycle that repeated quarter after quarter. This behavior wasn’t unique to HP. It's the inevitable result of a system that rewards short-term financial engineering over patient capital investment. When your stock price can swing dramatically based on missing earnings by a few cents per share, the rational response is to optimize for quarterly performance, even at the expense of long-term competitiveness. The academic research Mackintosh cites, including MIT's [**Robert Pozen's study of UK reporting changes**](https://blogs.law.ox.ac.uk/business-law-blog/blog/2017/03/consequences-mandatory-quarterly-reporting-uk-experience?ref=philmckinney.com), fundamentally misunderstands how corporate behavior evolves. These researchers have never sat in a boardroom where directors debate whether to continue funding a multi-year innovation project that won't generate revenue for 36 months while facing pressure to meet next quarter's numbers. They've never experienced the intense scrutiny from analysts who penalize any hint of reduced short-term profitability. ## The Dell Example: When Private Markets Prove the Point Through my relationship with Alex Mandl—my former boss at Teligent who led the board negotiations to take Dell private—I witnessed the most compelling modern example. Michael Dell and Silver Lake paid $24.9 billion for one thing—**freedom from the quarterly earnings pressure** that was killing Dell Technologies long-term potential. Dell explicitly stated the goal was "[**no more pulling R&D and growth investments to make in-quarter numbers.**](https://www.wsj.com/articles/michael-dell-going-private-is-paying-off-for-dell-1416872851?ref=philmckinney.com)" R&D spending increased from $1.1 billion to $4.4 billion, transforming Dell from declining PC manufacturer to enterprise solutions leader. The result: an estimated $70 billion return by 2023. This wasn't theoretical—it was a $25 billion bet that quarterly reporting pressure was destroying long-term value. And they were proven spectacularly right. ## The False Comparison Problem Mackintosh's reliance on the UK's 2014 experience with optional quarterly reporting reveals a critical flaw in his reasoning. He argues that because UK companies didn't dramatically change their investment behavior after switching to semi-annual reporting, quarterly reporting must not be problematic. This ignores a fundamental truth: we've trained an entire generation of CEOs, CFOs, and board members to think in 90-day cycles. You don't undo decades of conditioning overnight. When business schools teach earnings management, when compensation systems reward quarterly performance, and when analysts' careers depend on predicting short-term results, making reporting optional doesn't suddenly transform corporate culture. The UK comparison is meaningless without addressing the broader ecosystem that reinforces short-term thinking. ## The Big Tech Advantage Mackintosh points to Big Tech's massive AI investments as proof that quarterly reporting doesn't hinder long-term thinking. This argument reveals a profound misunderstanding of competitive dynamics. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta can hide enormous R&D expenditures within their massive profit margins. When you're generating 20-30% operating margins on hundreds of billions in revenue, you can afford to invest $50 billion in speculative technologies while still meeting quarterly expectations. But what about companies in lower-margin industries? What about manufacturing firms, healthcare companies, or emerging technology businesses that can't disguise innovation investments as easily? The current system creates a two-tier economy where only the most profitable companies can afford to think long-term, while everyone else gets trapped in quarterly optimization cycles. ## The Innovation Imperative America's competitive advantage has always been rooted in our ability to make patient, long-term investments in breakthrough technologies. The semiconductor industry, the internet, biotechnology, and countless other innovations emerged from companies willing to invest for decades before seeing returns. Today's quarterly reporting regime systematically discourages this kind of "[**patient innovation**](https://youtu.be/LKDV2GQR7w0?ref=philmckinney.com)." I've written extensively about the concept of the "[**50-year overnight success**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/169939523?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished)"—the reality that truly transformative innovations require sustained investment over multiple decades. Companies need the freedom to pursue breakthrough technologies without explaining every quarter why they're spending money on projects that won't generate revenue for years. ## A Better Path Forward Do I think switching from quarterly to semi-annual reporting solves the problem? No. Six months isn't meaningfully different from three months when it comes to long-term thinking. But we can make meaningful reforms that would help: First, eliminate forward-looking earnings guidance. This practice forces companies to make public commitments about future performance, creating enormous pressure to meet those predictions regardless of changing circumstances. Second, create accounting treatments that allow companies to separate long-term innovation investments from operational expenses, giving investors clearer visibility into both current performance and future potential. Third, develop new metrics and incentives that reward patient capital deployment and long-term value creation, not just quarterly financial performance. ## The Real Stakes This isn't an abstract policy debate—it's about America's economic future. While we optimize for quarterly performance, competitors in China and other nations are making massive, sustained investments in critical technologies. Their state-directed approach has significant flaws, as Mackintosh correctly notes, but at least they're thinking in decade-long time horizons. We need American companies to have the same freedom to pursue patient innovation without facing quarterly punishment from investors and analysts who fundamentally misunderstand the innovation process. Academic researchers and financial journalists can theorize all they want about efficient markets and rational behavior. Those of us who've actually run large corporations know better. The quarterly reporting system is broken, and defending it based on theoretical models and incomplete data serves no one except those who profit from short-term volatility. Next time the Wall Street Journal wants to analyze corporate behavior, perhaps they should talk to someone who's actually lived it. The American economy deserves better than academic theory masquerading as practical wisdom. *The author is the former Chief Technology Officer of Hewlett-Packard and writes about* [***innovation and corporate strategy on Substack***](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)*.* ### How to Get Smarter by Arguing with People Who Disagree with You URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-get-smarter-by-arguing-with-people-who-disagree-with-you/ Last updated: 2026-04-13T17:31:56.000Z What if I told you that the people who disagree with you are actually your secret weapon for better thinking? Just last month, my wife and I had a heated argument about [studio changes](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-your-innovation-studio/) I wanted to make here on the ranch. Her immediate reaction was about cost. Mine was about productivity and creativity. We were talking past each other completely. But when I applied what I'm about to teach you, we discovered we were both right—and found a solution that addressed both concerns without compromising either. What started as an argument became a session where each of us was heard and understood. Sounds crazy, right? By the end of this video, you'll not only believe it—you'll have experienced it yourself. Think of someone you disagree with about something important. Got them in mind? Good. In 25 minutes, you'll see that person as your thinking partner. You know that sinking feeling when a simple conversation with someone turns into a heated argument? You walk away thinking, "How did that go so wrong?" The problem isn't the disagreement itself—it's that most people never learned how to use disagreement to think better. We encounter difficult disagreements almost daily. Your spouse questions your spending. Your boss pushes back on your proposal. Your friend challenges your weekend plans. Each disagreement is an opportunity for your thinking to become sharper. When you approach it right, others often think more clearly too. ## Your Brain Gets Smarter Under Pressure During solo thinking, you operate in your thinking "[comfort zone](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-1-2-billion-innovation-disaster-5-decision-mistakes-that-kill-breakthrough-technology-hp-webos-case-study/)". Familiar patterns feel safe. Trusted sources get your attention. Comfortable assumptions go unchallenged. It's efficient, but it also limits intellectual growth. In our [Critical Thinking Skills episode](https://youtu.be/JOFrjc6u47U?ref=philmckinney.com)—our most popular video—we taught you to question assumptions, check evidence, apply logic, ask good questions. **If you haven't watched that episode, pause this and** [**watch that first**](https://youtu.be/JOFrjc6u47U?ref=philmckinney.com)—it's the foundation for what comes next. What we didn't tell you in that video is that intelligent opposition makes these skills far more powerful than solo practice ever could. Let me show you what I mean. Take any belief you hold strongly. Now imagine defending it to someone smart who disagrees with you. Notice what happens in your mind: - You suddenly need **better evidence** than "I read somewhere..." - Your **own assumptions** come under sharper scrutiny - Logic becomes more **rigorous** under pressure - Questions get **sharper** to understand their position That mental shift happened because I introduced opposition. Your brain got more demanding of itself. And when you engage thoughtfully, something interesting happens—the other person thinks more carefully too. Think of it like physical exercise. Muscles strengthen through resistance, not relaxation. Your thinking muscles work the same way. Intellectual resistance—smart disagreement—strengthens your reasoning, your evidence gathering is more thorough, and your conclusions are more robust. This is where things fall apart for most people. ## The Critical Mistake That Kills Thinking Most people will never learn this because they're too busy being right. They miss the thinking benefits because they fail at disagreement basics. They get defensive. They shut down. Conversations become battles. Someone challenges their ideas, fight-or-flight kicks in. Instead of seeing an opportunity for better thinking, they see a threat. Imagine your boss questioning your budget request in a meeting. Your heart rate spikes. Your face flushes. You start defending instead of listening. Twenty minutes later, you've missed valuable insights about organizational priorities, they've tuned out your reasoning, and maybe both of you damaged a key relationship. Look, this makes total sense. Your brain can't tell the difference between a saber-toothed tiger and someone attacking your political views. The same threat response kicks in. When you get defensive, it often triggers defensiveness in others because they interpret your reaction as confirmation that this is a fight, not a discussion. Once this happens, thinking improvement stops immediately. Your emotional brain takes over. Pure survival mode. No learning happens. No growth occurs. The chance for better thinking vanishes. The solution? Learn how to keep disagreements constructive instead of destructive. ## How To Make Disagreements Constructive The difference between a [constructive disagreement](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-see-opportunities-others-miss/) and a destructive argument isn't the topic—it's how you handle the interpersonal dynamics. These four skills transform how you approach disagreement and create conditions where others are more likely to think clearly, too. When you use these skills, something remarkable happens: you stay open and curious instead of defensive and closed. When others see you thinking clearly under pressure, they're more likely to follow suit. Think of these as the basic requirements for constructive disagreement. Miss any one of them, and even the best critical thinking techniques will fail because people will be in defensive mode instead of collaborative thinking mode. ### Skill 1: Accurate Listening Can you repeat back their position so accurately that they'd say "exactly"? If not, thinking improvement stops here. This sounds simple. Most people fail here spectacularly. We listen to respond, not to understand. We're busy crafting our rebuttal while they're still explaining their position. Result? We argue against strawman versions of their actual views, which means our thinking never encounters their real challenges. Before responding to any disagreement, try this: "Let me make sure I understand..." Then repeat their view back using their language, not yours. Include their reasoning. Include their concerns. Include their values. Their defensiveness drops instantly. People who feel truly heard—not just acknowledged, actually understood—become curious about your perspective too. They shift from defense mode to exploration mode. When you demonstrate good thinking through careful listening, they see you're genuinely trying to understand. This often makes them more willing to think carefully themselves rather than just defend their position. When you talk past each other, no real thinking happens. **What goes wrong:** Most people paraphrase positions in their own language. This feels like listening, yet it's actually reframing their argument to fit your worldview. True listening means using their words and their framework. ### Skill 2: Tone Awareness Your tone determines whether they hear thoughtful engagement or just hear an attack. Get the tone wrong, and the conversation dies before it starts. Practice this phrase: "Help me understand your perspective." Say it sarcastically—like you already know their perspective is wrong. Sounds like an interrogation. Now say it with genuine curiosity—like you actually want to learn something new. Notice the difference? Same words, completely different effect on their willingness to engage thoughtfully. That difference determines whether they engage their thinking or shut it down completely. Tone carries more information than words. It signals your intent, your respect level, and your openness to having your own mind changed. Try this practical test: Record yourself during a disagreement. Listen back. Does your tone invite thoughtful engagement or defensive reactions? Most people are shocked by what they hear. ### Skill 3: Genuine Curiosity Ask questions you don't know the answers to. Not "Don't you think that's wrong?" Instead, "What led you to that conclusion?" This distinction is crucial for constructive thinking. The first question is really a statement disguised as a question. You already know what answer you want. You're not seeking information. You're setting a trap. The second question is a genuine inquiry. You're asking about their thinking process. Their information sources. Their reasoning chain. You might learn something that changes your own view, and they often discover something about their own reasoning they hadn't considered. The test is simple: If you already know what answer you want, it's not a real question. Smart people recognize leading questions immediately. Once they sense manipulation, they either shut down or become defensive. Either way, constructive thinking stops. Real curiosity sounds different: "I'm having trouble understanding how you reached that conclusion. Can you walk me through your thinking?" This invites explanation and often leads to deeper exploration together. ### Skill 4: Respect Baseline Attack ideas, not people. Say "That approach has problems," not "You're being unrealistic." **The moment it gets personal, thinking stops and ego takes over.** Attack the person, they have no choice except to defend themselves. Attack the idea; they can defend it, modify it, or even abandon it without losing face. More importantly, you can both focus on improving the idea. Personal attacks trigger what psychologists call "defending your sense of self." When someone's identity feels threatened, they'll defend their position regardless of the evidence. They can't afford to be wrong because being wrong means they're a bad person. Keep it about ideas, they have cognitive freedom. They can evaluate your points objectively because their identity isn't on the line. When you model respectful challenge of ideas rather than personal attacks, others often respond with more thoughtful engagement because they feel safe to explore ideas without defending their identity. **The trap:** Language slips into personal territory without realizing it. "That's a stupid idea" feels like it's about the idea, yet it implies the person is stupid for having it. Better: "I see some problems with that approach." Master these four skills, and you create the conditions where better thinking can happen. These work with most people, though some individuals who are extremely defensive or arguing in bad faith may not respond positively regardless of your approach. ## The Three-Mode Thinking Method Now that you can disagree without triggering defensive reactions, here's how to use disagreement to enhance your thinking. Three thinking modes combine to strengthen your reasoning and often encourage clearer thinking in others. Something crucial to understand: these modes only work if you've built those positive disagreement skills first. Try to use advanced thinking techniques without those basic interpersonal skills, and you'll get worse results than saying nothing at all. ### Mode 1: Evidence Standards Get Higher Solo thinking often accepts weak evidence without realizing it. There's no one there to challenge assumptions or poke holes in logic. You can get lazy with reasoning because there's no immediate consequence. During a disagreement, opposition forces you to find stronger proof. Suddenly, vague claims no longer suffice. Instead of saying, "Studies show that remote work increases productivity," you need specifics like, "This recent Stanford study tracked productivity changes across multiple companies and found measurable improvements for hybrid workers." Notice what happens? The disagreement forced you to name the specific study, identify the scope and methodology, quantify the results, and acknowledge the controls used. Your evidence became stronger because someone was there to challenge it. When you ask, "What evidence supports that view?" with genuine curiosity, they examine their own proof more carefully because good questions naturally prompt deeper thinking. Good questions often lead to better evidence from both sides. The key insight: This only works if you keep them engaged. Use a respectful tone and genuine curiosity to keep them thinking rather than defending. **What trips people up:** Getting so focused on strengthening your own evidence that you forget to explore theirs. The goal isn't proving you're right. It's raising the evidence standards in the conversation. **The bias trap:** Watch out for cherry-picking evidence that supports your existing view while dismissing theirs without proper examination. Ask yourself: "Am I looking for the strongest evidence available, or just evidence that confirms what I already believe?" ### Mode 2: Hidden Assumptions Surface Solo thinking often operates on assumptions you don't even realize you're making. Your perspective has blind spots, and your framework has limitations you can't see. Disagreement forces assumptions into the open. When someone argues from a completely [different framework](https://www.philmckinney.com/peter-lierni-of-solutioneering-on-innovating-frameworks-for-critical-thinking/), it reveals the hidden beliefs you were taking for granted. Take a team debating work-from-home policies. You assume productivity means "time spent working." They assume it means "results delivered." Neither of you realized you were using different definitions until the disagreement forced these assumptions into the open. Suddenly, you're questioning the foundations of your thinking: "Wait, what do I actually mean by productivity?" This assumption discovery often works both ways. When you ask, "What led you to that conclusion?" you're helping them examine their own thinking process too. **The mistake most people make:** Treating assumptions as weaknesses to attack rather than insights to explore. Assumption discovery works best when it feels like a mutual investigation. **The bias trap:** Notice when you're dismissing their assumptions without examining your own. Ask yourself: "What beliefs am I taking for granted here? What if their assumption is actually more accurate than mine?" ### Mode 3: Logic Gets Stress-Tested Everything comes together here. You use improved evidence and more explicit assumptions to think more rigorously than you could alone. Take a family planning their summer vacation. You want to go to the beach: "The kids love the ocean, and we all need to relax." Your spouse wants to go camping: "The kids spend too much time on screens, and we need real family bonding time." Initially, you're both arguing from different assumptions about what the family needs. But when you start examining your reasoning more carefully, interesting questions emerge. You examine your logic: "Do the kids actually love the ocean, or do I just assume that because they like the pool? Is a beach vacation really relaxing with three kids under 10?" Your spouse examines theirs: "Will camping actually reduce screen time, or will the kids just be miserable without their devices? Is tent camping really the best way to bond?" This logical stress-testing reveals that you're both making assumptions about what the kids want and what the family needs. You're thinking better, and your example of questioning your own reasoning often encourages others to examine their logic more carefully, too. The result might be: "Let's find a lakeside cabin—the kids get water activities, we get a break from screens, and everyone sleeps in real beds." This solution emerges from better thinking by both sides, not from one person winning the argument. Something subtle happens here that most people miss. Your thinking isn't just better because you have more information. It's better because disagreement forced you to examine your reasoning more carefully than you ever would alone. **The trap:** Treating this as a debate where someone has to win. The goal is to reach better conclusions through better thinking, not to prove your original position was right. **The rationalization trap:** Using better information to justify your original position rather than genuinely updating your thinking. Ask yourself: "Am I using this new information to think better, or just to argue better?" Let me show you how powerful this really is. Back in the late 90s, I was part of the founding team for [Teligent](https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB880055489472782000?gaa%5Fat=eafs&gaa%5Fn=ASWzDAi590WARSi0q%5FiY%5FBdwE1VKpk0VurSfJqjfhYzM16QZZlkgmBCiFG1fYi07Mxk%3D&gaa%5Fts=68c5a4a4&gaa%5Fsig=qzUykS2HPvYM7R4xu2KWQRS2qcsx0L6fxf14OmEjLuBmoXiONBNWhWTH6YtsFU0dKkZzvDyjSoeYNpkqTotneA%3D%3D&ref=philmckinney.com). Our Chairman was the former President of AT&T, [Alex Mandl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex%5FJ.%5FMandl?ref=philmckinney.com), and I was by far the youngest founding executive. These older, more experienced founders thought about business and value creation completely differently than I did. Initially, I thought they were being overly cautious. They probably thought I was being reckless. But instead of defending our positions, we used these exact principles. I questioned my assumptions about speed versus stability. They questioned theirs about innovation versus proven methods. We asked deep questions about what customers actually needed. We really listened to each other's reasoning. Did we always agree? No. But we aligned. The result? We took Teligent public. That disagreement process didn't just resolve conflicts—it built the strategic foundation that got us to IPO. ## When Your Thinking Actually Changes Here's the moment most people avoid: What happens when disagreement reveals that your original position was wrong or incomplete? This is where better thinking actually occurs. The three thinking modes give you better information. Now you need to know what to do with it. ### The Four Signals It's Time to Update Time to be honest with yourself. **Signal 1: Better Evidence**—Their evidence is stronger than yours, and you can't find flaws in their reasoning. **Signal 2: Exposed Assumptions**—They've revealed beliefs you didn't know you held, and those beliefs don't hold up under scrutiny. **Signal 3: Failed Logic Test**—Your reasoning has holes you can't patch, while theirs holds together. **Signal 4: Persistent Questions**—You can't answer their genuine questions without changing your position. ### How to Actually Change Your Mind Most people know HOW to think better, but don't know HOW to update their thinking. Here's the process: **Step 1: Acknowledge Internally**—"This new information suggests my original view was incomplete." **Step 2: Test the Update**—"If I accepted this new information, what would I believe instead?" **Step 3: Express the Change**—"I'm rethinking my position based on what you've shared. Help me understand..." **Step 4: Integrate Gracefully**—"I was wrong about X, but I think we're both right about Y." ### The Social Challenge Changing your mind feels vulnerable. It seems like admitting weakness. Actually, it's demonstrating intellectual strength. The person who can update their thinking based on new evidence is more trustworthy, not less. They're someone whose conclusions you can rely on because they've been tested against opposition. **Common fear:** "If I change my mind, they'll think I'm wishy-washy." **Reality:** People respect those who can think clearly under pressure more than those who never change their position. **The key:** Change your mind about facts and methods, but maintain your values and goals. "I still want to increase productivity (goal), but I'm changing my view on how to measure it (method)." ## Practice With Real Stakes You now have the complete system: foundation skills that prevent defensive reactions, plus thinking enhancement modes that use disagreement constructively. Your thinking gets stronger under pressure, and your approach often brings out better thinking in others, too. The skills that improve your thinking also make you more effective at work and more trusted in relationships. This isn't just about better conversations—it's about better thinking outcomes. Practice makes the difference between knowing these concepts and actually using them when emotions run high and relationships are on the line. Remember the person you thought of at the beginning? Here's the test: by the end of this practice sequence, you'll actually be curious about their perspective instead of frustrated by it. Let's see if I'm right. **Here's your practice sequence:** **First:** Practice the listening test. How would you repeat their position back so they'd say "exactly"? Try to capture not just their conclusion, but their reasoning, their concerns, and what they value. Use their language, not yours. **Second:** Check your tone. Practice saying "Help me understand your perspective" with genuine curiosity, not sarcasm. Your tone determines whether they'll engage thoughtfully or defensively. **Third:** Ask genuine curiosity questions to understand their thinking process. What information do they have that you don't? What experiences shaped their view? What led them to that conclusion? **Fourth:** Keep it respectful. Attack their ideas, not them personally. Say "That approach has problems," not "You're being unrealistic." The moment it gets personal, thinking stops for both of you. **Finally:** Check yourself for thinking changes. What would you believe if their evidence is stronger? What assumptions of yours need updating? Am I using new information to think better or just argue better? Your homework starts now: Text them. Say something like "I've been thinking about our conversation on \[topic\]. Help me understand your perspective better." Then actually listen to their response. Try it and see what happens. Did your thinking get clearer through the disagreement? Did your approach encourage more thoughtful engagement from them? The goal isn't to agree. It's to think better, and often helps others think better, too. ## The Thinking Advantage We started with critical thinking for individual clarity. Today, you learned how to use disagreement to enhance your thinking and often bring out better thinking in others. In a world where most people's thinking gets weaker under pressure, yours will get sharper. While others defend weak ideas with loud voices, you'll strengthen ideas through intelligent engagement. While others create enemies through disagreement, you'll create thinking partners. Your relationships get stronger because people feel genuinely heard, often for the first time. Your ideas get stronger because they survive intelligent opposition. Your decisions get stronger because they account for perspectives you couldn't see alone. Take the couple arguing about money. Instead of him defending his investment strategy while she attacks his risk tolerance, they could use disagreement to build a financial approach that's both growth-oriented and security-focused. Same people, same values, better thinking process. Consider the team stuck on a product launch timeline. Instead of marketing insisting on more prep time while engineering pushes for immediate release, they could explore what each side sees about [market conditions](https://www.philmckinney.com/15-innovation-jobs-that-dont-require-a-degree/) and technical readiness. The result: a launch strategy neither side could have developed alone. The part that surprises most people: Your thinking gets stronger because disagreement forces you to engage in more rigorous reasoning than you'd achieve in isolation. Your perspective expands because you encounter viewpoints you couldn't generate alone. And when you model good thinking under pressure, others often follow suit. That person you thought of at the beginning? They're not your opponent. They're your thinking partner. The question is: will you use them to make your thinking better? **Go text that person right now and tell us what you learned in the comments.** This only works if you actually try it. Your thinking—and your influence—depend on it. **Subscribe for more thinking skills that give you real-world advantages.** To learn how to argue to get smarter, listen to this week's show: [***How to Get Smarter by Arguing with People Who Disagree with You***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FGet%5FSmarter%5Fby%5FArguing%5Fwith%5FPeople%5Fwho%5FDisagree%5Fwith%5FYou.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Why the People Who Disagree with You Are Your Secret Weapon URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-the-people-who-disagree-with-you-are-your-secret-weapon/ Last updated: 2026-10-19T15:38:58.000Z What if I told you that the people who disagree with you are actually your secret weapon for better thinking? Just last month, my wife and I had a heated argument about studio changes I wanted to make here on the ranch. Her immediate reaction was about cost. Mine was about productivity and creativity. We were talking past each other completely. But when I applied what I'm about to teach you, we discovered we were both right—and found a solution that addressed both concerns without compromising either. What started as an argument became a session where each of us was heard and understood. Sounds crazy, right? By the end of this video, you'll not only believe it—you'll have experienced it yourself. Think of someone you disagree with about something important. Got them in mind? Good. By the end of this article, you'll see that person as your thinking partner. You know that sinking feeling when a simple conversation with someone turns into a heated argument? You walk away thinking, "How did that go so wrong?" The problem isn't the disagreement itself—it's that most people never learned how to use disagreement to think better. We encounter difficult disagreements almost daily. Your spouse questions your spending. Your boss pushes back on your proposal. Your friend challenges your weekend plans. Each disagreement is an opportunity for your thinking to become sharper. When you approach it right, others often think more clearly too. ## Your Brain Gets Smarter Under Pressure During solo thinking, you operate in your thinking "comfort zone". Familiar patterns feel safe. Trusted sources get your attention. Comfortable assumptions go unchallenged. It's efficient, but it also limits intellectual growth. In our [**Critical Thinking Skills episode**](https://youtu.be/JOFrjc6u47U?ref=philmckinney.com)—our most popular video—we taught you to question assumptions, check evidence, apply logic, ask good questions. **If you haven't watched that episode, pause this and** [**watch that first**](https://youtu.be/JOFrjc6u47U?ref=philmckinney.com)—it's the foundation for what comes next. What we didn't tell you in that video is that intelligent opposition makes these skills far more powerful than solo practice ever could. Let me show you what I mean. Take any belief you hold strongly. Now imagine defending it to someone smart who disagrees with you. Notice what happens in your mind: - You suddenly need **better evidence** than "I read somewhere..." - Your **own assumptions** come under sharper scrutiny - Logic becomes more **rigorous** under pressure - Questions get **sharper** to understand their position That mental shift happened because I introduced opposition. Your brain got more demanding of itself. And when you engage thoughtfully, something interesting happens—the other person thinks more carefully too. Think of it like physical exercise. Muscles strengthen through resistance, not relaxation. Your thinking muscles work the same way. Intellectual resistance—smart disagreement—strengthens your reasoning, your evidence gathering is more thorough, and your conclusions are more robust. This is where things fall apart for most people. ## The Critical Mistake That Kills Thinking Most people will never learn this because they're too busy being right. They miss the thinking benefits because they fail at disagreement basics. They get defensive. They shut down. Conversations become battles. Someone challenges their ideas, fight-or-flight kicks in. Instead of seeing an opportunity for better thinking, they see a threat. Imagine your boss questioning your budget request in a meeting. Your heart rate spikes. Your face flushes. You start defending instead of listening. Twenty minutes later, you've missed valuable insights about organizational priorities, they've tuned out your reasoning, and maybe both of you damaged a key relationship. Look, this makes total sense. Your brain can't tell the difference between a saber-toothed tiger and someone attacking your political views. The same threat response kicks in. When you get defensive, it often triggers defensiveness in others because they interpret your reaction as confirmation that this is a fight, not a discussion. Once this happens, thinking improvement stops immediately. Your emotional brain takes over. Pure survival mode. No learning happens. No growth occurs. The chance for better thinking vanishes. The solution? Learn how to keep disagreements constructive instead of destructive. ## How To Make Disagreements Constructive The difference between a constructive disagreement and a destructive argument isn't the topic—it's how you handle the interpersonal dynamics. These four skills transform how you approach disagreement and create conditions where others are more likely to think clearly, too. When you use these skills, something remarkable happens: you stay open and curious instead of defensive and closed. When others see you thinking clearly under pressure, they're more likely to follow suit. Think of these as the basic requirements for constructive disagreement. Miss any one of them, and even the best critical thinking techniques will fail because people will be in defensive mode instead of collaborative thinking mode. ### Skill 1: Accurate Listening Can you repeat back their position so accurately that they'd say "exactly"? If not, thinking improvement stops here. This sounds simple. Most people fail here spectacularly. We listen to respond, not to understand. We're busy crafting our rebuttal while they're still explaining their position. Result? We argue against strawman versions of their actual views, which means our thinking never encounters their real challenges. Before responding to any disagreement, try this: "Let me make sure I understand..." Then repeat their view back using their language, not yours. Include their reasoning. Include their concerns. Include their values. Their defensiveness drops instantly. People who feel truly heard—not just acknowledged, actually understood—become curious about your perspective too. They shift from defense mode to exploration mode. When you demonstrate good thinking through careful listening, they see you're genuinely trying to understand. This often makes them more willing to think carefully themselves rather than just defend their position. When you talk past each other, no real thinking happens. **What goes wrong:** Most people paraphrase positions in their own language. This feels like listening, yet it's actually reframing their argument to fit your worldview. True listening means using their words and their framework. ### Skill 2: Tone Awareness Your tone determines whether they hear thoughtful engagement or just hear an attack. Get the tone wrong, and the conversation dies before it starts. Practice this phrase: "Help me understand your perspective." Say it sarcastically—like you already know their perspective is wrong. Sounds like an interrogation. Now say it with genuine curiosity—like you actually want to learn something new. Notice the difference? Same words, completely different effect on their willingness to engage thoughtfully. That difference determines whether they engage their thinking or shut it down completely. Tone carries more information than words. It signals your intent, your respect level, and your openness to having your own mind changed. Try this practical test: Record yourself during a disagreement. Listen back. Does your tone invite thoughtful engagement or defensive reactions? Most people are shocked by what they hear. ### Skill 3: Genuine Curiosity Ask questions you don't know the answers to. Not "Don't you think that's wrong?" Instead, "What led you to that conclusion?" This distinction is crucial for constructive thinking. The first question is really a statement disguised as a question. You already know what answer you want. You're not seeking information. You're setting a trap. The second question is a genuine inquiry. You're asking about their thinking process. Their information sources. Their reasoning chain. You might learn something that changes your own view, and they often discover something about their own reasoning they hadn't considered. The test is simple: If you already know what answer you want, it's not a real question. Smart people recognize leading questions immediately. Once they sense manipulation, they either shut down or become defensive. Either way, constructive thinking stops. Real curiosity sounds different: "I'm having trouble understanding how you reached that conclusion. Can you walk me through your thinking?" This invites explanation and often leads to deeper exploration together. ### Skill 4: Respect Baseline Attack ideas, not people. Say "That approach has problems," not "You're being unrealistic." **The moment it gets personal, thinking stops and ego takes over.** Attack the person, they have no choice except to defend themselves. Attack the idea; they can defend it, modify it, or even abandon it without losing face. More importantly, you can both focus on improving the idea. Personal attacks trigger what psychologists call "defending your sense of self." When someone's identity feels threatened, they'll defend their position regardless of the evidence. They can't afford to be wrong because being wrong means they're a bad person. Keep it about ideas, they have cognitive freedom. They can evaluate your points objectively because their identity isn't on the line. When you model respectful challenge of ideas rather than personal attacks, others often respond with more thoughtful engagement because they feel safe to explore ideas without defending their identity. **The trap:** Language slips into personal territory without realizing it. "That's a stupid idea" feels like it's about the idea, yet it implies the person is stupid for having it. Better: "I see some problems with that approach." Master these four skills, and you create the conditions where better thinking can happen. These work with most people, though some individuals who are extremely defensive or arguing in bad faith may not respond positively regardless of your approach. [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-4.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-4.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ## The Three-Mode Thinking Method Now that you can disagree without triggering defensive reactions, here's how to use disagreement to enhance your thinking. Three thinking modes combine to strengthen your reasoning and often encourage clearer thinking in others. Something crucial to understand: these modes only work if you've built those positive disagreement skills first. Try to use advanced thinking techniques without those basic interpersonal skills, and you'll get worse results than saying nothing at all. ### Mode 1: Evidence Standards Get Higher Solo thinking often accepts weak evidence without realizing it. There's no one there to challenge assumptions or poke holes in logic. You can get lazy with reasoning because there's no immediate consequence. During a disagreement, opposition forces you to find stronger proof. Suddenly, vague claims no longer suffice. Instead of saying, "Studies show that remote work increases productivity," you need specifics like, "This recent Stanford study tracked productivity changes across multiple companies and found measurable improvements for hybrid workers." Notice what happens? The disagreement forced you to name the specific study, identify the scope and methodology, quantify the results, and acknowledge the controls used. Your evidence became stronger because someone was there to challenge it. When you ask, "What evidence supports that view?" with genuine curiosity, they examine their own proof more carefully because good questions naturally prompt deeper thinking. Good questions often lead to better evidence from both sides. The key insight: This only works if you keep them engaged. Use a respectful tone and genuine curiosity to keep them thinking rather than defending. **What trips people up:** Getting so focused on strengthening your own evidence that you forget to explore theirs. The goal isn't proving you're right. It's raising the evidence standards in the conversation. **The bias trap:** Watch out for cherry-picking evidence that supports your existing view while dismissing theirs without proper examination. Ask yourself: "Am I looking for the strongest evidence available, or just evidence that confirms what I already believe?" ### Mode 2: Hidden Assumptions Surface Solo thinking often operates on assumptions you don't even realize you're making. Your perspective has blind spots, and your framework has limitations you can't see. Disagreement forces assumptions into the open. When someone argues from a completely different framework, it reveals the hidden beliefs you were taking for granted. Take a team debating work-from-home policies. You assume productivity means "time spent working." They assume it means "results delivered." Neither of you realized you were using different definitions until the disagreement forced these assumptions into the open. Suddenly, you're questioning the foundations of your thinking: "Wait, what do I actually mean by productivity?" This assumption discovery often works both ways. When you ask, "What led you to that conclusion?" you're helping them examine their own thinking process too. **The mistake most people make:** Treating assumptions as weaknesses to attack rather than insights to explore. Assumption discovery works best when it feels like a mutual investigation. **The bias trap:** Notice when you're dismissing their assumptions without examining your own. Ask yourself: "What beliefs am I taking for granted here? What if their assumption is actually more accurate than mine?" ### Mode 3: Logic Gets Stress-Tested Everything comes together here. You use improved evidence and more explicit assumptions to think more rigorously than you could alone. Take a family planning their summer vacation. You want to go to the beach: "The kids love the ocean, and we all need to relax." Your spouse wants to go camping: "The kids spend too much time on screens, and we need real family bonding time." Initially, you're both arguing from different assumptions about what the family needs. But when you start examining your reasoning more carefully, interesting questions emerge. You examine your logic: "Do the kids actually love the ocean, or do I just assume that because they like the pool? Is a beach vacation really relaxing with three kids under 10?" Your spouse examines theirs: "Will camping actually reduce screen time, or will the kids just be miserable without their devices? Is tent camping really the best way to bond?" This logical stress-testing reveals that you're both making assumptions about what the kids want and what the family needs. You're thinking better, and your example of questioning your own reasoning often encourages others to examine their logic more carefully, too. The result might be: "Let's find a lakeside cabin—the kids get water activities, we get a break from screens, and everyone sleeps in real beds." This solution emerges from better thinking by both sides, not from one person winning the argument. Something subtle happens here that most people miss. Your thinking isn't just better because you have more information. It's better because disagreement forced you to examine your reasoning more carefully than you ever would alone. **The trap:** Treating this as a debate where someone has to win. The goal is to reach better conclusions through better thinking, not to prove your original position was right. **The rationalization trap:** Using better information to justify your original position rather than genuinely updating your thinking. Ask yourself: "Am I using this new information to think better, or just to argue better?" Let me show you how powerful this really is. Back in the late 90s, I was part of the founding team for [Teligent](https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB880055489472782000?gaa%5Fat=eafs&gaa%5Fn=ASWzDAi590WARSi0q%5FiY%5FBdwE1VKpk0VurSfJqjfhYzM16QZZlkgmBCiFG1fYi07Mxk%3D&gaa%5Fts=68c5a4a4&gaa%5Fsig=qzUykS2HPvYM7R4xu2KWQRS2qcsx0L6fxf14OmEjLuBmoXiONBNWhWTH6YtsFU0dKkZzvDyjSoeYNpkqTotneA%3D%3D&ref=philmckinney.com). Our Chairman was the former President of AT&T, [Alex Mandl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex%5FJ.%5FMandl?ref=philmckinney.com), and I was by far the youngest founding executive. These older, more experienced founders thought about business and value creation completely differently than I did. Initially, I thought they were being overly cautious. They probably thought I was being reckless. But instead of defending our positions, we used these exact principles. I questioned my assumptions about speed versus stability. They questioned theirs about innovation versus proven methods. We asked deep questions about what customers actually needed. We really listened to each other's reasoning. Did we always agree? No. But we aligned. The result? We took Teligent public. That disagreement process didn't just resolve conflicts—it built the strategic foundation that got us to IPO. ## When Your Thinking Actually Changes Here's the moment most people avoid: What happens when disagreement reveals that your original position was wrong or incomplete? This is where better thinking actually occurs. The three thinking modes give you better information. Now you need to know what to do with it. ### The Four Signals It's Time to Update Time to be honest with yourself. **Signal 1: Better Evidence**—Their evidence is stronger than yours, and you can't find flaws in their reasoning. **Signal 2: Exposed Assumptions**—They've revealed beliefs you didn't know you held, and those beliefs don't hold up under scrutiny. **Signal 3: Failed Logic Test**—Your reasoning has holes you can't patch, while theirs holds together. **Signal 4: Persistent Questions**—You can't answer their genuine questions without changing your position. ### How to Actually Change Your Mind Most people know HOW to think better, but don't know HOW to update their thinking. Here's the process: **Step 1: Acknowledge Internally**—"This new information suggests my original view was incomplete." **Step 2: Test the Update**—"If I accepted this new information, what would I believe instead?" **Step 3: Express the Change**—"I'm rethinking my position based on what you've shared. Help me understand..." **Step 4: Integrate Gracefully**—"I was wrong about X, but I think we're both right about Y." ### The Social Challenge Changing your mind feels vulnerable. It seems like admitting weakness. Actually, it's demonstrating intellectual strength. The person who can update their thinking based on new evidence is more trustworthy, not less. They're someone whose conclusions you can rely on because they've been tested against opposition. **Common fear:** "If I change my mind, they'll think I'm wishy-washy." **Reality:** People respect those who can think clearly under pressure more than those who never change their position. **The key:** Change your mind about facts and methods, but maintain your values and goals. "I still want to increase productivity (goal), but I'm changing my view on how to measure it (method)." ## Practice With Real Stakes You now have the complete system: foundation skills that prevent defensive reactions, plus thinking enhancement modes that use disagreement constructively. Your thinking gets stronger under pressure, and your approach often brings out better thinking in others, too. The skills that improve your thinking also make you more effective at work and more trusted in relationships. This isn't just about better conversations—it's about better thinking outcomes. Practice makes the difference between knowing these concepts and actually using them when emotions run high and relationships are on the line. Remember the person you thought of at the beginning? Here's the test: by the end of this practice sequence, you'll actually be curious about their perspective instead of frustrated by it. Let's see if I'm right. **Here's your practice sequence:** **First:** Practice the listening test. How would you repeat their position back so they'd say "exactly"? Try to capture not just their conclusion, but their reasoning, their concerns, and what they value. Use their language, not yours. **Second:** Check your tone. Practice saying "Help me understand your perspective" with genuine curiosity, not sarcasm. Your tone determines whether they'll engage thoughtfully or defensively. **Third:** Ask genuine curiosity questions to understand their thinking process. What information do they have that you don't? What experiences shaped their view? What led them to that conclusion? **Fourth:** Keep it respectful. Attack their ideas, not them personally. Say "That approach has problems," not "You're being unrealistic." The moment it gets personal, thinking stops for both of you. **Finally:** Check yourself for thinking changes. What would you believe if their evidence is stronger? What assumptions of yours need updating? Am I using new information to think better or just argue better? Your homework starts now: Text them. Say something like "I've been thinking about our conversation on \[topic\]. Help me understand your perspective better." Then actually listen to their response. Try it and see what happens. Did your thinking get clearer through the disagreement? Did your approach encourage more thoughtful engagement from them? The goal isn't to agree. It's to think better, and often helps others think better, too. ## The Thinking Advantage We started with critical thinking for individual clarity. Today, you learned how to use disagreement to enhance your thinking and often bring out better thinking in others. In a world where most people's thinking gets weaker under pressure, yours will get sharper. While others defend weak ideas with loud voices, you'll strengthen ideas through intelligent engagement. While others create enemies through disagreement, you'll create thinking partners. Your relationships get stronger because people feel genuinely heard, often for the first time. Your ideas get stronger because they survive intelligent opposition. Your decisions get stronger because they account for perspectives you couldn't see alone. Take the couple arguing about money. Instead of him defending his investment strategy while she attacks his risk tolerance, they could use disagreement to build a financial approach that's both growth-oriented and security-focused. Same people, same values, better thinking process. Consider the team stuck on a product launch timeline. Instead of marketing insisting on more prep time while engineering pushes for immediate release, they could explore what each side sees about market conditions and technical readiness. The result: a launch strategy neither side could have developed alone. The part that surprises most people: Your thinking gets stronger because disagreement forces you to engage in more rigorous reasoning than you'd achieve in isolation. Your perspective expands because you encounter viewpoints you couldn't generate alone. And when you model good thinking under pressure, others often follow suit. That person you thought of at the beginning? They're not your opponent. They're your thinking partner. The question is: will you use them to make your thinking better? **Go text that person right now and tell us what you learned in the comments.** This only works if you actually try it. Your thinking—and your influence—depend on it. **Subscribe for more thinking skills that give you real-world advantages.** --- *Check out our* [***other episodes on critical thinking, creative thinking, and more***](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbM1BElmkABhgFD1P5OjJYuy&ref=philmckinney.com)*. Better thinking leads to better outcomes, and better outcomes lead to better lives.* [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-5.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-5.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) *Go deeper:* [*How To Improve Your Logical Reasoning Skills*](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-logical-reasoning-skills/) ### How to See Opportunities Others Miss URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-see-opportunities-others-miss/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:14.000Z In 2005, I had a ten-minute conversation at San Jose Airport that generated billions in revenue for HP. But here's what's fascinating: three other HP executives heard the exact same conversation and saw nothing special about it. If you read Monday's Studio Notes, you know this story from the emotional side—what it felt like to have that breakthrough moment, the internal resistance I faced, the personal transformation that followed. Today I'm delivering on my promise to give you the complete tactical methodology behind that insight. I'm going to show you the systematic framework I call high-resolution thinking—and how you can train yourself to see opportunities that others miss entirely. By the end of this episode, you'll understand the three-stage system that turns casual conversations into breakthrough innovations, you'll have nine specific methods you can practice, and you'll walk away with a week-long exercise you can start immediately. Here's what I want you to do right now: think of one conversation you had this week where someone mentioned a frustration, a side project, or something they wished existed. Hold that in your mind—we're going to transform how you process that kind of information. ## Credibility and Results But first, let me establish why this matters. That airport conversation led to HP's acquisition of VooDoo PC, the creation of HP's gaming business unit, and HP's rise to number one gaming PC market share—a position we held for years. The HP Blackbird that resulted earned PC Gamer's highest score ever awarded and a 9.3 from CNET. More importantly, I've used this same methodology to identify breakthrough opportunities across multiple Fortune 100 companies over the past two decades. The framework is repeatable, teachable, and it works. The difference between breakthrough innovators and everyone else isn't intelligence or access to information. It's thinking resolution—the cognitive ability to process multiple layers of information simultaneously while others get stuck examining only the surface. ## The Problem But before we dive into the framework, let me show you why this has become absolutely critical. We're living through what I call a "thinking recession." Despite having access to more information than ever before, our cognitive resolution is actually decreasing. Here's a startling statistic: the average executive processes over 34 GB of information daily, but misses 73% of the strategic signals embedded in that data. We're drowning in information while starving for insight. Watch any leadership meeting and you'll see the symptoms: binary thinking applied to complex situations, focus on symptoms instead of root causes, poor synthesis of multiple data streams, and over-reliance on frameworks that miss critical edge cases. **Pause here and ask yourself:** How many potential opportunities did you miss last week simply because you processed them as routine information instead of strategic signals? Consider Kodak—a company that literally invented the first digital camera, owned the patents, and dominated the market. They processed digital photography in low resolution, seeing it as a threat to film rather than recognizing how convenience, quality improvements, and social sharing behaviors would converge to create an entirely new market. Meanwhile, Instagram—a company that didn't even exist yet—was destined to process the same signals with enhanced clarity. They understood that digital photography wasn't about replacing film. It was about transforming social connection through visual storytelling. This pattern repeats constantly, and the stakes keep getting higher. ## The HP Story Let me show you exactly how high-resolution thinking worked in that airport conversation. I was traveling to San Diego with three other HP executives to visit a defense contractor. Standard business trip. But instead of small talk, I asked the HP engineer traveling with us about his side project. After some prodding, he described a PC he'd built with "off the charts performance." He'd been sneaking parts from the parts bin, sneaking motherboard customizations into production runs, conducting unauthorized R&D on his own time. Here's where thinking resolution made the difference: **Standard Resolution Capture:** "HP engineer built fast PC" **High-Resolution Capture:** Internal stealth project + upcoming defense contractor insights + performance optimization + unauthorized innovation driven by market demand **Standard Resolution Processing:** "Fast PC = gaming opportunity" **High-Resolution Processing:** Multiple pattern vectors converging—computing power trajectory hitting gaming demand trajectory, defense-grade performance concepts moving toward consumer markets, enthusiast communities forming through internet connections **Standard Resolution Compression:** "Let's build gaming PCs" **High-Resolution Compression:** Acquire existing excellence rather than build from scratch, preserve innovation culture while scaling distribution, create gaming ecosystem not just products The three other executives processed the same information but missed the pattern convergence that would reshape the entire computing industry. ## Framework Overview Now let me show you the systematic solution. High-resolution thinking operates through three distinct stages, and here's the key insight: **each stage amplifies the others exponentially.** **Stage 1: Capture** \- Most people process conversations at surface level, missing 90% of the strategic signals embedded in everyday exchanges. This stage trains you to simultaneously examine multiple layers of reality—from obvious statements to hidden patterns to emerging trends—so you extract breakthrough insights from information others dismiss as routine. **Stage 2: Process** \- While others analyze single trends in isolation, advanced thinkers recognize that breakthrough opportunities emerge where multiple patterns converge. You'll learn to track pattern vectors across different scales and timeframes, then identify the intersection points where small insights become massive market opportunities. **Stage 3: Compress** \- Even brilliant insights die if they can't drive action, which is why 89% of strategic observations never get implemented. This stage teaches you to package complex discoveries into forms that bypass cognitive resistance and create inevitable decisions rather than ignored recommendations. Here's what's fascinating: most people get stuck in Stage 1—they either see only surface information or get overwhelmed by details. Advanced thinkers master all three stages systematically, and that's when breakthrough insights become predictable rather than lucky. The companies dominating their industries have leaders who excel at all three stages. The ones struggling usually excel at only one or two. Let me break down each stage with specific methods you can practice immediately. ## STAGE 1: Capture Stage 1 trains you to see what competitors overlook by processing information through multiple layers simultaneously. Most people process conversations at surface level, missing 90% of the strategic signals embedded in everyday exchanges, but you'll learn to extract game-changing insights from information others dismiss as routine. Let me break down the three methods for capturing hidden opportunities: **Method 1: Multi-Layer Observation** Most people either see the big picture or get lost in details, but advanced innovators process both simultaneously along with emerging signals and missing context. This systematic scanning technique operates through four distinct lenses, ensuring you never overlook critical information that competitors dismiss as irrelevant noise. - **Surface Layer:** What everyone sees (the obvious) - **Pattern Layer:** What connects and repeats (the structural) - **Signal Layer:** What's emerging or changing (the predictive) - **Context Layer:** What's missing or assumed (the invisible) In the HP example, the surface layer was "engineer built fast PC." The pattern layer was our upcoming defense contractor visit revealing performance vectors beyond consumer markets. The signal layer was stealth projects suggesting broader unmet demand. The context layer was our official roadmap missing performance enthusiasts willing to take risks. **Method 2: Signal vs. Noise Discrimination** Information abundance has made signal detection the critical skill, as most people collect data randomly and hope patterns emerge. Advanced thinkers use systematic filters to distinguish information that predicts and explains from information that distracts and misleads, dramatically improving decision quality while reducing cognitive overload. - **High Signal:** Information that predicts, explains, or changes decisions - **Medium Signal:** Information that provides context or confirmation - **Noise:** Information that distracts or misleads "Stealth project" was high signal—it indicated unmet market demand worth risking a career for. Technical details were medium signal. Official job duties were noise. **Method 3: Edge Case Hunting** While most companies focus on serving their mainstream customers better, edge cases often contain the most valuable insights about where entire markets are heading. By systematically studying outliers, boundary conditions, and exceptions to conventional wisdom, you'll identify game-changing opportunities before they become obvious to your competition. - **Extreme Questions:** What happens if this scales 10x? Shrinks 10x? - **Boundary Conditions:** Where does this rule stop working? - **Failed Examples:** What can unsuccessful cases teach us? - **Outliers:** Who succeeds despite breaking conventional wisdom? - **Stress Tests:** How does this hold up under pressure? The gaming enthusiasts building high-performance PCs weren't exceptions to ignore—they were leading indicators of massive market transformation. **Ask yourself:** Think about your organization's recent decisions. How many potential opportunities might you have missed simply because you processed them as routine information instead of applying these three capture methods systematically? ## STAGE 2: Process Excellent. Now you're capturing what competitors overlook. But raw observations are just data points. Stage 2 is where game-changing opportunities emerge—when you recognize that the real insights come from pattern convergence, where multiple trends intersect to create unexpected amplifications that others can't see. **Here's a critical insight:** While competitors analyze single trends in isolation, advanced innovators focus on pattern convergence—where multiple trends intersect to create unexpected opportunities. Let me give you three methods for processing these connections systematically: **Method 1: Multi-Resolution Systems Analysis** Unlike standard systems thinking that maps static relationships, this approach operates like a dynamic zoom lens that simultaneously analyzes macro industry forces, meso market dynamics, and micro individual interactions. You'll learn to identify temporal bridges—how today's micro-decisions aggregate into tomorrow's macro-realities—giving you predictive insight into market transformations before they become visible to others. - **Macro Resolution:** Industry forces and ecosystem trends (5-10 year view) - **Meso Resolution:** Market dynamics and organizational patterns (1-3 year view) - **Micro Resolution:** Individual interactions and tactical decisions (real-time view) - **Temporal Bridges:** How micro actions aggregate to macro outcomes over time **Challenge yourself right now:** Take that conversation you thought of earlier. Can you process it at all four resolution levels? What industry forces are creating the frustration they mentioned? What market dynamics make their side project relevant? How might their individual innovation predict broader transformation? For HP gaming, macro showed computing and entertainment converging as major industry forces. Meso revealed gaming enthusiasts as underserved segments with growing purchasing power. Micro captured one engineer's stealth project as a demand signal from within our own organization. The temporal bridge connected individual unauthorized innovation to ecosystem transformation happening industry-wide. **Method 2: Vector Pattern Recognition** Most people see static patterns like "gaming is popular," but miss the critical vectors: direction, velocity, and momentum that determine where patterns are heading. This technique teaches you to process patterns with movement data—tracking acceleration, cross-domain transfer, and collision points—so you can predict convergence opportunities before they become obvious to the market. - **Pattern Direction:** Is this pattern strengthening or weakening over time? - **Pattern Velocity:** How fast is the change happening and is it accelerating? - **Pattern Transfer:** How does this pattern migrate between domains or industries? - **Pattern Collision:** What happens when conflicting patterns meet or converge? In 2005, multiple vectors were converging: gaming performance requirements accelerating, computing power following Moore's Law, consumer willingness to pay premiums increasing, and enthusiast communities growing through internet connections. The collision point would create a massive new market category. **Method 3: Interference Pattern Analysis** While standard approaches analyze individual trends separately, game-changing insights emerge from interference patterns—where multiple trends overlap to create constructive amplification or destructive cancellation. This advanced technique focuses on convergence zones where separate patterns intersect to create entirely new phenomena that don't exist in any single trend alone. - **Pattern Superposition:** How do multiple trends layer over each other? - **Constructive Interference:** Where do trends amplify each other unexpectedly? - **Destructive Interference:** Where do trends cancel each other out? - **Emergence Zones:** Where does interference create entirely new phenomena? **Here's your breakthrough moment:** HP gaming emerged from constructive convergence between computing performance improvements, gaming market growth, enthusiast community formation, and direct-to-consumer distribution capabilities. Each trend alone was interesting. Their intersection created a billion-dollar market category. But here's what separates good analysis from breakthrough innovation: you need to compress these insights into action. And that's where most brilliant observations die. ## STAGE 3: Compress Now we reach the stage where most brilliant insights die—compression. Even the most sophisticated understanding of market patterns is worthless if it can't drive action, which is why so many strategic observations never get implemented because they trigger resistance instead of recognition. **Here's the brutal truth:** Most strategic insights never get implemented because they trigger resistance instead of recognition. The difference between advanced innovators and everyone else isn't just what they see—it's how they package what they see. **Method 1: The Insight Compression Engine** Standard approaches dump conclusions on people and hope they accept them, which triggers resistance instead of recognition. Advanced compression works like a key designed for specific mental locks—using cognitive hooks that exploit existing beliefs, minimal proof that triggers acceptance, and action triggers that make next steps feel inevitable rather than optional. - **Cognitive Hook:** Exploits existing mental models for instant recognition - **Proof Compression:** Minimum viable evidence that triggers belief - **Action Trigger:** Makes the next step feel inevitable rather than optional - **Replication Code:** Ensures the insight spreads naturally to others **Think about this:** For HP gaming, I didn't present a 47-slide market analysis. The cognitive hook was "our own engineers are willing to risk their jobs to build what the market wants." That connected to existing beliefs about HP's engineering excellence and made the insight feel like discovering something we already knew. **Method 2: Temporal Compression Architecture** Human brains are terrible at imagining future consequences but excellent at choosing between clearly presented options, which is why most strategic insights fail to drive action. This method compresses time itself—showing decision-makers multiple future scenarios simultaneously and the specific decision paths that lead to each outcome, making future consequences feel immediate and real. - **Present State Compression:** Current reality expressed in its sharpest form - **Trajectory Compression:** Where current paths lead without intervention - **Intervention Points:** Specific moments when decisions change everything - **Future State Comparison:** Side-by-side compressed views of possible outcomes **Method 3: Network Compression Strategy** While standard approaches try to convince one person at a time, advanced compression designs insights that naturally propagate through influence networks, creating cascade effects that amplify far beyond the initial conversation. You'll learn to map network topology, design message variants for different network positions, and create reinforcement loops that make early adopters want to spread your insight organically. - **Network Topology Mapping:** Who influences whom in the decision ecosystem? - **Influence Pathway Design:** How should the insight flow through the network? - **Message Mutation Control:** How should the insight adapt as it spreads? - **Reinforcement Loop Creation:** How do early adopters amplify the insight? **Critical insight:** Your breakthrough observation means nothing until it becomes someone else's inevitable decision. ## Practice Method Now here's how you master this framework systematically. This is the exact systematic approach I used in that airport conversation with the HP engineer—turning a casual exchange into a billion-dollar opportunity. I call it "The HP Method" because it replicates the process that generated those results, and it's designed to train your pattern recognition in real-world conditions. This isn't theoretical—I've used this approach to identify game-changing opportunities across multiple Fortune 100 companies. **The Challenge:** For the next week, have "airport conversations" with people in your network. But you're going to approach them with systematic intent. **Your Targets:** Choose 5-7 people strategically: - Colleagues from different departments who see different angles - Engineers, salespeople, or customer service reps who interact with market reality daily - People from adjacent industries who might reveal transfer opportunities - Anyone working on side projects or experiments—these are your gold mines **The Questions That Change Everything:** - "What are you working on that your team doesn't know about?" - "What would you build if you could sneak the resources to do it?" - "What frustrates you enough that you'd risk working on it unauthorized?" - "What have you figured out that others in your field haven't?" **Here's the systematic part:** Apply 4-layer observation to every response: - **Surface Layer:** What they literally said (resist stopping here) - **Pattern Layer:** What this connects to or repeats across conversations - **Signal Layer:** What's emerging or changing in their responses - **Context Layer:** What's missing or assumed in their thinking **Document everything.** Don't just capture the obvious. Record the context, their motivations, broader patterns you're noticing, and your observations at all four layers. **Success Indicators—by week's end, you should have:** - Discovered at least 3 stealth projects or unauthorized innovations - Identified 2-3 frustrations that point to market gaps people care enough about to risk addressing personally - Found signals that others in your organization or industry are completely missing - Documented observations at all four layers, not just surface information **What you're hunting for:** The same signals I found in that airport conversation—internal innovation happening outside official channels, unmet demand your organization isn't addressing that people care enough about to risk pursuing, capabilities that could transfer between domains, and problems people are solving individually that could scale exponentially. **This exercise should reveal at least one hidden opportunity that wasn't obvious before you started.** More importantly, you'll have practiced the complete methodology that makes game-changing insights predictable. Share your discoveries with your team—you might be surprised by what patterns emerge when you compare notes. ## Common Mistakes Before we wrap up, let me save you from the three biggest mistakes people make when starting: **Mistake 1:** Trying to process everything at high resolution. You'll burn out in a week. Start selective—choose the most important conversations and situations where stakes are high. **Mistake 2:** Getting overwhelmed by details instead of focusing on patterns. Remember, the goal isn't collecting more information—it's seeing connections others miss. **Mistake 3:** Stopping at insights without compression. I've seen brilliant analysts generate breakthrough observations that die in PowerPoint presentations because they couldn't compress them into action. **Bonus insight:** The most common failure point is trying to convince people with logic instead of connecting to their existing beliefs. Work with human psychology, not against it. ## Conclusion The benefits of high-resolution thinking compound exponentially. What starts as better decision-making evolves into innovation intuition—the ability to sense opportunities before they're fully formed. **Here's a statistic that should motivate you:** Companies with leaders who excel at high-resolution thinking outperform their peers by 34% in revenue growth and 67% in innovation metrics. This isn't just about personal advancement—it's about organizational survival. But here's what really changes: you'll develop a reputation for seeing around corners. Organizations start routing their most complex challenges through high-resolution thinkers because they've learned to trust the results. That airport conversation twenty years ago wasn't luck. It was the result of systematically training myself to process multiple layers of information simultaneously, recognize vector patterns across domains, and compress complex insights into actionable strategies. Now, if you want the behind-the-scenes story of what it actually felt like to develop this capability—the emotional journey, the internal doubts, the personal transformation that comes with seeing the world differently—that's what I dive into every Monday in my Substack, Studio Notes. It's where I share the vulnerable, human side of making billion-dollar innovation decisions that you won't find anywhere else. **But here's what matters most:** High-resolution thinking without action is just sophisticated procrastination. The methodology only creates value if you use it to identify and act on opportunities others are missing. **Your homework starts now.** Pick one person. Ask about their stealth project. Apply the 4-layer observation method. Document what you discover. Then share this framework with someone who needs to hear it—every team needs at least one person thinking in high resolution. Everything else builds from there. What conversation are you having tomorrow that could change everything? The difference between seeing it and missing it isn't luck, intelligence, or access to information. It's resolution. If you found this framework valuable, subscribe for more strategic thinking methodologies. Next week, I'll break down the advanced compression techniques that turn insights into influence. And remember—practice the HP Method this week. The opportunities that will define your next decade are hiding in conversations happening around you right now. ### The 10-Minute Airport Conversation That Generated HP Billions URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-10-minute-airport-conversation-that-generated-hp-billions/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T20:54:07.000Z I almost didn't talk to him. It was 2005, gate area at San Jose Airport, and I was heading to San Diego with three other HP executives to visit a defense contractor. Standard business trip. The kind where you exchange pleasantries, maybe talk about quarterly numbers, then bury yourself in email until boarding. But something made me ask the HP engineer traveling with us about his side project. Not his official work. His *side* project. After some gentle prodding, he described a PC he'd been building with "off the charts performance." He'd been sneaking parts from the parts bin, sneaking motherboard customizations into production runs, conducting unauthorized R&D on his own time. That ten-minute conversation became the catalyst for HP's gaming business unit, the [**acquisition of VooDoo PC**](https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15059624?ref=philmckinney.com), and ultimately HP's rise to number one gaming PC market share—a position it has held for years. Billions in revenue trace back to that exchange. Here's what still haunts me: three other HP executives heard the exact same conversation. They processed the same information. Yet none of them saw what I saw. The difference wasn't intelligence, experience, or access to information. It was what I now call "**thinking resolution**"—and it's the hidden factor that separates consistent innovators from everyone else. ## The Moment Everything Changed Picture this: we're sitting in uncomfortable airport chairs, killing time before our flight. The engineer mentions he's been working on something after hours. Most people would have nodded politely and moved on. Instead, I started asking questions. What I heard wasn't just "engineer built fast PC." While my colleagues processed that surface-level information, I was simultaneously tracking multiple layers: - **The Surface:** HP engineer built a high-performance PC - **The Pattern:** Someone was willing to risk their position to build something our official roadmap wasn't addressing - **The Signal:** Our upcoming defense contractor visit would reveal performance vectors we weren't serving in consumer markets - **The Context:** This "stealth project" suggested broader market demand we were completely missing The defense contractor piece was crucial. We were about to see what real performance requirements looked like—networking speed, cooling systems, raw computational power that made consumer PCs look like toys. But here was our own engineer, on his own time, trying to bridge that gap. Most executives would have seen a policy violation. I saw a market signal. ## Why Three Smart People Missed It The other executives on that trip weren't stupid. They were experienced, successful leaders. But they were processing information like standard-definition television while I was operating with 4K mental clarity. They saw: "Fast PC = maybe gaming opportunity" I saw: Multiple pattern vectors converging—computing power trajectory hitting gaming demand trajectory, defense-grade performance concepts moving toward consumer markets, enthusiast communities forming through internet connections. They thought: "Let's build gaming PCs" I processed: Acquire existing excellence rather than build from scratch, preserve innovation culture while scaling distribution, create gaming ecosystem not just products. The difference was multi-scale processing. They were analyzing at one level—tactical product development. I was simultaneously processing individual innovation (our engineer's stealth project), market gaps (performance enthusiasts), and industry transformation (where computing and entertainment were heading). ## The Method Behind the Insight What happened in that airport wasn't magic. It was the result of systematically training myself to see what others miss through what I call high-resolution thinking. **Multi-Layer Observation** became automatic. Instead of accepting the first explanation, I'd trained myself to examine every situation through four lenses: - Surface: What everyone sees - Pattern: What connects and repeats - Signal: What's emerging or changing - Context: What's missing or assumed **Signal vs. Noise Discrimination** let me identify what actually mattered. "Stealth project" was high signal—it indicated unmet market demand worth risking a career for. The specific technical details were medium signal. His official job duties were noise. **Edge Case Hunting** revealed the opportunity. Most companies focus on serving mainstream customers better. But edge cases—like gaming enthusiasts building their own high-performance rigs—often signal where mainstream markets are heading. The gaming community wasn't an edge case to ignore. They were leading indicators of massive market transformation. [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-2.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-2.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ## From Insight to Empire But seeing the opportunity was only half the battle. Getting HP to act on it required what I call "insight compression"—distilling complex observations into forms that bypass cognitive resistance. I didn't present a 47-slide analysis of gaming market trends. Instead, I compressed the insight into something that connected with existing beliefs: "Our own engineers are willing to risk their jobs to build what the market wants." That cognitive hook exploited HP's pride in engineering excellence. The proof was minimal but compelling—internal validation of market demand. The action trigger was acquiring VooDoo PC, the originators of purpose-built gaming computers, rather than building capability from scratch. The acquisition led to [**HP's Blackbird**](https://www.cnet.com/reviews/hp-blackbird-002-dedication-edition-review/?ref=philmckinney.com), which earned PC Gamer's highest score ever awarded, a 9.3 from CNET, and multiple Editor's Choice awards. More importantly, it established HP's OMEN line—which still carries VooDoo's original DNA today. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CsAY!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb9b6845b-ae5b-4939-bf96-d20dad6642f7_3053x1354.png) ## The Pattern That Changes Everything Twenty years later, I've watched this same dynamic play out repeatedly. The difference between companies that capture breakthrough opportunities and those that miss them isn't access to information—it's processing resolution. Netflix saw how internet bandwidth, content consumption habits, and distribution costs would converge while Blockbuster processed the same signals as "people still want to rent movies." Tesla recognized how battery technology, environmental consciousness, and performance expectations would intersect while traditional automakers saw electric vehicles as "compliance projects." Instagram understood that digital photography wasn't about replacing film—it was about transforming social connection through visual storytelling. Meanwhile, Kodak, who *invented* the first digital camera, processed digital photography as a threat to their film business. The pattern repeats: breakthrough innovators process multiple layers of information simultaneously while others get stuck examining only the surface. ## The High-Resolution Thinking Framework Here's what I've learned from that airport conversation and two decades of Fortune 100 innovation decisions: there's a systematic methodology behind these insights. It's not magic, intuition, or luck—it's a learnable three-stage framework that I call high-resolution thinking. **Stage 1: Capture** \- How to see what others miss through multi-layer observation, signal vs. noise discrimination, and edge case hunting. Most people scan conversations for confirmation of what they already believe. This stage trains you to examine them for signals of what's changing. **Stage 2: Process** \- How to understand connections across scales and time horizons using multi-resolution systems analysis, vector pattern recognition, and interference pattern analysis. While others see static trends, you'll process patterns with direction, velocity, and momentum to predict convergence points. **Stage 3: Compress** \- How to distill complex insights into forms that bypass cognitive resistance and drive immediate action. This is where most brilliant observations die—in PowerPoint presentations that trigger resistance instead of recognition. Each stage contains three specific methods, giving you nine systematic techniques for turning casual conversations into breakthrough opportunities. The methodology is designed to work together—capture without processing leads to information overload, processing without compression results in insights that never drive action. The complete framework with all nine methods, detailed practice exercises, and common mistake prevention is what I will share in [**this Wed's YouTube deep-dive on high-resolution thinking**](https://youtu.be/qG0rTD-HYO8?ref=philmckinney.com). It's designed as a comprehensive step-by-step process you can master over time, not just conceptual knowledge. But first, let me show you why mastering this framework has become absolutely critical. ## What You're Missing Right Now Here's what I learned from that airport conversation and thousands since: the opportunities that will define your next decade are hiding in plain sight. They're in casual conversations with colleagues, customer complaints that seem like edge cases, and "stealth projects" happening in your own organization. But you'll only see them if you're processing information with sufficient resolution. **The cost of continuing to miss these signals is staggering.** While you're processing conversations at surface level, your competitors might be developing the pattern recognition that identifies the next billion-dollar market transformation. While you're dismissing edge cases as exceptions, advanced thinkers are studying them as previews of new rules forming. Every day you operate without high-resolution thinking capabilities, you're essentially flying blind through a landscape filled with breakthrough opportunities. Most people scan conversations for confirmation of what they already believe. High-resolution thinkers examine them for signals of what's changing. Most people dismiss edge cases as exceptions. Advanced thinkers study them as previews of new rules forming. The next time someone mentions a side project, an after-hours experiment, or something they're "not supposed to be working on," pause. Ask follow-up questions. Apply multi-layer observation. Ask yourself: - What is this person willing to risk their position to pursue? - What does this suggest about unmet demand in our market? - How might this connect to larger forces reshaping our industry? - What would it mean if this pattern is repeating elsewhere? ## The Compound Effect That airport conversation didn't just create HP's gaming business. It fundamentally changed how I process information in every situation. Once you start seeing in high resolution, you can't unsee. You notice patterns others miss. You spot opportunities before they become obvious to competitors. You develop what I call "innovation intuition"—the ability to sense breakthrough opportunities before they're fully formed. More importantly, people notice. When someone consistently makes better calls and identifies opportunities others miss, they become the go-to person for complex decisions. Organizations start routing difficult problems through high-resolution thinkers because they've learned to trust the results. The methodology becomes your competitive advantage. ## Your Next Conversation Tomorrow, you'll have conversations with colleagues, customers, partners. Some of those exchanges contain the seeds of your next breakthrough opportunity. The question isn't whether the signals are there—they always are. The question is whether you're processing them with sufficient resolution to see what others miss. That HP engineer wasn't trying to start a revolution. He was just frustrated enough with existing options to risk building something better. Our conversation turned his unauthorized innovation into a billion-dollar business unit because someone was finally listening with the right level of attention. What unauthorized innovations are happening around you right now? What stealth projects are your own people pursuing? What edge cases are signaling where your entire industry is heading? The signals are there. The opportunities are waiting. The only question is: are you thinking in high enough resolution to see them? --- *If you want to practice this systematically, I've created what I call "The HP Method"—a specific framework and exercises for training your eye to spot these opportunities. You can find the complete practice framework in my* [***YouTube deep-dive on high-resolution thinking***](https://youtu.be/qG0rTD-HYO8?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* [Subscribe to Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation DecisionsUnfiltered innovation decision lessons from former HP CTO & CableLabs CEO: the billion-dollar choices, spectacular failures, and decision frameworks they don’t teach you. Click to read Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F73ced686-167c-4c76-9bc2-51425cc36aad-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-3.png)Phil McKinney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fphilmckinney.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card-3.jpg%3Fv%3D-1135714400%26version%3D9)](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ### 5 Questions That Spot Breakthroughs Before They Happen URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/5-questions-that-spot-breakthroughs-before-they-happen/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:14.000Z In October 1903, The New York Times published an editorial mocking the idea of human flight, stating that a successful [flying machine](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-mobile-broadband-in-developing-countries-s11-ep32/) might take "from one to ten million years" to develop through the efforts of mathematicians and engineers. Eight weeks later, on December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers achieved the first powered, controlled flight over the beaches of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, proving the skeptics wrong. The smartest people in the world got this catastrophically wrong. What does that tell us about impossibility itself? Every industry has [billion-dollar opportunities](https://www.philmckinney.com/think-like-steve-jobs-6-strategies-behind-billion-dollar-ideas/) hiding behind a single word: *impossible*. And most executives never see them coming because they've been trained to accept limitations that don't actually exist. ## The Innovation Reality Check If the smartest experts can be so wrong about something as fundamental as human flight, then we need to completely rethink how we evaluate impossibility. The problem isn't that impossible things become possible. The problem is that we're terrible at recognizing what's actually impossible versus what just looks impossible. ### What Innovation Actually Means Innovation is simply an idea made real. Not brilliant concepts sitting in notebooks. Actual stuff you can touch. Use. Buy. Experience. [Leonardo da Vinci](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-an-innovator-or-an-imitator/) invented flying machines in the 15th century. The Wright brothers innovated flight in 1903. What's the difference? Da Vinci had amazing ideas that stayed ideas. The Wright brothers made the idea real. This distinction changes everything about impossible innovation. Has someone successfully transformed an "impossible" idea into a tangible reality? Then logically, it was never truly impossible. We just lacked the knowledge, tools, or perspective to make it happen. Those dismissed breakthroughs floating around your industry right now? They aren't abstract fantasies. They're concrete challenges waiting for someone to develop the right knowledge, tools, and perspective. ### The Three Types of Impossibility Not all impossibilities are created equal. Three distinct categories: [**Logical Impossibility**](https://www.philmckinney.com/black-swan-innovation/)**:** Things that contradict themselves by definition. Married bachelors. Square circles. But even these sometimes dissolve when we reframe the question. Negative numbers? Logically impossible for centuries. Until merchants needed to describe debt, scientists needed to measure temperatures below freezing. Suddenly, those "impossible" numbers became essential tools. **Physical Impossibility:** Things that appear to violate natural laws. Quantum mechanics would've been physically impossible under 19th-century physics. Today, we're building quantum computers using those "impossible" principles. **Practical Impossibility:** Ideas that don't violate logic or physics—they're just beyond our current capabilities. Commercial fusion power. Artificial general intelligence. Reversing human aging. Most breakthrough innovations emerge from this third category. They represent temporary constraints. Not permanent barriers. Here's what nobody talks about: the companies that get blindsided by "impossible" innovations aren't stupid. They're victims of *expertise*. The more you know about an industry, the harder it becomes to see past its false limitations. Everyone says innovation requires thinking outside the box. That's backwards. The biggest breakthroughs come from questioning the box itself. Not thinking outside your industry's limitations—questioning whether those limitations are real. When I took over as CTO at HP, our PC division was hemorrhaging money. Three to five billion dollars a year in losses. Dead last in market share. Everyone inside the company believed there was no room to innovate in PCs. Too [commoditized](https://www.philmckinney.com/no-limits-to-innovation-and-creativity/). Too mature. Impossible to differentiate. That belief? Complete nonsense. We took that division from massive losses to five billion in profits. From last place to number one global market share. How? By introducing innovations that everyone else in the industry said were impossible. Missing these patterns doesn't just cost market share. It costs entire business models. I've watched billion-dollar companies become footnotes because they couldn't see past their own expertise. The tools I'm sharing today came from that experience. And dozens of others like it. But what if I told you there's a way to cut through all this industry BS in less than five minutes? What if claims about what can't be done could be systematically dismantled with just the right questions? ## The Five-Question Reality Check These questions cut through industry BS faster than anything else I've seen. They force you to get specific about dismissive claims instead of accepting them at face value. They separate real barriers from fake ones. ### The Framework That Changes Everything When the industry consensus calls something a fantasy, don't dismiss it automatically. Run it through the Reality Check. **Question 1: What makes this seem undoable specifically?** Don't accept vague claims. Push for precise limiting factors. Electric vehicles seemed undoable because "batteries will always be heavy, expensive, and short-range." That assumption? Turned out to be temporary. **Question 2: Which type of impossibility are we dealing with?** Apply our three-category framework. Ideas that seem logically impossible might just need conceptual reframing. [Practical limitations](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/) often just need enabling technologies to mature. **Question 3: What knowledge would make this possible?** Work backward from success. If this dismissed idea actually became real, what specific breakthroughs would've been necessary? Which are already happening in adjacent fields? **Question 4: Who benefits from keeping this "impossible"?** Consider motivations carefully. Sometimes dismissive claims protect existing interests. They don't reflect genuine technical reality. **Question 5: Are different technologies starting to connect?** Innovation happens when separate advances suddenly align. Multiple technologies. Multiple trends. All at once. ### Case Study: [SpaceX](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-master-lateral-thinking-skills/) and the Reality Check When Elon Musk announced plans to dramatically reduce launch costs in the early 2000s, asking the five questions would've revealed everything you needed to know. **Question 1**: Launch costs had remained around $10,000 per kilogram for decades. Everyone said this was fundamental physics. **Question 2**: This was a practical limitation. Not a fundamental barrier. **Question 3**: Knowledge gaps were in precision landing, rapid refurbishment, and manufacturing at scale. All solvable engineering problems. **Question 4**: Established aerospace contractors had massive incentives to maintain the expensive status quo. Their entire business model depended on it. **Question 5**: Multiple conditions were converging. Advanced computing. New materials science. Private capital availability. The five questions revealed that launch cost reduction was a practical limitation waiting for engineering solutions. By 2024? SpaceX reduced costs by over 90 percent. The impossible became routine. Those questions work perfectly—once someone mentions a dismissed breakthrough. However, the real competitive advantage lies in spotting these opportunities while your competitors are still dismissing them as fantasy. And that requires something most executives completely overlook. ## Training Your Detection Instincts That requires something different. Not just analysis tools, but detection systems. And most companies get this completely wrong. They think it's about having better technology scouts or attending more conferences. It's not. It's about rewiring how your organization processes dismissed ideas. ### Two Essential Exercises The foundation of any detection system is people who think differently about what's possible. Start here - with two exercises that change how your team processes industry blind spots. **Exercise 1: The Time Traveler's Memo.** Imagine you're writing from 2034 back to yourself today. One [dismissed innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/i-evaluated-over-30000-innovation-ideas-at-hp-heres-why-most-failed/) from your industry has completely transformed business. Write a detailed memo covering: - What was the breakthrough that seemed undoable? - Why did experts dismiss it so confidently? - What early warning signs did everyone ignore? - What would you do differently today knowing this outcome? This forces you to think like your future disrupted self looking backward. Instead of your present expert self looking forward. **Exercise 2: The War Room Session** This is where you harness collective intelligence to break through dismissive assumptions. When you get diverse perspectives in one room, systematically challenging what your industry calls fantasy, patterns emerge that no individual could see alone. Three hours. Diverse team. Three columns on a wall: 1. "Industry calls this undoable" 2. "Technologies that might enable it" 3. "Who might be working on this right now" The magic happens when you connect insights across these columns. Suddenly, you'll see that your industry's "fantasy" challenge is actually someone else's current research project. ### How to Run the War Room: The Five-Phase Process **Start with the obvious stuff.** Phase one is just brainstorming - thirty minutes of everything your industry says can't be done. Don't filter anything. **Now dig deeper.** Phase two takes sixty minutes to research what would need to be true for each idea to work. Adjacent fields. Emerging technologies. Connection patterns. **Time to get specific.** Phase three is forty-five minutes, identifying who might be tackling these problems. Research groups. Startups. Tech giants. Government initiatives. **This is where it gets interesting.** Phase four takes thirty minutes to draw connections between columns. Which dismissed ideas share enabling technologies? Which have the most active research happening behind the scenes? **The moment of truth.** Phase five is fifteen minutes of team voting. Most likely to become real within 5 years. The biggest threat to the current business model. Most significant opportunity for new revenue. The output isn't predictions. It's intelligence about where to pay attention. These exercises reveal incredible insights. But there's something even more powerful that most companies never build. Something that works even when you're drowning in quarterly reviews and daily fires. ## How to Spot Dismissed Ideas Before They Disrupt You Most companies run these exercises once, get excited about the insights, then go back to quarterly business reviews and forget everything they learned. Six months later? They're blindsided by exactly the innovations they identified. The solution isn't doing more exercises. It's building simple systems that keep running even when you're not paying attention. ### Building a Simple Detection System Individual evaluation is just the beginning. Organizations that win consistently? They've built simple systems for discovering breakthrough innovations while competitors still call them fantasies. **The first place to look might surprise you. Universities.** Universities are where professors tackle dismissed problems without quarterly pressure. Set up relationships with three to five research institutions. Not your industry's obvious schools. Places where enabling technologies are developing. Retail executives should be talking to robotics labs. Healthcare leaders should be monitoring materials science programs. Energy companies should be watching quantum computing research. What actually works: - Monthly calls with key researchers - Annual events where academics present early-stage work - Student internship programs for early insight into research directions - Budget roughly $50,000 annually per institution for meaningful relationships **Next, follow the smart money.** Serious capital flowing toward dismissed technologies? That signals something's changing. Track which venture capitalists are funding "fantasy" innovations in adjacent spaces. Follow their portfolio companies. When Kleiner Perkins started funding fusion energy startups, that was intelligence about practical limitations becoming investment reality. Simple systems that work: - Google alerts for funding announcements in related fields - Subscribe to venture capital newsletters - Attend pitch events where breakthrough ideas get presented - Pattern recognition develops over time **Finally, the pattern that changed everything for us. Outsider perspectives.** People trained in your industry's limitations can't see past them. Bring in outsiders who haven't learned what's "undoable" yet. Recent graduates from different fields. Entrepreneurs who've solved problems dismissed in other industries. Consultants with cross-industry pattern recognition. What works: - Set up quarterly advisory sessions with 3-4 people from entirely different industries. Rotate one person out every quarter to keep perspectives fresh. Give them your toughest challenges upfront and ask them to approach it like problems in their own fields. - Run focused innovation challenges where you present outsiders with one specific "undoable" problem. Give them background context, but don't explain why it's dismissed. Set a tight deadline - 48 hours works well. You'll be amazed at what solutions emerge when people haven't learned the constraints. - Create a simple system to capture outsider questions. When someone asks, "Why don't you just..." about something everyone knows is undoable, write it down immediately. Review these questions monthly. Half will be naive, but the other half will reveal assumptions you didn't know you had. ### Additional Detection Methods Depending on your industry and organization, you might also want to systematically monitor patent filings in adjacent fields or designate specific people to champion breakthrough ideas instead of shooting them down. The key is starting with these three core approaches, then adding layers as you see what works. That's exactly how we dominated at HP. An organized way of watching for breakthroughs, while competitors relied on intuition and luck. You can start building the same advantage this week. But the clock is already ticking. ## Your Action Plan While we've been talking about frameworks and systems, someone in your industry is already working on what everyone calls fantasy. The question isn't whether breakthrough innovation will blindside your market—it's whether you'll be the disruptor or the disrupted. ### Start This Week - Five Immediate Actions Don't wait for organizational buy-in or perfect systems. Start with these immediate actions you can take personally: **First action this week**: Apply the Reality Check to one idea your industry calls fantasy. Spend 30 minutes. Get specific about limiting factors. **Your second move**: Identify and contact two universities doing research in adjacent fields. Make the phone calls. **Third step**: Set up three Google alerts for venture capital funding in technologies related to your industry's dismissed challenges. **Fourth action**: Spend one hour searching patent databases for recent applications related to your industry's "undoable" problems. Document who's filing what. **Fifth and final step**: Schedule conversations with two people from completely different fields. Ask them about your industry's toughest challenges. ### Then Scale What Works Once you start seeing results from these five actions, scale the ones that work best across your organization. Personal insights become a systematic advantage. The goal isn't perfection. It's momentum. These five actions this week create intelligence about [breakthrough innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-from-frustration-s11-ep4/) becoming possible. Every industry has someone working on what everyone else calls fantasy right now. The question isn't whether breakthrough innovation will happen. It's whether you'll recognize it while it's still called fantasy, or after it disrupts everything you thought you knew. ## Innovations Cannot Be Impossible Innovation cannot actually be undoable. If someone makes an idea real, it was never truly undoable. We just lacked the knowledge, tools, or perspective. Every dismissed idea floating around your industry represents a potential breakthrough. Someone is going to acquire the necessary knowledge to make it happen. The competitive advantage goes to people who identify which dismissed ideas are knowledge gaps rather than permanent barriers. The Wright brothers were bicycle mechanics. Not aviation experts. Steve Jobs was a college dropout. Not a computer engineer. We achieved what the PC industry giants called fantasy because we questioned assumptions entire industries had stopped questioning. Your industry's next transformation is already being developed by someone who doesn't accept the current dismissive consensus. Will you recognize it while it's still called fantasy? Or after it disrupts everything you thought you knew? But let me end with a prediction. There's one breakthrough I'm convinced we'll see in our lifetime: molecular-scale medical robots. Programmable nanobots that live in your bloodstream permanently. Providing real-time health monitoring and instant medical intervention. They could prevent heart attacks mid-beat. Eliminate cancer cells the moment they form. Even upgrade your immune system with new capabilities. I shared this dream in a vision video I executive-produced back in 2017\. You can see it here: Seven years later? Multiple research groups are making serious progress on exactly these technologies. What seemed like a fantasy in 2017 is becoming a practical limitation today. What dismissed ideas in your industry are you now viewing differently? What early warning signs might you have been missing? Share your observations in the comments. Let's build collective intelligence about breakthrough innovations that are becoming a reality. If this framework changed how you think about breakthrough innovation, then [subscribe for more insights every week](https://killerinnovations.com/subscribe-to-podcast/?ref=philmckinney.com). For deeper tools and detailed implementation guides, check out [Studio Notes on Substack](https://philmckinney.substack.com/). Frameworks, tools, and guides—everything's completely free. Your next breakthrough might be hiding behind something everyone calls fantasy. The tools are in your hands. What dismissed idea will you investigate first? To learn how to spot breakthroughs before they happen, listen to this week's show: [***5 Questions That Spot Breakthroughs Before They Happen***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/5%5FQuestions%5FThat%5FCan%5FSpot%5FBreakthrough%5FInnovations%5FBefore%5FThey%5FHappen.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Can an Innovation Be Impossible? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/can-an-innovation-be-impossible/ Last updated: 2025-09-01T13:49:11.000Z In 1903, the New York Times published what might be the most embarrassing prediction in journalism history. They confidently declared that human flight would take somewhere between one and ten million years to achieve. Eight weeks later, the Wright brothers were soaring over the beaches of North Carolina. If the smartest people in the world can be so wrong about something so fundamental, what does that tell us about the nature of impossibility itself? ## **What Makes Ideas "Impossible"—And Why That Matters** Innovation is simply **ideas made real**. Not just brilliant concepts sitting in someone's notebook, but actual stuff you can touch, use, buy, or experience. Leonardo da Vinci invented flying machines in the 15th century, but the Wright brothers innovated flight in 1903\. The difference? Da Vinci had amazing ideas that stayed ideas. The Wright brothers made the idea real. This distinction matters enormously when we're thinking about impossible innovation. If someone successfully transforms an "impossible" idea into a tangible reality, then logically, it was never truly impossible in the first place. We just lacked the knowledge, tools, or perspective to make it happen. Those "impossible" ideas floating around your industry aren't just abstract fantasies. They're concrete challenges waiting for someone to develop the knowledge, tools, and perspective needed to make them real. ## **The Three Types of "Impossible"** Not all impossibilities are created equal. They fall into three distinct categories, and understanding the differences can mean the difference between spotting the next breakthrough and getting blindsided by it. ### **Logical Impossibility** **Logical impossibility** encompasses things that contradict themselves by definition—married bachelors, square circles, that sort of thing. They seem pretty definitively impossible, right? Even logical impossibilities sometimes dissolve when we reframe the question in interesting ways. Take negative numbers, for example. For centuries, mathematicians rejected them as impossible nonsense. How can you have less than nothing? It violates basic logic about what numbers are supposed to represent. Then, merchants needed a way to describe debt, scientists needed to measure temperatures below freezing, and engineers needed to represent directional quantities. Those "impossible" negative numbers became absolutely essential tools. The impossibility wasn't actually in the numbers themselves—it was in our limited conception of what numbers could represent. ### **Physical Impossibility** **Physical impossibility** covers things that appear to violate the laws of nature. Perpetual motion machines, faster-than-light communication, and objects existing in multiple places simultaneously. These seem much more absolute because natural laws appear to be universal and permanent. Our understanding of physics evolves constantly, sometimes in significant ways. Quantum mechanics would have been physically impossible under 19th-century physics. The idea that particles could exist in multiple states simultaneously, or that observing them would change their behavior, violated everything scientists understood about reality. Today, we're building quantum computers using exactly these "impossible" principles. This suggests that some apparent physical impossibilities might actually be paradigmatic limitations waiting for the next scientific revolution. ### **Practical Impossibility** **Practical impossibility**, and this is where it gets interesting for business strategy, covers ideas that don't violate logic or known physics—they're just way beyond our current technological, economic, or social capabilities. Think commercial fusion power, artificial general intelligence, or reversing human aging. Most breakthrough innovations emerge from this third category. They represent temporary constraints rather than permanent barriers. Commercial aviation was practically impossible in 1900, right up until materials science, engine technology, and manufacturing capabilities converged to make it inevitable. Innovation often involves moving ideas across these impossibility categories rather than making truly impossible things possible in some magical way. When someone makes an "impossible" idea real, they're usually revealing that the impossibility was conceptual, theoretical, or circumstantial rather than absolute. ## **Modern "Impossible" Ideas Becoming Real** Two examples unfolding right now show how this impossibility framework plays out in real time. ### **Artificial Intelligence: The Exponential Surprise** Expert consensus in 2010 was clear: human-level artificial intelligence remained decades away. The computational requirements seemed insurmountable. Neural networks were fascinating research projects, rather than practical tools for solving real-world problems. All the experts missed a convergence that nobody saw coming. Graphics cards originally designed to make video games look amazing turned out to be perfect for AI training. Internet usage was generating massive training datasets as a side effect of normal activity. Researchers discovered that simply scaling up existing neural network architectures would produce emergent capabilities nobody had predicted. By 2022, AI systems were writing code, creating original artwork, and passing professional licensing exams. Not because researchers solved all the theoretical problems experts thought were necessary, but because they found completely different paths around those problems. ### **Fusion Energy: When Patient Capital Meets Impatient Physics** Fusion energy has been the running joke of the scientific community for decades. Always thirty years away, never actually arriving. The technical challenges seemed genuinely insurmountable—containing plasma at 100 million degrees Celsius, achieving net energy gain, and building economically viable reactors. Something interesting happened in recent years. Private venture capital discovered fusion and started pouring serious money into it—over $7 billion in the past decade. High-temperature superconducting magnets became commercially available. Computational modeling advanced to the point where you could optimize reactor designs before building expensive prototypes. Companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems aren't just promising fusion power "someday" anymore. They're making specific commitments to commercial timelines with real investor money at stake. Instead of massive government projects trying to solve every problem simultaneously, focused private companies are attacking specific, solvable engineering challenges. Both cases follow the same trajectory: impossibility moves through definitional reframing, theoretical advancement, and practical convergence. The "impossible" innovation succeeds not by solving the original problem directly, but by changing the question being asked. While industry experts debate whether these innovations are even possible, early movers are positioning themselves to benefit when impossibility becomes reality. ## **Your Impossibility Advantage: A Strategic Toolkit** Understanding the philosophy of impossibility is intellectually interesting, but what you really need is a systematic way to spot these impossible-to-inevitable transitions before they blindside your industry. ### **The Five-Question Impossibility Audit** When industry consensus calls something impossible, don't dismiss it automatically. Instead, run it through the **Five-Question Impossibility Audit**: **1\. What makes this seem impossible specifically?** Don't accept vague impossibility claims at face value. Push for precise limiting factors. Electric vehicles seemed impossible because "batteries will always be heavy, expensive, and short-range." That assumption turned out to be temporary. **2\. Which type of impossibility are we dealing with?** Apply our three-category framework carefully. Ideas that seem logically impossible might just need conceptual reframing. Practical impossibilities often just need enabling technologies to mature. **3\. What knowledge would make this possible?** Work backward from success. If this impossible idea actually became real, what specific breakthroughs would have been necessary? Which are already happening in adjacent fields? **4\. Who has incentives to keep calling this impossible?** Consider motivations carefully. Sometimes impossibility claims protect existing interests rather than reflect genuine technical reality. **5\. Are multiple enabling conditions quietly converging?** Innovation emerges from convergence, not isolation. Look for similar convergence patterns around your "impossible" ideas. ### **Practical Exercises: Building Your Impossibility Radar** The Five-Question Audit is powerful for evaluating specific impossible ideas, but recognizing these opportunities before competitors requires developing organizational instincts. These exercises serve different but complementary purposes: **The audit helps you analyze** \- when you encounter an "impossible" claim, the five questions provide systematic evaluation to determine if it's worth investigating. **The exercises help you discover** \- they train your team to actively hunt for impossible ideas that others are dismissing, rather than waiting for opportunities to present themselves. Think of the audit as your telescope for examining distant possibilities, and these exercises as your radar for scanning the horizon to find them in the first place. ### **The SpaceX Model: Applying the Five-Question Impossibility Audit** SpaceX's breakthrough illustrates how the Five-Question Audit works in practice. When Elon Musk announced plans to dramatically reduce launch costs in the early 2000s, let's see how the framework would have evaluated this "impossible" idea: **Question 1: What makes this seem impossible specifically?** Launch costs had remained around $10,000 per kilogram to orbit for decades, unchanged since the 1960s despite advances in other technologies. Industry experts cited fundamental constraints: rockets require enormous amounts of fuel, precision manufacturing, and complex systems that made them inherently expensive, single-use vehicles. **Question 2: Which type of impossibility are we dealing with?** This was clearly practical impossibility. No laws of physics prevented reusable rockets—NASA had demonstrated controlled rocket landings decades earlier. The barriers were economic and engineering challenges, not fundamental limitations. **Question 3: What knowledge would make this possible?** Three key areas needed advancement: precision landing technology for controlled booster recovery, rapid refurbishment processes to make reuse economical, and manufacturing techniques to build rockets at scale. Each of these represented solvable engineering problems rather than scientific breakthroughs. **Question 4: Who has incentives to keep calling this impossible?** Established aerospace contractors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin had built profitable businesses around expensive, single-use rockets. Their entire supply chain, expertise, and profit margins depended on the existing model. Admitting that cheap, reusable rockets were possible would undermine their competitive position. **Question 5: Are multiple enabling conditions quietly converging?** Advanced computing power was making precision landing calculations feasible. Materials science was producing lighter, stronger composites. Manufacturing technologies were enabling faster production. Private capital was becoming available for long-term aerospace investments. The audit revealed that launch cost reduction was a practical impossibility waiting for someone to develop the right engineering approaches—exactly what SpaceX achieved. By 2024, they've reduced costs by over 90%, making the "impossible" routine. ### **Practical Exercises: Building Your Impossibility Radar** **Solo Exercise: The Time Traveler's Memo** Imagine you're writing from 2034 back to yourself today. One "impossible" innovation from your industry has completely transformed how business gets done. Everyone said it couldn't work—until it did. Write a detailed memo covering: What was the breakthrough that seemed impossible? Why did industry experts dismiss it so confidently? What early warning signs were visible in 2025 that everyone ignored? Which underlying technologies or market conditions had to align first? What would you do differently today knowing this outcome? For example: "In 2025, the logistics industry dismissed autonomous long-haul trucking as impossible due to regulatory hurdles and safety concerns. By 2034, 80% of intercity freight moves via autonomous vehicles. The breakthrough came when insurance companies started offering lower rates for autonomous trucks, creating economic pressure that overwhelmed regulatory resistance. I would have invested in the three sensor companies that became industry standard and started pilot programs with progressive insurance partners." This exercise forces you to think like your future disrupted self looking backward, rather than your present expert self looking forward. **Team Exercise: The Impossibility War Room** Set aside three hours with a diverse team. Create three large columns on a wall: "Industry calls this impossible," "Technologies that might enable it," and "Who might be working on this right now." **Phase 1** (30 minutes): Brainstorm everything your industry consensus dismisses. Include both audacious concepts (teleportation, time travel) and practical challenges (zero-cost manufacturing, instant global delivery, perfect prediction). Don't filter—capture everything. **Phase 2** (60 minutes): Research what would need to be true for each impossible idea to work. Use phones and laptops to investigate current research. Look for advances in adjacent fields that might converge. Note which technologies are progressing faster than expected. **Phase 3** (45 minutes): Identify who might be tackling these problems. Map university research groups, startup companies in related spaces, tech giants with relevant R&D programs, even government or military research initiatives. **Phase 4** (30 minutes): Draw connections between columns. Which impossible ideas share enabling technologies? Which have the most active research happening behind the scenes? Which face the fewest genuine technical barriers? **Phase 5** (15 minutes): Team voting. Everyone gets three votes each for: most likely to become real within 5 years, biggest threat to current business model if successful, biggest opportunity for new revenue if we participate. The output isn't predictions—it's strategic intelligence about where to pay attention. ## **Beyond the Audit: Organizational Impossibility Intelligence** Individual evaluation is just the beginning. The organizations that win consistently have built systematic approaches for discovering impossible innovations while competitors still call them fantasies. This means monitoring universities where professors tackle impossible problems without quarterly pressure. It means tracking when serious venture capital flows toward "impossible" technologies. It means bringing in outsiders who haven't been trained in your industry's limitations. [Watch "5 Questions That Spot Breakthroughs"](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) [Wednesday's video](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) breaks down exactly how to implement these systems, measure their effectiveness, and avoid the cultural traps that kill impossible thinking before it can flourish. ## **So, Can an Innovation Be Impossible?** After examining historical patterns, our impossibility framework, and modern case studies, we can answer definitively: **No, innovation cannot be impossible.** If someone successfully makes an idea real, then by definition, it was never truly impossible in the first place. We simply lacked the knowledge, tools, or perspective to make it possible at the time we were calling it impossible. This differs fundamentally from classic philosophical paradoxes that represent genuine logical contradictions. When the Wright brothers achieved flight, they didn't violate the laws of physics. They revealed that all the expert consensus about flight being impossible was based on an incomplete understanding of aerodynamics, materials science, and engineering approaches. The same pattern repeats throughout innovation history: - Quantum computing wasn't impossible—classical physicists just lacked quantum mechanical frameworks - Digital photography wasn't impossible—film industry experts couldn't see beyond chemical processing paradigms - Artificial intelligence wasn't impossible—computer scientists just needed different approaches to machine learning Each breakthrough revealed that the impossibility existed in the limitations of human knowledge and imagination, not in the fundamental nature of reality itself. This insight changes everything about opportunity evaluation. Instead of asking "Is this possible or impossible?" ask "What knowledge, tools, or perspectives would make this possible?" This reframes impossibility from a barrier into intelligence about knowledge gaps and market opportunities. Every "impossible" idea floating around your industry represents a potential innovation waiting for someone to acquire the necessary knowledge to make it real. ## **Your Next Move** The competitive advantage goes to people who can identify which impossible ideas are actually knowledge gaps rather than permanent barriers. Start with the Five-Question Audit on one "impossible" idea your industry currently dismisses. Run your team through the Impossibility War Room exercise to map what's really happening in adjacent fields. Most importantly, begin questioning the expert consensus that everyone else accepts without examination. The Wright brothers were bicycle mechanics, not aviation experts. Steve Jobs was a college dropout, not a computer engineer. SpaceX achieved what aerospace giants called impossible because they questioned assumptions that entire industries had stopped questioning. Your industry's next transformation is already being developed by someone who doesn't accept the current impossibility consensus. The question isn't whether breakthrough innovation will happen—it's whether you'll recognize it while it's still called impossible, or after it disrupts everything you thought you knew. The tools are in your hands. The only question is what impossible idea you'll investigate first. ### I Evaluated Over 30,000 Innovation Ideas at HP: Here's Why Most Failed URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/i-evaluated-over-30000-innovation-ideas-at-hp-heres-why-most-failed/ Last updated: 2026-10-05T17:45:27.000Z Your best innovation ideas aren't losing to bad ideas – they're losing to exhaustion. I know that sounds counterintuitive. After 30 years of making [billion-dollar innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-fail-fast-innovation-advice-is-wrong/) decisions at HP and CableLabs, I thought I understood why good ideas failed. Market timing. Technical challenges. Resource constraints. Sometimes that was the case … but most of the time, I was wrong. We've created an innovation economy that's too innovative to innovate. And if you're wondering why your breakthrough ideas keep getting ignored, dismissed, or tabled "for later review," this video will show you the real reason. I'm going to reveal why even brilliant ideas are dying from attention scarcity, not their merit. And why this crisis will determine which companies dominate the next decade. Monday, I shared the complete story in my Studio Notes newsletter about how I first discovered this crisis at HP. For a comprehensive analysis and its implications for your company, please visit the link below. In this episode, I will share with you a [practical framework](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-partnership-autopsy-hp-fossil-and-the-smartwatch-market/) for recognizing and addressing this problem within your organization. ## The Innovation Overload Problem Let's start with the math that's breaking everyone's brain. Every C-suite leader I know is evaluating 40+ innovation proposals monthly. That's what they tell me when I ask why good ideas are getting ignored—two per business day, every day, without break. However, what's happening psychologically is that decision-makers are developing reflexive skepticism toward all innovation claims as a survival mechanism. It's not cynicism – it's cognitive self-defense against proposal overload. In conversations with dozens of executives over the past year, nearly three-quarters tell me "[innovation fatigue](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-the-art-of-making-ideas-reality/)" has become their top decision challenge. Think about that. The problem isn't a lack of innovation. The problem is too much innovation. Good ideas are dying not from merit evaluation but from attention competition. We've created an innovation economy where the sheer volume of innovation prevents genuine innovation from emerging. And here's the irony – I'm using the same overloaded language that's part of the problem. When every idea is described as “revolutionary”, the words lose all meaning. Last month alone, I was pitched 23 "revolutionary" AI solutions. Most were solid ideas with real potential. But none got the attention they deserved because my brain had already tagged them as "more innovation noise" before I could properly evaluate their merit. And that's when it hit me: if someone whose job is literally to analyze innovation decisions can't focus properly, what chance do overwhelmed executives have? The cruel mathematics are simple: breakthrough ideas need deep consideration, but executives only have bandwidth for [surface-level evaluation](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-critical-thinking-skills-for-digital-literacy-spotting-misinformation-manipulation/). Let me show you exactly how this plays out in the real world. ## Case Study: HP's Innovation Program Office I first discovered this crisis when I was running HP's Innovation Program Office – what we called the IPO. The IPO was HP's dedicated engine for identifying, incubating, and launching breakthrough technologies that would become the company's future growth drivers. We had frameworks, funding, and brilliant people. Harvard and Stanford now teach case studies about the HP IPO and our process design. But here's what those case studies miss entirely: we were drowning. The HP Innovation Program Office received more than 3,000 ideas and pitches every year. Think about that number. That's nearly 60 new innovation opportunities hitting our desk every week. Each claiming to be a breakthrough. Each demanding evaluation. Each potentially containing the next billion-dollar opportunity for HP. No team – no matter how smart, no matter how well-resourced – can properly evaluate 3,000 innovation ideas annually. The mathematics are impossible. Fatigue became our constant battle. We would clear 50 proposals in one week, only to find 65 new ones waiting the next. It felt like trying to empty an ocean with a bucket. We built sophisticated tools. We created evaluation frameworks. We hired brilliant people and trained them extensively. But underneath all our sophisticated processes was a gnawing feeling that haunted every decision: somewhere in those 3,000 ideas were genuine breakthroughs that we weren't giving proper attention. I remember one particularly brutal month when we evaluated around 250 innovation pitches. By week three, I caught myself skimming proposals that deserved hours of consideration. By week four, I was unconsciously looking for reasons to say no rather than reasons to say yes. That's when I realized the system had broken me. And if it could break someone whose job was literally to find breakthrough innovation, it was breaking everyone. The most painful part? Years later, I would occasionally encounter innovations in the market that looked suspiciously familiar. Ideas that had been buried in our pipeline, dismissed not because they lacked merit, but because they arrived during a week when we were too overwhelmed to give them the attention they deserved. We had built the most sophisticated innovation evaluation process in corporate America, and it was systematically filtering out the very breakthroughs it was designed to find. Not because our frameworks were wrong, but because human attention has limits that no framework can overcome. That HP experience taught me to recognize the pattern. Since then, I've worked with dozens of companies facing the same crisis. The scale varies – some see 500 pitches annually, others see 5,000 – but the attention mathematics always break the same way. ## The Three Types of Innovation Fatigue Through analyzing failures across multiple companies, I've identified three distinct types of innovation fatigue destroying [breakthrough potential](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-innovation-decision-traps-that-kill-breakthrough-ideas-and-how-to-avoid-them/). ### Type 1: Executive Innovation Fatigue The symptom: Senior leaders developing reflexive skepticism toward ALL innovation pitches, regardless of merit. Here's what's happening: The overpromise/underdeliver cycle has trained executives to expect disappointment from innovation investments. After being burned by "revolutionary" solutions that delivered incremental improvements, leaders develop cognitive firewalls against innovation enthusiasm. I recently spoke with a Fortune 500 CEO who instituted a company-wide moratorium: "No more innovation pitch meetings for six months. We're drowning in breakthrough promises and starving for actual execution." This wasn't anti-innovation leadership. This was a smart executive recognizing that innovation overload was preventing innovation success. The impact: Even legitimate breakthroughs get dismissed as "more innovation theater" before receiving proper evaluation. ### Type 2: Team Innovation Fatigue The symptom: Innovation teams are burning out from launching initiatives that consistently get killed or ignored during the evaluation process. The cause: Organizations creating continuous innovation pressure without building the decision infrastructure to evaluate and support breakthrough ideas properly. At HP's IPO, I watched our most creative evaluators essentially stop fighting for breakthrough ideas. When I asked why, one told me: "When you're processing 60 pitches a week, you learn to spot the safe bets quickly. Fighting for the truly revolutionary ones takes energy I don't have anymore." This is innovation death by a thousand small compromises. The impact: The best innovators leave for companies with more explicit innovation mandates and better decision-making processes. ### Type 3: Market Innovation Fatigue The symptom: Customers and investors becoming increasingly skeptical of innovation claims, treating all "breakthrough" announcements with equal skepticism. The cause: "Revolutionary" has lost all meaning through overuse. Every product launch, every startup pitch, every feature update is positioned as game-changing innovation. Consider how "AI-powered" became the new "cloud-enabled" – meaningless marketing speak that signals nothing about actual innovation value. When everything is revolutionary, nothing is revolutionary. The impact: Actual breakthroughs struggle to differentiate from incremental improvements because the market has developed immunity to innovation language. ## Why This Crisis Is Unprecedented This isn't just another innovation challenge we can solve with better processes or more resources. This crisis is fundamentally different from anything we've faced before. Historically, innovation slowdowns were resource problems. Companies couldn't innovate because they lacked money, talent, or technology. The solution was always to invest more resources in innovation capability. Today's crisis is a problem of attention and focus scarcity in an abundance economy. We have unlimited [innovation opportunities](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-you-use-trends-to-create-innovation-opportunities-s12-ep6/) and limited cognitive bandwidth to evaluate them properly. More resources won't solve the attention mathematics. Consider this trend: innovation proposals are growing exponentially, but human decision-making bandwidth remains constant. The danger: We're not innovation-starved – we're innovation-overwhelmed. Breakthrough opportunities are getting lost in the noise of marginal improvements. However, here's the opportunity: The companies that figure out attention allocation will dominate the next decade, while everyone else struggles with their own innovation success. This isn't about having better ideas. It's about being heard above the innovation noise, and most organizations have no systematic approach to cutting through their own opportunity abundance. ## Practical Framework: The Attention Audit So what do you do about this? Let me share a practical framework I use with companies to diagnose and address innovation fatigue. **Step 1: Count Your Innovation Inputs** Track everything hitting your [innovation pipeline](https://www.philmckinney.com/creating-a-pipeline-of-innovation-and-tryvertising/) for one month—ideas, pitches, proposals, "quick conversations" about breakthrough opportunities. You'll be shocked by the number. **Step 2: Calculate Your Evaluation Capacity** How many innovation decisions can your team properly evaluate monthly? Not skim – properly evaluate. Be brutally honest about the time quality evaluation requires. **Step 3: Identify the Attention Gap** Subtract your capacity from your inputs. That gap is where breakthrough ideas go to die. **Step 4: Design Attention Triage** Develop systematic methods to quickly identify the 10% of ideas that warrant [in-depth evaluation](https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-monumental-innovation-with-marginal-gains/). Not perfect – but systematic. **Step 5: Build Decision Infrastructure** Most companies have innovation processes but no decision infrastructure. These are different things. Remember: The goal isn't to evaluate everything. The goal is to evaluate the right things properly. ## Call-to-Action Here's what I want you to do right now: Look at your innovation pipeline. How many ideas are currently stalled not because they lack merit, but because nobody has the attention bandwidth to evaluate them properly? If you're honest, it's probably most of them. Innovation fatigue is just one of ten critical innovation decision challenges that nobody's addressing directly. Over the past month, I've identified the unspoken problems that determine whether billion-dollar innovation bets succeed or fail. Add your voice to choose which challenge I should cover in an upcoming episode. Should I reveal why smart teams kill their own best ideas? How fear corrupts innovation thinking? Why executives make terrible choices about breakthrough opportunities? The voting is live right now in a special Studio Notes post: "[You Get to Choose: Which Innovation Decision Topic Should I Tackle First?](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/you-get-to-choose-which-innovation?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true)" Monday's complete analysis of innovation fatigue – including the case studies I couldn't share here – is in this week's regular [Studio Notes](https://philmckinney.substack.com/). [Vote - What Should We Explore Next?](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/you-get-to-choose-which-innovation) The companies that master innovation decisions while their competitors remain overwhelmed will write the next chapter of business history. Which chapter will your company write? If you want to improve the thinking behind your innovation decisions, check out our [video on critical thinking skills](https://youtu.be/JOFrjc6u47U?si=84BQyMnGtdaZnSnh&ref=philmckinney.com) – it's been our most popular this year. And don't forget: the complete innovation fatigue analysis, including what I learned from 30,000 failed evaluations at HP, is in [this week's Studio Notes](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/you-get-to-choose-which-innovation?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true). Share in the comments: **What innovation decision challenge is keeping you awake at night?** To learn how I evaluated innovation ideas, listen to this week's show: [***I Evaluated Over 30,000 Innovation Ideas at HP: Here's Why Most Failed***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/I%5FEvaluated%5Fover%5F30000%5FInnovation%5FIdeas%5Fat%5FHP.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) *Go deeper:* [*Understanding the Innovation Economy and Its Impact on Our World*](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-innovation-economy-impact-world/) ### The Innovation Fatigue Crisis: Why Your Best Ideas Are Getting Ignored URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-fatigue-crisis-why-your-best-ideas-are-getting-ignored/ Last updated: 2026-10-05T17:45:27.000Z After decades making billion-dollar innovation decisions at HP and CableLabs, I'm watching a crisis I first recognized in my own organization spread everywhere: genuinely breakthrough ideas dying not from poor evaluation, but from attention scarcity. We've created an innovation economy that's too innovative to innovate. The hidden epidemic killing breakthrough thinking right now isn't lack of creativity or resources – it's the overwhelming flood of "revolutionary" opportunities that's drowning out actual revolutions. Every executive I know is building cognitive defenses just to survive their daily pitch parade. Today I'll reveal why even brilliant ideas are getting ignored, and what this attention crisis means for leaders trying to drive breakthrough innovation today. ## The Attention Economy Meets Innovation Overload We're living through an unprecedented moment: every executive is drowning in innovation pitches, AI promises, and "game-changing" opportunities. Every C-suite leader I know is evaluating 40+ innovation proposals monthly – that's what they tell me when I ask why good ideas are getting ignored. That's two per business day, every day, without break. The psychology has shifted dramatically. Decision-makers are developing reflexive skepticism toward all innovation claims as a survival mechanism. It's not cynicism – it's cognitive self-defense against proposal overload. In conversations with dozens of executives over the past year, nearly three-quarters tell me "innovation fatigue" has become their top decision challenge. Good ideas are dying not from merit evaluation but from attention competition. The irony is staggering – we've created an innovation economy where the sheer volume of innovation prevents actual innovation from breaking through. Consider the irony: I'm using the same overloaded language ("revolutionary," "game-changing") that's part of the problem. When every idea is described as transformational, the words lose all meaning. Last month alone, I was pitched 23 "revolutionary" AI solutions. Most were actually solid ideas with real potential. But none got the attention they deserved because my brain had already tagged them as "more innovation noise" before I could properly evaluate their merit. The cruel mathematics are simple: paradigm-shifting concepts need deep consideration, but executives only have bandwidth for surface-level evaluation of the flood hitting their desk. ## Case Study: HP's Innovation Program Office and the Haystack Problem Let me tell you about where I first discovered this crisis – when I was running HP's Innovation Program Office (IPO). The IPO was HP's dedicated engine for identifying, incubating, and launching transformational technologies that would become the company's future growth drivers. We had established frameworks, secured funding, and built what everyone considered a world-class innovation process. [Harvard](https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/SM172-PDF-ENG?ref=philmckinney.com) and [Stanford](https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/innovation-hp-role-innovation-program-office-ipo?ref=philmckinney.com) now teach case studies about our approach. But here's what those case studies didn't capture: we were drowning. More than a decade ago, the HP Innovation Program Office received more than 3,000 ideas and pitches every year. Think about that number for a moment. That's nearly 60 new innovation opportunities hitting our desk every week. Each one claiming to be game-changing. Each one demanding evaluation. Each one potentially containing the next billion-dollar opportunity for HP. No team – no matter how smart, no matter how well-resourced – can properly evaluate 3,000 innovation ideas annually. The mathematics are impossible. And that number keeps going up. Fatigue became our constant battle. The pipeline of new pitches and raw ideas never got smaller, no matter how many we processed. We would clear 50 proposals one week, only to find 65 new ones waiting the next. It felt like trying to empty an ocean with a bucket. We built tools. We created frameworks. We established selection criteria. We hired brilliant people and trained them extensively. But underneath all our sophisticated processes was a gnawing feeling that haunted every decision: somewhere in those 3,000 ideas were genuine breakthroughs that we weren't giving proper attention. The needle-in-the-haystack problem became our existential crisis. How do you find the truly revolutionary ideas when you're buried under an avalanche of merely good ones? How do you maintain the cognitive energy to recognize brilliance when you're processing dozens of "game-changing" proposals every week? I remember one particularly brutal month where we evaluated around 250 innovation pitches. By week three, I caught myself skimming proposals that deserved hours of consideration. By week four, I was unconsciously looking for reasons to say no rather than reasons to say yes. That's when I realized the system had broken me – and if it could break someone whose job was literally to find paradigm-shifting innovation, it was breaking everyone. The most painful part? Years later, I would occasionally encounter innovations in the market that looked suspiciously familiar. Ideas that had been buried in our pipeline, dismissed not because they lacked merit, but because they arrived during a week when we were too overwhelmed to give them the attention they deserved. We had built the most sophisticated innovation evaluation process in corporate America, and it was systematically filtering out the very breakthroughs it was designed to find. Not because our frameworks were wrong, but because human attention has limits that no framework can overcome. That's when I realized we had an attention problem, not an innovation problem. That HP experience taught me to recognize the pattern. Since then, I've worked with dozens of companies facing the same crisis. The scale varies – some see 500 pitches annually, others see 5,000 – but the attention mathematics always break the same way. I thought this was just an HP problem until I started advising Fortune 500 companies and governments. At every organization, I found the same pattern: innovation teams drowning in opportunity abundance, executives developing decision fatigue, and transformational ideas dying from attention scarcity rather than merit evaluation. > *"Intelligence doesn't predict innovation success. Attention allocation does."* ## The Three Types of Innovation Fatigue Through analyzing the HP experience and dozens of similar failures across multiple organizations, I've identified three distinct types of innovation fatigue destroying breakthrough potential: ### Type 1: Executive Innovation Fatigue **The Symptom:** Senior leaders developing reflexive skepticism toward all innovation pitches, regardless of merit. **The Cause:** The overpromise/underdeliver cycle has trained executives to expect disappointment from innovation investments. After being burned by "revolutionary" solutions that delivered incremental improvements, leaders develop cognitive antibodies against innovation enthusiasm. **The Impact:** Even legitimate breakthroughs get dismissed as "more innovation theater" before receiving proper evaluation. I recently spoke with a Fortune 500 CEO who instituted a company-wide moratorium: "No more innovation pitch meetings for six months. We're drowning in paradigm-shifting promises and starving for actual execution." This wasn't anti-innovation leadership – this was a smart executive recognizing that innovation overload was preventing innovation success. ### Type 2: Team Innovation Fatigue **The Symptom:** Innovation teams burning out from launching initiatives that consistently get killed or ignored during the evaluation process. **The Cause:** Organizations creating continuous innovation pressure without building the decision infrastructure to properly evaluate and support transformational ideas. **The Impact:** The best innovators leave for companies with clearer innovation mandates and better decision-making processes. At HP's IPO, I watched our most creative evaluators essentially stop fighting for genuinely novel solutions. When I asked why, one told me, "When you're processing 60 pitches a week, you learn to spot the safe bets quickly. Fighting for the truly revolutionary ones takes energy I don't have anymore." This is innovation death by a thousand small compromises. ### Type 3: Market Innovation Fatigue **The Symptom:** Customers and investors becoming numb to innovation claims, treating all "paradigm-shifting" announcements with equal skepticism. **The Cause:** "Revolutionary" has lost all meaning through overuse. Every product launch, every startup pitch, every feature update is positioned as game-changing innovation. **The Impact:** Actual breakthroughs struggle to differentiate from incremental improvements because the market has developed immunity to innovation language. Consider how "AI-powered" became the new "cloud-enabled" – meaningless marketing speak that signals nothing about actual innovation value. When everything is revolutionary, nothing is revolutionary. ## Why This Crisis Is Different (and Dangerous) This isn't just another innovation challenge we can solve with better processes or more resources. This crisis is fundamentally different from anything we've faced before. Historically, innovation slowdowns were resource problems. Companies couldn't innovate because they lacked money, talent, or technology. The solution was always to invest more resources in innovation capability. Today's crisis is an attention and focus scarcity problem in an abundance economy. We have unlimited innovation opportunities and limited cognitive bandwidth to evaluate them properly. More resources won't solve attention mathematics. The danger is that we're not innovation-starved – we're innovation-overwhelmed. Transformational opportunities are getting lost in the noise of marginal improvements, and the companies that figure out attention allocation will dominate the next decade while everyone else drowns in their own innovation success. This isn't about having better ideas. It's about being heard above the innovation noise, and most organizations have no systematic approach to cutting through their own opportunity abundance. > *The most dangerous phrase in innovation isn't 'that will never work' – it's 'we'll review this later.’* ## What This Means for Your Innovation Strategy Innovation fatigue represents both the biggest threat and the biggest opportunity facing leaders today. The companies that solve attention allocation – both internally and in the market – will capture disproportionate value while their competitors remain paralyzed by choice abundance. But here's what keeps me awake at night: innovation fatigue is just one of ten critical innovation decision challenges that nobody's addressing directly. Over the past month, I've identified the unspoken problems that determine whether billion-dollar innovation bets succeed or fail – and most leaders don't even recognize they exist. These aren't the usual "innovation best practices" you'll find in Harvard Business Review. These are the hard truths about why smart people consistently make terrible choices about genuinely novel ideas, based on three decades of watching brilliant executives destroy brilliant innovations through decision-making errors that could be avoided. Next week, I want you to choose which innovation decision challenge I decode first. I've seen these patterns destroy more transformational potential than market failures, technical problems, and resource constraints combined. **Help me choose the innovation decision challenge that's most urgent for you right now.** [Choose Next Weeks Leadershop Challenge](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/you-get-to-choose-which-innovation) The companies that master innovation decisions while their competitors remain overwhelmed by innovation opportunities will write the next chapter of business history. Which chapter will your company write? --- *What innovation decision challenges are you seeing in your organization? Reply and let me know – your insights often reveal patterns I haven't considered.* *Go deeper:* [*Understanding the Innovation Economy and Its Impact on Our World*](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-innovation-economy-impact-world/) ### You Get to Choose: Which Innovation Decision Topic Should I Tackle First? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/you-get-to-choose-which-innovation-decision-topic-should-i-tackle-first/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T21:00:56.000Z After decades making billion-dollar innovation decisions at HP and CableLabs, I've learned something crucial: the questions that keep executives awake at night are rarely the ones being answered in business schools or consulting frameworks. Last week, I analyzed the most pressing challenges facing senior leaders this coming year. What emerged surprised even me - a list of 10 innovation decision topics that address the unspoken frustrations, hidden anxieties, and systemic problems that every executive faces but rarely admits publicly. **These aren't the usual "innovation best practices" topics.** These are the hard questions about why smart people make terrible innovation choices, why boardrooms kill breakthrough ideas, and why the innovation economy might not be as merit-based as we think. But here's what I realized: **I want to tackle the topic that's most urgent for YOU right now.** So I'm doing something I've never done before - giving my [**Studio Notes**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe)[ paid subscribers](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) the power to choose my next deep-dive topic. Because you're the ones living these challenges daily. --- *Continue reading to see all 10 topics and vote for the ones that addresses your most pressing innovation decision challenge...* --- ## The 10 Innovation Decision Topics (Subscriber Vote Required) After analyzing the patterns in innovation failures, board dynamics, and strategic decision-making across three decades, here are the 10 topics that address what's really happening behind closed doors: ### **1\. The Boardroom Innovation Killer** *"Why smart directors consistently kill breakthrough ideas (and the psychology-based presentation framework that changes their minds)"* Why directors think they're being prudent when they're actually being destructive, plus the specific language and metrics that make boards say 'yes' to uncertain bets. Based on real HP board meetings where billion-dollar innovation decisions were made. ### **2\. The $50 Billion Decision Disaster** *"How intelligent CEOs make catastrophically wrong innovation choices (and the thinking framework that prevents billion-dollar mistakes)"* An autopsy of major corporate innovation failures showing exactly where the decision-making process broke down, why intelligence doesn't predict decision quality, and the cognitive framework that could have saved billions. ### **3\. The Big Tech Innovation Stranglehold** *"How tech giants secretly kill startup disruption through strategic decision-making (not competition)"* The hidden playbook large corporations use to systematically prevent breakthrough innovation - revealing the 'innovation antibodies' that strangle new ideas before they can disrupt established markets. ### **4\. Innovation Capitalism vs. Consumer Capitalism** *"The economic battle reshaping how value gets created (and why it determines society's future)"* Why we're witnessing a fundamental shift from consumption-driven to innovation-driven economics, what this means for wealth creation, and how to position yourself for the new economic reality. ### **5\. The Innovation Leadership Succession Crisis** *"Why breakthrough thinkers can't build breakthrough thinkers (and how innovation capability dies with its leaders)"* Why traditional leadership development kills innovation capability, how to identify innovation leadership potential, and the succession framework that preserves breakthrough thinking across generations. ### **6\. The Rigged Market for Ideas** *"Is innovation really merit-based? (Milton Friedman's free market principles applied to breakthrough thinking)"* Applying economic principles to innovation reveals systematic market failures, idea monopolies, and barriers to entry that prevent the best innovations from winning - plus how to create freer internal markets for ideas. ### **7\. The AI Executive Identity Crisis** *"How artificial intelligence is rewiring leadership decision-making (and what it means for executive relevance)"* The hidden ways AI is changing strategic thinking, what decision-making capabilities leaders are losing to AI dependency, and the framework for human-AI decision partnership that preserves executive relevance. ### **8\. The Innovation Debt Trap** *"How yesterday's breakthroughs become tomorrow's biggest barriers to innovation"* Why successful innovations create cognitive and organizational debt that prevents future breakthroughs, the three types of innovation debt killing companies, and the framework for identifying and paying it down. ### **9\. High-Resolution Thinking** *"The cognitive operating system that separates consistent innovators from everyone else"* The thinking methodology used by breakthrough decision-makers to capture nuanced details, process complex information, and compress insights for influence - revealing why some people consistently make better choices. ### **10\. The Underground Innovation Economy** *"Where real breakthroughs actually happen (beyond the Silicon Valley hype machine)"* Mapping the hidden innovation ecosystem where breakthrough thinking thrives, the seven sectors accelerating under the radar, and how to identify emerging innovation clusters before they're mainstream. --- ## How to Vote (Your Input Shapes My Content) **Here's what I need from you:** **1\. Choose Your Top 3** \- Reply in the comments with your top 3 topics in order of priority **2\. Share Your Specific Question** \- For your #1 choice, tell me the specific question you'd want answered about this topic **3\. Context Matters** \- Mention where you'd apply these insights (board meetings, team decisions, strategic planning, etc.) **Example:** *"My top 3: #2, #7, #5\. For #2 (Decision Disaster), my specific question is: 'How do you know when a CEO is making an emotional decision disguised as a rational one?' I'd use this in strategic planning sessions where we're evaluating major technology bets."* --- ## What Happens Next **This Week and next:** I'll analyze all responses and announce the winner **Following Week … or maybe the week after:** Monday deep-dive **Studio Notes** on the winning topic (with subscriber questions woven throughout). Mid-week, I’ll release a YouTube framework video + LinkedIn analysis of the insights **Bonus:** I'll quote subscriber questions throughout the content (with permission) - your insights help shape the final analysis --- ## Why This Matters These topics represent the questions that don't get asked in polite business conversations but determine the fate of billion-dollar innovation decisions. Your vote tells me which challenge is most urgent for the leaders reading **Studio Notes**. Plus, this is your chance to help shape content that addresses your real-world innovation decision challenges - not the theoretical frameworks that look good in presentations but fall apart under pressure. **Vote in the comments below.** Let's tackle the innovation decision topic that matters most to you right now. ### How To Master Lateral Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-master-lateral-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:13.000Z A software engineer grabbed a random word from a dictionary – "beehive" – and within hours designed an algorithm that saved his company millions. While his colleagues were working harder, he was thinking differently. This breakthrough didn't come from luck. It came from lateral thinking – a systematic approach to finding solutions hiding in plain sight. I'm [Phil McKinney](https://www.philmckinney.com/) and welcome to my Innovation Studio. In this episode, we will cover the **lateral thinking** framework. Not theory – a practical, step-by-step system you can use immediately. You'll try your first technique in the next five minutes. By the end of this episode, you'll have four specific techniques that transform how you approach problems, plus practice methods that make mastery inevitable. And hey, if this kind of framework thinking resonates with you, then hit that subscribe and like button. It helps us with the algorithm. If you want to dive deeper into these topics, then subscribe to my [Studio Notes on Substack](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe). Plus, if you know someone who might find this episode useful, feel free to share it with them. Alright, let's dive in. Here's what most people miss: breakthrough solutions don't come from thinking faster or working longer. They come from thinking differently. While everyone else improves using existing tools and approaches, lateral thinkers reimagine entire problems. For example, Southwest Airlines didn't create a better airline experience - they reimagined air travel as mass transportation. Tesla didn't build superior cars - they re-conceptualized personal mobility around sustainable energy. These companies succeeded by approaching familiar challenges through completely different frameworks. The question isn't whether you're smart enough to solve problems - you are. The question is whether you're willing to disrupt your thinking patterns to discover solutions that conventional logical approaches miss. But here's where most people get lateral thinking completely wrong, and understanding this distinction will determine whether you develop breakthrough capabilities or just become better at brainstorming... ## Lateral Thinking vs Linear Thinking What is the distinction between Linear and Lateral thinking? When faced with a problem, most people use linear thinking - they analyze what's wrong and optimize within existing frameworks. It's logical, sequential, and focuses on improving current approaches. Lateral thinking does something completely different. Instead of improving what exists, it changes how you perceive the problem itself. Let me illustrate the difference with a single example. When customers complained about long wait times, linear thinking said, "Make the elevators faster." Lateral thinking asked, "What if waiting wasn't the real problem?" The solution? Install mirrors next to elevators. People stopped complaining because they were distracted, not because waits got shorter. Linear thinking improved the elevator. Lateral thinking eliminated the problem by changing what the problem actually was. This is Dr. [Edward de Bono](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-escaping-a-creative-rut-generating-new-ideas/)'s systematic method for shifting perceptions entirely. As he explained: "To find breakthrough solutions, change where you're looking, not just how hard you're looking." The challenge isn't that people lack creativity - it's that they don't have systematic methods for breaking free from mental patterns that limit them. Lateral thinking offers specific techniques for generating what de Bono referred to as "movement" in thinking. When everyone in your industry follows similar approaches, breakthrough opportunities emerge for those who think differently. While competitors optimize existing methods, lateral thinkers discover entirely different approaches. This operates on four distinct levels that build systematic capabilities. The progression from beginner to expert follows a pattern that will surprise you... ## The Four-Level Mastery Framework The lateral thinking framework has four progressive levels. Here's a quick overview of each so you have context before we explore them each in detail. **Level One: Suspend Judgment and Break Patterns** – Your foundation level. You'll learn to deliberately disrupt automatic thinking responses and embrace ideas that seem absurd. This creates the mental environment where breakthrough solutions can emerge. **Level Two: Random Input for Forced Connections** – Intermediate level. You'll use systematic provocations to force your brain into unfamiliar territory. This isn't random creativity - it's controlled disruption that bypasses your brain's tendency to look for solutions in familiar places. **Level Three: Challenge Sacred Assumptions** – [Advanced thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-strengthen-creative-thinking-the-10-minute-daily-brain-workout-based-on-neuroplasticity-research/). You'll systematically examine and reverse the fundamental premises everyone else takes for granted. This is about creating "movement" in thinking by making the familiar strange. **Level Four: Embrace Deliberate Absurdity** – Expert level. You'll find breakthrough solutions by seriously exploring ideas that seem obviously wrong. This isn't about being silly - it's about using absurdity as a systematic tool for discovering hidden insights. **Quick Demo:** Before we dive deep, let's try one technique. Think of any current challenge you're facing. Now grab the nearest object - a pen, coffee mug, your phone, anything. Spend thirty seconds asking: "How is this object like my problem?" Force weird connections. A pen runs out of ink - maybe your problem needs fresh input. A coffee mug holds liquid - maybe your challenge needs a container or boundary. Your phone connects people - maybe your issue needs better communication. Notice how this random object sparked different angles? That's lateral thinking in action. This was just a taste - each level has [systematic techniques](https://www.philmckinney.com/your-brain-on-ai-the-shocking-decline-in-creative-thinking-2025/) that amplify this effect. Here's what's powerful about this progression. You don't need to master all four levels to see dramatic results. Level One techniques alone can solve problems that teams couldn't crack in weeks. But when you combine all four levels, you develop innovation confidence – the unshakeable belief that creative solutions exist for every problem. But the real power comes from developing what I call "[innovation confidence](https://www.philmckinney.com/building-innovation-confidence-tips-and-tricks/)" - the systematic ability to find creative solutions when conventional approaches hit dead ends. Ready to transform how you approach problems? Let's start with Level One, but I need to warn you - what seems like the simplest technique often produces the most unexpected breakthroughs... ## Level 1: Pattern Breaking Techniques Your brain is a pattern-recognition machine. It looks for familiar situations and applies solutions that worked before. This efficiency usually helps, but when facing new problems, these patterns become invisible barriers that prevent you from finding new solutions. Level One breaks these patterns systematically. Here are three specific techniques: **Technique One: Change Your Routine** Disrupt both your thinking environment and daily patterns. Your brain associates thought patterns with specific locations and routines. If you always brainstorm in the same conference room, you'll have the same types of ideas. Southwest Airlines used this brilliantly. Instead of studying airlines, they studied bus transportation. This environmental change broke their [mental patterns](https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-monumental-innovation-with-marginal-gains/) about air travel. They discovered point-to-point routes, eliminated assigned seating, removed meal service, and focused on quick turnarounds. Every innovation came from thinking like a bus company, not an airline. You can apply this by changing where you tackle problems, taking different routes to work, using your non-dominant hand for simple tasks, or changing when you tackle challenging problems during the day. These disruptions create mental flexibility that carries over into creative problem-solving. **Technique Two: Question Core Assumptions** Write down three assumptions about your current challenge. Then ask, "What if the opposite were true?" Most problems have hidden assumptions we never examine. Example: Improving customer service. Your assumptions might be that customers want fast responses, prefer human interaction, and contact you when problems occur. Consider this: What if customers prefer thoughtful responses over fast ones? What if they choose good self-service over poor human service? What if you could help customers before problems arise? Suddenly, you're thinking about proactive support, comprehensive self-service resources, and quality over speed. These insights come from questioning assumptions everyone else accepts. **Technique Three: Time-Box the Impossible** Spend ten minutes seriously considering solutions that seem impossible. Often "impossible" means "we haven't figured out how yet." Amazon's same-day delivery seemed impossible until they reimagined warehousing. SpaceX's reusable rockets seemed impossible until they questioned whether rockets had to be disposable. What seems impossible in your field might just need different thinking. Pattern breaking works because it forces your brain out of automatic mode. But what happens when you want to accelerate this process dramatically? The next level introduces something so counterintuitive that it seems almost absurd - until you see what it can create... ## Level 2: Random Input Technique Level Two introduces controlled randomness that forces breakthrough connections. You'll learn to make your brain create links it would never make naturally. This technique created Post-it Notes at 3M. A scientist had a "failed" adhesive that barely stuck. A colleague needed better bookmarks for his church hymnal. The random collision of these unrelated problems sparked repositionable sticky notes – now generating over a billion dollars annually. **The Process:** **Step One:** Define your challenge in one clear sentence. Be specific. **Step Two:** Generate random input. Open a book to a random page and point to a word, use online random word generators, or grab three random objects around you. **Step Three:** Force connections. Spend fifteen minutes finding ways to connect your random input to your challenge. No connection is too weird. The stranger, the better. **Real Example:** Challenge: "Reduce employee turnover" Random word: "Garden" Connections: Gardens need regular watering – employees need consistent check-ins. Gardens grow better with proper soil – work environment matters. Gardens require pruning dead parts – eliminate toxic behaviors. Gardens have seasonal cycles – adjust expectations based on business rhythms. These random connections lead to employee development programs, environmental improvements, cultural changes, and seasonal workflow adjustments. None of these insights came from traditional HR thinking. **Why This Works:** Random inputs bypass your brain's tendency to look for solutions in familiar places. They force neural pathways that wouldn't connect naturally. Breakthrough solutions often hide in unexpected combinations. **Which level is clicking for you so far? Pattern breaking or random connections? Both build the foundation for what's coming next...** **Before we go deeper, let's practice what you just learned. Pick that same challenge from earlier. Now try a different Level 2 approach: grab any book, open to a random page, and point to a word. Spend one minute connecting that word to your problem. What new angles emerge? This compound effect - layering techniques - is where breakthrough thinking lives.** The Random Input Technique accelerates breakthrough thinking by forcing neural pathways that wouldn't connect naturally. But there's something even more powerful waiting in Level Three—a method that challenges the very foundations everyone else builds their solutions on... ## Level 3: Challenge Sacred Assumptions Level Three challenges the assumptions that others take for granted. This is where lateral thinking becomes powerful – you'll start seeing opportunities that are invisible to your competition. Netflix used “What If” thinking to transform entertainment. In 2007, they dominated DVD-by-mail with seven million subscribers. The industry assumed customers wanted to own movies, physical media provided the best quality, and broadband was too slow for streaming. Netflix challenged every assumption: What if customers didn't want to own movies? What if delivery delays were barriers, not services? What if broadband became fast enough? Most radically: What if we cannibalized our own successful business? These questions led to streaming launch in 2007\. Today, Netflix has over 240 million subscribers, generating $31 billion annually, while competitors who didn't question assumptions have disappeared. **The Process:** **Step One:** List your core assumptions. These are things "everyone knows" are true in your field. **Step Two:** Reverse each assumption completely. If customers want speed, ask "What if they preferred thoughtful slowness?" If more choices seem better, ask "What if fewer choices improved satisfaction?" **Step Three:** Push to extremes and chain your questions. What if this took ten times longer? What if resources were unlimited? Take your best scenario and ask What If about that result. Keep pushing until you reach uncomfortable territory. The biggest breakthroughs come when you challenge assumptions that feel fundamental– like rules. “What If” thinking reveals hidden opportunities within your assumptions. However, the most counterintuitive breakthroughs often come from an approach that seems to violate common sense entirely, which brings us to the expert level that turns logic on its head... ## Level 4: Embrace Deliberate Absurdity Level Four is expert-level lateral thinking that embraces deliberate absurdity. You'll find breakthrough solutions by doing exactly the opposite of what seems logical. It sounds counterintuitive because it is – and that's precisely why it works. IKEA revolutionized furniture by providing what seemed like terrible customer service. Instead of delivering assembled furniture, they made customers assemble it themselves. This reversed every industry assumption: customers would work instead of receiving convenience, invest time instead of getting immediate use. The "backward" approach revealed hidden benefits: dramatically reduced shipping costs, minimal storage requirements, lower prices, and, surprisingly, customer satisfaction from successful assembly. What seemed like terrible service became a competitive advantage. IKEA now generates €38 billion annually. **The Process:** **Step One:** List how your industry typically handles similar challenges. Write down the conventional wisdom everyone follows. **Step Two:** Reverse each approach completely. If your industry emphasizes speed, consider slowness. If everyone wants more features, consider fewer features. **Step Three:** Explore the reversals seriously. Don't dismiss opposites immediately. Look for unexpected advantages in seemingly wrong approaches. Sometimes, the best solutions hide behind what appear to be terrible ideas. **Real Example:** Dollar Shave Club did opposite thinking with razors. While the industry focused on premium features, advanced technology, and retail partnerships, Dollar Shave Club eliminated fancy features, used simple razors, and bypassed retail entirely by offering direct subscriptions. Result: While major brands competed on blade technology and premium positioning, Dollar Shave Club captured a massive market share by doing everything the industry thought was wrong—and sold for $1 billion. The most counterintuitive solutions often hide in directions that make everyone else uncomfortable. Don't just think outside the box – think in the opposite direction of the box. You now have four levels of lateral thinking techniques. Do you know hat separates people who learn these concepts from those who actually master them? A system of practice that transforms theory into instinctive capability... ## The Practice System That Guarantees Mastery The following two practice approaches transform lateral thinking from a [conceptual understanding](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/) into an instinctive skill. Use them solo for breakthrough thinking or with colleagues for collaborative problem-solving. **Approach One: The Assumption-Breaking Generator** This combines three powerful techniques for compound breakthroughs. Start with a real problem you're facing. Step 1: List three core assumptions about your challenge - things "everyone knows" are true. Step 2: Reverse each assumption completely. What if the opposite were true? Step 3: Grab a random word (book, phone, ask someone) and force connections between that word and your reversed assumptions. Example: - Challenge = "Improve customer service" - Assumptions: Customers want speed, prefer humans, contact us when problems occur. - Reversals: - What if customers want thoughtfulness over speed? - What if they prefer self-service? - What if we helped before problems arise? - Random word: "Garden" → Gardens need seasonal care = maybe customers need different support at different business cycles. This creates insights you'd never reach with single techniques alone. **Approach Two: The Escalation Challenge** Perfect for pushing “What If” thinking to breakthrough levels. Start with a real problem. Propose a “What If” scenario addressing it. Keep pushing ideas to more extreme territory until you say, "That's impossible... but what if we could?" Example: "What if customers never waited?" → "What if they were served before arriving?" → "What if we predicted needs before customers knew them?" Suddenly, you're thinking about predictive analytics and anticipatory service. **Practice Tips:** - Use real problems, not theoretical ones - Start with 15-minute sessions - The more ridiculous ideas become, the better - Document insights immediately - Practice daily for compound skill building - Embrace absurdity – breakthroughs hide in impossible ideas **Your Practice Plan:** Choose one approach. Apply it to a current challenge. Spend 15 minutes. Document what emerges. Try another approach tomorrow. Build lateral thinking into your regular problem-solving routine. Practice transforms these techniques from interesting concepts into instinctive capabilities. The more you use them, the more naturally you'll see solutions others miss. ## Conclusion Now comes the moment of truth. You have the complete framework, but what you do next will determine whether this becomes just another interesting video you watched, or the beginning of a fundamental shift in how you approach every challenge you'll ever face. Companies investing in lateral thinking see documented ROI from 5:1 to 20:1\. Individual professionals show 300% increases in viable ideas. But the real value is personal transformation – becoming someone who consistently finds breakthrough solutions. Your assignment is simple: pick one problem you're currently facing and apply one technique right now. Not later – right now. Start with whichever level feels most accessible. Document what happens. Share your discoveries in the comments. What patterns did you break? What random connections led to insights? What assumptions proved wrong? Your examples help others see possibilities and build our breakthrough thinking community. To learn how to master lateral thinking skills, listen to this week's show: [***How To Master Lateral Thinking Skills***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FTo%5FMaster%5FLateral%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### The Thinking Hack That Built Billion-Dollar Companies URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-thinking-hack-that-built-billion-dollar-companies/ Last updated: 2025-08-19T00:36:10.000Z A software engineer stared at a performance problem that stumped his entire team. Traditional solutions weren't working. Then he grabbed a random word from a dictionary—"beehive"—and within hours had designed a breakthrough algorithm that saved his company. A marketing manager facing budget cuts asked one backwards question and created the most successful campaign in company history. An airline startup ignored every industry rule and achieved 47 consecutive years of profitability. These breakthrough solutions didn't come from working harder or thinking faster. They came from lateral thinking—a systematic approach to finding solutions hiding in plain sight. By the end of this article, you'll master this complete system for approaching problems from unexpected angles and generating breakthrough solutions when conventional thinking hits dead ends. ## **What is Lateral Thinking?** Your team has analyzed the data, brainstormed for hours, and tried every obvious solution. Nothing's working. The problem isn't that you're not thinking hard enough—you're all looking in the same place. Then someone shifts perspective entirely, and suddenly breakthrough solutions appear that were invisible moments before. This is lateral thinking in action—Dr. Edward de Bono's systematic method for changing your perceptions and breaking out of familiar thought patterns. As he explained it, "To find breakthrough solutions, you have to change where you're looking, not just how hard you're looking." > *"Most people solve problems by getting better at what they already know. Breakthrough thinkers solve problems by discovering what they don't know they don't know."* Lateral thinking isn't random creativity or lucky guesses. It's a systematic approach that successful innovators use to breakthrough mental barriers. Dyson revolutionized vacuum cleaners by asking "what if we made the dirt visible instead of hidden?" Dollar Shave Club disrupted the razor industry by wondering "what if we eliminated the retail middleman entirely?" The difference between conventional and lateral thinking is this: conventional thinking improves the candle to light a room better, while lateral thinking invents the light bulb. But understanding the difference means nothing if you don't grasp why this skill has become absolutely critical for survival in today's world. For a visual demonstration of these lateral thinking principles in action, watch our companion video "[How To Master Lateral Thinking Skills](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com)," releasing this Wednesday, where we walk through each technique with real business scenarios and live problem-solving examples. ## **Why Lateral Thinking Matters Now** You've seen lateral thinking create billion-dollar breakthroughs, even if you didn't recognize it at the time. Airbnb asked "what if strangers' homes became hotels?" and created a $75 billion company. Uber wondered "what if anyone could become a taxi driver?" and disrupted transportation globally. Tesla challenged "what if cars didn't need gas stations?" and sparked the electric vehicle revolution. While these companies were reimagining entire industries, their competitors were perfecting yesterday's solutions. Hotels improved amenities while Airbnb eliminated hotels entirely. Taxi companies enhanced dispatch systems while Uber made everyone a potential driver. Auto manufacturers improved fuel efficiency while Tesla made fuel irrelevant. In today's rapidly changing world, the old approach of incremental improvements isn't enough. While everyone else makes slightly better versions of existing solutions, lateral thinkers are reimagining entire problems. They're not just succeeding—they're making conventional approaches obsolete. The cost of not developing these skills? You'll spend your career playing catch-up, solving yesterday's problems with yesterday's methods, while opportunities pass you by. Yet most professionals remain trapped in thinking patterns that guarantee they'll miss the very breakthroughs that could transform their results. ## **The Hidden Cost of Linear Thinking** In today's fast-moving world, we've become trapped in linear thinking patterns that limit our problem-solving potential. We see this everywhere—companies launching the "next version" of existing products instead of reimagining what's possible, professionals applying the same solutions to different problems, and entire industries stuck in decades-old approaches. ### **The Real Cost: HP's $30 Million Lesson** During my time in corporate leadership at HP, I witnessed firsthand how organizations get caught in incremental thinking traps. When HP launched the MediaSmart Server—essentially a home server for consumers—I had serious reservations. In a heated face-to-face argument with Steve Ballmer in the HP boardroom, I questioned the fundamental premise: what consumer actually wanted a "server" product in their home? HP resisted any lateral thinking approaches to the product concept. Leadership preferred following whatever Microsoft and Intel were willing to fund, rather than stepping back to ask different questions like "What if we stopped calling it a server?" or "What if we focused on what families actually wanted to do with their media?" The company chose incremental improvements to existing server technology over reimagining the entire problem of home media management. This comfort with partner-directed thinking, while avoiding the unknown of original innovation, cost HP not just this product opportunity but positioned them as followers rather than leaders in the consumer technology space. The result? We miss breakthrough innovations hiding in plain sight, solve symptoms instead of root problems, and watch competitors who think differently capture markets we never saw coming. > *"You can't solve tomorrow's problems with yesterday's thinking patterns."* Most organizations and individuals know they need to think differently. They just don't know how to systematically break free from the mental patterns that limit them. That's exactly what the next section reveals. ## **How To Master Lateral Thinking** Mastering lateral thinking happens in stages, just like learning any valuable skill. We'll start with the foundational mindset that makes everything else possible, then build through four core techniques that take you from beginner breakthroughs to advanced mastery. The beauty of this system is that you can start wherever you are and see immediate results while building toward long-term expertise. What separates this approach from generic creativity advice? Each technique builds on the previous one, creating a compound effect that transforms how you approach problems permanently. ### **Foundation: Develop the Lateral Mindset** Before you can master the techniques, you need to embrace the lateral thinking mindset. This means accepting that your first instinct is probably not the best solution, that "impossible" often means "not yet discovered," and that the best answers might come from completely unexpected directions. **Mindset Shifts for Mastery:** - **Suspend Judgment**: Ideas don't have to be good to be useful—they just need to move your thinking - **Embrace Absurdity**: The most ridiculous ideas often contain hidden insights - **Question Everything**: Every assumption is negotiable, every rule can be bent - **Value Movement Over Truth**: Sometimes wrong ideas lead to right solutions The mindset alone won't solve your problems. But it creates the mental environment where breakthrough solutions can emerge. Once you've developed this foundation, you're ready for the first technique that will immediately change how you approach challenges. ### **Level 1: Break Your Mental Patterns *(Beginner)*** Your brain loves efficiency—it creates mental shortcuts and patterns that work most of the time but blind you to new possibilities. This first technique deliberately disrupts these patterns in small ways that create big results. **Steps to Break Your Patterns:** 1. **Change Your Physical Environment**: When facing a tough problem, move to a different location. Your brain associates certain thought patterns with specific environments. 2. **Alter Your Routine**: Take a different route to work, use your non-dominant hand for simple tasks, or change when you tackle challenging problems. 3. **Question Your Assumptions**: Write down three assumptions you're making about your current challenge, then ask "what if the opposite were true?" 4. **Time-Box Impossibilities**: Spend 10 minutes seriously considering solutions that seem impossible. Often, "impossible" just means "we haven't figured out how yet." **Southwest Airlines: Breaking Aviation's Sacred Patterns** When Southwest Airlines launched in 1971, the aviation industry followed rigid patterns: hub-and-spoke routes, assigned seating, meal service, premium amenities, and competing primarily with other airlines. Southwest's founders broke these patterns by changing their environment—literally studying bus transportation instead of airline operations. By observing Greyhound's point-to-point model, they questioned core aviation assumptions: "What if airlines operated more like buses?" This pattern-breaking led to revolutionary changes: eliminating assigned seating, removing meal service, using secondary airports, and focusing on 15-minute turnarounds. Instead of trying to be a better airline within existing patterns, they created entirely new operational frameworks. The result? Southwest achieved 47 consecutive years of profitability while forcing major carriers to create their own low-cost subsidiaries. Their success came not from perfecting existing airline practices, but from breaking free of industry thought patterns entirely. Pattern-breaking works because it forces your brain out of automatic mode. But what happens when you want to accelerate this process dramatically? The next technique introduces an element so random that breakthrough insights become almost inevitable. ### **Level 2: Random Input Technique *(Intermediate)*** One of the most powerful lateral thinking techniques costs nothing and works anywhere—the random word method. This technique forces your brain to make new connections by introducing completely unrelated elements into your problem-solving process. **Steps for Random Input:** 1. **Define Your Challenge**: Write your problem in one clear sentence. 2. **Generate Random Input**: Open any book to a random page and point to a word, or use a random word generator online. 3. **Force Connections**: Spend 15 minutes finding ways to connect this random word to your challenge. No connection is too weird. 4. **Extract Insights**: Look for useful ideas within even the strangest connections. 5. **Build on Breakthrough Moments**: When something clicks, explore that direction further. 6. **Advanced Variation**: Use random images, sounds, or even random combinations of two unrelated words. *Example: If your random word is "bridge" and your challenge is improving customer service, you might explore how bridges connect separate areas—leading to the insight of creating liaison roles between departments.* **3M's Billion-Dollar Accident** In 1968, 3M scientist Dr. Spencer Silver was attempting to create a super-strong adhesive for aerospace applications. Instead, he accidentally created a weak, pressure-sensitive adhesive that could be easily removed without leaving residue. For years, this "failed" adhesive sat unused—until Art Fry made an unexpected connection. Fry sang in his church choir and was frustrated by bookmarks falling out of his hymnal. During a 1974 seminar where Silver presented his adhesive discovery, Fry made a random connection between Silver's "weak" glue and his bookmark problem. The random collision of a failed adhesive and falling bookmarks sparked the idea for repositionable sticky notes. After 5,127 prototypes and 12 years of development, Post-it Notes launched nationally in 1980\. Today, 3M produces over 50 billion Post-it Notes annually, generating more than $1 billion in revenue. This billion-dollar breakthrough came not from planned innovation, but from connecting two seemingly unrelated elements: a "useless" adhesive and a choir member's frustration. Random inputs work because they bypass your brain's tendency to look for solutions in familiar places. But when you want to challenge the very foundations of a problem, you need a technique that questions everything you think you know. ### **Level 3: "What If" Scenarios *(Advanced)*** Transform problems by systematically challenging their fundamental premises. This technique helped Southwest Airlines revolutionize aviation by asking "What if flying was more like taking a bus?" But mastering it requires pushing beyond comfortable questions into territory that feels genuinely uncomfortable. **Steps for "What If" Thinking:** 1. **List Core Assumptions**: Identify the basic assumptions underlying your challenge. 2. **Reverse Each Assumption**: "What if customers paid after receiving service instead of before?" 3. **Exaggerate to Extremes**: "What if this process took 10 times longer? 10 times faster?" 4. **Remove Constraints**: "What if budget/time/resources were unlimited? What if they were severely limited?" 5. **Chain "What Ifs"**: Take your best "what if" and ask "what if" about that scenario 6. **Find the Unexpected Value**: Look for insights within even absurd scenarios. **Netflix's Self-Destruction Strategy** In 2007, Netflix was successfully dominating the DVD-by-mail market with 7 million subscribers and a proven business model. The entertainment industry assumed that physical media was king—customers wanted to own movies, rental stores provided valuable curation, and broadband was too slow for quality video streaming. But Netflix applied "what if" thinking to challenge every assumption: "What if customers didn't want to own movies, just access them?" "What if waiting for mail delivery was actually a barrier, not a service?" "What if broadband became fast enough for instant streaming?" Most radically: "What if we cannibalized our own successful DVD business?" These questions led Netflix to launch streaming in 2007, initially as a free add-on to DVD subscriptions. While competitors like Blockbuster dismissed streaming as a niche market, Netflix was testing their "what if" scenarios in real time. By asking what would happen if physical media became obsolete, they prepared for a future others couldn't imagine. The result? Netflix's streaming service now has over 240 million global subscribers and generates $31 billion annually, while Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy. Netflix's willingness to challenge their own successful assumptions transformed them from a DVD company into the world's leading entertainment platform. "What if" thinking reveals possibilities hidden within your assumptions. But the most counterintuitive breakthroughs often come from doing exactly the opposite of what seems logical—which brings us to the final technique. ### **Level 4: Opposite Thinking *(Expert)*** Sometimes the best solutions come from doing exactly the opposite of what seems logical. This technique has led to breakthrough innovations like Dyson's transparent dirt compartments (making the dirty visible) and IKEA's flat-pack furniture (making customers do the assembly). **Steps for Opposite Thinking:** 1. **Identify Standard Approaches**: List how your industry/situation typically handles similar challenges. 2. **Reverse Each Approach**: Write the opposite of each standard method. 3. **Explore the Reversals**: Spend time seriously considering how these opposites might work. 4. **Find Hidden Benefits**: Look for unexpected advantages in seemingly backward approaches. 5. **Combine Insights**: Merge useful elements from opposite approaches with conventional wisdom. 6. **Meta-Opposite**: Apply opposite thinking to your opposite thinking results. **IKEA's "Terrible" Customer Service Revolution** In 1956, IKEA designer Gillis Lundgren faced a practical problem: his newly designed Lövet coffee table wouldn't fit in his Volvo station wagon for a photo shoot. The furniture industry's standard approach was delivering fully assembled furniture to customers' homes—a service that required extensive logistics, storage space, and high delivery costs. Lundgren applied opposite thinking: instead of delivering assembled furniture, what if customers took home unassembled furniture and did the assembly themselves? This reversed every industry assumption: instead of convenience, customers would do work; instead of immediate use, they'd invest time; instead of professional assembly, they'd follow instructions. The "backward" approach revealed hidden benefits: dramatically reduced shipping costs, minimal storage requirements, lower retail prices, and surprisingly, customer satisfaction from the achievement of assembly. What seemed like terrible customer service became IKEA's core competitive advantage. Today, IKEA generates over €38 billion annually, with flat-pack furniture becoming an entire industry standard. The company that made customers do the work became the world's largest furniture retailer by doing the opposite of what everyone else considered good business practice. You now have four powerful techniques that can transform how you approach any challenge. But knowing the techniques and mastering them are different things entirely. The next section gives you a practical way to accelerate your skill development while having more fun than should be legal. ## **Practice Games: Build Your Skills Through Play** You now have four powerful techniques, but knowing them and mastering them are different things entirely. These practice games will accelerate your skill development while making the process genuinely enjoyable. Play them solo when you need a thinking breakthrough, or grab a colleague when you want to tackle challenges together. ### **Game 1: The Escalation Challenge** Perfect for pushing "what if" thinking to breakthrough levels. **How to Play:** - Start with any real problem you're facing - Propose a "what if" scenario that addresses it - If playing with others, take turns making each suggestion more extreme than the last - If playing solo, keep pushing your own ideas further - Don't stop until you reach genuinely absurd territory - Victory: When you find yourself saying "that's completely impossible... but wait..." *Example progression: "What if customers never had to wait?" → "What if they were served before they even arrived?" → "What if we predicted what they wanted before they knew they wanted it?"* ### **Game 2: The Reverse Engineering Game** Turn conventional wisdom upside down to find hidden opportunities. **How to Play:** - List how your industry normally handles your type of challenge - Systematically reverse each standard approach - Explore what these backwards approaches might accomplish - Look for unexpected benefits in seemingly terrible ideas - Build on any reversal that sparks genuine interest *Example: Customer service helps after problems arise → What if we created problems for customers to solve? → What if customers taught each other? → That's actually peer-to-peer support communities.* ### **Game 3: Random Connection Challenges** Force breakthrough insights using whatever's around you. **How to Play:** - Clearly state your problem - Grab three random objects from your environment (or use a random word generator) - Spend 15 minutes connecting each object to your challenge - No connection is too weird—force relationships that don't make sense - Extract practical insights from even the strangest connections *Example: Problem = "Improve team meetings" + Objects = coffee mug, phone charger, houseplant = "What if meetings had warmth like mugs, gave energy like chargers, and grew stronger with regular attention like plants?"* ### **Game 4: The Assumption Hunt** Uncover and challenge the hidden beliefs limiting your solutions. **How to Play:** - Write down your challenge - List every assumption you're making about it (aim for at least 10) - Pick the three assumptions that feel most "obviously true" - Spend time seriously considering what would happen if each assumption were completely wrong - Look for solutions that emerge when those assumptions disappear **Pro Tip:** The more ridiculous your ideas become, the more your brain breaks free from conventional patterns. Embrace the absurd—your breakthrough insights are hiding in the seemingly impossible ideas. This playful approach to skill building works because it removes the pressure that often blocks creative thinking. But what happens when you master these techniques and integrate them into your professional life? To see these practice games in action and learn advanced variations, check out our upcoming video "[How To Master Lateral Thinking Skills](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com)," premiering Wednesday, where we demonstrate each game and show how professionals use them to solve real workplace challenges. ## **The Transformation That Awaits** The benefits of mastering lateral thinking skills compound dramatically over time. Companies investing in lateral thinking training see documented ROI ranging from 5:1 to 20:1, with organizations like DuPont saving $30 million annually from single lateral thinking insights. But the real transformation happens at the individual level. At the beginner level, you'll notice immediate improvements in creative problem-solving and fewer moments of feeling "stuck." While your colleagues remain trapped in conventional approaches, you'll consistently find solutions they miss. Research shows individuals with enhanced creative problem-solving capabilities demonstrate 25% performance increases compared to their peers. As you advance through the intermediate and advanced levels, something more significant happens. Colleagues will start coming to you when they face challenging problems, recognizing your ability to see solutions they miss. You'll develop what I call "innovation confidence"—the unshakeable belief that creative solutions exist for every problem, you just need the right approach to find them. But the real transformation happens as you approach mastery. You'll develop the reputation as someone who finds solutions where others see only problems. In an economy that rewards innovation and creative thinking, this becomes your sustainable competitive advantage. General Electric's creativity training resulted in 60% more patentable concepts, while participants in corporate lateral thinking programs show 300% increases in viable ideas compared to non-participants. > *"Innovation confidence isn't believing you're creative—it's knowing that creative solutions exist for every problem."* More importantly, you'll stop seeing problems as barriers and start seeing them as puzzles with hidden solutions waiting to be discovered. This mindset shift alone transforms how you approach your career, relationships, and personal goals. The question isn't whether you can develop these skills—you can. The question is whether you'll commit to the practice that makes mastery inevitable. ## **Your Mastery Path Forward** Lateral thinking mastery isn't a mystical talent—it's a systematic skill that improves with deliberate practice. Start with the foundational mindset, then work through the levels at your own pace. Even "failed" lateral thinking exercises strengthen your creative problem-solving abilities because they're building new neural pathways. To see this complete lateral thinking framework in action, watch our deep-dive video '[How To Master Lateral Thinking Skills](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com)', releasing Wednesday, where we demonstrate each technique through real business scenarios. Remember, the goal isn't to replace logical thinking—it's to develop complementary lateral thinking skills that activate when conventional approaches hit their limits. The world needs more people who can think around corners, find solutions in unexpected places, and break through the limitations that stop others. While your competitors continue doing what they've always done, you'll be finding solutions they never imagined existed. With these tools and consistent practice, you'll become one of the breakthrough thinkers who shapes the future instead of reacting to it. *This article first appeared on *Studio Notes.* To ensure early access to future articles,* [*subscribe to *Studio Notes* on Substack*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe)*.* --- ## **Endnotes** 1. De Bono, Edward. *Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step*. Harper & Row, 1970\. Edward de Bono coined the term "lateral thinking" in 1967\. Academic analysis: Phillips, D.C. "Creative and Lateral Thinking: Edward de Bono." *Encyclopedia of Educational Theory and Philosophy*, SAGE Publications, 2014.[ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304088397\_Creative\_and\_Lateral\_Thinking\_Edward\_de\_Bono](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304088397%5FCreative%5Fand%5FLateral%5FThinking%5FEdward%5Fde%5FBono?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. Edward de Bono official website. *Thinking as a Skill*. [https://www.debono.com](https://www.debono.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) 3. Southwest Airlines Reports 47th Consecutive Year of Profitability. Southwest Airlines Investor Relations, January 23, 2020.[ https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2020/01-23-2020-112908345](https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2020/01-23-2020-112908345?ref=philmckinney.com) 4. Schleckser, Jim. "Why Southwest Has Been Profitable 45 Years in a Row." *Inc.com*, June 5, 2020.[ https://www.inc.com/jim-schleckser/why-southwest-has-been-profitable-45-years-in-a-row.html](https://www.inc.com/jim-schleckser/why-southwest-has-been-profitable-45-years-in-a-row.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 5. "Southwest Airlines is under attack—and it's something founder Herb Kelleher always worried about." *Fortune*, August 24, 2024.[ https://fortune.com/2024/08/24/southwest-airlines-is-under-attack-and-its-something-founder-herb-kelleher-always-worried-about/](https://fortune.com/2024/08/24/southwest-airlines-is-under-attack-and-its-something-founder-herb-kelleher-always-worried-about/?ref=philmckinney.com) 6. Silver, Spencer. U.S. Patent for pressure-sensitive adhesive. 3M Company, 1968\. Development described in: "Spencer Silver and Arthur Fry – In Search Of An Application." *The Chemical Engineer*.[ https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/features/cewctw-spencer-silver-and-arthur-fry-in-search-of-an-application/](https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/features/cewctw-spencer-silver-and-arthur-fry-in-search-of-an-application/?ref=philmckinney.com) 7. "Art Fry & Spencer Silver." Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, MIT.[ https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/art-fry-spencer-silver](https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/art-fry-spencer-silver?ref=philmckinney.com) 8. "Post-It Note inventor Spencer Silver dies at 80." *The Washington Post*, May 16, 2021.[ https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/spencer-silver-dead/2021/05/13/5ad35534-b406-11eb-ab43-bebddc5a0f65\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/spencer-silver-dead/2021/05/13/5ad35534-b406-11eb-ab43-bebddc5a0f65%5Fstory.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 9. "History of Post-it® Notes." Post-it Brand, 3M Company.[ https://www.post-it.com/3M/en\_US/post-it/contact-us/about-us/](https://www.post-it.com/3M/en%5FUS/post-it/contact-us/about-us/?ref=philmckinney.com) 10. Netflix launched streaming on January 16, 2007\. "History of Netflix- Founding, Model, Timeline, Milestones (2025)." VdoCipher, June 16, 2025.[ https://www.vdocipher.com/blog/2017/06/netflix-revolution-part-1-history/](https://www.vdocipher.com/blog/2017/06/netflix-revolution-part-1-history/?ref=philmckinney.com) 11. "Netflix Revenue and Usage Statistics (2025)." Business of Apps, February 21, 2025.[ https://www.businessofapps.com/data/netflix-statistics/](https://www.businessofapps.com/data/netflix-statistics/?ref=philmckinney.com) 12. "Netflix Subscribers Statistics 2025 (Growth & Demographics)." Demand Sage.[ https://www.demandsage.com/netflix-subscribers/](https://www.demandsage.com/netflix-subscribers/?ref=philmckinney.com) 13. DuPont lateral thinking savings: "A lateral thinking employee at DuPont eliminated nine steps in their manufacturing process for Kevlar and saved the company 30 million dollars a year." ROI and Testimonials, De Bono Group.[ http://www.debonogroup.com/services/roi-reports-and-testimonials/](http://www.debonogroup.com/services/roi-reports-and-testimonials/?ref=philmckinney.com) 14. "Edward de Bono's Course in Creativity™ Workshop." Indigo Training. Cites David Tanner, former Technical Director of DuPont.[ https://www.indigobusiness.co.uk/Workshop/de-bonos-course-in-creativity](https://www.indigobusiness.co.uk/Workshop/de-bonos-course-in-creativity?ref=philmckinney.com) 15. "Creativity and Innovation Skills Training ROI." Creativity at Work. Reports DuPont's multi-million dollar savings from creativity training.[ https://www.creativityatwork.com/ideas-are-the-currency-of-the-new-economy-numbers-tell-the-story/](https://www.creativityatwork.com/ideas-are-the-currency-of-the-new-economy-numbers-tell-the-story/?ref=philmckinney.com) 16. IKEA Lövet table story: "Constraints Inspire Creativity: How IKEA Started the 'Flatpack Revolution'." Right Attitudes, November 1, 2020.[ https://www.rightattitudes.com/2020/11/02/constraints-inspire-creativity-ikea-flatpack/](https://www.rightattitudes.com/2020/11/02/constraints-inspire-creativity-ikea-flatpack/?ref=philmckinney.com) 17. "First flatpack furniture." Guinness World Records, March 6, 2013.[ https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/107974-first-flatpack-furniture](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/107974-first-flatpack-furniture?ref=philmckinney.com) 18. IKEA revenue figures: "The year in review FY24." IKEA Global.[ https://www.ikea.com/global/en/our-business/how-we-work/year-in-review-fy24/](https://www.ikea.com/global/en/our-business/how-we-work/year-in-review-fy24/?ref=philmckinney.com) 19. General Electric creativity training results cited from: Kao, John. *Innovation: Breakthrough Thinking at 3M, DuPont, GE, Pfizer, and Rubbermaid* (BusinessMasters Series).[ https://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Breakthrough-Thinking-Rubbermaid-Businessmasters/dp/088730771X](https://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Breakthrough-Thinking-Rubbermaid-Businessmasters/dp/088730771X?ref=philmckinney.com) 20. "Airbnb Statistics: Usage, Demographics and Revenue Stats." Demand Sage, 2024.[ https://www.demandsage.com/airbnb-statistics/](https://www.demandsage.com/airbnb-statistics/?ref=philmckinney.com) 21. "The story of Dyson." Dyson Official Website.[ https://www.dyson.com/newsroom/overview/august-2022/the-story-of-dyson](https://www.dyson.com/newsroom/overview/august-2022/the-story-of-dyson?ref=philmckinney.com) 22. "How Dollar Shave Club's Founder Built a $1 Billion Company." Harvard Business Review, March 2017.[ https://hbr.org/2016/10/how-dollar-shave-clubs-founder-built-a-1-billion-company](https://hbr.org/2016/10/how-dollar-shave-clubs-founder-built-a-1-billion-company?ref=philmckinney.com) 23. "Tesla's Impact on the Auto Industry." McKinsey & Company, January 2023.[ https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/the-future-of-mobility-is-at-our-doorstep](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/the-future-of-mobility-is-at-our-doorstep?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Why 'Fail Fast' Innovation Advice Is Wrong URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-fail-fast-innovation-advice-is-wrong/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:13.000Z The most popular piece of innovation advice in Silicon Valley is wrong—and it's killing great ideas before they have a chance to succeed. I can prove it with a story about a glass of water that sat perfectly still while a car bounced beneath it. My name is [Phil McKinney](https://www.philmckinney.com/). I spent decades as HP's CTO making billion-dollar innovation decisions, and I learned the hard way that following "fail fast" advice cost us billions and robbed the world of breakthrough technologies. Today, I'm going to share five specific signs that indicate when an idea deserves patience instead of being killed prematurely. Miss these signs, and you'll become another "fail fast" casualty. ## The Water Glass That Changed Everything So there I was around 2006, sitting in Dr. Bose's lab at [Bose Corporation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lessons-from-bose/), and he was showing me what honestly looked like just a regular car seat mounted on some automotive hardware. I'm thinking, "Okay, what's the big deal here?" But then he activates the system and has his assistant start driving over these increasingly aggressive road obstacles. And here's what blew my mind—the car chassis is bouncing around like crazy, but the seat? Perfectly still. Then Dr. Bose does something that I'll never forget. He places a full glass of water on the seat and tells his assistant to hit a speed bump at thirty miles per hour. The chassis lurches violently, but not a single drop of water spills. And here's what should terrify every "fail fast" advocate—this technology took fifty years to develop. Dr. Bose began developing the mathematical model in the 1960s. Under today's quarterly Wall Street pressure, this project would have been killed a hundred times over. When I asked Dr. Bose how he could invest in an idea for fifty years, he explained that keeping Bose private meant they weren't subject to the quarterly results pressure that often destroys patient innovation at public companies. At HP, we were trapped in that system—and it cost HP billions. ## How "Fail Fast" Destroyed Billions at HP As a public company, we lived and died by quarterly earnings calls. Every ninety days, we had to show growth, and that quarterly drumbeat made us masters at killing promising ideas the moment they didn't produce immediate results. Let me give you three examples that still keep me up at night: [**WebOS**](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-1-2-billion-innovation-disaster-5-decision-mistakes-that-kill-breakthrough-technology-hp-webos-case-study/): We acquired Palm for one-point-two billion dollars in 2010\. Revolutionary interface, years ahead of its time. Killed it when it didn't achieve immediate dominance. Every time you swipe between apps today, you're using thinking we threw away. **Digital cameras**: We literally invented the future of photography. Abandoned it the moment smartphones started incorporating cameras. [**HP Halo**](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-are-the-latest-innovations-coming-from-startups-s11-ep48/): Immersive telepresence rooms with extraordinary meeting experiences. Sold to Polycom for eighty-nine million in twenty-eleven when quarterly pressures demanded focus. We bought Poly back for three-point-three billion in twenty-twenty-two. We paid thirty-seven times more to reacquire capabilities we built. We weren't bad managers. We were trapped by the quarterly earnings system that makes "fail fast" the only option for public companies. And it was systematically destroying our breakthrough potential. ***Visit*** [***Studio Notes over on Substack***](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) ***where I discuss how these quarterly pressures shaped our boardroom decisions and what we were really thinking.*** Now, after making these billion-dollar mistakes, I had to figure out how to distinguish between ideas worth killing and ideas worth protecting. What I discovered changed everything—and it comes down to five things I now look for. When I see all five, I know we've got something worth being patient with. Miss even one, and you're probably wasting your time. ## The Five Things I Now Look For ### First: Does the Math Actually Work? Here's how to validate the science without being a scientist yourself. Start with peer review. Has this been published in reputable journals? Are other researchers building on it? Red flag: if the only validation comes from the inventors themselves. Next, bring in independent experts. Not consultants who'll tell you what you want to hear—find researchers who have no financial stake in your project. Share your core assumptions with them and ask them to identify any holes. Look for mathematical elegance. Dr. Bose's suspension model was beautiful in its simplicity. Overly complex models with dozens of variables often hide fundamental flaws. Here's your action step: Before investing serious money, get three independent technical reviews. If even one expert raises fundamental concerns about the underlying science, stop. No amount of patience fixes broken physics. ### Second: Can You Actually Build the Pieces? You need a dependency map. List every technology that has to work for your project to succeed. Then assess each one separately. For each dependency, ask: Are we developing this ourselves, waiting for someone else to solve it, or hoping it gets solved by magic? If more than one critical piece falls in the "magic" category, you're not being patient—you're gambling. Create realistic timelines for each component. Bose needed better actuators, smaller amplifiers, and faster control systems. They could systematically work on each piece. That's patient innovation. But if you need breakthroughs in five unrelated fields simultaneously—like needing better batteries AND [quantum computing](https://www.philmckinney.com/scott-crowder-of-ibm-on-quantum-computing-and-its-impact/) AND room-temperature superconductors—that's not a plan, that's a wish list. Your action step: Map your critical dependencies. If you can't draw a clear path to solving each one, either find a different approach or walk away. ### Third: Will Anyone Actually Want This? Don't just look at today's market—study how problems evolve and new markets emerge. Start with pain-point analysis. What specific problem does this solve, and how severe is that pain? Bose started with car comfort but found its real market when truck driver health became a safety issue. Look for regulatory drivers. Often, breakthrough technologies become valuable when regulations change. Environmental rules, safety standards, health requirements—these create demand that didn't exist before. Study early adopters. Who are the customers willing to pay a premium for imperfect solutions? This is your proving ground. If you can't identify specific early adopters willing to pay above-market prices, your timing is probably wrong. Your action step: Identify three specific customer segments who would pay a premium for an early version of your solution. If you can't name them specifically, you're not ready. ### Fourth: Will You Have Time to Enjoy It? This is about building defensible advantages that competitors can't easily copy. Focus on system-level innovation, not just component improvements. Bose didn't just build better shock absorbers—they created an integrated electromagnetic system that required entirely different expertise. Look for knowledge-accumulation advantages. The longer you work on something, the more you should know about it than anyone else. If competitors can hire away your key people and instantly catch up, you don't have a real advantage. Consider manufacturing complexity. Technologies that require specialized production processes, custom tooling, or rare expertise create natural barriers to entry. Your action step: Write down exactly why it would take competitors at least two years to match your solution, even if they threw unlimited money at it. If you can't make that case convincingly, keep working. ### Fifth: Can You Actually Survive the Wait? This is the make-or-break assessment. Most good ideas die here, not because the technology fails, but because the organization can't sustain the investment. First, assess your funding horizon. How long can you sustain this before you need to generate revenue? Be brutally honest. Include the cost of delays, scope creep, and inevitable setbacks. Second, evaluate the decision-maker's patience. Will the people approving your budget still be there in three years? Will they still believe in the project when competitors are winning quarterly battles? Third, create protection mechanisms. This might mean dedicated funding that can't be raided for other projects, separate business units, or partnership structures that insulate the project from quarterly pressures. Your action step: Calculate your true funding runway, including realistic setbacks and contingencies. If it's less than the time needed for fundamental breakthroughs, either get more patient capital or find a faster path to revenue. These five assessments work in theory, but do they actually create billion-dollar returns in the real world? ## The Seventy Billion Dollar Proof Now here's the most compelling modern example—Dell's 2013 privatization. Michael Dell paid twenty-four-point-nine billion for one thing: freedom from the quarterly earnings pressure that was killing their long-term potential. Dell explicitly stated the goal was "no more pulling R&D and growth investments to make quarterly numbers." And the results were remarkable. R&D spending went from one-point-one billion to four-point-four billion, Dell transformed from a declining PC manufacturer to an enterprise solutions leader, and by 2023, the investment had generated an estimated seventy billion dollar return. One of private equity's most successful turnarounds, built on escaping the quarterly Wall Street system that makes "fail fast" the only option for most public companies. ***Visit*** [***Studio Notes over on Substack***](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) ***where I share how Alex Mandl orchestrated this deal and what Michael Dell was really trying to accomplish.*** ## Why This Really Matters The Bose Ride system launched in 2010, and it's been improving the lives of truck drivers who were facing whole-body vibration problems that had no technological solution. Academic studies have shown significant reductions in driver pain, lower fatigue levels, and faster recovery times after long road trips. One driver told researchers something that really stuck with me: "I thought I was going to have to quit my job. I was in crisis because my back was in such bad shape, but now I feel great I am driving full-time." If Dr. Bose had followed "fail fast" advice, that driver would still be in pain, and the advance would never have happened. So here's my challenge to you—and it starts with looking at what's sitting right in front of you. ## Your Innovation Challenge Look at your current portfolio right now. Are there projects that passed mathematics validation but haven't shown commercial results? Projects where the ecosystem isn't ready but the fundamental science is sound? Those might be exactly the innovations that deserve patience instead of "fail fast" pressure. I use the seventy-twenty-ten model: Seventy percent core improvements that move quickly. Twenty percent on adjacent markets with moderate timelines. Ten percent transformational advances—your patient capital investments. Patient innovation creates technological moats that rapid iteration cannot replicate. Once achieved, it often produces faster competitive advantage. You get overnight success after decades of systematic development. The difference between companies that master this and those that don't comes down to asking the right questions. ## The Questions That Change Everything Instead of asking "How quickly can we bring this to market?" try asking "What needs to get better before this becomes real?" Instead of asking "What's our quarterly burn rate?" try asking "What's the breakthrough potential if we actually solve this?" Instead of asking "Why hasn't this shown results?" try asking "Does the math work, and what pieces need more time?" The companies that master this balance will dominate the next wave of transformative technologies. In a world obsessed with speed, patient innovators are building the technologies that will define the next decade. What opportunity in your organization deserves patience instead of "fail fast" pressure? That question will determine whether you're building the next major advance or killing it before it has a chance to succeed. Visit Studio Notes over on Substack where I tell the complete story of that day in Dr. Bose's lab and the boardroom decisions at HP that we're still paying for today. If this resonates, share your own patient innovation experiences in the comments. And remember: thinking better creates better ideas. Sometimes those ideas need time to become the advances that change everything. To learn why fail fast innovation advice is wrong, listen to this week's show: [***Why 'Fail Fast' Innovation Advice Is Wrong***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5FFail%5FFast%5FInnovation%5FAdvice%5Fis%5FWrong.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### The 50-Year Overnight Success: What Dr Bose Taught Me About Innovation Patience URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-50-year-overnight-success-what-dr-bose-taught-me-about-innovation-patience/ Last updated: 2025-08-11T16:18:46.000Z Most innovation advice tells you to fail fast. I learned the opposite from watching a glass of water sit perfectly still while a car bounced violently beneath it. The demonstration happened in Dr. Amar Bose's lab at Bose Corporation headquarters around 2006\. What I witnessed wasn't just a technology demo—it was a masterclass in patient innovation that would fundamentally rewire my approach to transformative thinking after decades of Fortune 100 decision-making. There's a moment in every innovation leader's career when the math says something will work, but the world isn't ready for it. For Dr. Bose—founder of Bose Corporation¹—that moment came in the 1960s when he developed an elegant mathematical model for a revolutionary car suspension system. The technology to build it didn't exist yet. Most executives would have killed the project. Dr. Bose didn't. He waited. For fifty years.² His commitment to long-term thinking over short-term returns ran so deep that in 2011, he donated a majority of Bose Corporation to MIT in the form of non-voting shares³—choosing to fund future research over immediate financial gain. ## The Water Glass That Rewrote My Innovation Playbook The Bose suspension system looked deceptively simple in that Cambridge lab—a regular car seat mounted on what appeared to be standard automotive hardware. But when Dr. Bose activated the system and had his assistant drive over increasingly aggressive road obstacles, something extraordinary happened. The car chassis bounced violently. The seat remained perfectly still. "Watch this," Dr. Bose said, placing a full glass of water on the seat. The assistant drove over a speed bump at 30 mph. The chassis lurched. The water didn't spill a drop. When I asked Dr. Bose how he could possibly invest in an idea for fifty years, he explained that Bose being private meant they weren't caught in the quarterly results pressure that destroys patient innovation at public companies. As HP's CTO, I thought I understood technology development timelines. I'd made billion-dollar innovation decisions, managed global R&D portfolios, and prided myself on speed-to-market excellence. Sitting in that lab, listening to Dr. Bose explain the journey from 1960s mathematical model to working prototype, I realized I'd been thinking about innovation all wrong. > *"The companies who master patient innovation don't just create better products—they create sustainable competitive advantages that rapid iteration cannot replicate."* This wasn't just another R&D project. This was a systematic approach to transformative innovation that most Fortune 100 companies—including my own—had systematically dismantled in favor of quarterly thinking. ***Studio Notes: Innovation Decisions*** is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ## How Quarterly Thinking Killed My Innovation Pipeline Walking out of Dr. Bose's lab, I started questioning everything about HP's innovation approach. We were optimizing for velocity when we should have been optimizing for breakthrough potential under uncertainty. Back at HP, I began asking different questions: - Instead of "How quickly can we bring this to market?" I asked "What fundamental enabling technologies must mature before this becomes commercially viable?" - Instead of "What's our quarterly R&D burn rate?" I asked "What's the breakthrough potential if we solve this correctly?" - Instead of "Why hasn't this shown results yet?" I asked "Does the mathematics work, and what ecosystem enablers need time to develop?" The shift revealed a disturbing pattern. They were killing promising fundamental research the moment it didn't produce immediate commercial results. **They'd become innovation sprinters in a marathon game.** ### The HP Examples I witnessed this firsthand during my time at HP. We acquired Palm and its revolutionary WebOS in 2010 for $1.2 billion⁴, then killed it when it didn't achieve immediate market dominance. We pioneered digital camera technology⁵, then abandoned it when smartphones began incorporating cameras. Most painfully, we developed HP Halo—immersive telepresence rooms that delivered extraordinary meeting experiences—then sold the technology to Polycom for $89 million in 2011⁶ when quarterly pressures demanded focus. The irony? HP bought Poly for $3.3 billion in 2022⁷, essentially paying 37 times more to reacquire capabilities built on our own patient innovation after recognizing its long-term value. What was really happening: As a public company, HP lived and died by quarterly earnings calls. Every ninety days, they had to show growth. That quarterly drumbeat made them kill anything that couldn't produce results fast—exactly the trap Dr. Bose had warned me about. They weren't bad managers. They were following exactly the kind of thinking that "fail fast" promotes under quarterly pressure. ### The Dell Example Through my relationship with Alex Mandl⁸—my former boss at Teligent who led the board negotiations to take Dell private—I witnessed the most compelling modern example. Michael Dell and Silver Lake paid $24.9 billion⁹ for one thing—freedom from the quarterly earnings pressure that was killing their long-term potential. Dell explicitly stated the goal was "no more pulling R&D and growth investments to make in-quarter numbers." R&D spending increased from $1.1 billion to $4.4 billion¹⁰, transforming Dell from declining PC manufacturer to enterprise solutions leader. The result: an estimated $70 billion return by 2023¹¹. ## The Mathematics of Patient Innovation Dr. Bose's approach wasn't about throwing money at uncertain projects indefinitely. It was about recognizing when the mathematics work but the ecosystem isn't ready—and having the discipline to invest systematically until convergence occurs. "He was patient," Jim Parison, the Distinguished Engineer who led development, explained in an interview with IdeaConnection. "If he believed that the math said it would work, he was prepared to wait to see if it would go."¹² The suspension system exemplifies this perfectly. Dr. Bose's mathematical model from the 1960s was sound. The electromagnetic actuators powerful enough to counteract road forces didn't exist. The power amplification technology was too bulky. The control systems weren't sophisticated enough. Each component required independent technological advancement before the system could work commercially. Through years of analyzing what worked and what failed, I've identified five critical elements that help determine when an idea deserves patience instead of being killed early. Each element builds on the others. Miss one, and you might waste years on a project that will never work. Recognize all five, and you've found something worth protecting from the "fail fast" mentality. \[*For a detailed walkthrough of how to apply these five elements to your current projects, check out my companion video* [*"Why 'Fail Fast' Innovation Advice Is Wrong"*](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&ref=philmckinney.com) *releasing Wednesday*.\] ***These became the patient capital elements of my Decision Thinking™ framework:*** **1\. The Mathematics Validation*: Does the fundamental science work?* Dr. Bose's suspension system passed this test in the 1960s. The mathematical model was elegant and sound. This isn't about having a business plan or market research—it's about verifying that the underlying physics, chemistry, or engineering principles are mathematically correct. Without this foundation, no amount of patience will create transformative innovation. **2\. The Ecosystem Readiness Assessment*: What technological enablers must mature before commercial viability?* For Bose: electromagnetic actuators with sufficient power density, compact amplification technology, and sophisticated real-time control systems. Map every technological dependency and assess their development timelines. Patient capital works when you can systematically advance each component, but fails when you're waiting for simultaneous advances across multiple unrelated fields. **3\. The Market Evolution Analysis*: When will compelling demand exist for the solution?* Take Bose—automotive applications existed in the 1960s, but initially it was about ride comfort for luxury cars. The real advance came when the market evolved. By the 2000s, truck driver health became urgent—preventing back injuries from constant vibration created compelling demand that justified the cost. Corning (discussed below) shows a different type of market evolution. They started with automotive glass in the sixties, but the major development came when they pivoted to a completely different market—consumer electronics. The iPhone created demand they never could have predicted from their automotive starting point. Patient innovation requires understanding not just current market needs, but how problems will evolve or entirely new markets will emerge. **4\. The Sustainable Advantage Evaluation*: How long will the competitive moat last once achieved?* Dr. Bose's electromagnetic approach created defensible intellectual property around the entire system architecture—not just individual components but the integration methodology. Major advances should create technological moats that competitors cannot easily replicate through incremental improvement or faster iteration. **5\. The Organizational Patience Capacity*: Can the organization sustain investment through uncertain development cycles?* Private ownership gave Bose this capacity. Dr. Bose's decision to keep the company privately held created a corporate culture that could support patient innovation without quarterly earnings pressure destroying long-term projects. Most public companies lack the governance structures to protect long-term projects from quarterly pressures. This assessment determines whether patient capital is organizationally viable, regardless of technological merit. ## Why Speed Kills Major Advances In my regular conversations with Wendell Weeks¹³, Corning's Chairman and CEO, he has consistently reinforced how patient innovation mindset remains core to their strategy—balancing sustained investment in fundamental materials science with rapid application development as market opportunities emerge. What makes Corning remarkable: They're a public company, founded in 1851, that went public in 1945¹⁴. They've managed to maintain patient innovation despite quarterly earnings calls. How? They established a culture of long-term thinking before the quarterly pressure system even existed. Initial ion-exchange strengthening technology emerged in 1962\. By the 1960s, they'd developed "Chemcor" muscled glass for automotive applications¹⁵. The technology lay dormant until 2005, when consumer electronics created new demand. Apple's first iPhone in 2007 featured the revived technology, launching a product line now protecting 8 billion devices globally¹⁶. The key insight: **patient innovation creates technological moats that rapid iteration cannot replicate.** Once Corning perfected Gorilla Glass, competitors couldn't simply iterate their way to equivalent performance. The fundamental materials science advance required sustained investment through uncertain development cycles. The paradox that most people miss: patient innovation often produces faster competitive advantage once achieved. That's a 45-year development cycle that would have been killed dozens of times in today's quarterly-driven environment. ## Building Your Innovation Portfolio for the Long Game The most successful innovation leaders I know balance patient capital with rapid iteration through systematic portfolio allocation. Here's what actually works: **Portfolio Approach*: I use the 70/20/10 model: 70% core improvements (incremental innovations), 20% adjacent markets or technologies, and 10% transformational breakthroughs that could change the game entirely.* **Mathematics First*: Before any patient capital investment, verify the fundamental science works. No amount of persistence overcomes flawed mathematics.* **Ecosystem Mapping*: Identify all technological enablers that must mature before commercial viability. Create systematic investment plans for each component.* **Protection Structures*: Use governance mechanisms that protect long-term projects from short-term pressure. This might mean dual-class shares, benefit corporation structures, or dedicated patient capital vehicles.* **Success Metrics Alignment*: Measure breakthrough innovation projects on technological achievement milestones rather than quarterly revenue targets.* > *"The question isn't whether you can afford to invest in patient innovation. The question is whether you can afford not to, while competitors systematically build tomorrow's technological moats."* ## ***The Human Impact of Patient Innovation*** The Bose Ride system launched in 2010¹⁷, improving the lives of truck drivers facing whole body vibration problems that had no technological solution. Academic studies document significant reductions in driver pain, lower fatigue levels, and more rapid recovery after long road trips¹⁸. One driver told researchers: "I thought I was going to have to quit my job. I was in crisis because my back was in such bad shape, but now I feel great I am driving full-time." That's the true measure of patient innovation success—not quarterly earnings but sustained human benefit through technological advances. Sitting in Dr. Bose's lab that day, watching fifty years of mathematics become overnight success, I understood something fundamental about transformative innovation decisions. In a world obsessed with innovation velocity, the patient innovators are building the technologies that will define the next decade. They're asking better questions, making choices under uncertainty, and creating value that rapid iteration cannot replicate. The companies and countries that master this balance will dominate the next wave of transformative technologies, just as Bell Labs and its peers defined the previous era's innovations. Better thinking skills create better decisions. Sometimes those decisions require the patience to let mathematics mature into reality. ***Look at your current portfolio. Are there projects that passed the mathematics validation but haven't shown commercial results yet? Projects where the ecosystem isn't quite ready but the fundamental science is sound? Those might be exactly the innovations that deserve patience instead of "fail fast" pressure.*** If you want to dive deeper into this topic, watch my companion video ["Why 'Fail Fast' Innovation Advice Is Wrong"](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&ref=philmckinney.com) where I walk through the five signs in detail and share how to apply them to your innovation projects. Listen to the audio version of this essay on Killer Innovations, the world's longest-running innovation podcast, at [killerinnovations.com](https://killerinnovations.com/?utm%5Fsource=studio-notes&utm%5Fmedium=substack&utm%5Fcampaign=podcast-discovery&utm%5Fcontent=patient-innovation-episode). --- *This essay originally appeared in Studio Notes, my weekly publication on innovation decision-making. Subscribe at* [*philmckinney.substack.com*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/?utm%5Fsource=studio-notes&utm%5Fmedium=substack&utm%5Fcampaign=substack-conversion&utm%5Fcontent=patient-innovation-post) *for behind-the-scenes insights from decades of Fortune 100 innovation decisions.* --- ### Endnotes 1. "Amar Bose," Lemelson-MIT Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, [https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/amar-bose](https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/amar-bose?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. "How Bose's Electromagnetic Car Suspension Project Worked and Why It Ultimately Failed," Autoevolution, [https://www.autoevolution.com/news/this-is-how-bose-s-failed-project-sound-electromagnetic-suspension-works-249890.html](https://www.autoevolution.com/news/this-is-how-bose-s-failed-project-sound-electromagnetic-suspension-works-249890.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 3. MIT News Office, "Amar Bose '51 makes stock donation to MIT," MIT News, April 29, 2011, [https://news.mit.edu/2011/bose-gift](https://news.mit.edu/2011/bose-gift?ref=philmckinney.com) 4. "HP Completes $1.2 Billion Acquisition Of Palm," TechCrunch, July 1, 2010, [https://techcrunch.com/2010/07/01/hp-completes-1-2-billion-acquisition-of-palm-plans-webos-slate-pcs-and-netbooks/](https://techcrunch.com/2010/07/01/hp-completes-1-2-billion-acquisition-of-palm-plans-webos-slate-pcs-and-netbooks/?ref=philmckinney.com) 5. "HP Photosmart," Wikipedia, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP\_Photosmart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP%5FPhotosmart?ref=philmckinney.com) 6. "Polycom Acquires HP's Videoconferencing Unit For $89 Million," TechCrunch, June 1, 2011, [https://techcrunch.com/2011/06/01/polycom-acquires-hps-videoconferencing-unit-for-89-million-in-cash/](https://techcrunch.com/2011/06/01/polycom-acquires-hps-videoconferencing-unit-for-89-million-in-cash/?ref=philmckinney.com) 7. HP Inc., "HP Inc. to Acquire Poly," Press Release, March 28, 2022, [https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/press-releases/2022/hp-inc-to-acquire-poly.html](https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/press-releases/2022/hp-inc-to-acquire-poly.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 8. "2013 Deals of the Year: Dell Privatization Gets Personal," Institutional Investor, 2013, [https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b14zbc549wt826/2013-deals-of-the-year-dell-privatization-gets-personal](https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b14zbc549wt826/2013-deals-of-the-year-dell-privatization-gets-personal?ref=philmckinney.com) 9. "2013 Deals of the Year: Dell Privatization Gets Personal," Institutional Investor, 2013, [https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b14zbc549wt826/2013-deals-of-the-year-dell-privatization-gets-personal](https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b14zbc549wt826/2013-deals-of-the-year-dell-privatization-gets-personal?ref=philmckinney.com) 10. "Dell Research and Development Expenses 2015-2025," MacroTrends, [https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/DELL/dell/research-development-expenses](https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/DELL/dell/research-development-expenses?ref=philmckinney.com) 11. "Private Equity Case Study: Dell Technologies," Wall Street Oasis, 2024, [https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/private-equity/the-leading-research-journal-for-the-operating-side-of-private-equity-covering](https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/private-equity/the-leading-research-journal-for-the-operating-side-of-private-equity-covering?ref=philmckinney.com) 12. Paul Arnold, "The Innovation Journey that Led to the Bose Ride System," IdeaConnection, [https://www.ideaconnection.com/interviews/00384-The-Innovation-Journey-that-Led-to-the-Bose-Ride-S.html](https://www.ideaconnection.com/interviews/00384-The-Innovation-Journey-that-Led-to-the-Bose-Ride-S.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 13. "Wendell P. Weeks," Corning Inc. Leadership, [https://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/about-us/company-profile/our-leadership/wendell-p--weeks.html](https://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/about-us/company-profile/our-leadership/wendell-p--weeks.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 14. "Corning Inc.," Encyclopedia.com, [https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/economics-business-and-labor/businesses-and-occupations/corning-inc](https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/economics-business-and-labor/businesses-and-occupations/corning-inc?ref=philmckinney.com) 15. "History of Strengthening Glass," Corning Inc., [https://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/innovation/materials-science/glass/history-strengthening-glass.html](https://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/innovation/materials-science/glass/history-strengthening-glass.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 16. "Corning Introduces Corning Gorilla Glass Victus," Corning Press Release, July 23, 2020, [https://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/about-us/news-events/news-releases/2020/07/corning-introduces-corning-gorilla-glass-victus.html](https://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/about-us/news-events/news-releases/2020/07/corning-introduces-corning-gorilla-glass-victus.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 17. "Introducing Bose Ride System II," Bose Corporation Press Room, February 15, 2015, [https://www.bose.com/pressroom/bose-ride-system-ii-delivers-new-features](https://www.bose.com/pressroom/bose-ride-system-ii-delivers-new-features?ref=philmckinney.com) 18. "Study of Bose Ride System Indicates Reduction in Back Pain for Drivers," Heavy Duty Trucking, March 31, 2014, [https://www.truckinginfo.com/202517/study-of-bose-ride-system-indicates-reduction-in-back-pain-for-drivers](https://www.truckinginfo.com/202517/study-of-bose-ride-system-indicates-reduction-in-back-pain-for-drivers?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Innovation Partnership Autopsy: HP, Fossil, and the Smartwatch Market URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-partnership-autopsy-hp-fossil-and-the-smartwatch-market/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:12.000Z Innovation partnerships can create breakthrough markets—or hand them to competitors through terrible decisions. I know because I lived through both outcomes. Bill Geiser from Fossil and I had it exactly right. We built the MetaWatch—a smartwatch with week-long battery life, Bluetooth connectivity, and every feature that would later make the Apple Watch successful. We had HP's massive retail reach, Fossil's manufacturing scale, and the technical vision to create an entirely new market. But our organizations couldn't execute on what we knew was right. Leadership chaos at HP and innovation paralysis at Fossil killed a partnership that should have dominated the smartwatch market—handing Apple a $50 billion opportunity. I've shared the complete behind-the-scenes story of the people, strategies, and decisions that killed our partnership in my Studio Notes post "[How HP and Fossil Handed Apple the Smartwatch Market](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/how-hp-and-fossil-handed-apple-the)." Today I'm applying the [DECIDE framework](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/download-your-decide-framework-how) to our partnership failure. If you haven't seen my DECIDE framework yet, [grab the free PDF](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/download-your-decide-framework-how)—it's the innovation decision tool I've developed over 30 years of making high-stakes choices. Because here's what this partnership taught me: having the right vision means nothing without the right decision framework. ## What Makes Innovation Partnerships Different? Let me start by explaining why the HP-Fossil partnership should have worked. This wasn't just another business deal—it was the perfect storm of complementary capabilities. [Bill Geiser](https://www.philmckinney.com/sept-13th-bill-geiser/), Fossil's VP of Watch Technology, had been working on smartwatches since 2004\. The man was practically clairvoyant. In 2011, he told me, "Phil, I wouldn't be shocked if Apple evolved the Nano to take advantage of this space. They'll legitimize it in consumers' minds worldwide." Bill understood something most people missed: Apple didn't need to be first to market—they needed to be first to create a platform. Meanwhile, I was developing HP's connected device strategy. We had the technology foundation, unmatched retail distribution—about 10% of consumer electronics shelf space—and the same retail muscle that helped launch the original iPod. Together, Bill and I had solved the hard problems. We had the vision, the technology, and the market insight. But we couldn't overcome the organizational machinery that prioritizes short-term comfort over long-term position. Innovation partnerships aren't just about having the right technology or market vision. They're about having the right decision framework when uncertainty meets organizational reality. ## The Three Partnership Decision Traps Before I show you how DECIDE could have saved our partnership, let me show you the three traps that derail even the smartest collaboration. Bill and I understood what needed to happen, but our organizations fell into every one of these traps. ### Trap #1: Innovation Type Mismatch This is when you apply the wrong decision framework because you've misidentified what type of innovation you're actually pursuing. It's the most common partnership killer because different innovation types require completely different approaches to risk, timing, and success metrics. In our case, Bill and I understood that smartwatches represented a platform opportunity—a new ecosystem that would change how people interact with technology. But our organizations treated it as a product extension that wouldn't threaten their existing businesses. HP's leadership viewed MetaWatch as another device in their portfolio, rather than as the foundation of a connected ecosystem spanning tablets, phones, and laptops. Fossil's leadership saw it as a "development platform" priced at $200—innovation theater that wouldn't cannibalize their traditional watch sales. Here's the partnership recognition question: Have you correctly identified what type of innovation you're pursuing together? Because applying incremental decision frameworks to breakthrough opportunities, or product frameworks to platform opportunities, kills partnerships before they can succeed. ### Trap #2: Safe Innovation Theater This combines [revenue protection](https://www.philmckinney.com/government-and-innovation-who-is-really-pulling-the-strings/) with organizational risk aversion. Both companies wanted to appear innovative without actually risking their core businesses. HP didn't want to cannibalize enterprise focus. Fossil didn't want to threaten traditional watch revenues. So instead of going all-in on market creation, both organizations positioned MetaWatch as a "safe" innovation—a development platform for engineers, not a consumer product that could disrupt markets. Bill faced an impossible organizational reality: Fossil's watch sales had tripled to $3.25 billion during the smartphone era. How do you convince leadership to risk that success for an uncertain new category? The partnership recognition question: Are you innovating to create markets, or are you innovating to appear innovative while protecting existing revenue? ### Trap #3: Governance Complexity Paralysis Bill and I found ourselves fighting the same battle on different fronts: convincing leadership that wearables represented a platform shift, not just a product extension. But even when we had the right vision, we couldn't execute at market speed. Multiple stakeholders created governance complexity without clear decision authority. We'd have month-long approval cycles for changes that startups could implement in days. I remember one meeting where we spent 45 minutes debating some minor specification while Apple was probably finalizing their entire ecosystem strategy. The fatal blow came from HP's leadership chaos. We cycled through three [CEOs](https://www.philmckinney.com/balancing-creativity-and-practicality/) in 13 months, each with completely different visions. When Leo Apotheker arrived, he immediately decided HP should become an enterprise software company, not compete in consumer platforms. Our partnership needed startup decision velocity, but we were trapped at committee speed across two large organizations with conflicting priorities. Partnership recognition question: Can you move at market speed together, or are you trapped at the slowest organization's committee speed? Because innovation partnerships under uncertainty require aligned decision velocity. ## Applying DECIDE to the HP-Fossil Partnership Now let me show you how the DECIDE framework—which you can download free at philmckinney.substack.com—could have saved our partnership. This isn't theoretical. These are the specific decisions Bill and I needed our organizations to make differently. ### D - Define the Real Partnership Decision Our first mistake was never clearly defining what we were actually deciding as partners. HP saw it as extending our mobile ecosystem. Fossil saw it as diversifying its product line. I saw it as platform creation. Bill saw it as market preparation for the inevitable. But we never aligned on the fundamental question: Were we creating a new product category together, or were we each using the partnership to serve our existing strategies? The DECIDE framework forces this clarity upfront. What decision are both partners actually making? Until you have alignment on the decision itself, you can't make it well together. What we should have defined: "We are deciding to jointly create and dominate the smartwatch platform category before Apple legitimizes i Smartwatch Market." ### E - Examine Market Creation Potential Together Traditional partnership evaluations focus on combining existing capabilities. Innovation partnerships need to evaluate market creation potential. Bill understood this completely. He predicted exactly what Apple would do. But neither organization had a framework for evaluating market creation partnerships versus product extension partnerships. For market creation partnerships, you can't study competitors or analyze customer segments that don't exist yet. You need different evaluation criteria focused on timing, platform potential, and ecosystem readiness. What we should have examined: "Are we positioned to create and own a new category, or are we just building another device?" ### C - Challenge Individual Cannibalization Fears Here's where partnerships get interesting. Fossil feared cannibalizing traditional watch sales. HP feared distracting from enterprise transformation. But we never addressed how a partnership could protect both companies from external cannibalization. The framework question isn't whether the partnership will cannibalize existing business—it's whether the partnership creates better protection than going alone. What we should have challenged: "What happens if Apple creates this category without us? What [market position](https://www.philmckinney.com/market-timing-for-your-innovation/) will each company have then?" ### I - Identify the Partnership Innovation Type We treated our partnership like an incremental product collaboration when it was actually a breakthrough market creation partnership. These require completely different success metrics, timelines, and risk tolerance. Incremental partnerships: You can require certainty, detailed market research, and predictable ROI. Breakthrough partnerships: You have to accept uncertainty, optimize for learning speed, and measure different success metrics like market position and ecosystem readiness. What we should have identified: "This is breakthrough innovation requiring platform thinking, not incremental innovation requiring product optimization." ### D - Design Partnership Scenarios Together Traditional partnership planning tries to predict success. Innovation partnership planning prepares for multiple futures—together. We should have built scenarios like: "What if Apple legitimizes this category in two years?" "What if consumers aren't ready for smartwatches?" "What if we succeed and create a billion-dollar market?" But most importantly: "What if we don't partner and pursue this separately? What if we don't pursue this at all?" What we should have designed: "Multiple scenarios where our combined capabilities create different outcomes than our individual capabilities." ### E - Execute with Evidence Collection as Partners This is where our partnership completely failed. We optimized for committee consensus instead of [rapid market learning](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-great-innovators-read-rooms-not-just-data/). We needed to fail fast or succeed fast—together. Instead of quarterly partnership reviews, we needed weekly sprint cycles. Instead of seeking approval for perfect plans, we needed permission to test and iterate quickly. What we should have executed: "Rapid market validation cycles where both partners learn and adapt together, not separate approval processes that slow everything down." ## Your Partnership Decision Audit Want to apply this to your current innovation partnerships? Here's a 30-second audit using the DECIDE framework: 1. Have we clearly defined what decision we're making together? 2. Are we optimizing for market creation or capability combination? 3. What external threats are we protecting each other from? 4. What type of innovation partnership is this really? 5. What scenarios would change our partnership strategy? 6. How quickly can we test and learn together? If you can't answer these questions clearly with your partners, you're not ready to make breakthrough innovation decisions together. And that's okay—clarity about partnership uncertainty is better than false confidence in flawed collaboration. ## The Framework Changes Everything Let me be clear about what DECIDE would and wouldn't have guaranteed for our partnership. Would this framework have eliminated uncertainty? No. Nothing eliminates uncertainty in breakthrough innovation partnerships. Would it have guaranteed success? No. Even perfect decision frameworks can't overcome poor market timing or execution failures. But would it have given the HP-Fossil partnership a fighting chance? Absolutely. It would have aligned our decision-making process with the type of decision we were actually making together. Most importantly, it would have helped us recognize that we were making a platform partnership decision, not a product partnership decision. That recognition alone might have changed our entire approach to market timing, resource allocation, and success metrics. ## Your Innovation Partnerships Start Now Innovation partnerships aren't about having the best technology or the smartest people—they're about using the right decision framework when uncertainty meets organizational reality. Bill Geiser and I had the vision, the technology, and the market insight. But our organizations couldn't execute on what we knew was right because we didn't have the decision framework to bridge individual company interests with partnership potential. The DECIDE framework won't eliminate uncertainty—nothing can. But it will help you and your partners make better choices under uncertainty, which is what innovation partnership leadership actually requires. So here's my challenge for you: What innovation partnership opportunity is your organization considering right now? Apply the DECIDE framework with your potential partners and see what you discover. Are you making the right type of decision together? Are you optimizing for the right outcomes? Are you prepared for multiple scenarios as a partnership? Because somewhere out there, another brilliant partnership is about to hand their [breakthrough innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-five-questions-that-unlock-breakthrough-innovation/) to a competitor through bad decision-making. Don't let it be yours. The framework is free at philmckinney.substack.com. For the complete story of how organizational failures killed our partnership—including the specific people and pivotal moments that changed everything—read "How HP and Fossil Handed Apple the Smartwatch Market" in my Studio Notes. The partnership opportunity is waiting. The choice is yours. What will you and your partners decide together? To learn from the innovation partnership autopsy of HP and Fossil’s lost chance at market domination, listen to this week's show:[ ***Innovation Partnership Autopsy: HP, Fossil, and the Smartwatch Market***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FPartnership%5FAutopsy%5F%5FHP%5FFossil%5Fand%5Fthe%5FSmartwatch%5FMarket.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** **Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools** [**https://innovation.tools**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### How HP and Fossil Handed Apple the Smartwatch Market URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-hp-and-fossil-handed-apple-the-smartwatch-market/ Last updated: 2025-08-04T15:38:24.000Z I was reading the news on my laptop, still recovering from medical leave, when I saw the headline: "[HP Discontinues WebOS Devices](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm)." My stomach dropped. In that instant, I knew we'd just killed not only Palm but every partnership that depended on our mobile ecosystem—including the [MetaWatch](https://www.fastcompany.com/1751708/fossils-metawatch-bluetooth-powered-revolution-your-wrist?ref=philmckinney.com) project that Bill Geiser from Fossil and I had spent two years building. Just five months earlier, Bill—Fossil's VP of Watch Technology who joined the company in 2004—and I had revealed our [MetaWatch partnership in China](https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/03/25/is-there-a-market-for-a-connected-watch/amp/?ref=philmckinney.com). As HP's CTO, I'd been developing our connected device strategy, and Bill had been working on smartwatches at Fossil since joining the company. Together, we'd created a working smartwatch that connected to phones via Bluetooth, featured week-long battery life, and anticipated every key feature of what would become the Apple Watch four years later. Bill and I had spent those two years convincing our respective companies that connected wearables represented the next platform shift. We had the technology, the manufacturing scale, and the retail dominance. What we didn't have was the organizational courage to see innovation through uncertainty. This is the inside story of how partnership decision-making failures at HP and Fossil handed Apple a market that now generates tens of billions in annual revenue. For a deeper dive into the specific decision-making mistakes that killed our partnership and how the [DECIDE framework](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/download-your-decide-framework-how) (FREE download) could have saved it, watch this week's YouTube video: ["The Partnership Mistakes That Created Apple's $50 Billion Opportunity."](https://youtube.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) (to be released Weds) ## When Leadership Changes Destroy Innovation Momentum The MetaWatch partnership became collateral damage in HP's leadership chaos. I'd spent months aligning our wearables strategy with HP's broader mobile ecosystem—connecting watches to WebOS tablets and phones through our Palm acquisition. Then everything changed. **Within 13 months, HP cycled through three CEOs**, each with conflicting visions. When Leo Apotheker arrived as Mark Hurd's replacement in September 2010, he immediately began dismantling our mobile strategy. His background running SAP convinced him that HP should become an enterprise software company, not compete in consumer platforms. I watched our carefully orchestrated ecosystem strategy crumble. The MetaWatch wasn't just a standalone device—it was designed to be the wrist component of a connected HP experience spanning tablets, phones, and eventually laptops. When Apotheker [killed our consumer mobile strategy in August 2011](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm), he destroyed not just WebOS but the entire platform foundation that made MetaWatch strategic. Bill and I had spent two years building technical and business alignment between our companies. In one boardroom decision, it became irrelevant. ## Bill's Warnings and Fossil's Frozen Response While I was fighting HP's abandonment of its mobile strategy, Bill was battling his own leadership's risk aversion. The man was practically clairvoyant about what was coming. In 2011, he told me, "Phil, I wouldn't be shocked if Apple evolved the Nano to take advantage of this space. They'll legitimize it in consumers' minds worldwide." Bill understood something most of us missed: Apple didn't need to be first to market—they needed to be first to create a platform. Yet despite this insight, he couldn't get Fossil's leadership to move beyond their comfort zone. Here's the paradox that made Bill's job nearly impossible: **Fossil's watch sales had actually grown dramatically from $950 million in 2004 to $3.25 billion by 2013**—more than tripling during the decade when everyone assumed smartphones were killing traditional watches. This explosive growth made it extremely challenging for Bill to sell the smartwatch concept internally. Why cannibalize a business that was generating record revenues? > "Success can become the enemy of transformation. Why cannibalize a business generating record revenues?" But Bill understood what Fossil's leadership missed: the smartphone threat wasn't immediate—it was inevitable. Instead of leveraging their manufacturing scale and wholesale channel, which spans approximately 20,000 retail doors, to dominate the emerging wearables market, they positioned MetaWatch as a "development platform" priced at $200. This wasn't a consumer product strategy. It was [innovation theater](https://youtu.be/J-bYRZum1oU?si=IXEWTVhlHOfBKR4n&ref=philmckinney.com) designed to appease the engineering team without threatening traditional watch revenues. Bill later admitted: "The connected watch business wasn't in scope of Fossil's core competency of lifestyle products." That statement reveals everything wrong with how established companies approach disruption. They wait for new markets to fit their existing competencies instead of building new competencies for emerging markets. ## When Committee Thinking Kills Innovation Bill and I found ourselves fighting the same battle on different fronts: convincing leadership that wearables represented a platform shift, not just a product extension. At HP, I was presenting to executives who couldn't see beyond quarterly earnings calls. At Fossil, Bill was explaining to watch traditionalists why fashion alone wouldn't protect them from technological disruption. The partnership structure made this worse. Multiple stakeholders created governance complexity without clear decision authority. We'd have month-long approval cycles for changes that startups could implement in days. I remember one meeting where we spent 45 minutes debating some esoteric item while Apple was probably finalizing its entire ecosystem strategy. This is what I later came to understand as "[innovation theater](https://youtu.be/J-bYRZum1oU?si=IXEWTVhlHOfBKR4n&ref=philmckinney.com)"—lots of activity but no meaningful progress toward market. We had sophisticated PowerPoint presentations showing market opportunities. We had working prototypes with impressive technical specifications. What we lacked was someone with the authority to say, "We're going all-in on this" and allocate the resources for the consumer launch. > "Innovation theater—lots of meetings, no market progress—kills more breakthrough ideas than bad technology ever will." The early MetaWatch releases reflected this half-commitment. While our technical design called for week-long battery life, the actual units users received had 3-4 hour battery performance and Bluetooth connectivity issues—problems that dedicated engineering resources and software optimization could have solved quickly. Instead, our "development platform" positioning meant neither company took full ownership of creating a consumer-ready product. When I returned from medical leave during [the WebOS crisis](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm), HP engineers immediately confronted me: **"You can never take leave again—EVER! The CEO and board need adult supervision."** That was their way of saying our leadership couldn't make sound technology decisions without constant technical oversight. ## The Technical Foundation We Had Right Here's what still frustrates me: we had solved the hard problems. The MetaWatch featured an MSP430 ultra-low-power processor, 96x96 pixel display, 3-axis accelerometer, and—most importantly—was designed for week-long battery life. We included a full SDK/API for developers, anticipating the app ecosystem model that would later drive Apple Watch success. **These technical advantages, combined with Fossil's manufacturing scale, could have established market dominance 2-3 years before Apple's entry.** What made the partnership even more powerful was HP's retail dominance—we controlled about 10% of consumer electronics shelf space, making us the single largest player in retail distribution. This was the same retail muscle that led Apple to partner with us for the original iPod introduction, leveraging relationships we'd built since introducing HP calculators in 1972. The scale difference was telling: while Fossil's 20,000 retail doors were large by watch industry standards, it was insignificant compared to consumer electronics distribution. Sony Ericsson, then the fourth-largest mobile handset supplier, sold through over 100,000 retail doors. HP's reach bridged that gap. But technical superiority and retail reach mean nothing without organizational commitment. We were optimizing for the wrong metrics—engineering elegance over market speed, committee consensus over decisive action. > "Committee consensus optimizes for comfort, not courage. Markets don't wait for unanimous approval." The irony haunts me: HP had every piece needed for smartwatch success—the technology, the manufacturing partner, and unmatched retail distribution—but lacked the organizational patience to see it through. Our later attempts—a limited partnership with Michael Bastian in 2014 and work with Movado—came too late. By then, Apple had already established ecosystem lock-in that no amount of technology or retail access could overcome. ## Watching Apple Prove Us Right The most painful part came later, watching Apple execute exactly what Bill and I had envisioned. The smartwatch market exploded from **0.3 million units in 2012 to 133 million by 2015**—growth that early movers like us could have captured. Apple's approach validated every strategic insight Bill and I had shared with our leadership teams. They positioned the watch as a platform, not a device. They integrated it with their broader ecosystem. They optimized for consumer experience over technical specifications. When the Apple Watch launched in April 2015, it sold **4.2 million units in its first quarter**—more than the entire smartwatch market had sold in previous years combined. Bill had predicted this exact scenario. In 2015, he told me: "Apple has done to wearables what IBM did to the Personal Computer category—legitimized it in the minds of consumers worldwide." He saw it coming but couldn't get Fossil to act on the insight. By 2018, Apple commanded 51% of global smartwatch market share. Their watch business alone generates more annual revenue than many Fortune 500 companies' entire operations. That could have been us—if we'd had the organizational courage to back our vision with meaningful resources. > "Being right about the future means nothing without the organizational machinery to act on insight." ## Frameworks for Innovation Partnerships The HP-Fossil failure provides clear lessons for navigating innovation partnerships under uncertainty. First, **cultural alignment matters more than strategic logic**. HP's rapid cycling between consumer and enterprise focus created irreconcilable conflicts that no amount of technology could bridge. Fossil's traditional manufacturing mindset couldn't adapt to platform business requirements. Second, **decision velocity must match market dynamics**. The partnership needed weekly sprints and rapid prototyping, not quarterly committee meetings. When facing technological uncertainty, organizations must optimize for learning speed over planning precision. [HP's 49-day WebOS abandonment](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm) and Fossil's "development platform" positioning both reflected organizations moving at corporate speed in a startup market. Third, **fear of cannibalization guarantees disruption**. Fossil worried about protecting traditional watch sales even as smartphones destroyed that market. HP feared consumer devices would distract from enterprise transformation. Both companies chose short-term protection over long-term position, handing the market to Apple who had no legacy business to protect. > "Fear of cannibalization guarantees disruption. Legacy protection hands markets to competitors with nothing to lose." Finally, **partnership governance requires unprecedented clarity**. The MetaWatch project suffered from unclear authority, competing stakeholders, and misaligned incentives. Future innovation partnerships require dedicated profit and loss (P&L) structures, separate innovation budgets, and leaders empowered to make decisions without committee approval. The anti-pattern of "[innovation theater](https://youtu.be/J-bYRZum1oU?si=3VpT83lyrgpUxYSQ&ref=philmckinney.com)"—lots of meetings but no market progress—must be actively prevented through clear success metrics and exit criteria. > "Partnership governance needs unprecedented clarity. Competing stakeholders create innovation paralysis." ## Conclusion: When Vision Meets Reality The HP-Fossil MetaWatch partnership taught me that being right about the future means nothing without the organizational machinery to act on that insight. Bill and I had correctly identified wearables as the next platform shift, developed the technology foundations, and understood the market dynamics that would drive adoption. Our failure wasn't technical—it was human. We couldn't overcome the institutional momentum that prioritizes short-term comfort over long-term position. HP's leadership chaos and Fossil's innovation paralysis combined to create a case study in how even the best-positioned companies can hand markets to competitors through systematic decision-making failures. The human elements of this story—my frustration with leadership requiring "adult supervision," Bill's accurate but unheeded predictions, our mutual struggle to convince risk-averse executives—reveal that innovation success depends more on decision-making courage than technical capabilities. Today, as I work with leaders facing similar partnership decisions, I return to the MetaWatch lesson: in an age where technology and traditional companies must collaborate to survive, having the best technology and market position means nothing without the organizational fortitude to see innovation through uncertainty. To see exactly how the [DECIDE framework](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/download-your-decide-framework-how) (FREE download) applies to partnership decisions like ours, check out this week's YouTube analysis: ["The Partnership Mistakes That Created Apple's $50 Billion Opportunity."](https://youtube.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) --- **Resources:** 1. HP MetaWatch reveal at China event, March 2011.[ Engadget coverage](https://www.engadget.com/2011-03-04-hp-shows-off-metal-watch-concept-video.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. New York Times coverage of HP-Fossil smartwatch partnership, March 2011.[ New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/business/20digi.html?ref=philmckinney.com) 3. Fossil Group financial data showing position as world's fourth-largest watch producer with $2.2 billion annual sales.[ Wikipedia: Fossil Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil%5FGroup?ref=philmckinney.com) 4. Bill Geiser interview on wearables and smartwatch predictions.[ Phil McKinney Podcast](https://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Bill%5FGeiser%5Fon%5Fwearables%5Fand%5Fsmart%5Fswatches%5FS11%5FEp25.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) 5. HP Palm acquisition announcement, July 2010.[ HP Investor Relations](https://investor.hp.com/news-events/news/news-details/2010/HP-to-Acquire-Palm-for-12-Billion/default.aspx?ref=philmckinney.com) 6. Detailed analysis of HP's Palm strategy and 49-day failure.[ Phil McKinney: "I Convinced HP's Board to Buy Palm for $1.2B. Then I Watched Them Kill It in 49 Days"](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm) 7. MetaWatch technical specifications and development history.[ Wikipedia: MetaWatch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaWatch?ref=philmckinney.com) 8. Global wearable device shipment growth 2012-2015.[ Statista: Smartwatch Market Share](https://www.statista.com/statistics/589089/smartwatch-vendors-market-share-worldwide/?ref=philmckinney.com) 9. Apple Watch first quarter sales data, Q2 2015.[ Apple Newsroom](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2015/03/09Apple-Watch-Available-in-Nine-Countries-on-April-24/?ref=philmckinney.com) 10. FastCompany analysis of Fossil MetaWatch as "Bluetooth-Powered Revolution."[ Fast Company](https://www.fastcompany.com/1751708/fossils-metawatch-bluetooth-powered-revolution-your-wrist?ref=philmckinney.com) 11. HP's 2006 vision for personal communications that prompted initial Fossil partnership.[ ZDNet](https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/hp-unveils-vision-for-personal-communications/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Why Great Innovators Read Rooms, Not Just Data URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-great-innovators-read-rooms-not-just-data/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:12.000Z You know that moment when you walk into a meeting and immediately sense the mood in the room? Or when a proposal looks perfect on paper, but something feels off? That's your intuition working—and it's more sophisticated than most people realize. Every leader has experienced this: sensing which team member to approach with a sensitive request before you've consciously analyzed the personalities involved. Knowing a client is about to object even when they haven't voiced concerns. Feeling that a [project timeline](https://www.philmckinney.com/train-your-brain-to-outthink-ai-boost-creativity-40-2025/) is unrealistic before you've done the detailed math. That instinctive awareness isn't luck or mystical insight—it's your brain rapidly processing patterns, experience, and environmental cues. The leaders known for "amazing judgment" haven't been blessed with superior gut feelings. They've learned to systematically enhance this natural capability through practical thinking. By the end of this post, you'll understand the science behind intuitive judgment, why some people seem to have consistently better instincts, and how to use [**Practical Thinking Skills**](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-strengthen-creative-thinking-the-10-minute-daily-brain-workout-based-on-neuroplasticity-research/) to make your own intuition more reliable and actionable. ## What Your Intuition Really Is **Intuition is your brain's rapid processing of experiences, patterns, and environmental cues that occur below the level of conscious awareness.** When you sense the mood in a room, your mind is instantly analyzing dozens of subtle signals: body language, tone of voice, seating arrangements, who's speaking and who's staying quiet. This isn't mystical—it's sophisticated pattern recognition. Your brain has stored thousands of similar situations and can quickly compare current circumstances to past experiences, delivering a "gut feeling" about what's likely to happen or what approach will work. Everyone has this capability. You use it constantly: - Walking into a meeting and immediately sensing the mood in the room - Knowing which team member to approach with a sensitive request - Feeling that a project timeline is unrealistic before you've done the math - Recognizing when a client is about to say no, even if they haven't said it yet - Sensing that a proposed solution won't work in your company culture The difference between people with "[great intuition](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-intuition-required-for-innovation/)" and everyone else isn't the quality of their initial gut feelings—it's how systematically they validate, investigate, and act on those insights. ## Why Some Leaders Seem to Have "Amazing Intuition" Leaders who are known for excellent judgment have developed what I call **practical thinking**—the systematic approach to using their knowledge and experience to enhance their intuitive insights. Here's what they do differently: **They treat gut feelings as valuable data,** not emotions to dismiss or blind impulses to follow. When something feels off, they investigate systematically rather than ignoring the signal or acting without validation. **They've learned to distinguish** between intuition based on genuine patterns and reactions driven by personal bias, stress, or recent events. They can separate "this timeline feels aggressive because similar projects have failed" from "this timeline feels aggressive because I'm overwhelmed today." **They apply structured approaches** to validate their intuitive insights before making important decisions. They don't just trust their gut—they use their gut as the starting point for systematic investigation. **They understand stakeholder psychology** at a deeper level, using their intuitive read of people to design approaches that work with human nature rather than against it. The leaders with reputations for "brilliant intuition" have simply learned to make their natural pattern recognition more reliable and actionable through systematic frameworks. ## Practical Thinking: Making Intuition Systematically Reliable **Practical thinking is the systematic approach to** [**using your knowledge and experience**](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/) **to validate, investigate, and effectively implement your intuitive insights.** It transforms valuable gut feelings into consistently reliable judgment. Think of intuition as your brain's early detection system, and practical thinking as the methodology for investigating and acting on those signals systematically. **Your intuition signals:** "This reorganization plan feels wrong." **Practical thinking investigates:** "What specific elements am I reacting to? Is it the timeline, the stakeholder alignment assumptions, or the communication approach?" **Your intuition warns:** "This customer seems hesitant despite saying yes." **Practical thinking explores:** "What might they be worried about that they can't voice directly? How can I address their real concerns?" **Your intuition detects:** "This team meeting feels tense." **Practical thinking examines:** "What underlying conflicts or pressures might be driving this dynamic? What does each person need to feel successful?" When you combine intuitive insight with systematic investigation frameworks, you develop judgment that gets more accurate with experience. This is how great leaders seem to "just know" what will work—they've learned to systematically validate and act on the patterns their intuition detects. ## The Practical Thinking Framework™ The framework consists of three interconnected skills that transform your natural intuitive insights into reliable decision-making capabilities. Unlike traditional analytical approaches that ignore gut feelings or emotional approaches that follow instincts blindly, practical thinking creates a systematic bridge between your intuitive awareness and effective action. The power comes from combining all three skills—most people excel at one or two but miss the integration that makes intuitive judgment consistently reliable. ### Step 1: Reality Recognition (Not Problem Definition) **What it is:** Use your intuitive insights to see situations as they actually exist, not as frameworks or org charts suggest they should be structured. **Why it matters:** Your gut feelings often detect mismatches between official reality and actual reality. Most decision failures happen because people address the stated situation rather than the real situation. **How to apply it:** - Start with your intuitive read of what's really happening - Map all stakeholders who will actually be affected, including informal influencers - Identify what information is missing and why it might be missing - Acknowledge constraints and pressures that aren't officially discussed - Recognize the emotional and political landscape your intuition is detecting **Example in action:** Your gut says a reorganization plan "won't work" even though it looks logical on paper. [Reality Recognition](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-your-best-employees-are-sabotaging-your-decisions-and-how-to-fix-it/) helps you investigate: your intuition is detecting that the timeline is too aggressive for this culture, key influencers weren't consulted, and the plan ignores current team workload realities. Your gut feeling was accurate—it sensed the gap between the plan and actual organizational dynamics. **Common mistake:** Dismissing gut feelings because the official version looks reasonable. ### Step 2: Experience Application (Not Best Practice Research) **What it is:** Use your knowledge of similar situations and these specific stakeholders to adapt your approach, rather than applying generic solutions. **Why it matters:** Your intuition draws on your unique experience with these people, this culture, and these types of challenges. That contextual knowledge is more valuable than best practices from other organizations. **How to apply it:** - Draw on similar situations you've navigated with these stakeholders - Consider what you know about how this culture responds to change - Apply lessons from previous successes and failures in this environment - Adapt proven approaches to fit current personalities and constraints - Trust your experience about what will and won't work with these specific people **Example in action:** Your intuition suggests that a client is hesitant about a proposal despite their positive words. Experience Application helps you investigate: you remember that this client typically asks detailed implementation questions when they're serious, but they haven't asked any. Your experience with them suggests they're worried about execution complexity but don't want to seem unsophisticated. You adapt by proactively addressing implementation support rather than pushing for a decision. **Common mistake:** Researching what worked elsewhere instead of applying what you know about this specific context. ### Step 3: Stakeholder Psychology Reading (Not Stakeholder Management) **What it is:** Decode what people really need and fear versus what they say they need, then design approaches that align with their actual psychology. **Why it matters:** Most initiatives fail not because of logic or resources, but because they clash with stakeholders' deeper motivations, fears, or unspoken constraints that no one addresses directly. **How to apply it:** - Listen for what people don't say—the concerns they avoid mentioning - Notice emotional patterns—enthusiasm that feels forced, agreement that comes too quickly - Identify hidden incentives—what each person needs to succeed in their role - Recognize fear patterns—what failure or change would mean for each stakeholder personally - Design solutions that make people look good to their bosses, not just solve the stated problem **Example in action:** A department head enthusiastically supports your efficiency initiative in meetings, but your gut says they're not really on board. Psychology Reading reveals they're actually worried that improved efficiency will make their large team look unnecessary, threatening their status and job security. Instead of focusing on efficiency benefits, you reframe the initiative as expanding their team's capabilities and strategic value. This transforms resistance into genuine partnership. **The key insight:** While others try to convince stakeholders with better arguments, practical thinkers recognize that people's real decisions are driven by emotions, incentives, and fears that are rarely discussed openly. They design solutions that address these psychological realities, not just the stated requirements. **Common mistake:** Focusing on logical persuasion when stakeholders are driven by emotional or political concerns they can't voice directly. ## Developing Your Practical Thinking Skills **The 30-Day Practical Thinking Challenge** **Week 1: Reality Recognition Practice** Start documenting your gut feelings about situations and meetings. When something feels off, practice investigating what your intuition might be detecting. What mismatches between official reality and actual reality is your gut picking up on? **Week 2: Experience Application** For each significant decision you face, consciously apply your experience with these specific people and situations. Instead of researching best practices, ask: "What do I know from previous similar situations with these stakeholders that should guide my approach?" **Week 3: Psychology Reading** Practice reading stakeholder psychology by listening for what people don't say. When someone agrees quickly or shows unexpected enthusiasm, ask yourself: "What might they be worried about that they can't voice directly?" Design small experiments to test your psychological reads. **Week 4:** [**Integrated Framework**](https://www.philmckinney.com/practical-ai-at-ces-2019/) Combine all three steps for important decisions. Start with your intuitive read (Reality Recognition), apply your contextual experience (Experience Application), then design approaches that address stakeholder psychology (Psychology Reading). Track when this systematic approach improves outcomes. **Practice with others:** Share your intuitive insights with trusted colleagues and walk through your practical thinking process. Explaining why you're getting a particular gut feeling often reveals additional insights and helps validate your approach. **Success indicators:** You'll know your practical thinking skills are enhancing your intuition when your gut feelings become more accurate, when stakeholders volunteer information they usually keep hidden, and when your solutions work better because they align with how people actually think and behave. ## From Gut Feelings to Reliable Judgment Your intuition is already providing sophisticated insights about stakeholder dynamics, organizational realities, and what will actually work in practice. The challenge isn't developing better gut feelings—it's learning to systematically validate and act on the insights you're already receiving. Practical thinking doesn't replace your natural judgment—it makes it more reliable, more explainable to others, and more actionable in complex situations. When you can read reality accurately, apply your experience systematically, and understand stakeholder psychology, you develop the type of judgment that improves with every decision. This is the foundation of Decision Thinking™—the approach I've developed for making effective decisions when information is incomplete, stakeholders have conflicting interests, and the stakes are high. Practical thinking helps you leverage your natural capabilities to navigate complexity that would overwhelm purely analytical approaches. **You already have sophisticated** [**pattern recognition**](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-innovation-decision-traps-that-kill-breakthrough-ideas-and-how-to-avoid-them/) **and stakeholder awareness.** Practical thinking helps you turn those natural capabilities into systematic competitive advantages. Ready to develop reliable, practical thinking? Join our community of leaders in Substack Chat where we're exploring this question: **What's one situation where you had a strong gut feeling that something was off, but you didn't trust it enough to investigate—and later wished you had?** In the next episode, we will examine how the HP-Fossil partnership could have challenged Apple's dominance in the smartwatch market. Fossil’s Bill Geiser's intuition about Apple entering wearables was dead-on accurate. My assessment of the platform shift was equally accurate. But intuition without the decision-making frameworks to act on it just becomes expensive foresight. It will show how two Fortune 500 giants chose comfort over courage. *Share this with someone who has great instincts but struggles to act on them systematically—you'll be helping them turn natural judgment into reliable leadership capability.* To learn how intuitive judgment works, why some leaders seem to have better instincts, and how practical thinking makes gut feelings more reliable in complex situations, listen to this week's show: [***Why Great Innovators Read Rooms, Not Just Data***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5FGreat%5FInnovators%5FRead%5FRooms%5Fand%5Fnot%5FJust%5FData.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** ### The $200M Gut Check That Taught Me Intuition Isn't Magic URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-200m-gut-check-that-taught-me-intuition-isnt-magic/ Last updated: 2025-07-28T22:26:26.000Z I dismissed Twitter as "the stupidest pivot I've ever seen" and stopped paying attention entirely. That "stupid" idea became worth $40 billion. Two years later, my gut screamed "no" about a $200M acquisition that looked perfect on paper. I investigated that feeling and discovered the company would go bankrupt within 18 months—saving us from losing $200M. Same brain, same experience. One massive miss, one huge save. The difference? A systematic framework I didn't even know I was using. After 30 years of making billion-dollar technology decisions as HP's CTO and now as CableLabs CEO, I've developed the three-step Practical Thinking Framework™ that transforms unreliable gut reactions into systematic innovation judgment: - **Reality Recognition** — See what's actually happening vs. what the official story says - **Experience Application** — Use your knowledge, not generic best practices or AI - **Stakeholder Psychology Reading** — Decode what people really want and need vs. what they claim **This Wednesday on** [**YouTube**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?utm%5Fsource=substack&utm%5Fmedium=newsletter&utm%5Fcampaign=youtube-discovery&utm%5Fcontent=practical-thinking-framework)**:** I will break down the three-step Practical Thinking Framework™ that turns unreliable gut reactions into consistent innovation decisions. Here's how this framework could have saved me from the Twitter disaster... ## When My "Amazing Intuition" Failed Spectacularly In 2005, I witnessed something that should have triggered every innovation alarm I had. Apple's announcement of iTunes Podcasts had just obliterated a small company called Odeo. Their core podcasting directory business became instantly irrelevant. Game over. But instead of folding, the team pivoted to this crude internal communication tool they'd built for quick team updates. Users were starting to share random thoughts—what they had for breakfast, random observations, 140-character updates about nothing important. My gut reaction was immediate and definitive: "These guys are desperate. This Twitter thing is the stupidest pivot I've ever seen. They're just prolonging the inevitable." I was so confident that I stopped paying attention entirely. I literally unsubscribed from their updates because I didn't want to watch the slow death spiral. [That "death spiral" became Twitter](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/the-day-i-wrote-off-twitter-before), worth over $40 billion at its peak. Looking back, I realize I failed to apply any of the three steps that make intuitive judgment reliable. I made every systematic thinking error possible. ## When Systematic Thinking Saved Us $200 Million Two years later, we were evaluating a cloud infrastructure company that every analyst called "the next big thing." The price tag was $200 million. On paper, everything looked perfect—proven technology, solid leadership team, perfect market timing. But something felt wrong. I couldn't articulate it initially, yet my gut was screaming "no." Here's the crucial difference: instead of trusting my instincts blindly or dismissing them completely, I applied what I now recognize as systematic thinking. I spent three weeks investigating what was bothering me. What I discovered saved us from disaster. Their entire platform was built on technology licensing agreements expiring within 18 months. Renewal terms would triple their operating costs, making the business model unsustainable. Even their finance team hadn't grasped the implications. We walked away. Six months later, they went bankrupt when those licensing costs hit. The systematic investigation that saved us $200 million wasn't luck—it was unconscious application of the Practical Thinking Framework™. ## The Framework That Makes Intuition Systematically Reliable After analyzing hundreds of decisions—both disasters and successes—I've identified a three-step process that transforms unreliable gut feelings into consistent judgment. This is the Practical Thinking Framework™. **Most people excel at one or two steps but miss the integration that makes intuitive judgment consistently reliable.** The power comes from applying all three systematically. ### Step 1: Reality Recognition (Not Problem Definition) **Use your intuitive insights to see situations as they actually exist, not as frameworks, books, or leaders suggest they should be structured.** With Twitter, I completely failed this step. I saw "dying company making desperate pivot" because that's what the surface situation looked like. I didn't investigate what was actually happening—that they were creating something that had never existed before. With the cloud company, my gut detected something wasn't right. Instead of dismissing this feeling, I used it to investigate the real situation. My intuition was picking up inconsistencies between their presentation and their actual business model. **Reality Recognition means:** - Starting with your intuitive read of what's really happening - Mapping all stakeholders who will actually be affected, including informal influencers - Identifying what information is missing and why it might be missing - Acknowledging constraints and pressures that aren't officially discussed - Recognizing the emotional and political landscape, your intuition is detecting **The key insight:** Your gut feelings often detect mismatches between official reality and actual reality. Most decision failures happen because people address the stated situation rather than the real situation. > **⚡ "Most innovation failures happen because people address the stated situation rather than the real situation."** ### Step 2: Experience Application (Not Best Practice Research) **Use your knowledge of similar situations and these specific stakeholders to adapt your approach, rather than applying generic solutions.** With Twitter, I lazily applied pattern matching from my experience: "failed companies making desperate pivots usually die." I didn't consider what made this situation fundamentally different from my previous experience with failing pivots. With the cloud company, I drew on my experience with licensing agreements and technology dependencies. I knew from previous deals that buried licensing terms often contained deal-killers. This experience guided my investigation. **Experience Application means:** - Drawing on similar situations you've navigated with these stakeholders - Considering what you know about how this culture responds to change - Applying lessons from previous successes and failures in this environment - Adapting proven approaches to fit current personalities and constraints - Trusting your experience about what will and won't work with these specific people **The key insight:** Your intuition draws on your unique experience with these people, this culture, and these types of challenges. That contextual knowledge is more valuable than best practices from other organizations. > **💡 "Intuition without systematic investigation is just expensive foresight."** ### Step 3: Stakeholder Psychology Reading (Not Stakeholder Management) **Decode what people truly want, need, and fear versus what they claim to need, and then design approaches that align with their actual psychological needs.** With Twitter, I never considered the psychology of what users were actually doing. I saw "sharing breakfast updates" and dismissed it as trivial without understanding the deeper human need for real-time connection and expression. With the cloud company, my psychology reading detected overconfidence in their presentations. They were too smooth, too prepared for obvious questions, but couldn't handle detailed technical inquiries. This psychological pattern triggered my deeper investigation. **Stakeholder Psychology Reading means:** - Listening for what people don't say—concerns they avoid mentioning - Noticing emotional patterns—enthusiasm that feels forced, agreement that comes too quickly - Identifying hidden incentives—what each person needs to succeed in their role - Recognizing fear patterns—what failure or change would mean for each stakeholder personally - Designing solutions that make people look good to their bosses, not just solve stated problems **The key insight:** Most initiatives fail not because of logic or resources, but because they clash with stakeholders' deeper motivations, fears, or unspoken constraints that no one addresses directly. > **🎯 "The leaders with amazing judgment haven't been blessed with superior gut feelings—they've systematized them."** ## How the Framework Would Have Changed Everything **If I had applied the Practical Thinking Framework™ to Twitter:** **Reality Recognition:** Instead of seeing "desperate pivot," I would have investigated what behavior they were actually enabling. Real-time global conversation had never existed before. **Experience Application:** I would have remembered that the most successful platforms often start with seemingly trivial use cases. Email started with simple messaging. The web started with document sharing. **Stakeholder Psychology Reading:** I would have recognized that people have a deep psychological need for immediate expression and connection. "Breakfast updates" were actually the beginning of a new form of human communication. **The result:** I would have recognized Twitter as a breakthrough platform creating entirely new behavior, not a dying company's desperate move. [**This week's YouTube episode**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?utm%5Fsource=substack&utm%5Fmedium=newsletter&utm%5Fcampaign=youtube-discovery&utm%5Fcontent=practical-thinking-framework) **walks through this complete analysis and shows how to apply the framework to current "stupid" innovations you're seeing.** [Ready To Apply The Framework? Watch The Video!](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?utm%5Fsource=substack&utm%5Fmedium=newsletter&utm%5Fcampaign=youtube-discovery&utm%5Fcontent=practical-thinking-framework) ## Why Most Leaders Get Intuition Wrong Here's what I've learned about why some leaders seem to have "amazing intuition" while others constantly misread situations: **The leaders with great judgment aren't blessed with better gut feelings.** They've systematized their approach to validating and acting on intuitive insights. **They treat gut feelings as valuable data, not emotions to dismiss or blind impulses to follow.** When something feels off, they investigate systematically rather than ignoring the signal or acting without validation. **They apply the three-step framework consistently,** turning their natural pattern recognition into reliable decision-making capability. **They understand that intuition without systematic investigation is just expensive foresight.** Having accurate gut feelings doesn't matter if you can't translate them into effective action. ## Developing Your Practical Thinking Skills The framework isn't theoretical—it's a practical system you can develop through deliberate practice: **Start with your current decisions.** When you have a gut feeling about a situation, work through all three steps systematically. What is Reality Recognition telling you about the actual situation? What does Experience Application suggest based on your knowledge of these stakeholders? What is Psychology Reading revealing about unspoken motivations? **Practice with low-stakes situations first.** Use the framework for team meetings, client interactions, and project evaluations before applying it to major decisions. **Track your accuracy.** Document your initial gut feelings, your framework analysis, and the eventual outcomes. You'll quickly see which steps you're strong at and which need development. ## The Next Time Your Gut Speaks When you feel that familiar tug of intuition—positive or negative—don't trust it blindly or dismiss it completely. Apply the Practical Thinking Framework™: **Reality Recognition:** What is your intuition detecting about the actual situation versus the presented situation? **Experience Application:** What does your knowledge of similar situations and these specific stakeholders suggest? **Stakeholder Psychology Reading:** What do people really want, need, and fear that they're not saying directly? Your intuition might be right, or it might be spectacularly wrong. But the Practical Thinking Framework™ will help you figure out which—before you bet $200 million or walk away from the next Twitter. The best decision-makers I know don't have better guts than everyone else. They have systematic frameworks for making their guts actually useful. That's a skill you can develop, one decision at a time. --- **What "obviously doomed" innovation are you watching right now?** Reply with your example — I analyze reader submissions in upcoming Studio Notes and the best insights often become YouTube episodes. **Next Week:** How the HP-Fossil smartwatch partnership could have beaten Apple if we'd applied systematic thinking instead of playing it safe. [*Studio Notes on Substack*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) *is where I decode 30+ years of Fortune 100 innovation decisions. Every Monday, I share the behind-the-scenes stories, costly mistakes, and hard-won frameworks that turn innovation disasters into systematic advantages.* [Subscribe to Studio Notes](https://philmckinney.substack.com/subscribe) ### The Secret of Top Innovation Leaders: They Think Like Philosophers URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-secret-of-top-innovation-leaders-they-think-like-philosophers/ Last updated: 2025-07-22T23:07:06.000Z After three decades of leading innovation—from my time as Chief Technology Officer at HP to my current role as CEO of CableLabs—I've identified a critical gap in how organizations approach breakthrough thinking. While most leadership development focuses on design thinking methodologies and lean startup frameworks, the business leaders who consistently create transformative innovations operate from something different: philosophical thinking about innovation itself. ## What is The Philosophy of Innovation Journal? This daily innovation journal emerged from two years of development and testing with strategic thinkers worldwide. This isn't another how-to guide for innovation methods. It's a structured journaling practice that builds the intellectual foundation every serious innovator needs. The Philosophy of Innovation Journal contains 30 interconnected themes with carefully crafted journaling prompts designed as 210 questions to transform how executives approach creative leadership and strategic problem-solving. Rather than providing frameworks to memorize, these guided questions develop critical thinking skills that enable breakthrough innovation across any industry or challenge. ## Why Philosophy Matters for Strategic Thinkers Traditional creativity training teaches techniques—design thinking workshops, agile development processes, creative problem-solving methods. These tools are valuable, but they're built on assumptions that most executives never examine: assumptions about creativity, risk, timing, and the fundamental nature of innovative work. This philosophy-based approach is transforming how leaders solve complex problems by exploring essential questions every business leader should consider through structured journaling: - What unconscious fears shape which creative risks you're willing to take? - How do your past experiences influence what you consider possible to create? - When does building on tradition become genuine innovation versus merely extending existing solutions? - What responsibilities come with the power to create new business realities? - How do breakthrough insights actually emerge in consciousness? ## The Complete Innovation Leadership Development Journey The journal contains 210 questions across 30 interconnected themes organized into seven key areas: **Foundation (Themes 1-5)**: Examine your personal relationship with breakthrough thinking, exploring experiences, beliefs, and purpose that shape creative work. **Understanding Innovation's Nature (Themes 6-9)**: Explore fundamental paradoxes—how breakthrough thinking builds on the past while transcending it, manifests across different domains, and relates to timing and surprise. **The Mind and Innovation (Themes 10-13)**: Investigate the psychology of creative insights, examining what happens in consciousness when breakthrough moments emerge. **Innovation in Relationship (Themes 14-17)**: Understand creative work's social dimensions—how transformative ideas emerge from connections with others, language, and organizational culture. **Deeper Philosophical Questions (Themes 18-21)**: Grapple with breakthrough thinking's relationship to reality, beauty, motivation, and business value. **Wisdom and Responsibility (Themes 22-25)**: Integrate creative thinking with broader leadership wisdom, examining responsibilities as creators and technological innovation's unique characteristics. **Integration and Future (Themes 26-30)**: Synthesize insights into your personal innovation philosophy, connecting understanding to practical application. ## Early Access for Business Leaders The Philosophy of Innovation Journal is approximately 90% complete. I'm offering early access to a substantial sample through my Substack newsletter, Studio Notes. The sample includes three complete themes—enough content for genuine philosophical engagement and insight generation. This early access opportunity is designed for strategic thinkers, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and executives who recognize that sustainable breakthrough thinking requires more than just the right tools. It demands clear reasoning about innovation's fundamental nature. [Get Early Access to Innovation Journal - on Substack](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/early-access-the-daily-innovation) Your feedback will directly influence the final book while contributing to a growing community of business leaders who need deeper thinking about innovation, not more tools. ### Why Your Best Employees Are Sabotaging Your Decisions (And How to Fix It) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-your-best-employees-are-sabotaging-your-decisions-and-how-to-fix-it/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:11.000Z ## The $25 Million Perfect Presentation Picture this: You're in a conference room with 23 executives, everyone has perfect PowerPoint presentations, engineering milestones are ahead of schedule, and you're about to sign off on a $25 million bet that feels like a sure thing. That was the scene at [HP](https://killerinnovations.com/hp/?ref=philmckinney.com) when we were developing the Envy 133—the world's first 100% carbon fiber laptop. Everything looked perfect: engineering was ahead of schedule, we projected a $2 billion market opportunity, and the presentations were flawless. Six weeks after launch, Apple shifted the entire thin-and-light laptop market, and our "sure thing" became a $25 million cautionary tale about decision-making. ## The Information Filter Problem Here's what I discovered: Your people aren't lying to you—they're protecting you. Every layer of management unconsciously filters out inconvenient truths. We had two massive blind spots: 1. [Competitive intelligence](https://www.philmckinney.com/peter-lierni-of-solutioneering-on-innovating-frameworks-for-critical-thinking/) about Apple's roadmap had been sanitized before reaching decision-makers 2. Manufacturing complexity of carbon fiber production was presented as routine when it required entirely new processes Information in organizations goes through more filters than an Instagram photo. Each management layer edits out inconvenient truths—not from malice, but from basic human psychology. People want to be helpful, to be problem-solvers, to avoid being bearers of bad news. ## The Three Information Temperature Checks I started treating information like a scientist treats data, using three temperature checks: 1. Emotional Temperature: Real market insights carry emotional weight. If presentations feel sanitized and emotionally flat, you're getting processed information. 2. Granularity Temperature: Can people provide specific names, exact dates, and direct customer quotes? "Several customers" should become "Show me the Austin focus group transcript." 3. Contradiction Temperature: Market reality is messy. If everything points in one direction, someone edited out the complexity. ## Five Battle-Tested Truth-Telling Techniques **Technique 1: Pre-Mortem Confessions** Anonymous submission of biggest fears before major decisions. Read aloud without attribution to remove [personal risk](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-big-data-artificial-intelligence-improve-personal-performance/) and stress-test plans against criticisms. **Technique 2: Messenger Reward System** Formally reward people who bring bad news, not just problem-solvers. Recognition in leadership meetings and promotion consideration. Within six months, intelligence quality improved dramatically. **Technique 3: Devil's Advocate Rotation** Assign someone to formally challenge assumptions in every major presentation. Rotate among team members to institutionalize dissent and make doubt safe to express. **Technique 4: Customer Voice Channel** Spend 25% of time with direct customer contact. This included executive briefings but also weekends in retail stores watching real customer behavior. The gap between what customers wanted and what product teams assumed was staggering. **Technique 5: Failure Story Requirement** Every presentation must include one [failure story](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-art-of-storytelling-for-business-and-innovation/)—not dwelling on failures, but incorporating lessons from setbacks into decision-making. ## The Truth-Telling Scorecard I developed a six-factor scorecard (1-5 scale) to measure information quality: - Signal Clarity: Specific details vs. high-level summaries - Emotional Authenticity: Genuine weight vs. sanitized presentations - Contradiction Comfort: Acknowledging messy reality vs. clean narratives - Bad News Frequency: How often you get genuinely concerning information - Messenger Diversity: Multiple organizational levels vs. hierarchical channels only - Speed of Uncomfortable Truth: How quickly market shifts reach you Review quarterly—scores below 3 signal information silos are forming. ## Five Questions Every Leader Should Ask 1. When did someone last challenge my assumptions with specific, verifiable data? 2. Are my presentations carrying emotional weight or feeling sanitized? 3. What contradictory information am I not seeing? 4. Who am I rewarding—problem-solvers or truth-tellers? 5. How many management layers are filtering my [market intelligence](https://www.philmckinney.com/real-innovation-artificial-intelligence/)? ## Key Takeaway Building a truth-telling culture isn't about finding better people—it's about creating better systems for handling difficult information. The market will always contain signals that contradict your plans. The question is whether those signals can survive the journey to your desk. This Week's Challenge: Try one technique—run a pre-mortem confession on your next major decision or assign a devil's advocate to your next presentation. Small changes in how you handle information can prevent million-dollar mistakes. For the complete Truth-Telling Scorecard and detailed frameworks, visit[ Phil's Studio Notes on Substack](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/why-your-best-people-give-you-the?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false). For the full backstory on the HP Envy 133 project, including all the details, check out the complete article there. [Subscribe to the Killer Innovations Podcast](https://killerinnovations.com/subscribe-to-podcast/?ref=philmckinney.com) |[ Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) To learn more about why best employees are sabotaging decisions, listen to this week's show: [***Why Your Best Employees Are Sabotaging Your Decisions (And How to Fix It)***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5FYour%5FBest%5FPeople%5FGive%5FYou%5FThe%5FWorst%5FInformation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** ### 3 Innovation Decision Traps That Kill Breakthrough Ideas (And How to Avoid Them) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/3-innovation-decision-traps-that-kill-breakthrough-ideas-and-how-to-avoid-them/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:11.000Z Every breakthrough innovation starts the same way: everyone thinks it's a terrible idea. [Twitter](https://www.philmckinney.com/become-that-visionary-leader-by-embracing-risk/) was dismissed as "breakfast updates." Google looked "too simple." Facebook seemed limited to "just college kids." Yet these "stupid ideas" became some of the biggest winners in tech history. After 30 years making innovation decisions at Fortune 100 companies, I've identified why smart people consistently miss breakthrough opportunities—and how to spot them before everyone else does. ## Why Smart People Miss Breakthrough Ideas The problem isn't intelligence or experience. It's that we [ask the wrong questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/top-questions-to-ask-your-employees/) when evaluating new innovations. We filter breakthrough ideas through frameworks designed for incremental improvements, not revolutionary changes. Most innovation decisions fail because of three specific thinking traps that cause us to dismiss ideas with the highest potential for transformation. ## The 3 Innovation Decision Traps ### Trap #1: The Useless Filter **The Question That Kills Innovation:** "What existing problem does this solve?" **Why It's Wrong:** Breakthrough innovations don't solve existing problems—they create entirely new behaviors and meet needs people don't even know they have. **Real-World Example:** Airbnb seemed insane when it launched. Staying with strangers? Seeing them in the kitchen? The "problem" it solved—expensive hotels—wasn't what made it revolutionary. It created an entirely new behavior: experiential travel that hotels couldn't provide. **The Better Question:** "What new human behavior could this enable?" ### Trap #2: The Simplicity Dismissal **The Question That Kills Innovation:** "Where are all the features? This looks too basic." **Why It's Wrong:** Simplicity isn't a lack of sophistication—it's the hardest thing to achieve. When something is designed to be insanely simple to use, that signals massive effort and thought behind the design. **Real-World Example:** Google was just a white page with a search box while Yahoo crammed everything onto their homepage. Google looked unprofessional and incomplete, but it eliminated complexity everyone thought was necessary. **The Better Question:** "What complexity is this eliminating?" ### Trap #3: The Market Size Mistake **The Question That Kills Innovation:** "How big is the addressable market? Why limit yourself so severely?" **Why It's Wrong:** Breakthrough innovations don't serve existing markets—they create entirely new markets. The biggest opportunities come from ideas that seem too niche or focused. **Real-World Example:** Facebook was just for college students requiring .edu email addresses. Critics said the market was too narrow. But social media users didn't exist before Facebook—the company created the entire market. **The Better Question:** "What market could this create?" ## The Innovation Decision Framework When evaluating ideas that seem "stupid" or "too simple," use this three-question filter: 1. **What new behavior could this enable?** 2. **What complexity could this eliminate?** 3. **What market could this create?** These questions force you to look beyond surface-level problems and features to identify transformational potential. ## How to Apply This Framework **For Investors:** Stop asking "What problem does this solve?" Start asking "What behavior does this create?" **For Product Teams:** Stop adding features. Start eliminating complexity. **For Leaders:** Stop looking for big existing markets. Start looking for new market creation potential. **For Innovators:** Stop following what everyone else thinks is smart. Start looking for ideas that violate conventional wisdom. ## The [Pattern Recognition](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/) Advantage The current AI boom follows the exact same pattern as the dot-com bubble. Every company is racing to add AI to their pitch, just like they added ".com" in 1999. But the real breakthrough opportunities? They're probably something completely different—ideas that look terrible to everyone following the AI herd. The companies that will win are those that can recognize breakthrough potential when it violates everything the market thinks is smart. ## The Courage to Act on "Stupid" Ideas Recognition is only half the battle. The hardest part is having the courage to act on opportunities when they contradict expert opinion and market consensus. The biggest question isn't whether you can spot these opportunities—it's whether you'll have the conviction to pursue them when everyone else thinks they're terrible ideas. Because twenty years from now, someone will be writing about the "[stupid idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/scott-mcnealy-on-controversy-generates-good-ideas/)" they missed in 2025 that became the next trillion-dollar company. ## Want the Behind-the-Scenes Story? This framework came from some painful (and expensive) lessons about dismissing breakthrough ideas. I share the full story—including how I wrote off the team that created Twitter after Apple destroyed their original business—in this week's[ Studio Notes](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney). **Listen to the full analysis:**[ Subscribe to the Killer Innovations podcast](https://bit.ly/41WmpTs?ref=philmckinney.com) for deeper dives into innovation decision frameworks. **See the framework in action:**[ Watch my case study](https://youtu.be/KLhzTq1ti7o?ref=philmckinney.com) of how these exact decision traps led to HP's $1.2 billion WebOS disaster. To learn more about innovation decision traps that kill breakthrough ideas, listen to this week's show: [***3 Innovation Decision Traps That Kill Breakthrough Ideas (And How to Avoid Them)***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FStupid%5FIdeas%5Fthat%5Fmade%5FBillions.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** ### The Day I Wrote Off Twitter (Before It Was Twitter) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-day-i-wrote-off-twitter-before-it-was-twitter/ Last updated: 2025-06-23T18:16:29.000Z I'm writing this from my home studio in Colorado, preparing for this week's Killer Innovations episode. I just got back from two weeks in Silicon Valley, and I kept noticing the same pattern everywhere I went: billion-dollar companies that started as ideas everyone thought were stupid. During my flight back to Denver, I was reflecting on these patterns when a memory I'd completely forgotten suddenly surfaced. It was 2005, and I thought I was watching a company die in real time. ## When Apple Killed My Partners My Killer Innovations podcast was one of the first shows listed on Odeo, a new podcast directory started by a scrappy team trying to make podcasting mainstream. I got to know the founders — smart guys who understood that podcasting was going to be huge. Then Apple announced iTunes Podcasts. Overnight, Odeo became irrelevant. Apple had the distribution, the ecosystem, the marketing power. Game over. I remember thinking, "That's it for these guys. They're finished." But here's where it gets painful to remember. Instead of folding, the team started using this crude internal communication tool they'd built for quick team updates. Early users started using it to share random thoughts. What they had for breakfast. Random observations. Stupid stuff. I watched this happening and thought: *These guys are desperate. This "Twitter" thing is the stupidest pivot I've ever seen. They're just prolonging the inevitable.* I completely wrote them off. ## The Arrogance of Expertise Here's what kills me about this story: I thought my years of tech experience gave me perfect pattern recognition. I'd seen plenty of companies die. I knew what failure looked like. The Odeo team was clearly finished. Their core business had been obliterated by Apple. This "microblogging" thing was obviously a desperate Hail Mary—who cares about 140-character breakfast updates? I was so confident in my assessment that I stopped paying attention entirely. I literally unsubscribed from their updates because I didn't want to watch the slow death spiral. That "death spiral" became Twitter, worth over $40 billion at its peak. ## The Pattern I Couldn't See During my recent two weeks in the valley, I kept seeing this same thing: companies everyone initially dismissed that became massive successes. Twitter, Google, Facebook—all started as "terrible" ideas. But it wasn't until I was reflecting on my flight back to Denver that this memory surfaced—something I'd completely forgotten until I started thinking about patterns of "stupid" ideas that become billion-dollar companies. But I couldn't see it because I was asking the wrong questions. Instead of asking "Why would anyone want this?" I should have been asking "What behavior is this enabling that never existed before?" Instead of asking "How do they monetize breakfast updates?" I should have been asking "What happens when real-time global conversation becomes possible?" Instead of asking "Who's the market for this?" I should have been asking "What market could this create?" ## The Expensive Education This wasn't my only miss. At HP, I watched our team dismiss breakthrough ideas weekly using the exact same flawed thinking patterns: **"This is too simple."** We acquired a mobile device management company called Bitfone with an elegantly simple solution. Our enterprise team looked at it and said, "This doesn't look sophisticated enough for Verizon or AT&T." We completely screwed up what could have been a massive win because we couldn't see that simplicity was the breakthrough, not a bug. **"The market's too small."** How many times did I hear "This is interesting, but where's the billion-dollar opportunity?" We passed on ideas that seemed too niche, not realizing they were creating entirely new markets. **"What problem does this actually solve?"** The deadliest question in innovation. Breakthrough ideas don't solve existing problems—they create new behaviors people didn't know they wanted. ## The Framework Born from Failure After missing Twitter and watching HP kill dozens of potentially breakthrough innovations, I developed what I call the three-question filter for evaluating ideas that seem "stupid": 1. **What new behavior could this enable?** 2. **What complexity could this eliminate?** 3. **What market could this create?** These questions force you to look beyond surface-level features and obvious problems to identify transformational potential. If I'd asked these questions about Twitter in 2005: **New behavior:** Real-time global conversation and information sharing **Complexity eliminated:** The friction of traditional media and communication **Market created:** Social media as we know it today But I was too busy being smart to ask the right questions. I walk through exactly how to apply this framework to current Silicon Valley trends in this week's episode (to be released on 6/25/2025) — including which "stupid" AI ideas might actually be the next breakthrough opportunities. [Apply Framework to Current Trends](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&ref=philmckinney.com) ## The Pattern Repeating Today Here's what's concerning me after these two weeks in Silicon Valley: I'm seeing the exact same pattern playing out with AI. During my two weeks in the valley, every company was screaming about AI. Every pitch deck, every billboard, every conversation. It felt like 1999 when everyone became ".com-first" overnight. But the real breakthrough opportunities? They're probably the ideas that look completely stupid to everyone following the AI herd. The companies that seem "too simple" or "too niche" or "solving the wrong problem." I identified several of these potential breakthrough ideas during my trip—companies and concepts that everyone's dismissing but might be creating entirely new behaviors. I break down how to spot them yourself in this week's video analysis (to be released on 6/25/2025). [See My Silicon Valley Findings](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&ref=philmckinney.com) The next Twitter is out there right now, and everyone with "expertise" is probably dismissing it for the exact same reasons I dismissed the real Twitter. ## The Brutal Truth About Expertise Here's what twenty years of missing breakthrough innovations has taught me: expertise is often the enemy of recognition. The more experience you have, the better you get at pattern matching. But breakthrough innovations don't follow existing patterns—they create new ones. When you've seen a hundred companies fail, you become really good at spotting the signs of failure. The problem is, breakthrough success often looks exactly like failure in the early stages. The Odeo team looked like they were desperately pivoting after getting crushed by Apple. From the outside, Twitter looked like a company making random moves to avoid death. But from the inside, they were creating something that had never existed before. ## The Question That Haunts Me I still think about this sometimes when I see a company or idea that seems obviously doomed. What if I'm wrong again? What if my experience is blinding me to something unprecedented? The truth is, I probably am missing something right now. There's probably a "stupid" idea out there that I'm dismissing with the same confidence I had about Twitter. The question isn't whether I'll miss the next breakthrough—it's whether I'll catch myself making the same thinking errors before it's too late. ## What I'm Watching For These days, when I see ideas that make me think "that's obviously going to fail," I try to pause and ask myself: What if I'm seeing the next Twitter and I just can't recognize it yet? Because if more than thirty years of innovation experience has taught me anything, it's that the biggest breakthroughs always look like the stupidest ideas—especially to people who think they know what they're looking at. --- *What "obviously doomed" company or idea have you been watching lately? Hit reply and tell me about it—I'm genuinely curious if I'm missing something again, and I read every response.* **P.S.** I broke down the three decision-making patterns that caused me to miss Twitter (and cost HP millions in other missed opportunities) in this week's framework analysis. The same thinking traps are killing breakthrough recognition across Silicon Valley right now. **Wednesday's deep dive:** Watch me apply (to be released on 6/25/2025) this framework to current Silicon Valley trends and show you how to spot the next "stupid" idea before everyone else figures it out. [Weds Deep Dive on Stupid Ideas](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&ref=philmckinney.com) --- *Studio Notes is where I decode +30 years of Fortune 100 innovation decisions. Every Monday, I share the behind-the-scenes stories, costly mistakes, and hard-won frameworks you won't find anywhere else.* [***Subscribe to get***](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) *each issue delivered to your inbox.* ### The $1.2 Billion Innovation Disaster: 5 Decision Mistakes That Kill Breakthrough Technology (HP WebOS Case Study) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-1-2-billion-innovation-disaster-5-decision-mistakes-that-kill-breakthrough-technology-hp-webos-case-study/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:11.000Z In 2011, HP killed a $1.2 billion innovation in just 49 days. I was the [Chief Technology Officer](https://www.philmckinney.com/cto-advice-for-the-innovator/) who recommended buying it. What happened next reveals why smart people consistently destroy breakthrough technology—and the systematic framework you need to avoid making the same mistake. HP had just spent $1.2 billion acquiring Palm to get WebOS—one of the most advanced mobile operating systems ever created. It had true multitasking when iOS and Android couldn't handle it, an elegant interface design, and breakthrough platform technology. I led the technical due diligence and recommended the acquisition because I believed we were buying the future of mobile computing. We launched it on the HP TouchPad tablet. Then, the CEO killed it just 49 days after launch. Here's a question that should keep every innovation leader awake at night: How do you destroy breakthrough technology worth over a billion dollars in less than two months? The answer isn't what you think. It's not about bad technology, poor market timing, or insufficient resources. It's about systematic thinking errors that intelligent people make when evaluating innovation under pressure. And these same patterns are happening in companies everywhere, right now. I'm going to show you exactly how this happens, why your company is vulnerable to the same mistakes, and give you a proven framework to prevent these disasters before they destroy your [next breakthrough innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-five-questions-that-unlock-breakthrough-innovation/). On my [Studio Notes on Substack](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true), I share the personal story of watching this unfold while recovering from surgery. In this episode, I want to focus on the systematic patterns that caused this disaster and the decision framework that can prevent it. [Read Studio Notes on Substack](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) Here's my promise: by the end of this episode, you'll understand the five thinking errors that consistently destroy innovation value, you'll have a complete decision framework to avoid these traps, and you'll know exactly how to apply this to your current innovation decisions. Because here's what this disaster taught me: intelligence doesn't predict decision quality. Systematic thinking frameworks do. ## The Pattern That Destroys Billion-Dollar Innovations Let me start with the fundamental problem that makes these disasters predictable. When the HP Board hired Leo Apotheker as CEO, they created what I call a "cognitive mismatch," and it reveals why smart people make terrible innovation decisions. Apotheker came from SAP, where he'd run a $15 billion software company. HP was a $125 billion technology company with breakthrough mobile platform technology. The board put someone whose largest organizational experience was half the size of HP's smallest division in charge of evaluating platform innovations he'd never encountered before. But here's the crucial insight: the problem wasn't his experience level. The problem was how his professional background created mental blind spots that made him literally unable to see WebOS as an opportunity. Here's what's dangerous: Apotheker couldn't see WebOS as valuable because his entire career taught him that software companies don't do hardware. His brain was wired to see hardware as a distraction, not an advantage. To him, WebOS represented exactly the kind of hardware business he wanted to eliminate. Your expertise becomes your blind spot. You literally can't see opportunities outside your professional comfort zone. And this is the first critical principle: **Your job background creates mental filters that determine what opportunities you can even see.** And this pattern is happening in your company right now. Your finance team evaluates platform investments using metrics designed for traditional products. Your marketing team rejects concepts they can't explain with existing frameworks. Your engineers dismiss breakthrough ideas that don't fit current technical roadmaps. The pattern is always identical: intelligent people using the wrong thinking frameworks to evaluate breakthrough technology. Let me show you exactly how this destroys innovation value. ## The Five Systematic Thinking Errors That Kill Innovation WebOS died because of five predictable cognitive errors that occur when smart people evaluate breakthrough technology under pressure. These aren't unique to HP—I've seen identical patterns destroy innovation value across multiple industries. ### Error #1: Solving the Wrong Problem The most dangerous mistake happens before you evaluate any options: framing the wrong decision question. Apotheker was asking "How do I transform HP into a software company?" when the strategic question was "How do we build competitive advantage in mobile computing platforms?" When you optimize solutions for the wrong problem, you get excellent answers that destroy strategic value. **The Warning Sign:** Your team jumps straight to evaluating options without questioning whether you're solving the right challenge. ### Error #2: Identity-Driven Decision Making Your professional background creates systematic blind spots about breakthrough opportunities. Software executives see software solutions. Hardware leaders focus on hardware opportunities. Financial experts optimize for traditional metrics. This cognitive filtering happens automatically and distorts how you evaluate platform technologies that don't fit conventional categories. **The Warning Sign:** Your evaluation team all have similar backgrounds and reach the same conclusions about breakthrough technology. ### Error #3: Tunnel Vision Under Pressure When executives become obsessed with major initiatives, everything else feels like a distraction. Apotheker became obsessed with acquiring Autonomy, a software company that fit his transformation vision. This tunnel vision made everything else—including breakthrough mobile technology—feel like a distraction from his primary goal. **The Warning Sign:** Leadership dismisses promising innovations because they don't support the current primary initiative. ### Error #4: Timeline Compression Under Stress Platform technologies require different evaluation timeframes than traditional products. Forty-nine days isn't enough time to build developer ecosystems, establish retail partnerships, or demonstrate platform traction. But pressure to show decisive leadership compressed HP's decision timeline artificially, creating the illusion of strong leadership while increasing the probability of strategic errors. **The Warning Sign:** Your team is evaluating breakthrough technology using the same timelines as conventional product launches. ### Error #5: Wrong Evidence Framework Innovation decisions require fundamentally different success metrics than traditional business evaluation. HP focused on TouchPad sales numbers instead of developer adoption rates, user engagement patterns, or platform differentiation sustainability. They used product metrics to evaluate platform potential, which guaranteed they would see failure instead of recognizing early-stage ecosystem development. **The Warning Sign:** You're applying traditional business metrics to evaluate breakthrough technology investments. Here's what makes these errors so dangerous: they're invisible to the people making them. Smart teams use these flawed frameworks and feel confident they're making data-driven decisions while systematically destroying innovation value. But these patterns are preventable. After analyzing hundreds of similar disasters, I developed a systematic framework specifically designed to avoid these thinking traps. ## The DECIDE Framework: Your Innovation Decision Protection System The DECIDE framework addresses each cognitive vulnerability that consistently traps intelligent leaders in innovation contexts. Let me show you exactly how it works and why it would have saved WebOS. ### D - Define the Real Decision Most innovation failures begin with teams optimizing excellent solutions for poorly defined problems. **The Tool:** Reframe your decision question three different ways. If all three point to the same choice, you're probably asking the right question. If they point to different choices, you need to determine which frame captures the real strategic challenge. **Examples of Different Frames:** - **Financial Frame:** "How do we minimize losses on this investment?" - **Strategic Frame:** "How do we build long-term competitive advantage?" - **Market Frame:** "How do we capture emerging opportunities?" - **Competitive Frame:** "How do we position against industry leaders?" - **Customer Frame:** "How do we create unique value for users?" **HP's Application:** - **Original Frame:** "Should we continue investing in TouchPad given poor sales?" - **Strategic Reframe:** "How do we build a sustainable mobile platform business?" - **Competitive Reframe:** "What's our path to competing with Apple and Google in mobile?" **What This Reveals:** The reframes show TouchPad was one product in a larger platform opportunity that deserved different evaluation criteria entirely. ### E - Examine Your Thinking Process Your professional background creates invisible filters that can systematically distort how you interpret breakthrough opportunities. **The Tool:** If you hired someone with completely different expertise to make this decision, what would they choose? When the gap is huge, you need outside perspectives with different cognitive frameworks. **HP's Gap:** Enterprise software CEO versus consumer platform strategy requirements. They needed mobile platform thinking, not enterprise software optimization, but never brought that expertise into the decision process. ### C - Challenge Your Assumptions The most dangerous assumptions feel like established facts and shape your entire analysis without being examined. **The Tool:** What would have to be true for your least favorite option to actually be the right choice? This forces you to consider alternative interpretations of the same evidence. **HP's Assumptions:** Platform businesses need immediate profitability, mobile computing won't dominate, differentiated operating systems can't compete with [Apple and Google](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-the-innovation-economy-and-its-impact-on-our-world/). All of these assumptions were provably false by 2011, but they drove the evaluation process. ### I - Identify Decision Traps Different types of decisions trigger predictable cognitive biases that distort evaluation in systematic ways. **The Tool:** Which specific biases is your decision most vulnerable to? Create explicit countermeasures for each identified bias. **Common Innovation Decision Biases:** - **Focused on stopping losses vs building advantages (loss aversion)** - **Seeking evidence that supports preferred choice (confirmation bias)** - **Overweighting first information received (anchoring bias)** - **Obsessing with one initiative while missing others (tunnel vision)** - **Choosing options that fit your identity (identity bias)** - **Using recent events to predict outcomes (recency bias)** **HP's Specific Traps:** - Focused on stopping TouchPad losses vs building platform advantages (loss aversion) - Highlighted negative sales data while ignoring positive developer signals (confirmation bias) - Used early TouchPad sales as anchor for all subsequent evaluation (anchoring bias) ### D - Design Multiple Options Most innovation failures result from evaluating limited options well rather than evaluating good options poorly. **The Tool:** Generate five genuinely different approaches before evaluating any of them. Breakthrough solutions often emerge from non-obvious alternatives. **HP's Missing Options:** License WebOS to manufacturers, integrate into PC ecosystem, pivot to enterprise mobile, create hybrid hardware-software strategy. All had genuine potential but were never seriously considered. ### E - Evaluate with Evidence Platform technologies require fundamentally different success metrics than traditional product evaluation. **The Tool:** What evidence would predict success for this specific type of innovation? Use frameworks appropriate for breakthrough technology, not conventional business metrics. **HP's Error:** They used quarterly sales performance and immediate profitability to evaluate platform potential. Platform businesses lose money initially while building network effects that create sustainable advantages later. ## How to Apply This to Your Innovation Decision Right Now Let me show you how to use this framework with your current innovation decisions. **Step One: Identify Your Highest-Stakes Innovation Decision** What breakthrough technology, platform investment, or disruptive opportunity is your team evaluating right now? This framework applies to any decision where traditional business metrics might mislead about innovation potential. **Step Two: Run the Decision Question Test** Before evaluating any options, reframe your decision question three different ways. Are you asking "How do we minimize risk?" or "How do we maximize strategic opportunity?" The frame determines the solutions you'll even consider. **Step Three: Audit Your Evaluation Team** Who's making this decision? What cognitive filters might their backgrounds create? Do you need advisors with different expertise to see opportunities your current team might miss? **Step Four: Challenge Your Obvious Assumptions** What would have to be true for the option you least prefer to actually be right? Those conditions might exist or be emerging faster than you realize. **Step Five: Identify Your Decision Traps** Is your team vulnerable to loss aversion? Anchoring on early data? Tunnel vision around other initiatives? Create specific countermeasures for each identified bias. **Step Six: Generate Multiple Approaches** Push beyond obvious choices. What would someone from a completely different industry do? What creative alternatives combine elements from different options? **Step Seven: Use Appropriate Evidence** Are you evaluating platform potential with product metrics? Breakthrough technology with conventional criteria? Innovation investments with traditional business frameworks? Match your evidence to your innovation type. [Download DECIDE Framework Toolkit](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/download-your-decide-framework-how?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ## Why This Framework Prevents Innovation Disasters The DECIDE framework works because it addresses the specific cognitive vulnerabilities that consistently trap intelligent people in innovation contexts. Traditional decision-making assumes you know the right questions to ask, can see opportunities clearly, and will use appropriate evaluation criteria. Innovation decisions violate all these assumptions. Breakthrough technologies don't fit existing categories. Platform investments don't follow traditional timelines. Disruptive opportunities can't be evaluated with conventional metrics. The companies that consistently succeed at innovation aren't smarter—they use systematic frameworks designed for uncertainty, breakthrough potential, and non-obvious opportunities. **Three Companies Getting This Right:** Amazon evaluates platform investments with different metrics than product launches. They expected [Kindle](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-find-new-ideas/), AWS, and Prime to lose money initially while building long-term competitive advantages. Google uses systematic frameworks to avoid identity bias in breakthrough technology evaluation. Android didn't fit their search advertising identity, but they evaluated it with platform-appropriate criteria. Apple applies different decision frameworks to breakthrough products versus incremental improvements. They gave iPhone multiple years to build ecosystem momentum instead of expecting immediate profitability. These companies avoid the systematic thinking errors that destroyed WebOS because they use decision frameworks designed for innovation uncertainty. ## Your Next Strategic Decision Here's the reality: this challenge isn't going away. Breakthrough technologies will continue emerging faster than traditional business frameworks can evaluate them. The companies that develop systematic innovation decision capabilities will capture enormous value. Those that rely on conventional thinking will consistently destroy breakthrough opportunities. **Your Three Action Steps:** **First:** Download the DECIDE Framework toolkit and apply it to your current highest-stakes innovation decision before evaluating any options. **Second:** Audit your innovation evaluation processes. Are you using traditional business metrics to evaluate breakthrough technology? Conventional timelines for platform investments? Identity-driven thinking for disruptive opportunities? **Third:** Build systematic innovation decision capabilities into your organization. Train your team to recognize cognitive biases, use appropriate evidence frameworks, and generate multiple creative alternatives. **Questions to Consider:** - What breakthrough opportunity might your company be evaluating with the wrong frameworks right now? - How would you know if your team is falling into the same thinking traps that killed WebOS? - What would systematic innovation decision capabilities be worth to your competitive advantage? But here's the final piece of this story that shows just how costly these thinking errors can be: Leo Apotheker was fired on September 22, 2011—just 35 days after shutting down WebOS and eleven months after taking over as CEO. The board finally recognized the systematic thinking errors that had destroyed billions in value, but it was too late for WebOS. The human cost of these decisions goes beyond stock prices and quarterly reports. There are real people who believed in breakthrough technology, fought for innovation, and had to watch it get destroyed by preventable thinking errors. The complete personal story of watching this disaster unfold—including details about the brutal aftermath and why I still believe in HP despite everything—is in this week's [Studio Notes over on Substack](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true). [Read Studio Notes on Substack](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) Remember: when you have breakthrough technology in your hands, the quality of your decision-making process matters more than the quality of your technology. Intelligence and good intentions aren't enough. You need systematic frameworks for thinking clearly about innovation under uncertainty. The tools exist to prevent these disasters. The question is whether you'll implement them before your next WebOS moment. Remember—in a world where billion-dollar innovations can be killed in 49 days, systematic decision frameworks might be your most valuable competitive advantage. If you found this week's episode valuable, [subscribe to the podcast](https://killerinnovations.com/subscribe-to-podcast/?ref=philmckinney.com) or watch on the [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com). To learn more about HP's WebOS failure and the innovation decision-making framework, listen to this week's show: [***The $1.2 Billion Innovation Disaster: 5 Decision Mistakes That Kill Breakthrough Technology (HP WebOS Case Study)***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/This%5FCEO%5FKilled%5Fa%5F1.2%5FBILLION%5FInnovation%5Fin%5F49%5FDays.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ### I Convinced HP's Board to Buy Palm for $1.2B. Then I Watched Them Kill It in 49 Days. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/i-convinced-hps-board-to-buy-palm-for-1-2b-then-i-watched-them-kill-it-in-49-days/ Last updated: 2025-06-09T13:00:46.000Z I've never shared this story publicly before—how I convinced HP's board to acquire Palm for $1.2 billion, then watched as they destroyed it while I was confined to bed recovering from surgery. This isn't just another tech failure analysis. I was the HP Chief Technology Officer who led the technical due diligence on Palm. I presented to Mark Hurd and the HP board, making the case for moving forward with the acquisition. I believed we were buying the future of mobile computing. Then I watched it all fall apart from the worst possible vantage point—lying in bed during a eight-week recovery, helpless to intervene as everything I'd worked to build got dismantled in real time. This is the story of how smart people destroyed $1.2 billion in innovation value in just 49 days. It's about the brutal personal cost of being blamed for a disaster that happened while you're recovering from surgery. And it's about why I still believe in HP despite everything that went wrong. ## Making the Case: Why I Believed in WebOS In early 2010, HP was desperately seeking mobile platform capabilities. We knew the computing world was shifting toward mobile, and our traditional PC business faced real threats from tablets and smartphones. We needed to be there. Palm was struggling financially, but they possessed something genuinely special in WebOS—true multitasking when iOS and Android couldn't handle it, elegant user interface design, and breakthrough technology architecture buried inside a failing business. As CTO, I led the technical due diligence process. I spent weeks embedded with the Palm engineering team in Sunnyvale, crawling through their code base, understanding their platform architecture, and assessing the quality of their technical talent. The deeper I dug, the more convinced I became that this wasn't just another mobile operating system. My conclusion was unambiguous: WebOS represented a breakthrough platform technology that could differentiate HP in the emerging mobile computing market. The technology was solid. The team was exceptional. The platform vision was compelling. I presented this assessment to Mark Hurd and the board with complete conviction. This wasn't about buying a struggling phone company—it was our strategic entry into the future of computing platforms. I believed every word of my presentation because I had seen the technology's potential firsthand. The board agreed with my recommendation. In April 2010, we announced the $1.2 billion acquisition. I felt proud of the technical work we'd done and excited about what we could build together. ## Building the Bridge: Post-Acquisition Integration After the acquisition closed in July 2010, my role shifted to helping the Palm team leverage HP's massive capabilities. We had global manufacturing scale, established supply chain relationships, and a consumer and enterprise customer base that Palm had never been able to access as an independent company. I spent countless hours working with the Palm leadership team, mapping out integration plans and identifying strategic synergies. We discussed how WebOS could expand beyond smartphones into tablets, potentially integrate with HP's PC platforms, and even find applications in our printer ecosystem. Everything seemed aligned for success. Then life intervened in the worst possible way. ## The First Timing Disaster: Leadership Upheaval Everything seemed aligned for success until the first disaster struck. In August 2010—just one month after we closed the Palm acquisition—Mark Hurd was forced to resign as CEO. The board replaced him with Leo Apotheker, former CEO of SAP, who brought a completely different strategic vision to HP. Apotheker's plan was radical: transform HP from a hardware company into a software and services company, similar to IBM's transformation years earlier. He wanted to exit or minimize HP's hardware businesses—PCs, printers, and by extension, mobile devices like the TouchPad. In his mind, WebOS represented exactly the kind of hardware distraction he wanted to eliminate. I assumed the strategic rationale for the acquisition remained sound despite the leadership change. The technology hadn't changed. The market opportunity was still there. But I was wrong about the continuity of strategic vision. ## The Second Timing Disaster: When I Couldn't Be There Then, in late June 2011, life intervened in the worst possible way. I faced a medical emergency requiring immediate surgery and a eight-week recovery period confined to bed. You don't schedule medical emergencies—and I had to step away from my integration work with Palm just as the most critical decisions were being made about the platform's future. While I was recovering at home, unable to participate in meetings or provide strategic input, the entire mobile computing landscape at HP began to unravel. ## Watching The Launch Fail From My Bed On July 1, 2011, HP launched the TouchPad tablet running WebOS 3.0\. I watched the launch from my bed, hoping to see the culmination of all our technical work and strategic planning. Instead, I witnessed the beginning of one of the fastest product failures in tech history. The launch was botched from the start. HP priced the TouchPad at $499 to compete directly with the iPad, but without the app ecosystem or marketing muscle to justify that premium. The device felt rushed to market, lacking the polish that could have helped it compete. Consumer reviews were mixed at best. Initial sales numbers were devastating: HP sold only 25,000 TouchPads out of 270,000 units shipped to retailers. While Apple was selling 9 million iPads that same quarter, TouchPads were gathering dust on store shelves. ## 49 Days: The Announcement That Ended Everything Then came the announcement that changed everything. On August 18, 2011—just 49 days after the TouchPad launch—HP announced it would discontinue all WebOS devices immediately. I was still confined to bed, watching my technical due diligence work and strategic recommendations get dismantled in real time through news reports and industry analysis. Forty-nine days. That's not enough time to fix launch problems, build developer momentum, or establish retail partnerships. Platform businesses typically need 18-24 months to demonstrate real market traction. But Leo Apotheker wasn't thinking about platform timelines—he was thinking about his software transformation strategy. The most painful part wasn't just the speed of the decision, but learning that Apotheker had made the discontinuation choice without even informing the Palm team beforehand. According to multiple reports, he seemed eager to kill off a product that didn't fit his vision of HP as a software company. I felt helpless. Betrayed. And somehow, I was responsible for not being there to fight for what I knew was breakthrough technology. ## The Welcome Back: A Brutal Reality Check My first day back at HP will be burned into my memory forever. I was simply trying to grab lunch in the cafeteria at HP Labs when I found myself surrounded by what felt like the entire technical staff. They weren't there to welcome me back—they were there to hold me accountable. The scene was intense and unambiguous. Engineers and researchers who had watched the WebOS disaster unfold were pointing fingers and raising voices. Their message was crystal clear and brutal: "You can never take leave again—EVER!" Their exact words still echo in my mind: "The CEO and board need adult supervision." Think about the implications of that statement. HP's own technical staff, the people closest to our innovation work, believed that senior leadership couldn't be trusted to make sound technology decisions without someone there to provide oversight and guidance. They weren't wrong. The numbers proved it in the most painful way possible. But hearing it directed at me personally—being blamed for not providing "adult supervision" while I was recovering from surgery—was devastating. I had recommended the acquisition based on solid technical analysis. I had worked to integrate the teams and technology. But because I wasn't there during the critical 49 days when the decision was made to kill WebOS, somehow the failure became my responsibility. ## The Scale Mismatch: Context That Should Have Been Obvious Standing in that cafeteria, listening to my colleagues blame me for not being there to prevent the disaster, I realized the fundamental problem wasn't my absence. It was a systematic mismatch between Leo Apotheker's experience and the role he was asked to fill. SAP's annual revenue while Leo served as its CEO was approximately $15 billion. The HP board hired a CEO whose largest organizational experience was running a company smaller than HP's smallest division. Based purely on revenue management experience, Apotheker wouldn't have qualified to be a Executive Vice President at HP, yet the board put him in charge of a $125 billion technology company. This wasn't just a cultural mismatch—it was a fundamental scale and complexity mismatch that should have been immediately obvious to any functioning board. But nobody asked the right questions about whether Leo's enterprise software background prepared him to evaluate consumer platform technologies such as WebOS, and I wasn't there to provide what my colleagues called "adult supervision." ## The Personal Aftermath: Choosing Integrity Over Silence When I decided to “retire” from HP, they offered me a separation bonus—a significant financial package that would have made my transition easier. But there was a catch: accepting it would have restricted what I could say publicly about my experiences at the company. I refused. I've spent my career believing that the truth about innovation decisions—both successes and failures—should be shared so others can learn from them. Taking money to stay quiet about systematic thinking errors that destroyed breakthrough technology felt like betraying everything I believed about how innovation should work. The decision cost me financially, but it preserved my ability to tell stories like this one. Stories that might help other leaders avoid similar disasters. ## The Deeper Truth: Why I Still Believe in HP *Disclaimer: The following reflects my personal investment decisions and relationship with HP leadership. This is not financial advice, and you should consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.* Here's what might surprise you: I haven't sold a single HP share since leaving the company. Despite watching the WebOS disaster unfold, despite being blamed for not preventing it, despite everything that went wrong during that period, I still believe in HP as an organization. I take every opportunity to remind Enrique Lores, HP's current CEO, and Antonio Neri, CEO of HPE, about this fact. Both men were peers of mine when I was at HP. We worked closely together as part of the leadership team that made HP #1 in market share for consumer and commercial PCs & laptops, printers, and servers—helping drive HP to Fortune #11 during that period. They are natural leaders who understand HP's culture and values from the inside, having come up through the organization rather than being parachuted in from outside. Enrique and Antonio represent what HP is at its best: technical excellence combined with strategic thinking, innovation grounded in operational discipline, and leadership that understands both the technology and the business. They're the kind of leaders who would have asked different questions about WebOS, who would have applied better decision frameworks to evaluate platform technology under uncertainty. My continued shareholding isn't just a matter of financial confidence—it's a statement of faith in what HP can become when the right leadership applies systematic thinking to innovation decisions. ## The Painful Lesson: Intelligence Doesn't Predict Decision Quality The WebOS failure taught me something fundamental about innovation decisions that I hadn't fully understood before: intelligence and good intentions don't predict decision quality. Systematic thinking frameworks do. Leo Apotheker wasn't stupid. The HP board wasn't incompetent. The financial analysts weren't malicious. But they all used flawed thinking frameworks to evaluate breakthrough technology under pressure, and those systematic errors destroyed $1.2 billion in innovation value. The thinking errors were predictable and preventable: **Solving the wrong problem.** Apotheker was asking "How do I transform HP into a software company?" when the right question was "How do we build sustainable competitive advantage in mobile computing platforms?" His entire strategic framework was about exiting hardware businesses, not building platform advantages. **Identity-driven decision making.** His background at SAP shaped his entire approach to HP's portfolio. He saw WebOS as a hardware distraction from his software transformation vision. **Tunnel vision under pressure.** During this same period, he became laser-focused on acquiring Autonomy for $10.3 billion—a software company that fit his transformation vision perfectly. Everything else, including breakthrough mobile technology, felt like a distraction from this software-focused strategy. That Autonomy acquisition later required more than an $8 billion write-down, but at the time it consumed all of leadership's attention. **Timeline compression under stress.** Forty-nine days isn't enough time to fairly evaluate platform technology, but pressure to show decisive leadership compressed the decision timeline artificially. These errors weren't unique to HP or to Apotheker. I've seen identical patterns across multiple companies and industries. Brilliant engineers kill breakthrough prototypes because they don't fit current product roadmaps. Marketing teams reject game-changing concepts because they can't explain them using existing frameworks. CEOs avoid platform investments because the path to profitability isn't immediately clear. ## The Birth of Better Thinking: The DECIDE Framework Lying in bed during those eight weeks, watching the WebOS disaster unfold while being powerless to intervene, I first performed an autopsy of how we got to such a bad decision. Was there a framework that could have led to better decisions? That analysis eventually became a systematic approach to innovation decisions that could prevent these predictable errors. The framework that emerged from this painful experience is something I call DECIDE—a systematic thinking process specifically designed for innovation decisions under uncertainty: **D**efine the real decision (not just the obvious question) **E**xamine your thinking process for cognitive biases **C**hallenge your assumptions systematically **I**dentify decision traps specific to innovation contexts **D**esign multiple genuinely different options **E**valuate with evidence frameworks appropriate for breakthrough technology This isn't theoretical academic stuff. It's a practical framework born from watching smart people make systematic thinking errors that destroyed breakthrough technology value. It's designed to prevent the specific cognitive errors that killed WebOS and continue to kill innovation investments across industries. Next Wednesday (6/11/2025) , I'll walk you through exactly [how to apply the DECIDE framework](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&si=ZZHoccy8x6Ic5dDg&ref=philmckinney.com) to your current innovation decisions. I'll show you the specific tools and questions that can help you avoid the thinking traps that consistently destroy breakthrough technology value. [Watch The Video on DECIDE Framework](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&si=ZZHoccy8x6Ic5dDg&ref=philmckinney.com) ## The Question That Still Haunts Me Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't needed surgery during those critical weeks. Would I have been able to convince the leadership team to give WebOS more time? Could I have provided the "adult supervision" my colleagues said was missing? Would better thinking frameworks have changed the outcome? I'll never know for certain. But I do know this: the technology was sound, the market opportunity was real, and the decision to kill WebOS after 49 days was based on systematic thinking errors that could have been prevented with better decision frameworks. But here's the final piece of the story: Leo Apotheker was fired on September 22, 2011—just 35 days after shutting down WebOS and eleven months after taking over as CEO. The board finally recognized the systematic thinking errors that had destroyed billions in value, but it was too late for WebOS. The human cost of these decisions goes beyond stock prices and quarterly reports. There are real people who believed in breakthrough technology, fought for innovation, and had to watch it get destroyed by preventable thinking errors. In my case, I announced my retirement from HP on October 31, 2011 via [my blog](https://www.philmckinney.com/goodbye-hp-2/) ([Wired Magazine](https://www.wired.com/2011/11/hp-phil-mckinny/?ref=philmckinney.com)). My last day at HP was December 31, 2011. WebOS technology eventually found success when LG licensed it for smart TV platforms. The core architecture and UI influenced every subsequent mobile operating system. HP could have owned that platform innovation and the ecosystem value it created. ## Your Innovation Decision What breakthrough technology or innovation opportunity is your team evaluating right now? Before you make any irreversible choices, ask yourself: are you applying systematic thinking frameworks to this decision, or are you relying on intuition and conventional business metrics that might mislead in innovation contexts? Because here's what I learned from watching the WebOS disaster unfold while confined to bed, helpless to intervene: when you have breakthrough technology in your hands, the quality of your decision-making process matters more than the quality of your technology. Intelligence and good intentions aren't enough. You need systematic frameworks for thinking clearly about innovation decisions under uncertainty. Wednesday, I'll show you exactly [how to build and apply those frameworks](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&si=ZZHoccy8x6Ic5dDg&ref=philmckinney.com). The tools exist to prevent these disasters. The question is whether you'll use them before it's too late. [Watch The Lastest Video on the YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&ref=philmckinney.com) --- *What innovation decision is keeping you up at night? Reply and let me know—I read every response and often use reader questions to shape future Studio Notes.* ### The Parenting Decision That Will Define Your Child's Future URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-parenting-decision-that-will-define-your-childs-future/ Last updated: 2025-06-07T22:20:09.000Z Saturday, my 12-year-old grandson (not the kid in the photo) showed me how he'd used my latest YouTube video to create better AI prompts for his small laser cutting business. He was excited to share what he'd learned about using AI as a "[creativity partner](https://youtu.be/vmZSaEYrWNU?si=QifDzw0ATdUmKu0g&ref=philmckinney.com)" rather than a replacement for his own design work. As we sat in the dance recital waiting for his sister's performance, I watched him demonstrate his AI prompt technique with the confidence of someone who'd figured out a complex system. Meanwhile, his 9-year-old sister immediately wants to jump to AI whenever she needs 3D models of animals and figurines for [my 3D printer](https://youtu.be/fyYVlwIXxn8?si=1hrqElI-bmmStmgS&ref=philmckinney.com). I worry she's getting pulled into "AI first" thinking—reaching for the tool before trying to solve problems on her own. It struck me that both kids are facing decisions about technology that their parents never had to make. And their parents—my adult children—are making choices about AI that will shape how their kids think, create, and solve problems for the rest of their lives. After 30 years of watching Fortune 100 teams make technology adoption decisions, I thought I understood the stakes. But as someone who helped homeschool three kids through their education and now watches five grandkids navigate this new world, I'm realizing this choice is more complex than any boardroom decision I've faced. ## **Looking Back: Our Technology Choices in 1987** We didn't set out to homeschool when our oldest daughter wanted to learn to read in 1987\. We just didn't know we were starting down a path that would define our family for the next two decades. Living in Silicon Valley, we made a decision that we could do better than the local school systems in preparing our kids for a rapidly changing world. It wasn't for everyone—homeschooling is a complete family lifestyle choice. But we were convinced that the world our children would enter would be fundamentally different from ours. When the internet arrived, we made another deliberate choice. We took a cautious approach. All computers had to be in the main family room, where anyone could see what everyone else was doing. I still remember the battles over getting time on the PC when we had just one phone line for AOL access. Later, we became the first family in our rural Virginia area to have high-speed broadband, using a special 6 GHz microwave link from our small farm to a tower to get fiber access. We were always early adopters, but with careful thought behind each decision. Those technology choices weren't random. We had a framework: understand the tool, establish clear purposes, and maintain family oversight. Looking back, those decisions helped shape how our three kids approach technology today as adults. ## **The Decision Framework That Really Matters** Now our kids are the parents facing these choices. And frankly, the stakes feel higher. In corporate innovation, we call this the "adoption timing decision"—when do you embrace disruptive technology versus protecting against its risks? The difference with parenting decisions is that they compound over the years and shape developing minds in ways that are much harder to reverse than changing business software. Here's what 30 years of technology decisions taught me about frameworks that actually work: **First, what problem are we really solving?** Is this about efficiency, keeping up with other families, or genuine learning enhancement? Too many parents are making AI decisions based on competitive pressure rather than clear educational goals. **Second, what are we risking?** Not just screen time, but thinking patterns. When kids can get polished homework done in minutes using AI, what cognitive muscles aren't they building? My grandson is impressive in how he uses AI for his business, but I also watch his sister reach for it before trying to solve design problems independently. There's a difference between using AI as a tool after you understand the fundamentals and using it as a shortcut to avoid learning those fundamentals in the first place. **Third, how will we know if it's working?** What does success look like in six months? Two years? What warning signs will we watch for, and when will we course-correct? This is something I explore in detail in [this week's video](https://youtu.be/UcGIUv%5FXTbU?ref=philmckinney.com)—the specific signs that tell you whether AI is helping or hindering your child's development. [Subscribe To YouTube Channel](https://youtube.com/@philmckinney?sub%5Fconfirmation=1&ref=philmckinney.com) ## **The Generational Shift I'm Watching** My five grandkids, ages 8 to 13, are split between homeschool and public school—their parents have made different educational choices that work for their families. Some parents view AI as a means of preparing for the future. Others worry about protecting foundational skills. Most are somewhere in between, making decisions by drift rather than design. What's fascinating is watching my 12-year-old grandson process my YouTube videos. He listens to each one, then comes to me with questions. Last week, it was about the difference between using AI as a creativity partner versus letting it replace his own thinking. He's developing his own framework for when to use these tools in his laser cutting business and when to rely on his own design capabilities. His approach reminds me of something we learned in homeschooling: kids who understand the "why" behind decisions make better choices when they're on their own. His sister, on the other hand, represents the challenge many parents face. She's incredibly creative and eager to make things, but she immediately wants to use AI to generate 3D models rather than learning to design them herself. She's not wrong that AI can produce impressive results quickly, but I worry about what happens to the creative problem-solving muscles she's not building. ## **What I'm Seeing Work (And What Isn't)** The families that seem most confident about AI aren't the ones that banned it completely or embraced it without limits. They're the ones that treated it like we treated the internet in the 1990s—powerful tool, clear purposes, active oversight. Here's what's working: - Families that introduced AI after kids demonstrated strong independent research and thinking skills - Clear boundaries around when and how AI can be used for projects - Regular conversations about what the child learned versus what the AI contributed - Teaching kids to use AI as a thinking partner, not an answer machine The concerning patterns I'm noticing: - Kids who can't start creative projects without AI assistance - Dramatic improvements in work quality that parents celebrate without questioning the development process - Children losing tolerance for the frustration that comes with genuine learning - Parents making AI decisions based on what other families are doing rather than their own values The contrast between my grandson and his sister illustrates this perfectly. He's learned to use AI to enhance skills he's already developed, while she's naturally drawn to AI-generated solutions as her starting point. She's younger and still developing those foundational skills, which gives us the opportunity to help guide that balance. ## **Different Approaches, Same Challenges** Watching my grandkids navigate this across both homeschool and public school settings has been illuminating. Each approach has advantages and challenges when it comes to AI decisions. Homeschool families often have more control over technology introduction timing. We can make individual decisions based on each child's development rather than following district-wide policies. We're already comfortable making educational choices outside the mainstream and thinking long-term about learning rather than just getting through this semester. But homeschool families also carry more individual responsibility for getting technology decisions right, with fewer institutional guidelines to follow. Public school families face different pressures. Schools are increasingly integrating AI tools into curricula, which means parents have less control over when and how their kids encounter these technologies. But they also benefit from having professional educators who can help navigate these new tools when parents feel less confident about the technology themselves. Both settings require parents to think carefully about how AI fits into their child's overall development. The key isn't which educational path you've chosen—it's having a clear framework for technology decisions that aligns with your family's values and goals. ## **My Current Thinking** Based on watching both corporate technology adoption and now family technology choices, here's where I'm landing: **Foundation first.** Kids need to develop core research, writing, design, and problem-solving skills before they have unlimited AI access. Not because AI is bad, but because these cognitive foundations will determine how effectively they can use AI throughout their lives. **Purpose-driven introduction.** When we do introduce AI, it should be for specific, bounded purposes. My grandson uses it to enhance his existing business skills. His sister needs to first learn basic 3D design before using AI to accelerate her workflow. **Maintain the framework mindset.** The most important thing we can teach our kids isn't how to use any particular AI tool, but how to make decisions about new technologies as they emerge. Because this won't be the last disruptive technology they encounter. In [this week's video](https://youtu.be/UcGIUv%5FXTbU?ref=philmckinney.com) (to be released 6/4/2025), I walk through a simple assessment you can do with your own kids to determine whether they're ready for AI tools or need more foundation building first. The difference between these two approaches will shape how they think and create for decades. ## **The Meta-Lesson** Here's what I've learned from both corporate innovation and homeschooling: the specific decisions matter less than teaching decision-making frameworks. The world our grandkids will inherit will have technologies we can't imagine today. But if we teach them how to evaluate new tools, set boundaries, and maintain their core capabilities, they'll be equipped for whatever comes next. My grandson's excitement about using AI as a creativity partner tells me he's developing that framework thinking. He's not just learning to use a tool—he's learning to think about tools and their proper role in his life and business. His sister is still learning this balance, and that's okay. She's younger, and part of our job as parents and grandparents is helping kids develop these frameworks gradually. That might be the most important education any of our kids receive. **What framework are you using for technology adoption decisions in your family?* I'd love to hear about your approach in the comments. And if you're interested in how this thinking applies beyond parenting, check out* [*this week's video*](https://youtu.be/UcGIUv%5FXTbU?ref=philmckinney.com) *(to be released on 6/4/2025) where I dive into the research on how AI affects developing creative abilities and share a simple assessment to help you determine your child's readiness for these tools.* [Latest Video on the YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNSRQvUJBiHebPhEmQcNagU&ref=philmckinney.com) ### How AI Dependency Is Rewiring Your Child's Creative Brain (And What Parents Can Do About It) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-ai-dependency-is-rewiring-your-childs-creative-brain-and-what-parents-can-do-about-it/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:10.000Z University of Washington researchers discovered something that should concern every parent: children who use AI to create can no longer create without it. And here's the concerning part: most parents have absolutely no idea it's happening. If you've been following our series on Creative Thinking in the AI Age, you know I've been tracking how [artificial intelligence](https://www.philmckinney.com/real-innovation-artificial-intelligence/) is rewiring human creativity. We've explored the 30% decline in creative thinking among adults, the science of neuroplasticity, and practical exercises to rebuild our creative capabilities. But today's episode is different. Today, we're talking about your child's developing brain. And I need to be direct with you—the next 30 minutes might be the most important parenting conversation you have this year. Because while we've been worried about AI taking our jobs, it's already changing our children's minds. Unlike us adults, who developed our [creative thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-strengthen-creative-thinking-the-10-minute-daily-brain-workout-based-on-neuroplasticity-research/) before AI existed, our kids are growing up with artificial intelligence as their creative co-pilot from the very beginning. Here's my promise to you: by the end of this episode, you'll know exactly how to tell if your child is developing AI dependency, you'll understand why their developing brain is more vulnerable than yours, and you'll have an assessment tool to evaluate your family's situation—plus immediate strategies you can start using today. But first, let me show you what's happening in homes just like yours—and why this is both preventable and completely reversible. ## The Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight A few weeks ago, a mother shared a story that stopped me in my tracks. Her 10-year-old daughter used to spend hours drawing elaborate fantasy worlds, completely absorbed in her [creative process](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/). Now, when her mother suggests drawing something, the daughter responds, 'Can I just use AI to make it look better?' At first, this seemed like smart efficiency—why not use available tools? However, when the mother asked her daughter to draw a simple picture with no digital help, something alarming occurred. The child just stared at the blank paper and started crying, unable to create anything on her own. This story isn't unique. It's happening everywhere, and parents are missing it because the signs look like success. Before we go further, let me be clear: this isn't your fault. AI dependency developed gradually, and most parents missed the early signs because they actually looked positive. Think about your own child for a moment. Has their homework gotten easier? Do they finish writing assignments faster than they used to? Are their projects suddenly more polished? If you answered yes, you might be looking at what I call the "homework mirage." Here's what the homework mirage looks like: Your child sits down to write a story for English class. Instead of staring at the blank page like kids have done for generations, they open ChatGPT. They type: "Write me a story about a brave knight." In thirty seconds, they have three paragraphs that would have taken them an hour to write. You see the finished assignment. It's well-written, grammatically correct, and creative. You think, "Great! They're learning to use technology efficiently." But here's what you don't see: your child's brain just missed a crucial workout. Remember in our first episode when we talked about brain pathways being like muscles? When we don't use them, they weaken. This is happening to children at a speed that concerns researchers worldwide. (Reference: Newman, M. et al., 2024, "I want it to talk like Darth Vader: Helping Children Construct Creative Self-Efficacy with Generative AI," University of Washington) Dr. Ying Xu from Harvard put it perfectly when she asked the critical question: "Are they actually engaging in the [learning process](https://www.philmckinney.com/navigating-the-new-frontier-of-innovation/), or are they bypassing it by getting an easy answer from the AI?" And here's the concerning part—kids who use AI to complete tasks do produce higher quality work in the short term. But when you take the AI away, their abilities are worse than before they started using it. But this goes way beyond homework. Children are experiencing what experts call the "Creative Confidence Crisis." Kids who used to love making art now say, "I'm not good enough" when they see AI-generated images. Children ask AI to help with simple creative tasks, such as making up games or telling stories. The scale of this problem is significant. Recent research shows that 31% of teenagers are already using AI to create pictures and images. Sixteen percent are using it to make music. And parents? Most have no idea how much their children are depending on these tools. As one researcher told me, "Parents and teachers are pretty much out of the loop, so young people are using AI platforms with virtually no guidance." This brings us to a crucial question: Why are children more vulnerable to this than adults? ## Why Your Child's Brain Is at Risk In our second episode, we explored neuroplasticity—your brain's ability to reorganize itself throughout your life. But children's brains aren't just plastic; they're in active construction mode. Think of an adult brain like a well-established city with roads and infrastructure already built. A child's brain is more like a city being built from scratch. The roads they travel most frequently become the highways of their adult thinking. This is why the creative pathways your child develops now will determine their innovative capabilities for life. While AI can already outperform humans at data analysis, writing, and even coding, it cannot replicate the uniquely human ability to make unexpected connections, challenge assumptions, and imagine what doesn't yet exist. **The children who develop strong creative thinking skills today will be the ones who thrive in tomorrow's AI-dominated world—they'll be the innovators, entrepreneurs, and** [**problem-solvers**](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-optimal-innovation-team-size/) **who can work with artificial intelligence without being replaced by it.** These future-critical abilities depend on four specific creative thinking systems that are strengthened or weakened based on how children use them. When children become AI-dependent, these four systems are at risk: **Cognitive Flexibility**—your child's ability to switch between different thinking modes. This is what allows them to see a cardboard box as a spaceship, then a house, and then a robot costume. When children always ask AI, "What should I make?" instead of experimenting, this flexibility is weakened. [**Associative Thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-strengthen-creative-thinking-the-10-minute-daily-brain-workout-based-on-neuroplasticity-research/)—connecting seemingly unrelated ideas. This is how kids come up with wild and wonderful ideas, like "What if cars could swim?" When AI provides ready-made connections, children stop making their own unique associations. [**Divergent Thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/)—generating multiple solutions to open-ended problems. AI excels at convergent thinking—identifying the best answer. But human creativity thrives on divergent thinking—exploring all possible answers. **Constraint Breaking**—the ability to identify and overcome hidden assumptions limiting their thinking. This is what lets children question rules like "stories have to make sense" or "art has to look realistic." When AI always provides solutions within conventional parameters, children stop challenging the boundaries of what's possible. When these systems weaken, children develop what is called "Creative Bypass Syndrome." They learn to jump straight to AI whenever they encounter creative challenges. Their brains literally rewire to avoid the hard work of original thinking. But there's another crucial element that supports all four of these systems: **frustration tolerance**—your child's ability to persist through difficult problems without immediate relief. This is where the real creative magic happens. Those moments when your child sits with a problem, feels stuck, pushes through the discomfort, and discovers something unexpected. AI eliminates this essential struggle by providing instant solutions. Think about the last time you watched your child work through a challenging puzzle or try to build something that kept falling down. That frustration they felt? That's their brain building resilience and creative persistence. When children can immediately turn to AI for answers, they miss these crucial mental workouts. But here's the encouraging news: because children's brains are so adaptable, they can also recover faster than adults. The creative pathways that have weakened can be rebuilt. The confidence that's been lost can be restored. Now, before we talk solutions, you need to know where your child stands right now. ## The Creative Independence Assessment I've developed a simple test that you can do at home to evaluate your child's creative resilience. You can download the complete assessment tool from our website, but let me walk you through the key elements right now. **Important setup instructions:** Set aside 15 uninterrupted minutes for this assessment. Choose a time when your child is relaxed, not rushed or hungry. Find a quiet space—the kitchen table works perfectly. Have other siblings play elsewhere during the test. If your child resists or asks "why," simply say "I'm curious about something" and keep it light. The assessment is based on one fundamental principle: creative confidence shows up in how children respond to open-ended challenges with no right answer. For **ages 5 to 8**, try what I call the "Magic Box Challenge." Give your child an empty cardboard box—a shoe box works perfectly. Tell them: "This is a magic box that can become anything you want. Show me what you'd like it to be." Then step back and observe. Don't give suggestions. Don't offer help. Don't provide materials unless they specifically ask. Just watch how they respond. For **ages 9 to 12**, try the "Problem Inventor Challenge." Ask your child to invent a problem that needs solving, then solve it. Give them exactly ten minutes. No devices, no external input. Say: "Pretend you're an inventor. What problem would you want to solve, and how would you solve it?" For **teenagers, ages 13 to 17**, use the "Original Idea Test." Ask them to come up with an original, creative project idea in any medium—art, writing, music, video, anything. They need to explain why this idea interests them personally. Give them up to ten minutes and say: "If you could create anything right now—no limits on time or resources—what would you make and why?" Now, let me show you how to score what you observe. As you watch your child during their assessment, use this scoring guide to identify which traits they exhibit. You can circle or check off the behaviors you notice, then see which zone has the most matches. ## CREATIVE INDEPENDENCE ASSESSMENT SCORING GUIDE ### AGES 5-8: Magic Box Challenge | **🟢 GREEN ZONE** | **🟡 YELLOW ZONE** | **🔴 RED ZONE** | | ------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | | • Engages immediately (1-2 minutes) | • Takes 3-5 minutes to start | • Takes 5+ minutes or needs prompting | | • Generates 2+ ideas spontaneously | • Generates 1-2 ideas with hesitation | • Cannot generate ideas without help | | • Shows enthusiasm and confidence | • Asks for reassurance once ("Is this okay?") | • Asks multiple questions for help | | • Doesn't ask "What should I make?" | • Shows mild anxiety but continues | • Shows distress or frustration | | • Continues playing without prompting | • May reference familiar things | • Says "I don't know" or "I'm not creative" | ### AGES 9-12: Problem Inventor Challenge | **🟢 GREEN ZONE** | **🟡 YELLOW ZONE** | **🔴 RED ZONE** | | ----------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | | • Creates problem within 3-4 minutes | • Takes 5-7 minutes to create problem | • Cannot create problem in 10 minutes | | • Shows personal connection to problem | • Problem is generic but shows some thinking | • Only suggests problems from media | | • Attempts solution (even if impractical) | • Solution attempt is basic but present | • Cannot think of solutions | | • Shows curiosity and engagement | • Shows hesitation but pushes through | • Wants to "look it up" immediately | | • Doesn't reference movies/games | • References familiar scenarios with twist | • Asks "What kind of problems?" | ### AGES 13-17: Original Idea Test | **🟢 GREEN ZONE** | **🟡 YELLOW ZONE** | **🔴 RED ZONE** | | ------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | | • Generates idea within 5 minutes | • Takes 5-10 minutes to generate idea | • Cannot generate original idea | | • Shows genuine personal interest | • Some personal connection but generic | • Ideas entirely from trends | | • Demonstrates original thinking | • Influenced by social media but personal | • Cannot explain personal connection | | • Shows confidence in creative vision | • Shows some confidence but seeks validation | • Wants to see AI suggestions | | • Doesn't focus on "going viral" | • References trends but adds personal angle | • Says "I'm not creative enough" | Beyond these specific tests, there are daily warning signs every parent should recognize: Watch for homework that suddenly takes much less time than usual. Notice if their writing voice changes dramatically—AI-generated text often sounds more sophisticated than your child's natural voice, but it lacks their personality. Pay attention to decreased tolerance for boredom. Listen for language changes—are they asking "How do I..." instead of experimenting? This scoring guide will help you determine if your child is in the Green Zone (creative confidence intact), Yellow Zone (some AI dependence developing), or Red Zone (significant creative confidence impact). **If you discover your child is in the Yellow or Red Zone, take a deep breath. Remember, children's brains are remarkably adaptable—this can absolutely be improved.** Let me show you how. ## Getting Back on Track: Practical Steps for Parents If your assessment revealed concerning signs, here's your "start here" action plan: **If you do nothing else this week, try the assessment. If your child is in Yellow or Red Zone, then implement the 24-hour creative pause I'm about to describe.** I want you to try what I call the "24-Hour Creative Independence Check." This is a gentle but effective way to help your child reconnect with their natural creative abilities. **Step One is the Creative Pause Period**. For twenty-four hours, your child takes a break from AI assistance for any creative task. No [ChatGPT](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/) for writing. No AI image generators for art projects. No "looking up" ideas or solutions online for creative work. Think of this like giving their creative muscles a chance to stretch and remember what they can do on their own. During this period, your child will likely experience some frustration. This is normal and actually beneficial—it's their brain remembering how to work through challenges independently. **Step Two is building a Support System**. Your job isn't to eliminate their frustration but to support them through it. Instead of saying "Let me help you," try "This seems challenging. What are you thinking?" Instead of "Maybe look it up," try "What would happen if you just tried something?" The most important thing you can do is manage your own discomfort with their struggle. When you see your child working through a creative challenge, every parenting instinct tells you to help. But supporting them through creative problem-solving builds the brain resilience they need. **Step Three is celebrating effort over outcome**. When your child creates something during this pause period, focus your praise on their thinking and persistence, not the result. Say "I love how you kept trying different approaches" instead of "That's beautiful." After the 24-hour pause, establish ongoing creative strength training. Think of these as daily workouts for your child's creative brain: **For younger kids**: Try "Daily Wonder Questions"—five minutes of "what if" questions with no right answers. "What if gravity worked backwards on Tuesdays?" **For middle schoolers**: Use the "Daily Assumption Challenge"—question one obvious assumption each day. "Why do schools have to happen in buildings?" **For teenagers**: Try the "Creative Perspective Shift"—describe any current event from three completely different viewpoints. For more detailed creative exercises tailored to different ages and situations, check out our Episode 3, "Creative Thinking Exercises: 10-Minute Daily Brain Workout to Boost Innovation." Your role as a parent is crucial. You're not trying to become your child's creative manager. Instead, you're becoming what researchers call a "creative support system." Model working through challenges yourself. Let your children see you tackling problems, trying new approaches, and persisting when things don't work immediately. Create a family culture that values thinking over knowing. Celebrate questions as much as answers. ## Building Creative Strength Over Time The strategies I've shared will help immediately, but developing strong creative independence requires a systematic approach. I recommend a two-phase development plan: **Phase One, weeks 1 to 2, is Assess and Adjust**. Begin with the creative independence assessment while gently reducing AI dependence. This is when you implement the 24-hour pause and begin daily creative exercises. **Phase Two, weeks 3 to 6, is Develop and Strengthen**. Increase daily creative exercises and build persistence with challenging tasks. This is when you'll start seeing real improvements in your child's creative confidence and independence. There's also a Phase Three—learning strategic AI use that enhances rather than replaces creativity. However, this assumes you've first mastered the strategic use of AI yourself. If you want to learn these skills, watch our episode "[The AI Creativity Multiplier: 5 Steps to Amplify Your Innovative Thinking.](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/)" Let me be realistic about expectations. During the first week or two, you'll likely see some resistance. Your child might complain that creative tasks feel more challenging without AI assistance. This is normal and temporary. You're asking them to use creative abilities that have been getting less exercise. Signs of improvement include increased creative attempts, less anxiety about "not knowing" the right answer, and willingness to experiment with ideas. You should see positive changes within two to three weeks of consistent practice. For most families, this systematic approach will not only restore your child's natural creative abilities—it will make them stronger creative thinkers than they were before. ## Your Next Step You're at a choice point right now. You can assume this will work itself out as children "figure out" the right balance with AI. Or you can take action today to protect and strengthen your child's creative brain. Here's the reality: this challenge will only grow as AI tools become more sophisticated and appealing to children. The longer you wait, the deeper these patterns become. But the encouraging news is that you have everything you need to start making a difference today. **Your specific next step:** Download the complete Family Creative Assessment from our website. This includes detailed instructions for the Challenges, plus additional age-appropriate creative challenges, a parent observation checklist, progress tracking sheets, and the complete 24-hour creative pause protocol. [Download The Family Creativity Assessment and Tools](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/download-your-guide-for-protecting?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false) Try one of the assessment challenges with your child this week—start with whichever one matches their age. Then post a comment, and share one specific thing you discovered about your child's creative independence. Based on your comments on this episode, I'll know whether to create more detailed, age-specific guides for families who want to build their child's creative muscle. Remember, the children who develop creative resilience today will be the innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders of tomorrow. They'll be the humans who can work with AI without losing what makes them uniquely, authentically human. Your child's creative brain is waiting for your guidance. The question is: Are you ready to take that first step? Until next time, I'm [Phil McKinney](https://killerinnovations.com/work-with-phil-mckinney/?ref=philmckinney.com), and remember—in an age of artificial intelligence, your child's creative thinking has never been more important. **Download the Complete Family Creative Assessment:** To learn more about AI dependency, listen to this week's show: [***Human-AI Creative Partnership: How AI Dependency Is Rewiring Your Child's Creative Brain (And What Parents Can Do About It)***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Your%5FChilds%5FCreative%5FBrain%5Fon%5FAI%5F-%5FThe%5FEmergency%5FParents%5FDont%5FSee.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Why We Have Fewer Friends Than Our Grandparents (And It's Not What You Think) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-we-have-fewer-friends-than-our-grandparents-and-its-not-what-you-think/ Last updated: 2025-06-01T16:08:08.000Z > *This article first appeared in *Studio Notes on Substack*. To gain early access to future articles,* [*subscriber to Studio Notes*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)*. It's FREE.* In 1985, Americans had an average of 2.9 close friends. Today, that number has dropped to 1.9—and one in eight people report having zero close friends at all. We live in the most connected era in human history. Yet loneliness rates have skyrocketed to epidemic levels. This isn't coincidence—it's consequence. Every innovation we celebrate for bringing us together may actually be pulling us apart. Our drive for efficiency and connectivity, wrapped in the promise of better living, has created a [hidden trade-off](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/the-hidden-price-of-tomorrows-innovations). We're optimizing away the very friction that builds human bonds. ## When Progress Meant Loss Consider the humble milk delivery system of 1920s America. The milkman didn't just drop bottles and run. He knew your family's name, your dog's temperament, and whether you preferred cream on top. When Mrs. Henderson's husband died, the milkman knew to check on her more often. He was part of the neighborhood's social fabric. Then came refrigeration and supermarkets. Suddenly, milk lasted longer and cost less. Efficiency won. But we lost something harder to measure: those daily micro-interactions that made strangers into neighbors. The pattern repeats throughout history. The pneumatic tube systems that once connected buildings in major cities didn't just move documents—they moved relationships. Office workers in 1890s New York would send jokes, personal notes, and invitations through those tubes. The system created unexpected connections between floors and departments. Email made communication faster and cheaper. But it also made it easier to avoid the hallway conversations where real relationships form. ## The Digital Isolation Engine Today's innovations follow the same script, but with turbo-charged consequences. Take Nextdoor, the neighborhood social network. It promised to recreate community connections digitally. Instead, it became a complaint platform where neighbors argue about leaf blowers and suspicious delivery trucks. The app optimized for engagement, not actual neighborliness. Or consider grocery pickup services. They save time and reduce hassle. But they also eliminate the small talk with cashiers, the accidental encounters in aisles, and the social ritual of shopping. We gain efficiency. We lose the chance encounters that psychologists call "weak tie" relationships—connections that research shows are crucial for mental health and community resilience. Even our entertainment isolates us differently now. In 1950s Cuba, families would gather around radio novelas every evening. The entire neighborhood would pause for these stories. Children played in the streets while adults listened from doorways, creating shared experiences across generations. Netflix's algorithm gives us exactly what we want to watch, when we want it. But it destroys the synchronicity that once bound communities together. We no longer share the same cultural moments because we no longer share the same timeline. ## The Productivity Trap The most insidious innovation might be productivity software itself. Tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams promise better collaboration. But they often replace spontaneous conversations with scheduled efficiency. In Japanese offices of the 1980s, there was a concept called "[nemawashi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemawashi?ref=philmckinney.com#:~:text=Nemawashi%20%28%E6%A0%B9%E5%9B%9E%E3%81%97%29%20is%20an%20informal,feedback%20before%20a%20formal%20announcement.)"—informal consensus-building that happened over drinks after work. It seemed inefficient. Middle managers would spend hours in [izakayas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izakaya?ref=philmckinney.com), talking through problems without formal agendas. Yet this "inefficiency" built trust and understanding that made formal meetings more effective. It created bonds that lasted through corporate restructuring and economic downturns. American companies adopted "lean" methodologies to eliminate such "waste." We streamlined away the social glue. Now we wonder why remote work feels hollow and why corporate culture seems fragile. ## The Friendship Algorithm Social media promised to expand our social circles infinitely. Instead, it's contracting them in [unexpected ways](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/the-hidden-price-of-tomorrows-innovations). Before Facebook, maintaining friendships required effort. You had to remember birthdays, make phone calls, and coordinate meet-ups. This natural friction filtered relationships. Only genuine connections survived the maintenance cost. Now algorithms maintain our relationships for us. We "wish" happy birthday to acquaintances we haven't spoken to in years. We feel connected without actually connecting. The platform optimizes for quantity of interactions, not quality of relationships. Meanwhile, the effort we once put into local friendships gets diverted to curating our digital personas for distant audiences. We become performative versions of ourselves, optimized for likes rather than genuine connection. ## The Coming Isolation - A Prediction If we continue this trajectory, we can see where it leads. Imagine 2035: AI assistants handle most of our daily interactions. They schedule our meetings, order our food, and even maintain our relationships by sending automated check-ins to friends. Virtual reality provides perfectly curated social experiences without the messiness of real people. Delivery drones eliminate the last human touchpoints in commerce. Automated customer service handles complaints with superhuman patience. Work happens in digital spaces where efficiency metrics track every interaction. We'll be more connected than ever—to networks, algorithms, and artificial intelligence. But we'll be strangers to our neighbors, colleagues, and perhaps even ourselves. The loneliness epidemic won't just persist; it will calcify into the default state of human existence. We'll have innovated away the inefficiencies that made life meaningful. ## The Hidden Choice Here's what the efficiency evangelists miss: human connection isn't a bug to be fixed. It's a feature to be preserved. Every time we choose convenience over connection, we vote for a more isolated future. Every automated system we embrace is a human relationship we abandon. Every optimization we celebrate might be an opportunity for genuine encounter that we're destroying. Your grandmother didn't need an app to know her neighbors' names. She didn't schedule spontaneous conversations or optimize her friendship funnel. She simply lived in a world where inefficiency was the price of intimacy. We've become efficiency addicts, and loneliness is our withdrawal symptom. The most radical act in our hyper-connected age might be the simplest one: choosing the checkout line with the human cashier. Walking to the store instead of ordering delivery. Calling instead of texting. Not because it's more efficient. Because it's more human. The question isn't whether we can innovate ourselves into isolation. We already have. The real question is whether we'll choose to [innovate our way back out](https://philmckinney.substack.com/p/the-courage-to-create-nothing). ### Beyond Rebranding: How Successful Companies Reinvent Without Losing Their Soul URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/beyond-rebranding-how-successful-companies-reinvent-without-losing-their-soul/ Last updated: 2025-05-29T15:19:41.000Z > This article first appeared in my free **Studio Notes newsletter**. [Subscribe](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) for early access to new posts. In the headquarters of Nokia in 2013, executives faced an existential crisis. The once-dominant mobile phone manufacturer was selling its devices division to Microsoft after watching its market share evaporate. Nokia—a company that began life as a paper mill in 1865 before transforming into a rubber boot manufacturer, then a cable company, and finally a telecommunications leader—was at another crossroads. Had Nokia lost itself in these transformations, or was constant reinvention actually the truest expression of its identity? This question haunts organizations everywhere: Can a company truly reinvent itself while maintaining its authentic core? The business landscape is littered with the remains of companies that failed to evolve, while simultaneously strewn with the hollow shells of organizations that transformed so dramatically they lost their soul in the process. The paradox resembles the philosophical thought experiment of the Ship of Theseus—if you replace every plank of a wooden ship over time, is it still the same ship? Similarly, if a company changes its products, leadership, strategies, and even values, what exactly remains of its original identity? Consider Fujifilm, a far less discussed transformation than its yellow-boxed rival Kodak. When digital photography threatened to obliterate the film business, both companies faced the same challenge. Kodak hesitated, clinging to its identity as a film company. Meanwhile, Fujifilm ruthlessly reinvented itself by leveraging its chemical expertise to expand into pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and high-performance materials. Today, Fujifilm thrives while Kodak emerged from bankruptcy a shadow of its former self. Yet Fujifilm maintained something essential—not the products it made, but the scientific innovation that had always been its foundation. The company didn't preserve what it did, but rather why and how it did it. This distinction between form and essence lies at the heart of successful reinvention. Nintendo, now synonymous with video games, began in 1889 as a playing card company. When playing cards faced declining popularity in the 1960s, Nintendo experimented with taxi services, love hotels, and instant rice makers before finding its future in electronic entertainment. What remained constant wasn't the product but a commitment to creating play experiences—the essence of Nintendo's identity transcended its form. Too often, companies confuse their current business model with their identity. Blockbuster defined itself by physical stores when its true value was providing convenient entertainment. Meanwhile, Netflix has reinvented itself multiple times—from DVD-by-mail to streaming to content creation—while maintaining its mission of revolutionizing how people consume entertainment. The psychological concept of "the end of history illusion" applies to organizations as much as individuals—we recognize how much we've changed in the past but underestimate how much we'll change in the future. Companies that succeed at reinvention embrace this reality rather than resist it. The Danish company LEGO offers perhaps the most instructive example. In the early 2000s, LEGO nearly collapsed after aggressive diversification into theme parks, clothing, video games, and watches diluted its brand and disconnected from its core. The company saved itself not by clinging to the past, but by rediscovering what made it essential: creative play through an ingenious building system. LEGO's subsequent reinvention—embracing digital experiences, adult fans, and crowdsourced design—didn't compromise its identity but clarified it. The company's name itself, derived from the Danish "leg godt" ("play well"), points to this essence that transcends any particular product or era. The companies that successfully navigate reinvention understand that authenticity isn't about preserving all aspects of identity, but about identifying and nurturing the seed at the center—what organizational psychologists call the "golden thread" that connects past, present, and future. For some organizations, this essence lies in a particular approach to problem-solving. For others, it's a distinctive relationship with customers. For still others, it's a set of values that guide decision-making. These elements can remain intact even as everything around them transforms. > *True innovation isn't abandoning who you are—it's finding the courage to express your deepest identity in ways the world hasn't yet imagined. The organizations that endure don't preserve their past; they honor it by continuously reimagining their future.* Perhaps the most counterintuitive truth is that sometimes the most authentic expression of an organization's identity is its willingness to challenge its own assumptions and evolve. The most profound truth about organizational resilience isn't that strength ensures survival—it's that the ability to transform while preserving purpose is what truly endures. This applies equally to corporate evolution as it does to any complex system facing change. The Finnish company that once manufactured paper and rubber boots didn't betray its identity by moving into telecommunications, nor did it abandon itself when it sold its phone business and pivoted toward network infrastructure. Nokia's consistency lies in its adaptability itself—a commitment to evolution that dates back to its 19th-century origins. The contradiction resolves when we recognize that identity isn't static but dynamic, not a fixed point but a trajectory. The truest reinventions don't erase what came before but build upon it, transforming while translating core principles into new contexts. Companies that successfully reinvent themselves understand that authenticity doesn't mean remaining unchanged. It means changing in ways that honor the deepest truths about who they are and why they exist. The most profound reinventions aren't acts of abandonment but of rediscovery—finding new expressions in a changing world. The question of whether companies can reinvent themselves while staying true to who they are isn't a philosophical riddle—it's the fundamental challenge of organizational survival. Those who thrive don't see transformation and authenticity as opposing forces but as complementary necessities. A company's deepest truth isn't found in what it makes or even how it operates—it's revealed in why it exists and what impact it strives to create. When this core purpose remains the compass, even the most dramatic reinventions don't represent abandonment of identity but rather its most profound expression. The most enduring companies don't just adapt to the future—they remain authentic precisely because they refuse to be defined by what they once were. ### Human-AI Creative Partnership: How to Harness AI While Preserving Your Innovative Edge URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ai-creative-partnership-how-to-harness-ai-while-preserving-your-innovative-edge/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:10.000Z The most innovative creators don't use AI as a replacement – they use it as a strategic partner in a carefully choreographed dance of human and machine intelligence. Welcome to Part 4 of our series, **Creative Thinking in the AI Age** – on strengthening your uniquely human creativity while using AI as a partner, not a replacement. In Part 1, we explored the alarming decline in creative thinking as we've grown dependent on AI. In Part 2, we discovered how neuroplasticity allows us to rebuild and enhance our creative capabilities. And in Part 3, I gave you a practical 10-minute daily workout to strengthen the neural pathways essential for innovative thinking. Today, we're bringing it all together with something immediately actionable: a framework for creating productive partnerships with AI that enhance rather than diminish your creative capabilities. This isn't about rejecting AI – it's about using it strategically to amplify your uniquely human abilities. When used properly, AI can handle routine cognitive tasks while freeing your mind for the breakthrough thinking that algorithms simply cannot replicate. Let me start by clarifying the fundamental difference between human and machine intelligence that drives this partnership: [**Convergent thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-convergent-thinking-skills/) is the process of analyzing existing data to find optimal solutions within defined parameters. This is what AI excels at – processing vast amounts of information to identify patterns and generate options based on probability distributions of what has worked before. [**Divergent thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/) is the ability to generate novel ideas by making unexpected connections, breaking conventional patterns, and imagining what doesn't yet exist. This is where humans uniquely excel – our capacity for intuitive leaps, metaphorical thinking, and insight that transcends existing data. The most powerful creative partnerships leverage both: AI's computational strength and the human capacity for originality. Let me demonstrate with a simple example. If I asked an AI to design a chair, it would analyze thousands of existing chair designs and generate variations based on established patterns. The results would be functional but predictable. But what if I first engaged in divergent thinking by questioning the very concept of sitting? What if I reimagined a chair as something that supports the body in motion rather than at rest? This human insight – this conceptual leap – changes everything about how we might approach the design. Now when I engage AI, I'm not asking it to "design a chair" but to help explore a completely new approach to supporting the human body. The AI becomes a tool for expanding and refining my original insight rather than a replacement for it. This is the heart of creative partnership: human divergent thinking provides the spark of originality, while AI convergent thinking helps develop and refine that spark into something practical. ## The Art Of Creative Prompting Before we dive into our five-step framework, let's talk about what makes an effective AI prompt for creative work. The way you communicate with AI dramatically impacts the quality and originality of what you receive in return. Throughout this episode, I've included actual prompts formatted in code blocks that you can copy, edit, and paste directly into your favorite AI tool – whether that's [ChatGPT](https://www.philmckinney.com/your-brain-on-ai-the-shocking-decline-in-creative-thinking-2025/), Claude, or others. These aren't theoretical; they're battle-tested approaches I've used with innovation teams. The most powerful creative prompts share three key characteristics: 1. **They express curiosity rather than certainty** – Phrases like "I'm exploring," "I'm curious about," or "Help me understand" signal to the AI that you're in an exploratory mode rather than seeking definitive answers. This subtle shift encourages broader, more nuanced responses. 2. **They use specific framing devices** – Notice how our example prompts use structures like "What aspects are overlooked?" or "What contradictions exist?" These frames direct the AI's analytical power toward particular angles of exploration. The formula prompts I've shared provide ready-to-use framing devices for different situations. 3. **They maintain creative tension** – Effective prompts don't ask for immediate solutions but instead create a productive tension by examining contradictions, assumptions, or overlooked aspects. This tension generates the creative friction from which original insights emerge. When using the example prompts throughout this episode, customize them to your specific challenge, but maintain these structural elements that encourage exploration rather than premature convergence. The goal is to shape AI responses that serve as thought-provoking material for your own creative thinking, not as final answers. Here's a quick formula for effective prompts: - "What aspects of \[problem\] are most overlooked?" - "What contradictions exist in how people approach \[challenge\]?" - "What assumptions might be limiting how we think about \[issue\]?" - "What perspectives on \[problem\] have we never considered?" - "What patterns in \[issue\] are repeating historically?" - "What barriers prevent solving \[challenge\] with existing solutions?" Now, let's explore our five-step framework for forming creative partnerships with AI that enhance rather than diminish your creative capabilities. ## STEP 1: Prime Your Brain First The most common mistake I see is turning to AI too early in the creative process. This typically happens because facing a blank page is uncomfortable – we're seeking the path of least resistance. But this short-circuits your brain's ability to make original connections. Instead, I recommend priming your brain before engaging any AI tools. Here's how: 1. Begin with a 5-minute session from our creative workout (Episode 3). The Perspective Shifting or Random Word Fusion exercises are particularly effective for this purpose. 2. After your brief workout, spend 10 minutes in open ideation on your challenge. Use a piece of paper – not a digital device – and rapidly jot down any ideas that come to mind without judging them. 3. Look for unexpected combinations or patterns in your ideas. Circle anything that feels surprising or that challenges conventional thinking. This priming step activates your associative thinking networks – the neural pathways that connect seemingly unrelated concepts. When you later engage AI, you'll do so with your creative faculties already warmed up and ready to evaluate AI outputs critically. ## STEP 2: Frame Challenges, Not Solutions How you [engage with AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/train-your-brain-to-outthink-ai-boost-creativity-40-2025/) fundamentally shapes what you get from it. The key is to position AI as a thought partner exploring a problem space rather than a solution generator. Instead of asking: "Generate ideas for a new water bottle design" Try: "What are the unsolved problems in how people stay hydrated throughout the day?" The first prompt tells AI to generate variations on a water bottle – convergent thinking within established parameters. The second prompt opens a problem space that invites exploration of the underlying challenge. Similarly, rather than asking AI to "write a marketing campaign," ask it to "identify emotional tensions between consumers and existing products in this category." This framing preserves your role in the most crucial part of creativity – defining the right problem. It positions AI as an explorer rather than a solver, helping you see facets of the challenge you might otherwise miss. **Example Problem-Framing Prompts:** Example 1: ### I'm exploring ways to improve remote team collaboration. Instead of suggesting specific solutions, help me understand: What are the most overlooked aspects of remote communication that create friction or miscommunication? What contradictions exist in how people want to collaborate versus how current tools function? What assumptions about "presence" might be limiting how we approach remote work? Example 2: ### I'm working on innovations in urban transportation. Rather than proposing specific vehicle or infrastructure designs, help me explore: What tensions exist between different stakeholders in urban mobility (pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, businesses, etc.)? What contradictory needs do people have when moving through cities? What invisible barriers prevent more sustainable transportation choices? ## STEP 3: Use AI for Divergence Acceleration While AI excels at convergent thinking, we can strategically use it to accelerate certain aspects of divergent thinking as well. The key is to use AI to generate raw material that you then transform through your human creativity. Here's the technique: 1. After your initial ideation, identify 2-3 promising directions that feel original. 2. For each direction, use AI to generate adjacent possibilities: "What related ideas exist in \[completely different field\]?" 3. Use these outputs not as solutions but as stimuli for your own associative thinking. The goal is to use AI outputs as creative springboards. For example, if you're designing a new [learning app](https://www.philmckinney.com/mapping-out-your-innovation-career-path/), you might ask AI: "How do master chefs structure the process of teaching complex skills?" or "What principles do video game designers use to maintain engagement during difficult challenges?" The AI responses become raw material for your own divergent thinking process. You aren't adopting the AI's suggestions directly – you're using them to trigger new neural connections in your own thinking. This approach leverages AI's knowledge breadth while preserving your uniquely human ability to make unexpected connections across domains. **Example Divergence Acceleration Prompts:** Example 1: ### I'm developing a new approach to personal financial education that focuses on behavioral change rather than just information delivery. To spark fresh thinking, explain how these completely different domains approach behavior change: ### How do elite athletic coaches create lasting habit changes in their athletes? ### How do environmental conservation programs successfully change community behaviors? ### How do immersive theater experiences create memorable emotional impacts? ### For each area, identify 3-5 key principles and specific techniques that could be translated to financial education. Example 2: ### I'm reimagining the patient experience in healthcare waiting rooms. To stimulate creative connections, describe how these unrelated fields create positive waiting/transition experiences: ### Theme park queue design ### Airport VIP lounges ### Mindfulness retreat check-in processes ### Fine dining restaurant pacing and atmosphere ### For each, identify what specific elements create psychological comfort, reduce perceived waiting time, or transform waiting into a valuable experience. ## STEP 4: Delegate Convergence Once you've generated truly original directions through divergent thinking, AI becomes extraordinarily valuable for convergent activities – developing, refining, and optimizing your creative insights. This is where many people go wrong – they either overuse AI (surrendering the creative process entirely) or underuse it (ignoring its analytical strengths). Here are specific convergent tasks ideally suited for AI delegation: 1. **Detail expansion** – Once you have a core concept, ask AI to help flesh out the details, specifications, or implementation steps. 2. **Pattern recognition** – Have AI identify similarities between your idea and existing approaches to uncover potential refinements. 3. **Gap analysis** – Ask AI to identify potential weaknesses or unanswered questions in your concept. 4. **Variation generation** – Once you have an original direction, AI can help you explore variations within that direction. The key principle: Use AI for expansion and refinement of ideas that originated from your divergent thinking, not as the source of the original insight itself. For example, if you've conceptualized a novel approach to remote team collaboration, you might ask AI to: - Identify potential implementation challenges - Suggest how the concept might be adapted for different industries - Compare your approach to existing solutions to identify differentiation opportunities This leverages AI's analytical power while preserving your role in the creative breakthrough. **Example Convergence Delegation Prompts:** Example 1: ### I've developed a concept for a community-based renewable energy sharing platform where households can trade excess solar power directly with neighbors using blockchain verification. Please help me refine this concept by: ### Identifying potential technical, regulatory, and user adoption challenges ### Suggesting the minimum viable features needed for an initial pilot ### Outlining how this approach differs from existing energy-sharing models ### Recommending how the concept might need to adapt for different housing environments (urban apartments vs. suburban homes vs. rural communities) Example 2: ### I've created a new approach to professional development called "Skill Swapping Circles" where cross-functional teams teach each other through structured 30-minute micro-workshops. Please help me develop this concept by: ### Creating a detailed implementation framework with clear steps ### Identifying potential resistance points and how to address them ### Suggesting metrics to measure effectiveness ### Recommending variations for different organizational contexts (startups vs. large enterprises) ### Outlining technology requirements to support the program ## STEP 5: Maintain Creative Authority The final step is perhaps the most important: consciously maintaining your [creative authority](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-monetize-your-innovation-skills/) throughout the process. AI tools are designed to be persuasive – they present information confidently and comprehensively. This creates what psychologists call the "authority bias" – our tendency to accept information from perceived authorities without sufficient scrutiny. To maintain creative authority: 1. **Question AI outputs** – Actively look for assumptions or limitations in what the AI generates. 2. **Inject constraints** – Deliberately introduce constraints that force original thinking: "How would this work without internet connectivity?" or "How would this change if it needed to be completely sustainable?" 3. **Transform, don't transfer** – Always transform AI outputs through your unique perspective rather than directly transferring them into your work. 4. **Take incubation breaks** – After receiving AI outputs, step away to allow your subconscious mind to process. Research shows that creative insights often emerge during periods of mental rest after information intake. Remember, the goal isn't to reject AI's contributions but to engage with them critically and creatively. Your unique human perspective – your lived experience, intuition, and values – should always remain the guiding force. **Example Creative Authority Prompts:** Example 1: ### I've been exploring a concept for \[your idea\]. You've provided some interesting perspectives, but I want to challenge both of us to think differently. Please: ### Identify three assumptions embedded in the approach we've been discussing ### Suggest how the concept would need to change if it had to work without \[key resource or technology\] ### Describe how this idea might be received by someone from a completely different cultural background than my own ### Identify ethical considerations I may not have considered Example 2: ### You've given me several suggestions for \[topic\]. Now I'd like you to help me critically evaluate them by: ### For each idea, identify the historical precedent or existing model it most closely resembles ### Point out which suggestions fall into conventional thinking patterns ### Identify any suggestions that might unintentionally reinforce problematic systems or assumptions ### Challenge me with three questions that might completely reframe how I'm approaching this challenge [Download Your Guide/Prompts for Turning AI Into a Creativity Multiplier](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/download-your-guide-for-turning-ai?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ## Real-World Application Let me share how this framework transformed the product development process at a consumer electronics company I worked with recently. Their team had been using AI tools extensively, but primarily as idea generators – essentially asking the AI to design new products directly. The results were predictably mediocre – variations on existing products with marginal improvements. We implemented the five-step framework, beginning with creative priming exercises before any AI engagement. Then, instead of asking the AI to generate product concepts, we asked it to explore unresolved tensions in how people interact with technology in their homes. This exploration revealed something fascinating – people were increasingly concerned about technology fragmenting family attention rather than enhancing connection. This human-centered insight came not from the AI directly, but from the team's analysis of the problem space with AI assistance. This led to a breakthrough concept: a family gaming system designed specifically for collaborative rather than competitive or individual play, with features that actively encouraged rich social interaction rather than isolated immersion. Once this novel direction was established through human divergent thinking, the team then used AI extensively for convergent tasks – researching existing collaborative technologies, identifying potential technical challenges, and developing implementation variations. The result was a genuinely innovative product that addressed deeply human needs in ways that AI alone could never have conceptualized. The product has since become one of their most successful launches, precisely because it originated from human insight about social connection rather than algorithmic prediction. ## Conclusion We've now completed our five-step framework for creative partnerships with AI: prime your brain first, frame challenges not solutions, use AI for divergence acceleration, delegate convergence, and maintain creative authority. Each step is designed to leverage both human and machine intelligence in their respective domains of strength – your divergent thinking and AI's convergent capabilities. This approach represents a middle path between two extremes. On one side is complete AI dependency – surrendering our creative faculties to algorithms and experiencing the cognitive atrophy we discussed in earlier episodes. On the other side is AI rejection – ignoring powerful tools that could genuinely enhance our creative capabilities when used properly. The creative partnership I've outlined offers something better: a complementary relationship that amplifies your uniquely human creativity while leveraging AI's computational power. Remember the key principles we've explored throughout this series: 1. Your creative thinking abilities physically exist as neural networks in your brain 2. These networks strengthen or weaken based on how you use them 3. Deliberate practice rebuilds these networks even if they've weakened through AI dependency 4. The most innovative thinking emerges from partnerships that preserve human divergent thinking while leveraging AI convergent capabilities As we move deeper into the AI age, the ability to form these productive partnerships will increasingly distinguish those who merely execute from those who truly innovate. By understanding the complementary relationship between human and machine intelligence, you can develop creativity that no algorithm can replicate. Download the FREE guide, with the AI prompts, that will help you use AI as your creativity multiplier. [Download Your Guide for Turning AI Into a Creativity Multiplier](https://open.substack.com/pub/philmckinney/p/download-your-guide-for-turning-ai?r=3rtha&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) Join me next time for "Your Child's Creative Brain on AI" We'll explore how to assess your creative development and build systems that continuously enhance your innovative thinking. Your child's creative brain is waiting for your guidance. The question is: Are you ready to take that first step? Until then, I'm Phil McKinney, and remember – in an age of [artificial intelligence](https://www.philmckinney.com/real-innovation-artificial-intelligence/), the most valuable thinking happens at the intersection of human insight and computational power. That intersection exists in only one place: your creatively engaged mind. Your support means everything to this channel. And if you're passionate about creativity and innovation, consider becoming a patron on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) or a paid subscriber on [Substack](https://theinnovatorsnetwork.substack.com/). Your support helps make this content possible. To learn more about harnessing AI, listen to this week's show: Human-AI Creative Partnership: [***How to Harness AI While Preserving Your Innovative Edge***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FAI%5FCreativity%5FMultiplier%5F-%5F5%5FSteps%5Fto%5FAmplify%5FYour%5FInnovative%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Technological Quicksand: Why More Technology Keeps Making Things Worse URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/technological-quicksand-why-more-technology-keeps-making-things-worse/ Last updated: 2025-05-26T18:39:25.000Z > *This post originally appeared in my *Studio Notes newsletter on Substack*. To get early access to future articles,* [*subscriber to Studio Notes*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)*.* "Have you tried turning it off and on again?" This universal troubleshooting advice contains more wisdom than we realize. When faced with technological problems, our first instinct is often to add another layer—another app, another update, another system—rarely considering that disconnection might be the solution we actually need. Picture this: A doctor hunched over a laptop, frantically clicking through an electronic health record system while a patient waits. To solve the doctor's burnout, we develop AI scribes. To manage the AI's hallucinations, we create oversight systems. To streamline those systems, we implement automation tools. Each solution spawns new specialists, new training programs, new costs—a never-ending technological Russian nesting doll. This isn't progress. It's a trap. Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems were introduced with promises of streamlining documentation, reducing errors, and improving patient outcomes. Instead, these systems have created what physicians now call "digital burnout." A 2023 Mayo Clinic study found doctors spend nearly twice as long documenting care as they do providing it—with physicians logging an average of 4.5 hours daily on EHR tasks. The technological solution? AI scribes and documentation assistants that now require their own specialists, training programs, and integration teams. What started as a tool to simplify has spawned an entire industry dedicated to mitigating its unintended consequences. Each solution adds another layer of complexity, cost, and potential points of failure—a matryoshka doll where each nested solution contains the seeds of future problems. This pattern isn't isolated. Consider the rise of "digital wellness" applications. The irony is remarkable: we've created apps to help us use other apps less. Companies that engineered interfaces specifically designed to maximize engagement and "time-on-device" now offer tools to help manage the very addictions they meticulously crafted. Apple's Screen Time and Google's Digital Wellbeing don't represent enlightenment—they're symptomatic of our refusal to confront the root issue. Rather than questioning the fundamental design principles that created these addictive patterns, we've responded with yet more software—another layer of complexity that treats symptoms while the underlying condition persists. This technological recursion reveals a troubling pattern: we've become trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle where each innovative solution creates cascading dependencies rather than genuine resolution. Technology critic Evgeny Morozov calls this "solutionism"—the belief that all difficulties have benign technological solutions, preferably ones that can be monetized and scaled. This pattern has appeared throughout our technological history. Consider early telecommunications. When telegraph lines first spread across continents in the 1800s, they created new problems of message congestion. The solution? More complex routing systems and codes, which required specialized operators. When telephone networks replaced telegraphs, they brought their own challenges—crossed lines and limited connections. Each solution to these problems added layers of switching systems, operators, and eventually computerized networks, each more complex than the last. Today's technological recursion simply accelerates this historical tendency, compressing what once took decades into mere months. The psychological underpinnings of this pattern are worth examining. When faced with complex problems, we instinctively reach for tools that worked in the past. Having experienced remarkable technological progress, we've developed a cognitive bias that filters all problems through a technological lens. This narrow framing prevents us from seeing alternative approaches that might more effectively address the fundamental issues at hand. This reflexive technological solutionism reflects a distinctly American pragmatism gone awry. The national ethos that celebrated Yankee ingenuity and believes "there's a fix for everything" has evolved into a cultural algorithm: when faced with any challenge, deploy technology first, ask questions later. Silicon Valley's "move fast and break things" mentality is merely the latest incarnation of this deep-seated cultural belief that practical action trumps deliberation, and that progress is measured by what we build rather than what we understand. This isn't merely a technical tendency but a manifestation of our broader cultural resistance to accepting limitations of any kind. More concerning is how this cycle increases system fragility. Each additional technological layer introduces new interdependencies, creating what complexity theorists call "tight coupling"—where failure in one component can rapidly cascade through the entire system. The 2023 CrowdStrike update failure that grounded thousands of flights worldwide wasn't just a software glitch; it was a demonstration of how technology intended to protect systems becomes their most critical vulnerability. This isn't an argument for technological regression. Rather, it's a call for technological discernment—developing the wisdom to distinguish between problems that genuinely require technological solutions and those that technology might exacerbate. What might such discernment look like in practice? It begins with expanding our conception of innovation beyond the purely technological. Some of our most impactful innovations throughout history have involved new ways of organizing, communicating, or collaborating—innovations that often address root causes more effectively than new devices or algorithms. We also need greater intellectual humility about technology's limits. Some problems—particularly those involving human behavior, values, and social cohesion—may be fundamentally unsuited to technological intervention. This requires a different kind of courage: the willingness to acknowledge when technology isn't the answer, even when building more of it seems like the path of least resistance. For those creating tomorrow's innovations, this isn't about abandoning technology—it's about developing a more nuanced relationship with it. True technological mastery might not be measured by what we can build, but by our capacity to recognize when not to build; to see when a problem requires us to step back rather than layer on more complexity. The most profound innovation challenge of our era isn't technical—it's philosophical. It asks us to examine not just what technology can do, but what it should do. It invites us to question whether addition is always progress, and whether the solution to technological problems must inevitably be more technology. The next time you encounter a problem born from technology, pause before reflexively reaching for another technological fix. Ask yourself: Am I solving the actual problem, or merely addressing its symptoms? Am I innovating forward, or merely deeper into dependency? Perhaps our most revolutionary act isn't the creation of the next breakthrough device, but a new way of thinking about technology itself—one that values simplicity over complexity, wisdom over capability, and restraint alongside creation. In a world obsessed with addition, the subtraction of unnecessary layers might be the most disruptive innovation of all. ### How to Strengthen Creative Thinking: The 10-Minute Daily Brain Workout Based on Neuroplasticity Research URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-strengthen-creative-thinking-the-10-minute-daily-brain-workout-based-on-neuroplasticity-research/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:09.000Z Humans who committed to four thinking exercises for 10 minutes daily generated 43% more original solutions than the most advanced AI systems. Welcome to Part 3 of our series, **Creative Thinking in the AI Age** – on strengthening your uniquely human creativity while using AI as a partner, not a replacement. In Part 1, we explored the concerning 30% decline in creative thinking as our use of [AI tools](https://www.philmckinney.com/improv-innovation-using-improv-comedy-toolstricks-to-innovate/) has increased. In Part 2, we discovered how neuroplasticity – your brain's lifelong ability to reorganize itself – offers us a pathway to not just recover but enhance our creative abilities. Today, I'm giving you something concrete and practical: a complete 10-minute creative thinking workout based on cutting-edge neuroplasticity research. This isn't just theory – it's a systematic approach to rebuilding the neural pathways essential for innovative thinking. What makes today's episode especially valuable is that these exercises directly target the four core domains of creative thinking we identified last time: 1. **Cognitive Flexibility** – your ability to switch between different thinking modes and consider multiple perspectives 2. **Associative Thinking** – your ability to connect seemingly unrelated concepts 3. **Divergent Thinking** – your ability to generate multiple solutions to open-ended problems 4. **Constraint Breaking** – your ability to identify and overcome hidden assumptions These aren't just abstract concepts – they're distinct [neural networks](https://www.philmckinney.com/does-neural-diversity-hiring-impact-your-innovation-success/) in your brain that physically strengthen or weaken based on how you use them. Neuroscience has clearly mapped these networks using fMRI studies. When we frequently outsource creative challenges to AI, these networks get less exercise and gradually atrophy. This atrophy directly affects not just our individual capabilities but our collective ability to solve complex problems as a society. Think of these four domains as the core muscle groups of creative thinking. Just as a neglected muscle weakens over time, these neural networks diminish when underutilized. And just as physical weakness limits our bodily capabilities, creative atrophy limits our problem-solving potential, career advancement, and ability to address society's most pressing challenges. The research I shared last time showed that consistent practice leads to measurable changes: - Within days: Increased neural activity in creative regions - After two weeks: Noticeable improvements in creative output - By six weeks: Formation of new white matter pathways - At eight weeks: Stable neural changes that maintain creative thinking abilities even amid regular AI use. This gives us a clear roadmap for strengthening our creative capacities: commit to eight weeks of practice, with meaningful milestones along the way. Before we dive in, I want to emphasize something important: consistency matters more than duration. Research shows that 10 minutes daily produces significantly better results than 70 minutes once a week. This aligns with what neuroscientists call "spaced practice" – shorter, regular sessions that allow your brain to consolidate learning between sessions. Also, approach these [exercises](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-exercises-that-will-improve-your-creativity/) with playfulness rather than pressure. Neuroplasticity research shows that stress inhibits the very neural changes we're trying to promote, while curiosity and enjoyment accelerate them. Ready to begin? Let's start with our first exercise. ## EXERCISE 1: PERSPECTIVE SHIFTING Our first exercise targets **Cognitive Flexibility** – your ability to switch between different thinking modes and see situations from multiple perspectives. This exercise activates your prefrontal cortex – the [brain region](https://www.philmckinney.com/brain-health-for-innovation-and-creativity/) responsible for cognitive flexibility. This region weakens with routine AI assistance, as algorithms typically present optimized single perspectives rather than multiple viewpoints. Here's how the exercise works: 1. Choose any object in your environment. It could be a coffee mug, a book, or even your smartphone. 2. For 2 minutes, rapidly adopt different perspectives on this object. Consider it from: - The perspective of different professions (How would an engineer, artist, child, or historian view this object?) - Different time periods (How would someone 100 years ago view it? Someone 100 years in the future?) - Different scales (How would it appear to an ant? To a giant?) - Different emotional states (How might someone feeling joyful, anxious, or curious perceive it?) The key is to shift rapidly between perspectives rather than dwelling on any single viewpoint. Each shift creates new neural firing patterns that strengthen cognitive flexibility. Let me show you some examples with this coffee mug: - As an engineer, I notice the thermal properties, the handle design for ergonomics - As an archaeologist from the future, this might be an artifact revealing daily rituals of 21st century humans - To an ant, this would be a vast curved wall, perhaps offering shelter - To someone feeling anxious, this might represent a moment of comforting routine in an uncertain day Now it's your turn. Find an object near you, pause the video, and spend 2 minutes shifting through different perspectives. When you're done, take a deep breath. You've just activated neural pathways associated with cognitive flexibility. What you'll notice with consistent practice is that this ability to shift perspectives begins extending to all areas of your thinking – helping you see multiple angles in business challenges, personal relationships, and creative projects. ## EXERCISE 2: RANDOM WORD FUSION Our second exercise targets **Associative Thinking** – your ability to connect seemingly unrelated concepts to form novel ideas. This practice activates your brain's default mode network. This network gets less exercise when we regularly use AI for creative solutions, but rebuilds with exercises that create unexpected connections. Here's the exercise: 1. You'll need three random words. You can: - Open a book to three random pages and point to a word on each - Use a random word generator online - Ask someone to give you three unrelated words 2. For 2 minutes, create a coherent concept that combines all three words. This concept could be: - A new product or service - The plot for a story - A solution to a problem you're facing Let me demonstrate with my three random words: "mountain," "keyboard," and "breakfast." I might create a concept for: "Summit Typing Café" – a mountain-top co-working space that offers spectacular views and serves breakfast all day. Digital nomads can work at ergonomic keyboard stations while enjoying high-altitude inspiration and nourishing food. Or perhaps: A new productivity app called "Peak Breakfast" that uses keyboard shortcuts to help you plan your most important tasks during your morning meal – the idea being that like reaching a mountain summit, completing your most challenging task first thing gives you perspective for the rest of your day. Now try it yourself. Generate three random words, pause the video, and spend 2 minutes creating a concept that combines them. The magic of this exercise is that it forces your brain to create connections where none previously existed. Each time you practice, you're physically strengthening the neural pathways involved in associative thinking. With regular practice, you'll notice your ability to connect disparate ideas improving in all areas of your life – leading to more original solutions and creative insights. ## EXERCISE 3: ALTERNATIVE USES Our third exercise targets [**Divergent Thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/) – your ability to generate multiple solutions to an open-ended problem. This exercise stimulates your frontal and temporal lobes. These brain regions show increased connectivity after divergent thinking practice but get less activation when we habitually ask AI to generate ideas. Here's how it works: 1. Choose an everyday object. Classic examples include a brick, paperclip, or rubber band, but any common object will work. 2. For 2 minutes, list as many possible uses for this object as you can – aiming for quantity over quality. The goal is to push past obvious uses to increasingly creative ones. 3. Challenge yourself to reach at least 10 uses, but don't stop there if ideas keep flowing. Let me demonstrate with a simple rubber band: - Hold papers together - Launch small objects - Create resistance for finger exercises - Mark pages in a book - Seal a bag - Make a tiny basketball hoop with your fingers - Create a musical instrument by stretching it over a box - Use as a hair tie - Make a grip for slippery objects - Create a boundary marker on a desk - Use as a reminder by wearing it on your wrist - Make emergency suspenders Now it's your turn. Choose an object, pause the video, and list as many uses as you can in 2 minutes. The first few uses typically come from memory – things you've seen before. As you push beyond those obvious answers, different neural pathways activate. Research shows that the most creative ideas emerge after the obvious ones are exhausted. By generating many options, you train your brain to access deeper, more original ideas more readily. With consistent practice, you'll notice yourself spontaneously generating more options in everyday situations – whether designing products, solving problems, or making decisions. ## EXERCISE 4: ASSUMPTION REVERSAL Our final exercise targets **Constraint Breaking** – your ability to identify and overcome hidden assumptions limiting your thinking. This exercise activates your anterior cingulate cortex - the brain region that detects cognitive conflicts. This area receives less stimulation when we frequently use AI systems that operate within established parameters rather than questioning basic assumptions. Here's the exercise: 1. Choose any common product, service, or process. It could be a smartphone, a restaurant experience, or your morning routine. 2. For 2 minutes, list all the assumptions or "rules" that typically apply to this thing. These are the constraints that everyone takes for granted. 3. For each assumption, ask: "What if the opposite were true?" or "How could we eliminate this requirement completely?" Let me demonstrate with a common product: a refrigerator. Assumptions about refrigerators: - They must be kept in the kitchen - They need electricity to function - They should be cold inside - They must be [box-shaped](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-2/) - They should store primarily food items - They must maintain a constant temperature Now, let's reverse these: - What if refrigerators were distributed throughout the house? - What if they required no electricity? (Perhaps using geothermal cooling or new materials) - What if they were hot inside? (Preserving food through different methods) - What if they weren't box-shaped? (Perhaps conforming to room architecture) - What if they stored other things besides food? (Specialized cooling for medications, electronics, etc.) - What if they had variable temperature zones that fluctuated intentionally? Your turn now. Choose a product or service, pause the video, and spend 2 minutes listing and challenging its assumptions. This exercise reveals invisible constraints we place on our thinking without realizing it. Each practice session strengthens your ability to identify and question assumptions - essential for breakthrough innovation. With consistent practice, you'll begin questioning assumptions automatically in various contexts, finding original approaches others miss. ## PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Now that we've explored each exercise individually, let's discuss how to incorporate them into your routine and apply them to specific situations. Think of these four creative thinking domains like the major muscle groups in your body. Just as physical fitness requires working all muscle groups – not just your favorites – cognitive fitness demands exercising all four creative domains. Without this balance, your creative abilities will develop unevenly. We've all seen the bodybuilder with massive upper body development but skinny legs – what trainers call "chicken leg syndrome." The same imbalance happens in creative thinking when we only exercise our preferred domains. You might excel at divergent thinking (generating many options) but struggle with constraint breaking (questioning assumptions). The most effective approach for building complete creative fitness is to practice all four exercises in sequence, allocating 2 minutes to each, with a brief transition between them. This provides balanced "cross-training" across all four creative thinking neural networks. I recommend starting your day with this workout, ideally before checking email or social media. Research from the University of California shows that creative thinking is significantly higher in the morning, before our brains become loaded with external inputs. However, these exercises are also incredibly versatile for specific situations. Consider bookmarking this video to quickly access the exact exercise you need for different challenges: - **Before brainstorming sessions**: Use Exercise 3 (Alternative Uses) to prime your brain for divergent thinking - **When facing a stubborn problem**: Try Exercise 4 (Assumption Reversal) to break through invisible barriers - **Before important negotiations**: Exercise 1 (Perspective Shifting) helps you anticipate different viewpoints - **When innovation feels stale**: Exercise 2 (Random Word Fusion) creates fresh connections Each exercise serves as a targeted tool you can deploy in specific professional and personal contexts. The timestamps in the video description make it easy to jump directly to the exercise you need in the moment. Just as with physical training, these exercises might feel challenging at first – that's normal and actually a good sign. The neural equivalent of "muscle soreness" means you're creating productive disruption that leads to growth. And just as physical training requires progressive challenge to avoid plateaus, you should gradually increase the difficulty of these exercises by setting more ambitious targets or tighter time constraints. Also like physical training, consistency trumps intensity. A daily 10-minute workout will produce far better results than an occasional hour-long session. Neuroscientists call this "spaced practice" – shorter, frequent sessions that allow your brain to consolidate learning between workouts. To track your progress, I suggest keeping a simple creativity journal. After each workout, spend 30 seconds noting: - Which exercise felt most challenging - Any interesting ideas that emerged - How your thinking evolved during the workout Over time, you'll notice patterns – exercises that initially felt difficult become easier, and your idea generation becomes more fluid and original. Let me share how one innovation team I worked with integrated these exercises into their process. This team was developing new healthcare technologies and had hit a creative plateau. They began each day with this 10-minute workout, then immediately applied the activated thinking patterns to their current challenges. Within three weeks, they reported two significant breakthroughs: First, the Perspective Shifting exercise helped them reimagine their user interface from the viewpoint of different stakeholders – leading to a design that accommodated both clinical and patient needs in ways their competitors had missed. Second, the Assumption Reversal exercise helped them question fundamental assumptions about data security – leading to a novel approach that provided better protection while actually improving system performance. The team leader described it as "mental cross-training" that enhanced their collective intelligence beyond what AI tools alone could have contributed. You can apply this same process to your challenges: 1. Complete the appropriate exercise for your specific situation 2. Immediately afterward, spend 5 minutes applying the activated thinking patterns to your problem 3. Document any insights or novel approaches that emerge Over time, you'll develop what neuroscientists call "trained intuition" – generating creative insights without consciously applying techniques. ## CONCLUSION We've now completed our creative brain workout – four exercises that systematically strengthen the neural networks essential for innovative thinking. As we discussed in our previous episodes, the increasing integration of AI tools into our daily work has led to measurable changes in how we approach creative challenges. But the science of neuroplasticity offers us a powerful counterbalance – the ability to deliberately strengthen our innovative thinking capabilities throughout our lives. This research applies to everyone, regardless of age or background. Whether you're a student, professional, entrepreneur, or retiree, these exercises enhance creative capabilities through physical changes in your brain structure. Remember the key milestones we discussed: - Within days: Increased neural activity - After two weeks: Noticeable improvements - By six weeks: Formation of new neural pathways - At eight weeks: Stable changes that persist even with regular AI use The choice ultimately comes down to being intentional about how we use technology. You can automate creative processes entirely with AI and potentially experience the gradual atrophy of these essential cognitive abilities. Or you can strategically partner with AI while deliberately strengthening your uniquely human capabilities that drive breakthrough innovation. My hope is that you'll choose the latter path – not just for your individual benefit, but for our collective future. The challenges we face as a society – from climate change to healthcare access to sustainable energy – require precisely the kind of boundary-breaking, assumption-challenging thinking these exercises develop. Join me next time for "The AI Creativity Multiplier: 5 Steps to Amplify Your Innovative Thinking." Ever wondered how top innovators use AI to amplify their creativity rather than replace it? I'll reveal the surprising "creative handoff points" where AI transforms from a creativity killer to creative rocket fuel. You'll discover how to craft AI prompts that break through creative barriers instead of building new ones, turning your favorite AI tools into innovation accelerators unlike anything you've experienced. If this episode gave you the exercises to strengthen your creative thinking muscles, the next one will show you how to apply that strength in partnership with AI – creating results neither could achieve alone. Until then, I'm Phil McKinney, and remember – in an age of artificial intelligence, your creative brain remains your most valuable asset. Take 10 minutes to strengthen it today. Your support means everything to this channel. And if you're passionate about creativity and innovation, consider becoming a patron on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) or a paid subscriber on [Substack](https://theinnovatorsnetwork.substack.com/). Your support helps make this content possible. To learn more about strengthening creative thinking, listen to this week's show: [***How to Strengthen Creative Thinking: The 10-Minute Daily Brain Workout Based on Neuroplasticity Research***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FStrengthen%5FCreative%5FThinking%5FThe%5F10-Minute%5FDaily%5FBrain%5FWorkout%5FBased%5Fon%5FNeuroplasticity%5FResearch.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Innovation's Underground Economy URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovations-underground-economy/ Last updated: 2026-10-05T17:45:25.000Z ### The Hidden Exchanges That Drive Breakthroughs You can have innovation or control, but never both. This fundamental tension explains why the most valuable work in your organization happens in the shadows. The tighter you manage, measure, and monitor, the more innovation retreats underground, finding routes around your carefully constructed systems. While corporate mythology celebrates the eureka moment in gleaming laboratories, true innovation rarely originates from formal systems. The uncomfortable truth is that our most transformative ideas emerge from clandestine exchanges occurring beneath official structures—what I call innovation's underground economy. This underground economy isn't merely a supplement to formal innovation processes—it's the primary engine. The visible system of strategic plans, documented processes, and innovation committees primarily serves to refine, scale, and legitimize what bubbles up from below. Strip away the mythology, and we find an inversion of how most organizations understand innovation: the more structured your innovation system, the less innovative it becomes. In every organization, two parallel realities coexist. The pharmaceutical researcher who secretly tests compounds management rejected, the software engineer who builds unauthorized prototypes during "personal time," and the filmmaker who edits passion projects on company equipment after hours—these aren't anomalies or corporate rebels. They represent the actual innovation system that organizations simultaneously depend upon and deny. They've intuitively grasped that innovation and strict control are mutually exclusive. > *"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist." - Pablo Picasso* This underground economy thrives precisely because formal innovation systems are fundamentally flawed. Official processes crush deviation, reward predictability over serendipity, and document rather than discover. They excel at optimizing existing paradigms but suffocate precisely the kind of disruptive thinking that creates new ones. This reveals the central paradox of innovation management: the very attempts to control, measure, and formalize the creative process often destroy it. The underground economy operates on different principles from formal systems. Rather than contracts and documentation, it runs on reciprocity and trust. Resources flow through favor trading, not budget allocation. Knowledge transfers through informal mentorship, not documented meetings. This creates a parallel power structure that challenges traditional hierarchies and authority—explaining why organizations simultaneously rely on and resist it. Yet completely unregulated underground economies create genuine risks: safety protocols bypassed, resources misallocated, intellectual property compromised. This creates profound ethical contradictions for both leaders and employees. Organizations implicitly depend on rule-breaking while officially condemning it, forcing innovators to operate in moral gray zones where organizational success demands actions that could jeopardize their careers. This suggests we need a radical reimagining of organizational design, not just incremental adjustments. What would an organization built from the ground up to harness underground economies actually look like? I'd suggest three principles: - Embrace **deliberate ambiguity** around resource allocation, recognizing that precise measurement kills exploration. - Create **psychological safety** that transforms rule-breaking from a fireable offense to a learning opportunity. - Design **permeable boundaries** between formal and underground systems, allowing promising unofficial projects to migrate into official development. Bill Hewlett embodied these principles at HP when he discovered the company's equipment storeroom locked and padlocked. Rather than accept this barrier to innovation, he "went out immediately to the hardware store, bought a bolt cutter, came back, cut the chain and left a note: 'Please do not lock this storeroom again -- Bill.'“ This wasn't mere symbolism but a foundational element of the famed "HP Way"—institutionalizing the understanding that innovation requires access and trust. Years later, towards the end of my tenure as CTO at HP, I witnessed how new leadership systematically dismantled this trust by shutting down procurement during the final month of each quarter to control costs. This effectively killed the underground innovation economy by cutting off its oxygen supply—the very components needed for unofficial experimentation. For those leading organizations, the underground innovation economy requires a profound shift in thinking: Can innovation ever be truly "managed" in the conventional sense? The most transformative breakthroughs often require not just bending the rules but breaking them. This challenges us to reconsider what organizational structures best serve innovation, not by eliminating the underground economy, but by designing systems that acknowledge its essential role. In innovation, as in economics, what happens in the shadows often matters most. The question isn't whether your organization has an innovation underground—it's whether you have the courage to see it, embrace it, and harness its power. --- *This article first appeared in *Studio Notes on Substack*. To have early access to future articles,* [*subscribe to Studio Notes*](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)*.* *Go deeper:* [*Understanding the Innovation Economy and Its Impact on Our World*](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-innovation-economy-impact-world/) ### Train Your Brain to Outthink AI: Boost Creativity 40% (2025) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/train-your-brain-to-outthink-ai-boost-creativity-40-2025/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:09.000Z Harvard neuroscientists confirm: creative thinking uses neural pathways that AI can't replicate – and never will. Hello, I'm Phil McKinney, and welcome to my innovation studio. Welcome to Part 2 of our series, [**Creative Thinking in the AI Age**](https://www.philmckinney.com/your-brain-on-ai-the-shocking-decline-in-creative-thinking-2025/) – on strengthening your uniquely human creativity while using AI as a partner, not a replacement. In Part 1, we explored the alarming decline in creative thinking as we've grown dependent on AI. We saw how our ability to solve complex problems without algorithmic assistance has dropped by 30% in just five years, and how this cognitive atrophy affects everyone from students to seasoned professionals. Today, we're moving from problem to solution – exploring the revolutionary science of neuroplasticity and how we can deliberately rebuild and enhance our creative thinking skills. What's at stake here goes far beyond individual convenience. If we continue to surrender our creative thinking abilities to AI, we risk a future where innovation slows, where original ideas become increasingly rare, and where our unique human capacity for breakthrough thinking gradually fades. More critically, we may lose the very cognitive tools required to solve society's most pressing challenges – disease, pandemic response, clean energy development, food security – precisely when we need these abilities most. We're already seeing early evidence of this decline, but the science I'll share today offers a powerful alternative – a path to not just preserve but dramatically enhance the creative abilities that drive human progress. I've seen this firsthand in my work leading innovation teams. Years ago, I noticed that even [brilliant engineers and designers](https://www.philmckinney.com/think-like-bill-gates-the-6-step-system-that-built-microsoft-and-is-changing-the-world/) would hit creative walls. When I introduced specific neuroplasticity-based thinking exercises into our daily routines, the transformation was remarkable. Teams that had been spinning their wheels suddenly generated breakthrough concepts. Projects that seemed stuck found fresh momentum. And the most exciting part? The improvements continued long after the initial training. These transformations aren't magic – they're biology in action. Your brain is changing right now as you watch this video. Every thought you have, every skill you practice, and every challenge you undertake physically reshapes your neural architecture. This isn't metaphorical – it's literal, structural change happening at the cellular level. This phenomenon – called neuroplasticity – is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. And our key to reclaiming and enhancing our creative thinking abilities in the age of AI. For decades, scientists believed that brain development stopped after childhood. We now know that's completely false. Your brain remains malleable throughout your entire life, capable of dramatic transformation well into your 80s and beyond. Research has shown that our brains continually remodel themselves based on our experiences and practices. Think of it like a path in a forest – the routes you travel most frequently become wider and clearer, while those rarely used gradually disappear. Now, I understand some skepticism here. We've all seen dubious claims about "brain training" games and apps that promise to boost intelligence. Most of these have been rightfully criticized for overpromising and underdelivering. The difference with creative neuroplasticity training is that it's not about playing generic puzzles – it's about targeted exercises that specifically engage the neural networks involved in creative thinking. And unlike those commercial products, these approaches have substantial peer-reviewed research supporting their effectiveness. The implications are profound. If our cognitive abilities are declining due to AI dependency, as we discussed in the last episode, we can deliberately reverse this trend through targeted exercises and practice. Let's be honest – breaking AI dependency isn't easy. Many of us have developed reflexive habits of turning to algorithms before engaging our own thinking. Our brains naturally seek the path of least resistance. But the research is clear: the effort to rebuild these creative pathways is absolutely worth it. And the good news is that even small, consistent practice can yield significant results. The science behind this is compelling. A landmark study at Harvard Medical School used functional MRI to track brain activity before and after an 8-week creative thinking training program. The results were striking. Before training, participants showed activity primarily in conventional problem-solving regions when tackling creative challenges. After training, their brains revealed significantly increased activity in regions associated with novel idea generation and reduced activity in regions associated with conventional thinking. What's even more fascinating is that the neural training correlated with a 43% increase in measured creative output. The participants weren't just thinking differently – they were producing significantly more original ideas. This is neuroplasticity in action – physical changes in your brain leading to measurable improvements in creative capacity. But neuroplasticity works both ways. When we outsource our thinking to AI, the neural pathways associated with creative problem-solving literally weaken from disuse. It's a biological principle called "competitive plasticity" – the brain reallocates resources away from underused functions toward frequently used ones. The good news is that this process is reversible. Even if you've grown dependent on AI for creative tasks, your brain can rebuild these pathways through deliberate practice. Let me share a personal experience from my own work. I once coached a senior product designer and their team at a major tech company who were tasked with developing disruptive ideas in an area where three major competitors were already investing heavily. When we started working together, they were stuck, repeatedly generating variations of the same concepts and feeling increasingly frustrated. Brain science would suggest their neural pathways had become rigid through years of conventional problem-solving. So we implemented a series of targeted creative thinking exercises. Within eight weeks, something remarkable happened. Not only did their idea generation rate triple, but the quality of their concepts ‌shifted. They developed a breakthrough approach that combined elements no one had previously connected, essentially creating an entirely new product category. When we brought in AI tools to analyze the solution space, the team's most innovative concepts fell completely outside the AI's prediction patterns. What does this mean? The neural connections they had formed with their training weren't following the statistical patterns the AI model had learned. The product they launched went on to capture significant market share precisely because it operated from a different conceptual framework than competitors. This wasn't just a professional transformation. It had a personal impact. This senior product designer reported feeling a renewed sense of cognitive confidence that extended into other areas of their life as well. These transformations aren't random. The science of neuroplasticity has identified four core domains of creative thinking that respond most dramatically to training: 1. **Cognitive Flexibility** – your ability to switch between different thinking modes and consider multiple perspectives simultaneously. For example, seeing a coffee cup not just as a vessel for liquid but also as a plant holder, a pencil container, or a sound amplifier. This domain is largely governed by the prefrontal cortex, which neuroimaging studies show becomes significantly more active after flexibility training. 2. [**Associative Thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/tesla-vs-edison-the-innovation-methods-that-changed-the-world/) – your ability to connect seemingly unrelated concepts to form novel ideas. Like combining the principles of bird migration with urban traffic patterns to create a new adaptive traffic light system. This involves the default mode network, which strengthens with exercises that encourage unexpected connections. 3. [**Divergent Thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/) – your ability to generate multiple solutions to an open-ended problem. For instance, coming up with twenty different uses for a brick beyond construction, such as a doorstop, paperweight, art canvas, or heat reservoir. This engages the frontal and temporal lobes, which show increased connectivity after divergent thinking practice. 4. **Constraint Breaking** – your ability to identify and overcome hidden assumptions limiting your thinking. Such as recognizing that when asked to "connect nine dots with four straight lines," the assumption that you can't go outside the imaginary square is self-imposed. This correlates with increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, which helps detect cognitive conflicts. Each of these domains weakens with AI dependency but rebuilds with targeted practice. What excites me most is that there are practical exercises anyone can use. In my innovation workshops, we've adapted these into simple daily practices that build creative muscle memory: - Five-minute morning sessions of rapid association between unrelated concepts - Brief midday "constraint-breaking" challenges where teams identify and discard hidden assumptions - End-of-day reflection exercises that alternate between focused and diffuse thinking modes These aren't complex or time-consuming – they're deliberate mental practices that target the exact neural networks we need to strengthen. And remarkably, participants report greater idea fluency within just days of consistent practice. Let me demonstrate one of these domains with a quick exercise that you can do right now. We'll focus on **cognitive flexibility**. I want you to visualize a circle. Just a simple circle. Now, in your mind, transform this circle into something else by adding just one line. Now add one more line and transform it again. One more time – add another line and see what new object emerges. I will give you 30 seconds. Imagine a simple circle and transform it three times, adding a line each time. I will wait. Go! How did you do? This exercise activates your prefrontal cortex – the brain region responsible for cognitive flexibility. Most people initially create predictable objects: a face, a sun, or a balloon. But as you practice, your brain begins forming less common connections. Advanced practitioners might see a clock becoming a bomb becoming a planet becoming an eye. Brain scans reveal increased neural firing in creative regions even during this simple 30-second exercise. You're literally strengthening synaptic connections that enhance your creative thinking. The timeline of these changes follows a clear and consistent pattern: 1. Within days of consistent practice, creative neural pathways strengthen, showing up as increased activity in brain scans 2. After two weeks, you'll notice measurable improvements in your creative output 3. By six weeks, researchers have documented the formation of new white matter pathways – the brain's information highways, meaning participants' brains were physically different. 4. At eight weeks, these changes become stable enough to resist the pull back toward AI dependency. This gives us a clear roadmap for reclaiming our creative capacities: commit to eight weeks of practice, with meaningful milestones along the way. This transformation is remarkably accessible. Just 10 minutes of daily practice can trigger these changes. In our next episode, I'll guide you through a complete workout, but here's a preview of the two core approaches we'll use: 1. [**Mindful Creativity**](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-cultivate-a-creativity-habit/) – approaching familiar tasks with deliberate curiosity. For example, during your morning routine, challenge yourself to notice five new details about objects you use every day. This simple practice activates the cognitive flexibility networks we discussed earlier. 2. **Alternating** – deliberately switching between focused thinking and relaxed daydreaming. This might look like setting a timer for 3 minutes of intense problem-solving followed by 2 minutes of completely unfocused mind-wandering. This oscillation strengthens the associative thinking pathways that AI dependency weakens. These aren't just theoretical concepts – they're the foundation of the 10-minute daily workout I'll guide you through in our next episode. Each exercise targets explicitly the neural networks involved in the four creative thinking domains we've explored today. What makes these practices so powerful is the underlying principle we've discussed throughout: our brains physically change based on how we use them. This biological fact puts the choice squarely in our hands. Either we surrender our cognitive processes to algorithms, or we deliberately strengthen these uniquely human abilities. The stakes are higher than we might realize. If we do nothing, then we face a future of diminished creativity, which means technological progress that plateaus, businesses that can only optimize rather than reimagine, and education that produces technically proficient but intellectually passive graduates. This is precisely what Bonhoeffer warned about in writing on “stupidity” – not as a lack of intelligence, but as the voluntary surrender of independent thinking. As we discussed in the first episode, Bonhoeffer observed that people become 'stupid' not because they lack capacity, but because they willingly abandon critical and creative thought to “others”. This surrender happens gradually, unnoticed, as we choose comfort over challenge. With AI, we face exactly this choice. *Will we surrender our creative faculties to algorithms, essentially choosing a form of 'creative stupidity'?* *Will we create a society where independent thinking grows rare, not because it's forbidden, but because it's surrendered?* *Will we accept a world where ideas are judged by their conformity to algorithmic patterns rather than their originality?* But that's not the future we have to choose. Join me in the next video in the series for "The Creative Brain Workout," where I will guide you through 10 minutes of exercises that trigger the neural changes that will help you build stronger, uniquely human creative thinking skills that AI simply cannot replicate. Until then, I'm Phil McKinney, and remember – in an age of [artificial intelligence](https://www.philmckinney.com/real-innovation-artificial-intelligence/), your mind remains remarkably adaptable. The power to reshape your creative thinking is literally in your hands. If you found value in today's video, please hit that like button and subscribe so you don't miss the next episode in this series. Your support means everything to this channel. And if you're passionate about creativity and innovation, consider becoming a patron on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) or a paid subscriber on [Substack](https://theinnovatorsnetwork.substack.com/). Your support helps make this content possible. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next episode. To learn more about outthinking AI, listen to this week's show: [***Train Your Brain to Outthink AI: Boost Creativity 40% (2025)***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Train%5FYour%5FBrain%5Fto%5FOutthink%5FAI%5FBoost%5FCreativity%5F40%5F2025.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ### The Courage to Create Nothing URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-courage-to-create-nothing/ Last updated: 2025-05-12T17:05:22.000Z Innovation's greatest heresy? Doing nothing at all. When Apple faced relentless pressure to release a low-cost iPhone to compete in emerging markets, Tim Cook made a decision that baffled industry analysts. Rather than rush to capture market share with cheaper devices, Apple chose not to innovate downward. While competitors flooded developing economies with budget smartphones, Apple maintained its premium positioning. This wasn't a failure of imagination but a deliberate act of strategic inaction – recognizing that sometimes the boldest move isn't to create something new, but to resist creating when everyone demands it. In today's world, innovation has become our new religion. We praise those who create, disrupt, and change things. We look up to the people who stay up all night working on the next big thing. But what if sometimes the bravest thing to do is nothing at all? Strategic inaction—choosing not to innovate when everyone says you should—takes real courage. It means standing firm while others rush forward. It means asking "should we?" instead of just "can we?" This isn't about being lazy or afraid of change. It's about knowing exactly when doing nothing is actually the best move. Think about how uncomfortable we feel with empty space. We fill our lives, our homes, and our businesses with activity just to avoid that emptiness. Companies add features nobody asked for instead of perfecting what people already love. They jump into new markets not because it makes sense, but because they can't bear to stay still. This fear of emptiness leads to bloated products, confused strategies, and wasted resources. We've mixed up what it means to be brave. We think courage always means taking action, making moves, doing something. But sometimes, the most courageous stance is simply standing your ground. > ***The masterpiece of innovation isn't always what you create, but what you have the courage not to create.*** Consider how this played out at Nintendo during the early 2000s gaming console wars. While Sony and Microsoft battled over processing power and graphics capabilities with their PlayStation and Xbox lines, Nintendo made the counterintuitive choice not to compete on technical specifications. Gaming insiders ridiculed them. Developers questioned their relevance. Industry analysts predicted their demise. Yet this strategic inaction wasn't failure—it was clarity. Instead of chasing an innovation race they couldn't win, Nintendo redirected their focus toward an entirely different kind of gaming experience with the Wii, which prioritized accessibility over technical prowess. The result? The Wii sold over 101 million units, outperforming both competitors and attracting millions of first-time gamers who had been excluded by increasingly complex controllers and games. What makes strategic inaction so uncomfortable is that it challenges our deepest psychological drives. Innovation feeds our ego—it tells us we're special, important, and capable of leaving our mark. To innovate is to say: "I can make this world better." To choose inaction is to admit: "Maybe this is already good enough without my intervention." This ego element explains why strategic inaction remains so rare in corporate culture. It requires leaders to separate their self-worth from constant visible action. It demands that they find identity in wisdom rather than output. Our performance reviews, promotion systems, and leadership narratives all celebrate the executive who "drove change" or "spearheaded innovation"—rarely the one who preserved focus by saying no to distractions, however tempting. So how do we cultivate this courage to create nothing? Three frameworks can guide us: First, practice the "future regret test." When facing innovation pressure, ask: "Five years from now, what would I regret more—having done this or having refrained?" This temporal distance often clarifies whether an innovation serves long-term purpose or merely short-term action bias. Second, implement "innovation thresholds." Before any new initiative launches, require compelling evidence that it solves a genuine problem better than existing solutions. The burden of proof should rest with innovation, not tradition. Finally, celebrate your strategic inactions. Create space in your organization to recognize moments when restraint proved wiser than action. Share stories of when "doing nothing" delivered more value than doing something would have. In a world obsessed with doing more, the clearest thinkers are those who know exactly when to say: > **We choose not to innovate here, not because we can't, but precisely because we shouldn't*.* That is the true courage to create nothing at all. --- *This article first appeared on *Studio Notes on Substack*. For early access to articles,* [***subscribe to Studio Notes***](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)*.* ### Your Brain on AI: The Shocking Decline in Creative Thinking (2025) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/your-brain-on-ai-the-shocking-decline-in-creative-thinking-2025/ Last updated: 2026-09-28T14:36:00.000Z Our ability to solve complex problems **without** AI has plummeted 30% in just five years. That's not just a statistic – it's the sound of your brain cells surrendering. We are announcing a new series we are calling – Creative Thinking in the AI Age – on strengthening your uniquely [human creativity while using AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-creativity-and-ai/) as a partner, not a replacement. Today, we will explore how AI dependency is creating a pandemic of reduced creative thinking and why this matters more than you might realize. Look around. We've all seen it – colleagues endlessly prompting AI for answers, friends asking their devices the same questions with slight variations, and kids who reach for ChatGPT before trying to solve a problem themselves. It's happening everywhere. We're witnessing a slow, subtle decline in our collective ability to think deeply, creatively, and independently. This cognitive shift is measurable. Recent research from the University of Toronto found that college students today show a 42% decrease in divergent thinking scores – our ability to generate multiple solutions to problems – compared to students just five years ago. The difference? The widespread adoption of AI tools. This isn't just happening in schools. Creative professionals show similar patterns. Marketing agencies report that junior staff increasingly struggle to generate original campaign concepts without AI prompting. Engineering teams face growing difficulties when asked to ideate without computational assistance. But this isn't a rant against technology. AI is here to stay, and it offers tremendous benefits. The real issue is how our relationship with these tools is reshaping our cognitive capabilities. Remember when calculators became widespread? Many feared we'd lose our ability to do basic math. They weren't entirely wrong, but we adapted. The difference now is that AI doesn't just handle calculations – it's beginning to think for us. This surrender of our thinking faculties brings us to an uncomfortable but powerful concept from theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Writing from a Nazi prison in 1943, he described a phenomenon he called "stupidity" – not as a lack of intelligence, but as a social contagion where independent thinking is surrendered to external forces. Bonhoeffer wasn't talking about AI, obviously. But his insight that humans will easily surrender their thinking faculties to external authorities is profoundly relevant today. We're increasingly outsourcing our cognitive heavy lifting to [algorithms](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-critical-thinking-skills-for-digital-literacy-spotting-misinformation-manipulation/), and our brains are adapting accordingly. Let me show you what I mean with a quick demonstration. Take 30 seconds right now to list five uncommon uses for a paperclip. No use of AI. I'll wait. How'd you do? If you struggled, you're not alone. In tests conducted before widespread AI adoption, the average person could generate 8-12 unique ideas. Today, that number has dropped to 3-5. This decline in creative thinking ability is not only disappointing – it has neurological implications. When we regularly outsource thinking, the neural pathways associated with creative problem-solving literally weaken. It's cognitive atrophy – it's like any other muscle, use it or lose it. And with AI, you aren’t using it. The consequences are more serious than you might think. Here's what's happening: AI is great at finding the optimal solution within defined boundaries using "[convergent thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-convergent-thinking-skills/)." Give AI the parameters of a problem, and it'll efficiently identify the best answers within a set of constraints. But what humans uniquely excel at is "divergent thinking" – our ability to break through boundaries, reimagine the entire problem, and make unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. This is where breakthroughs happen. Recent research from the University of Bergen shows that while AI can generate more ideas than the average person, the most creative human solutions significantly outperform AI in originality and innovation. Here's the paradox: the more we rely on AI, the more we get trapped in what psychologists call "AI-reinforced conventional thinking." Let me demonstrate. In a creative thinking workshop I ran not long ago, I asked participants to design a new coffee cup. Most drew variants of the same cylindrical container with a handle. When asked why, they couldn't explain – they'd simply imposed an invisible constraint. But when one participant suggested a coffee cup that could be worn as a ring, the floodgates opened. Suddenly, people were designing coffee cups that doubled as plant holders, that changed color with temperature, and that folded flat for storage. This mental breakthrough reveals what neuroscientists call the "first insight phenomenon" – that moment when one disruptive idea shatters the invisible walls of conventional thinking and unleashes a cascade of creative possibilities. We're not just limited by what we know, but by what we don't realize we're assuming. When we look at history's greatest innovations, this ability to think beyond self-imposed constraints becomes even more critical. The transistor. Penicillin. The theory of relativity. The internet itself. None of these came from incremental optimization. They required creative leaps that defied [conventional thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-strategic-thinking-skills/) – precisely the kind of thinking we're at risk of losing in our growing dependency on AI. But here's the good news – research from cognitive neuroscience and psychology confirms what I've seen firsthand: our thinking skills can be systematically improved. We can rebuild and strengthen these creative pathways with the right techniques. This is where the concept of neuroplasticity becomes crucial. Like muscles, cognitive abilities respond to consistent, targeted exercise. And just as we've developed scientific approaches to physical fitness, we now have evidence-based methods for improving creative thinking skills. The research findings are encouraging: In just minutes a day of targeted practice, people show measurable improvements in creative output. And unlike many skills that decline with age, creative thinking can actually improve throughout our lives – if we nurture it. We stand at a crossroads. One path – cognitive surrender – is seductively easy. The other path requires effort but leads to something extraordinary: a partnership where AI handles the routine while we cultivate our uniquely human capacity to imagine what has never existed before. Here's what gives me tremendous hope: our brains remain remarkably adaptable throughout our entire lives. In the next episode, we'll dive into this revolutionary science and learn how to rewire our thinking for an AI-augmented world without losing what makes us human. Join me for "Creative Neuroplasticity: The Science of Enhanced Creative Thinking." Until then, [I'm Phil McKinney](https://www.philmckinney.com/), and remember – in an age of artificial intelligence, authentic human thinking has never been more important. Your support means everything to this channel. And if you're passionate about creativity and innovation, consider becoming a patron on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) or a subscriber on [Substack](https://theinnovatorsnetwork.substack.com/). Your support helps make this content possible. To learn more about the decline in creative thinking because of AI, listen to this week's show: [***Your Brain on AI: The Shocking Decline in Creative Thinking (2025)***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Your%5FBrain%5Fon%5FAI%5F-The%5FShocking%5FDecline%5Fin%5FCreative%5FThinking%5F2025.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* *Go deeper:* [*Is Humanity's Dependence on Technology Good Or Bad?*](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-humanitys-dependence-on-technology-good-or-bad/) ### The Five Questions That Unlock Breakthrough Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-five-questions-that-unlock-breakthrough-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:08.000Z In 2007, two designers struggling to pay rent in San Francisco had a seemingly simple thought: "What if people could rent out their spare rooms to travelers?" This question—posed by Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia—sparked what would become [Airbnb](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-art-of-storytelling-for-business-and-innovation/), a company now valued at over $100 billion that has fundamentally reshaped how millions of people travel. The power of their question wasn't just in identifying a market gap. It challenged fundamental assumptions about hospitality, property use, and trust between strangers. It wasn't just incremental—it was transformative. And here lies the innovation paradox most organizations face today: Companies invest heavily in expertise, data, and answers, yet rarely invest in improving the quality of their questions. They hire specialists who know the current state of the art but don't necessarily know how to question it. They gather mountains of data but ask the same questions of it that competitors do. They reward employees who provide answers, not those who challenge assumptions with powerful questions. This explains why true breakthroughs remain rare. The uncomfortable truth is that **the quality of your innovation is directly proportional to the quality of the questions you're asking**. [Transformative innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/revolutionary-ripples-how-small-innovations-can-create-a-big-impact/) don't come from having slightly better answers to the same questions everyone else is asking—they come from asking entirely different questions altogether. In this episode, you'll discover five specific questioning techniques that have demonstrably led to breakthrough innovations across industries. These aren't generic "think outside the box" prompts, but precise question formulations with clear applications and proven results. Master these, and you'll have the keys to unlock innovation possibilities others can't even see. ## The Science of Questioning Before diving into specific questioning techniques, it's worth understanding why questions—rather than answers—drive innovation so powerfully. Neurologically, questioning activates different brain pathways than [analytical thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-aesthetic-thinking-skills/). When we search for answers, we typically engage in convergent thinking, narrowing possibilities until we arrive at what seems optimal. This activates primarily the brain's prefrontal cortex, the region associated with logical reasoning and decision-making. But when we ask open questions, particularly those that challenge assumptions, we activate regions associated with divergent thinking and novel connections. According to research from the Center for Neural Decision Making at Temple University, individuals who regularly engage in questioning and curiosity-driven thinking show greater activation in areas associated with insight and creative problem-solving. This neurological difference has led innovative organizations to replace traditional brainstorming—which often produces incremental ideas at best—with what innovation facilitators call "question-storming." In these sessions, participants generate only questions about a challenge, focusing on quantity and provocativeness rather than immediate answers. Data supports this approach: A McKinsey study of over 300 companies found that those with formalized questioning methodologies in their innovation processes outperformed industry peers by an average of 34% in innovation output as measured by successful new products and services. Even more compelling is research from Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, which demonstrates that teams that regularly engage in question-based inquiry rather than assertion-based advocacy show significantly higher rates of breakthrough thinking and successful innovation implementation. The science is clear: Better questions create better innovations. Now let's examine the five specific questions that have demonstrated the power to unlock breakthrough thinking. ## Question 1: The Constraint-Flipping Question **Formula: "What if this limitation was actually an advantage?"** Most innovators instinctively fight against constraints. Limited budget? Try to get more funding. Restrictive regulations? Look for loopholes. Legacy technology? Plan a complete overhaul. But true innovators know that constraints, reframed through the right question, can become catalysts for breakthrough thinking. Consider Southwest Airlines. When launching in the 1970s, the company faced severe financial constraints that limited them to purchasing only one type of aircraft—the [Boeing 737](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-reform/). Rather than viewing this as a disadvantage, founder Herb Kelleher asked, "What if having only one type of aircraft is actually an advantage?" This question led to a cascade of innovations: The airline developed unparalleled expertise in maintaining and operating that specific aircraft. They simplified crew training since every pilot could fly any plane in the fleet. They streamlined parts inventory and maintenance processes. And they created a model for rapid turnaround at gates, since every plane had identical configurations. The result? Southwest became one of the most consistently profitable airlines in an industry where competitors regularly went bankrupt. **Application Techniques:** To apply the constraint-flipping question in your context: 1. **Identify your most frustrating constraints.** List the limitations you believe are holding back innovation—budget restrictions, regulatory requirements, technology limitations, etc. 2. **For each constraint, explicitly ask:** "What if this limitation is actually an advantage? How might it force us to innovate in ways we wouldn't otherwise consider?" 3. **Generate at least seven possibilities** for how this constraint could drive rather than inhibit innovation. 4. **Develop the most promising responses** into concrete innovation concepts. **Implementation Exercise:** With your team, identify your three most significant constraints. For each, complete this sentence: "This limitation could become our greatest innovation advantage if we..." Herb Kelleher's answer was: "This limitation could become our greatest innovation advantage if we built our entire operational model around mastering one aircraft type rather than offering variety." What's yours? ## Question 2: The Cross-Industry Inspiration Question **Formula: "How has another entirely unrelated industry solved a similar problem?"** Industries develop their own orthodoxies and blind spots. What seems innovative within one sector might be standard practice in another. The cross-industry inspiration question breaks through these silos by forcing connections between seemingly unrelated domains. One of the most powerful examples comes from healthcare. In 2005, Great Ormond Street Hospital in London was struggling with patient handoffs between surgery and intensive care—a critical moment when communication failures regularly led to complications. Instead of looking to other hospitals for solutions, someone asked a revolutionary question: "Who else handles high-stakes handoffs with precision and speed?" The answer came from an unexpected source: Formula 1 racing pit crews. The hospital sent a team to observe Ferrari's pit stops, where 20 people perform complex, sequential tasks in under seven seconds. This cross-industry inspiration led to the development of new handoff protocols that reduced technical errors by over 40% and information handoff omissions by nearly 50%. **Application Techniques:** To apply the cross-industry inspiration question effectively: 1. **Abstract your challenge to its fundamental pattern.** Rather than "How do we improve patient handoffs?" ask "How do we execute complex, time-critical processes with minimal error?" 2. **Identify industries that excel at that fundamental pattern**, even if they seem completely unrelated to your field. 3. **Study those industries' approaches**, looking for transferable principles rather than surface-level practices. 4. **Adapt and test the principles in your context**, modifying as needed for your specific constraints. **Implementation Exercise:** For your current innovation challenge, complete this statement: "At its core, we're really trying to solve the problem of \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_." Then identify three completely unrelated industries that might excel at solving that core problem. For each, research their approaches and identify at least one principle you could adapt to your context. ## Question 3: The First Principles Question **Formula: "What would we do if we started completely from scratch, ignoring all precedent?"** Most innovation is built on existing foundations, iterating on what came before. But the most disruptive innovations come from challenging fundamental assumptions and rethinking problems from first principles. [Elon Musk](https://www.philmckinney.com/my-meeting-with-elon-musk-innovate-like-a-5-year-old/) famously applied this questioning approach to space technology. When starting SpaceX, conventional wisdom held that rockets were necessarily expensive, with costs running into hundreds of millions of dollars. Rather than accepting this, Musk asked: "What would rocket design look like if we started completely from scratch, questioning every assumption?" This led his team to break down rockets into their basic components and reconsider each one. They found that the raw materials for rockets cost only about 2% of the typical price of a rocket. This insight drove them to vertically integrate production, building components in-house rather than purchasing them from traditional aerospace suppliers with 100-year-old designs. The result was the development of rockets at roughly one-tenth the cost of traditional designs, fundamentally changing the economics of space access. **Application Techniques:** To apply the first principles question: 1. **List all assumptions in your current approach.** What do you take for granted about how things must work? 2. **Challenge each assumption** by asking, "Why must this be true? What would happen if the opposite were true?" 3. **Break down the problem to its fundamental elements.** What are the irreducible components or factors? 4. **Rebuild your approach from these elements**, ignoring precedent and tradition. **Implementation Exercise:** For your next innovation challenge, hold a "first principles session" where: 1. You list all assumptions about how your product, service, or process must work 2. Explicitly challenge each one with "What if this wasn't true?" 3. Identify the three assumptions that, if challenged, would most dramatically change your approach ## Question 4: The Extreme User Question **Formula: "What would delight our most demanding users so much they couldn't imagine going back?"** Average users give you feedback for incremental improvements. Extreme users—those with the most demanding needs, unusual use cases, or challenging contexts—can point the way to breakthrough innovations. Apple's development of voice-activated technology provides a compelling example. While voice control is now mainstream, its origins lie partly in designing for users with disabilities. By asking "What would create a transformative experience for users who cannot use traditional interfaces?" Apple developed technologies that eventually evolved into Siri and voice control features that millions now use daily. Similarly, OXO built a kitchen tool empire by focusing first on users with arthritis and other grip limitations. The question "What would make tools usable for people with the most limited grip strength?" led to innovations in handle design that turned out to create better experiences for all users. **Application Techniques:** To leverage the extreme user question: 1. **Identify your extreme users.** These might be power users who push your product to its limits, users in challenging contexts (extreme climates, resource-limited settings), users with special needs, or even non-users who have rejected your category entirely. 2. **Study them intensively,** through interviews, observation, and collaborative design. 3. **Ask explicitly:** "What would transform your experience so dramatically you couldn't imagine going back to the current approach?" 4. **Test whether solutions for extreme users reveal unmet needs for mainstream users** as well. I**mplementation Exercise:** Select three "extreme user" categories for your product or service. For each, arrange to interview or observe at least two users in that category. Focus on understanding their workarounds, frustrations, and ideal scenarios. Then ask: "What features would make this so perfect for them that they would become evangelists for our solution?" ## Question 5: The Counterintuitive Question **Formula: "What if the opposite of our current approach is true?"** Our mental models and industry conventions often limit our thinking in ways we don't even recognize. The counterintuitive question deliberately inverts these models to reveal new possibilities. Netflix revolutionized talent management by asking precisely this type of question. While most companies aim to build controls to minimize the damage that could be caused by disengaged employees (detailed procedures, approval hierarchies, expense limits), Netflix asked, "What if we did the opposite? What if we maximized freedom instead of minimizing abuse?" This led to their famous "Freedom and Responsibility" culture, which eliminated vacation tracking, expense approval processes, and rigid reporting structures. The counterintuitive approach helped [Netflix](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-strategic-thinking-skills/) attract exceptional talent and build a culture of high performance and innovation that supported their transformation from DVD delivery to streaming pioneer. **Application Techniques:** To apply the counterintuitive question: 1. **Identify your organization's core practices or beliefs** about how to approach your market, product development, or operations. 2. **For each practice or belief, ask:** "What if the opposite approach is actually more effective? What would that look like?" 3. **Explore the inverted approach thoroughly** before dismissing it, looking for elements that challenge your assumptions constructively. 4. **Test small-scale inversions** to see if they yield unexpected benefits. **Implementation Exercise:** List the three most firmly held beliefs about "how things work" in your industry. For each one, complete the sentence: "What if the opposite is true? If so, we would..." Then identify one small-scale experiment you could run to test elements of the inverted approach. ## The Innovation Question Cascade These five questions are most powerful when used systematically rather than in isolation. The Innovation Question Cascade provides a framework for sequencing these questions within your innovation process: 1. **Start with the First Principles Question** to clear away limiting assumptions and establish a blank slate of possibilities. 2. **Apply the Extreme User Question** to identify meaningful problems worth solving and generate initial solution concepts. 3. **Explore the Cross-Industry Inspiration Question** to bring in novel approaches from unrelated domains. 4. **Use the Constraint-Flipping Question** to turn limitations into advantages in your emerging concepts. 5. **Finish with the Counterintuitive Question** to check whether inversions of your approach might yield even better results. This cascade can be embedded in existing innovation processes through question-centered workshops, where each phase focuses on one of these questioning techniques. Innovation teams can be trained in facilitating these sessions and capturing the insights they generate. Common obstacles to implementing questioning approaches include impatience for answers (especially among senior leaders), cultural norms that reward quick solutions over thoughtful inquiry, and the cognitive discomfort that comes with leaving questions open. To overcome these obstacles, start small. Introduce one questioning technique in a low-stakes context, demonstrate its value, and gradually expand. Create explicit permission for "question time" where the pursuit of answers is temporarily suspended. For your first week, try this simple practice plan: \- Day 1: Ask the First Principles Question about one aspect of your work \- Day 3: Apply the Constraint-Flipping Question to a current limitation \- Day 5: Experiment with the Counterintuitive Question in a team discussion ## Measuring Question Impact How do you know if better questioning is actually improving your innovation outcomes? The key is to track both process measures (how questioning is changing your approach) and outcome measures (how those changes affect results). Process measures might include: \- Question diversity (number of different question types raised in innovation discussions) \- Assumption identification (number of previously hidden assumptions surfaced) \- Exploration breadth (number of distinct solution approaches considered) Outcome measures could include: \- Innovation novelty (degree of departure from existing approaches) \- Implementation success (percentage of innovations that achieve desired results) \- Time to breakthrough (how quickly fundamental insights emerge) Organizations like [IDEO](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-critical-thinking-skills-for-digital-literacy-spotting-misinformation-manipulation/) and Google Ventures actively measure question effectiveness in their innovation processes. IDEO, for example, tracks "How Might We" questions generated during design thinking sessions, analyzing their characteristics against ultimate project outcomes. A simple assessment tool for evaluating your team's current questioning patterns is the Question Quotient (QQ) framework: 1. Record a typical innovation meeting 2. Count the ratio of questions to statements 3. Analyze what percentage of questions challenge assumptions versus merely seeking information 4. Track how these metrics change as you implement the questioning techniques outlined above This is an opportunity to test an AI tool to transcribe and extract the “Question Quotient” metrics for your innovation sessions. ## The Question Revolution Returning to the Airbnb story, there's a fascinating detail often overlooked. Before their breakthrough question about renting spare rooms, the founders had been pursuing a completely different business model focused on roommate matching. It wasn't superior market knowledge or technical expertise that led to their breakthrough—it was their willingness to question fundamental assumptions about how the hospitality industry should work. This pattern repeats across innovation history. The transformative power of questioning has been the hidden force behind countless breakthroughs, from Netflix's reinvention of video distribution to Toyota's reinvention of manufacturing with the simple question: "Why do we need inventory?" Before we wrap up today's episode, I want to thank all of you for joining me on this journey. I'm grateful for each and every one of you who takes the time to watch and engage. If you found value in our content, please hit that like button and subscribe to our channel. It helps more innovators like you discover these concepts. Its our collective way to “pay-it-forward”. Don't forget to tap the notification bell so you never miss an episode. For those who want to go deeper with these concepts of questions and their role in innovation and creativity, you can check out my book, [Beyond the Obvious](https://innovation.tools/products/beyond-the-obvious-book-the-guide-to-your-creative-potential?ref=philmckinney.com) and the [Killer Questions Card deck](https://innovation.tools/products/killer-questions-card-deck-innovation-tool-for-creative-problem-solving-strategic-ideation?ref=philmckinney.com). All of our tools are at Innovation \[DOT\] Tools. 100% of the profits are donated to charity. You'll find the link in the description below. Have you used any of these questioning approaches in your work? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments section. Your stories inspire this community and help us all grow. And speaking of community, a special shout-out to our Patreon patrons and paid subscribers on Substack who support the channel and get exclusive access to our special content and live streams. If you're interested in joining, become a supporter at either: - [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) - [Substack](https://theinnovatorsnetwork.substack.com/) Remember, **the quality of your innovation is directly proportional to the quality of the questions you're asking**. One powerful question can change everything. Until next week, keep questioning, keep creating, and keep pushing boundaries. I'm Phil McKinney, and as always, thank you for being part of this innovation journey. To learn more about unlocking breakthrough innovation, listen to this week's show: [The Five Questions That Unlock Breakthrough Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/5%5FQuestions%5Fthat%5FUnlock%5FBreakthrough%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* ### Original Ideas Don't Exist URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/original-ideas-dont-exist/ Last updated: 2025-04-27T22:51:58.000Z When we think about great inventions, we often picture a genius having a sudden flash of insight. But is that how innovation really works? Or are we just discovering things that were bound to happen anyway? Look at any major breakthrough and you'll see it didn't come from nowhere. Every new idea builds on older ones. Thomas Edison didn't invent electricity from scratch - he figured out how to make it useful in everyday life. Steve Jobs didn't create the first computer - he made computers that people actually wanted to use. Their brilliance wasn't in making something completely new, but in connecting existing ideas in ways no one else had thought of. This makes us wonder: maybe there's no such thing as a truly original idea. Maybe we're just uncovering things that were waiting to be found. History gives us some good examples. Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz both invented calculus around the same time without knowing about each other's work. Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray both filed patents for the telephone on the exact same day. Hungarian scientist Janos Bolyai and Russian mathematician Nikolai Lobachevsky both came up with non-Euclidean geometry independently. When different people reach the same conclusions separately, it suggests these discoveries might have been inevitable once the right conditions were in place. > **Innovation exists in the twilight between discovery and creation. We don't invent the future so much as recognize it just before it arrives.** But this idea that everything is predetermined doesn't match how creative work actually feels. Talk to any artist, inventor, or scientist about their process, and they'll tell you about struggle, difficult choices, and the feeling of exploring unknown territory. If innovation were just following an already-written script, wouldn't it feel more like following directions than blazing a trail? Having worked with many innovators over the years, I've seen them face tough decisions and take surprising turns in their work. Their paths don't look predetermined at all. We can resolve this contradiction by thinking about creativity on different scales. On the big scale, yes, certain developments probably would happen eventually given enough time. Someone was bound to combine phone technology with computing. Someone was going to map the human genome. The general direction of progress might follow predictable patterns. But on the small scale - in the messy day-to-day work of creating - we have lots of genuine choices. The exact form, timing, and application of ideas remains unpredictable. While a smartphone-like device may have been inevitable, the specific design and features of the iPhone weren't. Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin required both the presence of mold and his trained mind to recognize its importance. This gives us a more balanced view: we create within limits. Our innovations aren't completely original or completely predetermined. They emerge from a mix of existing knowledge, cultural context, and individual insight. Maybe the most powerful creative act isn't inventing something from absolute zero (which is impossible anyway), but seeing potential connections before anyone else does. Innovation becomes less about being original and more about perspective - seeing familiar things from new angles. This view frees us from the impossible goal of pure originality while still acknowledging our creative choices. It suggests that **value comes not from being first or most original, but from being most aware of emerging possibilities**. In creativity, like in music, we improvise within existing structures. The basic notes might be set, but the song we create is our own. --- This article first appeared in **Studio Notes on Substack**. If you want early access to future articles, [**subscribe to Studio Notes**](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)**.** ### The Innovation Crisis: How We're Stifling Our Children's Creative Potential—And How to Set It Free URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-crisis-how-were-stifling-our-childrens-creative-potential-and-how-to-set-it-free/ Last updated: 2025-04-25T18:06:46.000Z Last night, my twelve-year-old grandson asked to borrow my [**Killer Questions card deck**](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com)—a set of question prompts designed to spark critical thinking and creative problem-solving. As we sat at dinner, he thoughtfully worked through the questions, applying them to his budding online business selling laser-cut creations he designs and produces himself on his Glowforge Pro. I watched with pride but also reflection. Yes, my grandson has advantages—access to tools, mentorship, and resources that most children don't. His situation is exceptional, not representative. And this reality forced me to confront an uncomfortable question: > *Are we adequately preparing our children for a future that will demand unprecedented innovation?* ## The Thinking Gap Our education system was designed for an industrial age that no longer exists. Despite well-intentioned reforms, we continue to emphasize memorization over meaning, answers over inquiry, and standardization over creativity. The consequences are becoming increasingly apparent: students who excel at following instructions but struggle when asked to define problems worth solving. The disconnect between educational outcomes and workplace needs is stark and measurable. A 2024 Springboard workforce survey found that 70% of corporate leaders report a critical skills gap in their organization that is negatively impacting business performance, with strategic/critical thinking identified as the top soft skill needed in today's workforce ([Springboard, 2024](https://www.springboard.com/blog/business/skills-gap-trends-2024/?ref=philmckinney.com)). This skills shortage is not merely theoretical—it's actively harming companies' ability to innovate and compete. Research consistently shows that while content knowledge remains important, the most valuable skills for tomorrow's innovators are [**critical thinking, creative problem-solving**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbM1BElmkABhgFD1P5OjJYuy&si=A66iEt%5FHiZfuSRyE&ref=philmckinney.com), and the ability to synthesize diverse ideas into novel solutions. Yet these precise capabilities are what employers report finding most lacking in recent graduates. A recent study in the educational technology journal Learning and Instruction concluded that critical thinking is considered a "must-have" workplace skill for solving problems, gathering evidence, and evaluating information, yet employers consistently perceive new hires as underprepared to apply these skills in workplace settings ([Kirova et al., 2023](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871187123002274?ref=philmckinney.com)). ## The AI Question With artificial intelligence systems becoming increasingly sophisticated, some argue that deep thinking skills aren't as necessary anymore. After all, if AI can analyze data, generate ideas, and even create content, do humans need to develop these capabilities themselves? This perspective fundamentally misunderstands both technology and human potential. AI excels at finding patterns in existing information but remains limited in its ability to frame problems, question assumptions, identify unspoken needs, or imagine truly transformative possibilities. These uniquely human capacities—curiosity, empathy, wisdom, and purpose—are precisely what give meaning to innovation. Research from [Stanford University's Human-Centered AI](https://hai.stanford.edu/news/human-centered-approach-ai-revolution?ref=philmckinney.com) initiative confirms that the greatest economic and social benefits come not from simply automating tasks, but from augmentation approaches that enhance human capabilities rather than replacing them. As economist Erik Brynjolfsson notes, instead of rushing to automate, business leaders should ask, "What new things can we do now that we could never have done before because we have this technology?" The most powerful relationship between humans and AI isn't one where technology thinks for us, but where it amplifies our distinctly human thinking. For this synergy to work, however, we must bring our full cognitive capabilities to the partnership. ## Reimagining Learning for Future Innovators What would education look like if it truly prioritized developing the next generation of innovative thinkers? Several promising approaches offer glimpses of possibilities: 1. **Embed real problem-solving throughout the curriculum.** Instead of artificial exercises, students could tackle authentic challenges in their communities, developing solutions that matter while learning academic content in context. This approach builds both knowledge and the ability to apply it meaningfully. 2. **Normalize productive struggle.** Innovation requires persistence through uncertainty and failure. Educational environments that celebrate questions over answers and iteration over perfection help build this resilience. When students learn to see setbacks as information rather than defeat, they develop the mindset essential for breakthrough thinking. 3. **Expand access to tools and mentorship.** My grandson's advantage isn't just technological—it's relational. He has people who model creative thinking and encourage his explorations. He has access to an [**innovation studio**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbNP25Bve-vc7eK6yCMZNlUU&si=vIteY%5FxT2WDx3WEg&ref=philmckinney.com). Expanding mentorship networks and creating more public access to making technologies could democratize these opportunities. ## The Stakes Are High The consequences of inaction extend beyond economic competitiveness. The challenges our children will inherit will require unprecedented creativity and critical thought. They'll need to reimagine systems, not just optimize existing ones. Moreover, in a world awash with misinformation and manipulation, the ability to evaluate claims, recognize faulty reasoning, and make thoughtful judgments isn't just an academic skill—it's essential for citizenship. Without developing critical thinking skills and creative problem-solving, we risk a future where too few have the tools to shape their world. ## Reasons for Hope Despite these challenges, there are promising signs of change. Innovative schools are reimagining learning environments. Organizations are creating extracurricular opportunities that develop thinking skills. Some employers are rethinking hiring criteria to value demonstrated creativity over credentials. Most encouragingly, young people themselves are pushing for more meaningful learning. They recognize the disconnect between traditional education and the future they'll inhabit. When given opportunities to tackle real problems, I’ve seen firsthand young people demonstrate capabilities that give a hint of a brighter future. The question isn't whether the next generation has the potential to become extraordinary innovators—they do. The question is whether we'll create the conditions that allow more of them to develop this potential. Not just the fortunate few with exceptional resources, but all children with their inherent curiosity and creativity. My grandson's thoughtful approach to his business challenges gives me hope. Now we need to ensure that all young people have opportunities to develop similar thinking capabilities. Their future—and ours—depends on it. --- ***This article first appeared on Studio Notes on Substack.*** [***Subscribe to Studio Notes***](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) ***to get early access.*** ### How to Improve Your Strategic Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-strategic-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:08.000Z While most people scramble to adapt when the unexpected happens, a select few are already three steps ahead. They saw the change coming, prepared for it, and positioned themselves to benefit. Their secret weapon? Strategic thinking. By the end of this episode, you'll master 6 powerful strategic thinking skills and 5 practical exercises that will transform your decision-making abilities. You'll develop the same mental toolkit used by visionary leaders and innovative thinkers. And you'll discover exactly how to apply these skills to your own challenges, spotting opportunities others miss and avoiding the pitfalls that trap even the smartest people. ## The Strategic Mindset Before we dive into specific techniques, let's get clear on what strategic thinking actually is. Unlike tactical thinking, which focuses on immediate tasks, or operational thinking, which concentrates on efficiency, strategic thinking is about seeing the bigger picture and a longer timeframe. Think of it like this: tactical thinking is playing the next move in chess, operational thinking is mastering the rules and standard patterns, but strategic thinking is understanding the entire board and planning several moves ahead. Developing a strategic mindset starts with training yourself to look beyond immediate outcomes. When faced with a decision, push yourself to consider its implications not just tomorrow, but months or years from now. This sounds simple, but it's surprisingly rare. Most people get caught in the urgency of the moment. The strategic mindset includes four key elements: - Long-term orientation - Looking beyond immediate outcomes - Pattern recognition - Connecting dots across different domains - Comfort with uncertainty - Making good decisions with incomplete information - Proactive approach - Shaping circumstances rather than just responding to them Once you shift from reacting to anticipating, you start to design the game rather than just playing it. But how exactly do you develop these abilities? That's what we're going to explore next, with six core skills that form the foundation of strategic thinking. ## 6 Core Strategic Thinking Skills ### Skill #1: Second-Order Thinking The first skill is second-order thinking. Most people only consider the immediate results of their actions—the first-order effects. Strategic thinkers ask, "And then what?" That’s the second-order. Let me give you an example. When streaming services first appeared, many film studios only saw the first-order effect: a new revenue stream. They licensed their content widely. However, Netflix, thinking several steps ahead, saw the second-order effect. By gathering data on viewing habits and building relationships with viewers, they could eventually create their own content and reduce dependence on studios. While studios were playing checkers, Netflix was playing chess. To practice second-order thinking, get in the habit of asking follow-up questions after your initial analysis: - If we do X, what happens next? And after that? - How might these consequences interact with other factors? - What feedback loops might emerge over time? This simple discipline forces you to trace consequences through systems over time. ### Skill #2: Probabilistic Reasoning The second core skill is probabilistic reasoning—thinking in terms of likelihoods rather than certainties. Our brains naturally want yes/no answers, but reality rarely obliges. Instead of asking "Will this work?" try asking, "What's the likelihood this will work, and under what conditions?" This shifts you from binary thinking to a more nuanced view that accounts for uncertainty. A practical way to develop this skill is to keep a decision journal. Write down important decisions you make, along with your estimate of how likely various outcomes are. Over time, review these notes to calibrate your judgment. ### Skill #3: Opportunity Cost Assessment The third skill is opportunity cost assessment—the understanding that every yes means saying no to something else. Resources are always limited, whether that's money, time, attention, or energy. Strategic thinkers habitually ask, "If I pursue this option, what am I giving up?" This question prevents the common trap of chasing good opportunities at the expense of great ones. To practice this skill, whenever you're making a significant decision, force yourself to list at least three alternatives you're giving up by choosing your preferred option. This creates the mental habit of seeing hidden trade-offs. ### Skill #4: Inversion Thinking Our fourth skill might seem counterintuitive: inversion thinking. Instead of asking how to succeed, ask how you might fail. Imagine you're launching a new product. Rather than just planning for success, ask: "A year from now, if this product has failed completely, what will have caused that failure?" This perspective reveals potential problems you might otherwise miss. This approach—sometimes called a pre-mortem—is remarkably effective at exposing blind spots in your thinking and strengthening your plans. ### Skill #5: Scenario Development The fifth skill is scenario development—the ability to envision multiple possible futures. The future is never a single predetermined path; it's a range of possibilities. Strategic thinkers don't try to predict exactly what will happen. Instead, they identify a few distinct possible futures and prepare for each. This creates resilience and adaptability. To practice this skill, identify the two or three major uncertainties in a situation, then imagine how different combinations of outcomes might play out. Don't aim for dozens of scenarios—just a few meaningful alternatives that cover the range of possibilities. ### Skill #6: First Principles Analysis The final core skill is first principles analysis—breaking complex situations down to fundamental truths rather than relying on analogies or conventions. When Elon Musk approached rocketry, he didn't start with the assumption that rockets are expensive. He asked what materials a rocket requires and what the raw costs of those materials are. This first-principles approach revealed that rockets could be built for a fraction of the conventional cost. To practice this skill, when facing a challenge, ask yourself: "What are the fundamental truths I know with certainty about this situation?" Build your thinking up from these foundations rather than starting with assumptions or conventional wisdom. Now that we've explored these six skills individually, you might be wondering how they work together in practice. Let's look at how these abilities combine to create truly strategic thinking... ## From Skills to Practice The real power of strategic thinking emerges when these six skills work together. No complex challenge can be solved with just one approach. Instead, strategic thinkers draw from their full toolkit, applying different skills as the situation demands. Think about a chess grandmaster who doesn't just rely on calculating the next move (tactical thinking) but combines pattern recognition from past games with scenario planning for future moves, all while assessing the opportunity costs of different strategic options. Similarly, you'll find yourself naturally combining these skills. When evaluating a major decision, you might start with second-order thinking, then apply probabilistic reasoning to assess various outcomes, while using inversion to identify potential pitfalls. So, how do you develop these skills into habits that you can apply automatically? That's what we'll explore next with five practical exercises to strengthen your strategic thinking muscles... ## 5 Exercises to Build Your Strategic Thinking Like any set of skills, strategic thinking improves with practice. Here are five exercises specifically designed to strengthen the six strategic thinking skills we've explored. ### Exercise 1: The Pre-Mortem **Skills developed:** Inversion thinking, Second-order thinking Before starting an important project, imagine it has failed completely. Spend ten minutes writing down all the reasons for this failure. This exercise leverages inversion thinking to expose potential problems before they occur. To conduct an effective pre-mortem: - Vividly imagine the project has failed one year from now - List as many potential causes of failure as possible - Be specific about what went wrong and why - Prioritize the most likely or impactful failure points ### Exercise 2: The 10/10/10 Analysis **Skills developed:** Second-order thinking, Opportunity cost assessment When making a decision, ask yourself: how will I feel about this 10 minutes from now? 10 months from now? 10 years from now? This forces you to consider different time horizons and avoid short-term thinking. The power of this exercise lies in identifying decisions that might feel good in the moment but cause regret later—or conversely, decisions that feel difficult now but will prove valuable in the long run. ### Exercise 3: Future-Back Planning **Skills developed:** Scenario development, First principles analysis Start by clearly defining a desired future state, then work backward to identify what would need to happen to reach that state. This approach often reveals steps or requirements that forward planning misses. For example, if you want to become a senior executive in five years, work backward to identify the skills, experiences, and relationships you'd need to develop along the way. ### Exercise 4: Perspective-Shifting **Skills developed:** Probabilistic reasoning, First principles analysis When stuck on a problem, try viewing it from drastically different perspectives. How would a competitor see this situation? A customer? Someone from a completely different industry? This exercise breaks you out of fixed thinking patterns by forcing you to consider alternative viewpoints and probabilities you might otherwise miss. ### Exercise 5: Strategic Questioning **Skills developed:** All six skills Incorporate these questions into your thinking routine: - "What am I missing?" (improves probabilistic reasoning) - "What would change my mind about this?" (challenges first principles) - "What would make this decision look foolish in retrospect?" (applies inversion thinking) - "What's the non-obvious solution here?" (prompts second-order thinking) - "What am I giving up by choosing this option?" (considers opportunity costs) - "How might different futures affect this decision?" (encourages scenario development) The key to all these exercises is consistency. Even five minutes of strategic thinking practice each day will, over time, reshape your default thinking patterns. But how do you incorporate these practices into your busy life? Let's talk about that next... ## Integration Into Daily Life The true test of any skill is whether you use it in daily life. Here's how to make strategic thinking a natural part of your routine: Start small. Don't try to apply strategic thinking to every decision—you'll quickly burn out. Instead, choose one significant decision each day for deeper analysis. This might be a work decision, a financial choice, or even a relationship issue. There are four effective ways to integrate strategic thinking into your daily routine: 1. Create triggers for strategic thinking. For example, whenever you use phrases like "I always" or "I never," pause and ask if you're falling into rigid thinking patterns. Or whenever you feel pressure to decide quickly, take a breath and ask what would happen if you delayed the decision by a day. 2. Find a strategic thinking partner. Having someone to discuss decisions with dramatically improves your thinking quality. Look for someone who thinks differently than you do—the friction between perspectives often generates insights neither person would reach alone. 3. Schedule dedicated strategic thinking time. Even 15 minutes once a week can make a difference. Use this time to consider longer-term questions or review important decisions. 4. Practice reflection. After making important decisions, take note of what went well and what you might do differently next time. This builds your strategic muscle memory. Balance is crucial. Strategic thinking doesn't mean getting lost in analysis paralysis. Sometimes, a quick decision is better than a perfect one made too late. The goal is appropriate thinking—matching your mental effort to the importance of the decision. Perhaps most importantly, be patient with yourself. Strategic thinking is a lifelong journey, not a destination. You'll have days where you fall back into reactive thinking, and that's okay. The goal is progress, not perfection. And speaking of progress, let's wrap up with the most important takeaways from our exploration of strategic thinking... ## Conclusion We've covered a lot of ground in this episode, from understanding the strategic mindset to developing specific skills and practices. Here Your challenge for this week is to choose just one of the strategic thinking skills we've discussed and apply it to an important decision you're facing. Notice how it changes your perspective and possibly your choice. Strategic thinking, at its heart, isn't just about making better decisions—it's about creating options for your future self. Every time you think strategically, you're investing in possibilities that your future self will thank you for. Subscribe to the [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) for more leadership, strategy, and creative decision-making episodes. Want to support this content and get exclusive perks? Join the community over on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com). To learn more about improving strategic thinking skills, listen to this week's show: [***How to Improve Your Strategic Thinking Skills***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FImprove%5FStrategic%5FThinking%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* ### 5 Critical Thinking Skills for Digital Literacy: Spotting Misinformation & Manipulation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/5-critical-thinking-skills-for-digital-literacy-spotting-misinformation-manipulation/ Last updated: 2026-09-28T14:36:00.000Z Your phone pings. A bold headline lights up your screen. A friend shares a "must-see" video. But how do you know what's real? In today's hyperconnected world, critical thinking skills are no longer optional. They're essential tools for digital literacy—your ability to find, verify, and act on information online. Without them, you risk falling into traps laid by misinformation, viral hoaxes, and algorithm-driven manipulation. But with the right mindset and techniques, you can take back control of your [digital experience](https://www.philmckinney.com/bridging-the-digital-divide-with-innovation-and-connectivity/). ## What is Digital Literacy? Digital literacy stands as one of the most vital skills for modern life. But what does it truly mean? At its heart, digital literacy is your ability to find, evaluate, and communicate information effectively through digital platforms. This skill transforms how you interact with online content. It helps you tell reliable sources from shaky ones. It lets you spot manipulation tactics from a mile away. It empowers you to make choices based on solid information, not shaky claims. By building your digital literacy, you gain a crucial filter for the overwhelming flood of content online. This clarity leads to better decisions in both your personal and professional worlds. And as we'll soon see, the stakes couldn't be higher. ## The Crisis of Information Overload The digital literacy crisis surrounds us daily, hiding in plain sight. We see it when wild conspiracy theories race across the internet faster than factual corrections can keep up. We witness it when deepfakes blur the boundaries between what's real and what's fabricated. We notice it when even the sharpest minds fall prey to sophisticated online scams. This crisis shows itself in everyday behaviors. People share dramatic headlines without reading beyond the title. Emotionally charged but factually wrong memes spread like wildfire. Many struggle to tell the difference between genuine news and satirical content meant to entertain, not inform. Even worse, most people don't realize how algorithms customize their content feeds. These invisible filters create echo chambers that reinforce what you already believe while screening out challenging perspectives. This algorithmic bubble doesn't just limit your personal growth—it drives societal polarization, making meaningful conversation across different viewpoints nearly impossible. But there's good news ahead. While the crisis is real, the solutions are within your reach. And they start with five critical skills that anyone can master. ## How To Improve Your Digital Literacy Boosting your digital literacy isn't the mountain it might seem! These five critical thinking skills, practical exercises, and straightforward advice will guide your journey. Each skill builds on the last, creating a complete toolkit for navigating today's information landscape. Let's dive into the first and perhaps most important skill—one that could change the online world overnight if everyone practiced it. ### 1 - Check Before You Share The urge to instantly share compelling content hits hard. That shocking headline. That outrageous claim. That perfect comeback to the other side's argument. But this impulse often bypasses our critical thinking. In our rapid-fire digital world, false information spreads in moments, usually through well-meaning people just like you and me. The foundation of digital literacy starts with a simple habit: verify before you amplify. Ask yourself these quick questions before hitting that share button: - Have multiple trustworthy sources reported this? - Was this designed to trigger my emotions rather than my reasoning? - Is the source open about its methods and evidence? Those extra moments of verification might feel small, but they create a massive impact. They represent the difference between spreading clarity and confusion. Steps to Verify Before Sharing: 1. **Read Beyond the Headline**: Headlines grab attention, not nuance. Always read the entire piece before sharing. 2. **Identify the Source**: Check if the information comes from an organization with editorial standards and fact-checking processes. 3. **Look for the Date**: Old news masquerading as current can mislead completely. Verify when the content appeared. 4. **Check the URL**: Watch for impostor websites with slight misspellings or unusual domains that mimic legitimate news sources. 5. **Cross-Reference**: See if other reputable sources report the same information. A major story appearing on only one site raises red flags. 6. **Look for Author Credentials**: Credible articles typically have authors with verifiable expertise or journalistic backgrounds. By applying these steps, you transform from part of the problem into part of the solution. But verification is just the beginning—because some content is specifically designed to bypass your rational thinking in ways you might not even notice. ### 2 - Recognize Manipulation Tactics Beneath the surface of our digital world lies a sophisticated array of techniques designed to influence your thinking without your awareness. Learning to spot these manipulation tactics gives you back control over your information diet. From clickbait headlines that create irresistible curiosity gaps to algorithms that feed you content matching your existing beliefs, these patterns shape your perception in powerful ways. The good news? Once you see these tactics, they lose much of their power over you. And recognizing them helps you build a more balanced perspective on complex issues. Steps to Recognize Manipulation: 1. **Watch for Emotional Triggers**: Content designed to spark strong reactions—outrage, fear, amusement—often aims to short-circuit your rational thinking. 2. **Identify Filter Bubbles**: Notice when your social feeds show overwhelmingly similar viewpoints. This signals you're in an algorithm-created bubble that limits your exposure to diverse perspectives. 3. **Question Perfect Narratives**: Be skeptical of stories that seem too neat or that completely villainize one side while portraying the other as flawless heroes. 4. **Notice Urgency Cues**: Phrases like "Act now," "Don't miss out," or "Share before they take this down" create artificial pressure to act before thinking. 5. **Be Alert to Targeted Advertising**: Pay attention to how ads seem to read your mind. Understanding this targeting helps you maintain perspective on how you're being marketed to. 6. **Recognize Astroturfing**: Watch for supposedly grassroots movements that may actually be corporate or political campaigns in disguise. As you develop this awareness, you'll find yourself less easily swayed by manipulation and more capable of engaging with online content on your own terms. Yet even with these skills, you still need to determine which sources deserve your trust in the first place. ### 3 - Evaluate Source Credibility In a world where anyone can publish anything, distinguishing reliable sources from questionable ones becomes essential. This skill forms the backbone of digital literacy. It involves examining who created the content, their expertise and potential biases, and what evidence supports their claims. Think of it like this: when researching health information, content from medical schools or health professionals typically carries more weight than anonymous blogs or commercial websites pushing health products. The difference could literally impact your well-being. Steps to Evaluate Sources: 1. **Check the About Page**: Legitimate organizations openly share their mission, funding sources, and team members. 2. **Look for Citations**: Credible content references primary sources and links to research backing its claims. 3. **Assess Expertise**: Determine if the author has relevant credentials in their subject area. 4. **Consider the Purpose**: Identify whether the content aims to inform, persuade, entertain, or sell something—this dramatically affects how you should interpret it. 5. **Examine Balance**: Notice if the source presents multiple perspectives or only one viewpoint on controversial topics. 6. **Watch for Red Flags**: Poor grammar, excessive pop-ups, clickbait headlines, and missing dates often signal lower-quality sources. By systematically evaluating your sources, you build a solid foundation for your digital knowledge. But even with trustworthy sources, you might still face another common challenge: seeing only what algorithms think you want to see. ### 4 - Break Out of Algorithm Bubbles Most digital platforms track your behavior to predict and deliver content you'll likely engage with. While this creates a comfortable user experience, it also traps you in what experts call "filter bubbles" or "echo chambers"—digital spaces where you rarely encounter perspectives that challenge your existing views. These bubbles might feel good, but they severely limit your understanding of complex issues. Breaking free requires intention, but the reward is a more complete picture of our multifaceted world. Steps to Escape Algorithm Bubbles: 1. **Diversify Your Follow List**: Deliberately follow credible sources across the political spectrum and with varied cultural perspectives. 2. **Use Private Browsing**: Access important information through incognito or private browsing modes to reduce your personal algorithm's influence. 3. **Try Different Search Engines**: Alternate between search engines with different algorithms, such as DuckDuckGo, Bing, or Google. 4. **Clear Your History**: Regularly clear cookies and search history to reset some algorithmic assumptions about your preferences. 5. **Engage With Opposing Views**: Occasionally interact with content presenting well-reasoned perspectives different from your own. 6. **Use RSS Feeds**: Follow websites directly through RSS readers rather than letting social media algorithms decide what content reaches you. By actively managing your information environment, you reclaim control over your digital experience. This expanded perspective prepares you for perhaps the most powerful skill of all—one that professional fact-checkers use every day. ### 5 - Develop Lateral Reading Skills Most of us were taught to read articles from top to bottom, carefully absorbing the information presented. But in today's digital environment, that approach can leave you vulnerable to misinformation. Enter lateral reading—a game-changing technique used by professional fact-checkers. Instead of staying on one page, lateral reading involves quickly opening multiple tabs to verify information across different sources. Rather than taking content at face value, you immediately consult other sources to check claims. This approach transforms how you process information online. Steps for Lateral Reading: 1. **Question the Source First**: Before deeply engaging with content, first verify who created it and their credibility. 2. **Open New Tabs**: When encountering questionable claims, immediately open new tabs to search for verification from other sources. 3. **Look for Fact-Checks**: Search for the topic or claim along with terms like "fact check" or "debunked" to see if it's been previously evaluated. 4. **Check Wikipedia for Context**: While not perfect, Wikipedia often provides a balanced overview and references that can jumpstart your verification process. 5. **Consult Specialized Sources**: Use resources like Media Bias Fact Check or AllSides to quickly assess news sources' reliability and bias. 6. **Consider Multiple Perspectives**: Read about the same topic from sources with different viewpoints to build a more complete understanding. Mastering lateral reading might feel strange at first, but it soon becomes second nature. And unlike traditional reading, it protects you from being swayed by a single persuasive but potentially misleading source. Now, let's put all these skills into practice. ## Practice Exercise: Digital Detox Challenge Reading about these skills helps, but practicing them transforms your habits. One powerful way to sharpen your digital literacy is through a structured digital detox challenge. And doing it with a friend adds accountability and insight. Here's how to make it happen: 1. **Set a Timeframe**: Choose a manageable period, such as three days, to fundamentally change how you consume digital information. 2. **Create New Rules**: Establish specific guidelines, such as checking news only twice daily, verifying information before sharing, and following sources with opposing viewpoints. 3. **Keep a Reaction Journal**: Document your initial reactions to headlines or posts, then record how your perspective shifted after deeper investigation. 4. **Compare Notes**: Meet with your friend to discuss what you discovered about your digital habits and how your information evaluation improved. 5. **Identify Manipulation**: List specific instances where you noticed emotional manipulation tactics in content you encountered. 6. **Develop Personal Guidelines**: Based on your experience, create a personalized checklist for evaluating digital information going forward. 7. **Implement Long-Term Changes**: Choose two or three sustainable habits from your challenge to incorporate permanently into your digital life. This challenge offers more than theoretical learning—it builds practical skills through experience. And those skills last long after the challenge ends. With each cycle of practice, your digital literacy strengthens, making you progressively more resistant to manipulation and more confident in finding reliable information. ## Digital Literacy: Your Personal Revolution Feeling overwhelmed by today's digital landscape is natural. The sheer volume of content, the sophisticated manipulation techniques, the struggle to separate fact from fiction—it all takes a toll. But remember this: you are not just another passive consumer. You can become an active navigator, charting your own course through the information ecosystem. This isn't about minor adjustments to your online habits. It's about reclaiming your mind in a world specifically engineered to capture and direct your attention. It's a personal revolution that changes everything. Here's what most people miss: mastering digital critical thinking transforms your entire life. Your healthcare decisions become based on facts rather than fears. Your voting choices stem from policies rather than propaganda. Your investment decisions arise from careful analysis rather than market hype. In a world drowning in misinformation, your newfound skills make you something remarkable—living proof that clarity remains possible. Every time you pause before sharing, verify a suspicious claim, or question what's missing from a story, you create ripples that extend far beyond your screen. These seemingly small actions inspire others to develop their own critical thinking habits. Digital technologies will continue evolving at dizzying speeds, but these fundamental skills will remain your compass through whatever comes next. So move forward with confidence. You've got this—and our increasingly complex information landscape desperately needs more people exactly like you. Remember this: in a world designed to capture your attention, the ability to think critically isn't just another skill—it's your declaration of independence. The next time your phone pings with breaking news, you'll no longer be just another viewer. You'll be something far more powerful: a thinker. Subscribe to the [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) for more episodes on digital literacy, critical thinking, and navigating the evolving information landscape. Want to support this content and get exclusive perks? Join the community over on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com). To learn more about the critical thinking skills for digital literacy, listen to this week's show: [***5 Critical Thinking Skills for Digital Literacy: Spotting Misinformation & Manipulation***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/5%5FCritical%5FThinking%5FSkills%5Ffor%5FDigital%5FLiteracy%5F-%5FSpotting%5FMisinformation%5Fand%5FManipulation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* *Go deeper:* [*Is Humanity's Dependence on Technology Good Or Bad?*](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-humanitys-dependence-on-technology-good-or-bad/) ### The 36-Hour Lesson: When Reliability Made My Innovation Career URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-36-hour-lesson-when-reliability-made-my-innovation-career/ Last updated: 2025-04-14T17:39:46.000Z In the world of innovation, we celebrate moments of creative insight. The lightbulb moments. The ideas that seem to appear from nowhere. But after decades in the innovation trenches, I've learned a humbling truth: the unglamorous virtue of dependability has been the true differentiator in my career. Let me take you back to a pivotal moment that shaped my entire professional trajectory. I had made a significant mistake on a critical project—the kind that makes your stomach drop. The error would require substantial rework, and our deadline was immovable. There was no time for explanations or negotiations. The customer expected delivery, period. I stayed up for 36 straight hours over a weekend and fixed it. No one outside my direct boss and I ever knew about the near-disaster. That single act of following through—regardless of personal cost—established my reputation with leadership and followed me throughout my career. That weekend taught me a lesson I've never forgotten: reliability creates opportunity. When people know you'll deliver on your promises no matter what, they give you the freedom to take bigger risks. "Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come." — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson ## The Trust Equation Innovation runs on trust. It's simple math: Reliability builds credibility, and with credibility comes trust to work independently and permission to take risks. Even the most brilliant idea becomes worthless if it never materializes. Your track record of following through tells people you'll make things happen regardless of the obstacles. It's the foundation upon which all creative risks must be built. In today's workplace, excuses abound: "Requirements changed." "Resources were insufficient." "The timeline was unrealistic." Sound familiar? But here's the hard truth: excuses—no matter how valid—erode trust. And without trust, your ability to drive innovation vanishes. ## The Hidden Power of Reliability in Innovation When we talk about innovation heroes, we focus on their creative moments. But look closer at their stories, and you'll find a bedrock of dependability supporting those moments of insight. Here's why commitment reliability outweighs creative excellence: **It creates psychological safety.** When teams know they can depend on each other, they feel safe to experiment. Failed experiments are acceptable. Failed commitments are not. **It builds momentum.** Innovation isn't a single sprint; it's a marathon of incremental progress. Reliable follow-through creates the consistent forward motion that turns good ideas into reality. **It earns you champions.** Every significant innovation needs influential supporters to navigate organizational politics. These champions emerge when they trust you'll make them look good by delivering on your promises. **It enables greater autonomy.** Leaders grant freedom to those they trust. When you consistently deliver, you're given the space to work with less oversight and more creative liberty. I've seen teams with moderate creative talent but excellent follow-through outperform inconsistent teams time and again. The first group builds on small successes to achieve remarkable results. The second group generates excitement but rarely crosses the finish line. ## Cultivating the Discipline of Follow-Through Reliability isn't flashy. It doesn't make for exciting headlines. But it's a muscle that can be developed with intention and practice. Here are four specific actions to strengthen your follow-through discipline: **1\. Make fewer, better promises** In our eagerness to please, we often overcommit. This is a reliability trap. Better to under-promise and over-deliver. Be selective about what you commit to, then deliver completely. **2\. Communicate proactively when facing obstacles** Reliability doesn't mean never facing challenges. It means addressing those challenges head-on rather than hoping no one will notice. The moment you recognize a potential delay, speak up and present options. **3\. Break commitments into visible milestones** This creates a cadence of small deliveries that builds trust incrementally and gives you early warning when things are sliding off track. Each milestone becomes a trust-building opportunity. **4\. Model reliability to create a culture of follow-through** Teams mirror their leaders' behavior. When you model unwavering commitment to delivery, it becomes the standard. Your personal reliability ripples outward, influencing everyone around you. ## The Personal Cost and Reward That 36-hour weekend was grueling. I don't recommend that specific approach as a regular practice. But sometimes reliability requires personal sacrifice. What I've discovered is that these moments of sacrifice yield disproportionate returns in trust and opportunity. That single weekend opened doors throughout my career because it demonstrated something fundamental about my character. In contrast, I've watched creative colleagues sabotage promising careers with a pattern of unfulfilled commitments. Their ideas were impressive, but their implementation was inconsistent. Eventually, people stopped betting on them. ## The Innovation Reality Here's the truth: the more reliable you are, the more creative risks you're allowed to take. When people trust you to deliver, they become more comfortable with the uncertainty inherent in innovation. In a world obsessed with disruption and creative thinking, we've overlooked this fundamental principle. Reliability isn't the enemy of creativity; it's its greatest ally. So if you're looking to make your mark in innovation, cultivate your creative thinking. But don't neglect the quiet discipline of following through. It's not as exciting as ideation, but it's what separates those who transform industries from those who merely have good ideas. Your reputation for reliability might just be the most valuable asset you'll ever develop. I know it has been for me. --- *This post was first published in my Studio Notes newsletter on Substack. If you want to be the first to get future posts, subscribe over on Substack.* ### Intellectual Generosity: Why Sharing Ideas Creates More Value Than Protecting Them URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/intellectual-generosity-why-sharing-ideas-creates-more-value-than-protecting-them/ Last updated: 2025-04-09T20:42:51.000Z Every innovator eventually faces the same question: Should I protect this idea or share it freely? For most of my career, I watched people fiercely guard their intellectual property, insisting on NDAs before even hinting at their concepts. I chose a different path—and discovered something counterintuitive that transformed my approach to innovation. ## **The Protection Reflex** Our instinct to protect ideas is understandable. We're taught that ideas are valuable commodities that others might steal. The traditional wisdom is clear: patent everything, reveal nothing, and maintain competitive advantage through secrecy. This mindset is so deeply ingrained that many innovators won't discuss their work without legal protection. Yet I launched my blog in 1996 and podcast in 2005 with one clear purpose: to freely share my innovation methods, frameworks, tools, ideas, and insights with anyone who sought them. Years later, I established my Innovation Studio to further this philosophy, collaborating directly with organizations and guiding them through the actual execution of their ideas. At every step, I deliberately chose openness over restriction. Why? Because I noticed something that contradicted conventional wisdom: the more generously I shared my best thinking and ideas, the more value I received in return. Not just goodwill, but tangible opportunities, improved ideas, and expanded impact. ## **The Mechanics of Generosity** This counterintuitive outcome isn't random—it follows predictable patterns that anyone can leverage: **Ideas improve through circulation.** When you keep ideas sealed away, they stagnate. When released into diverse environments, they evolve and strengthen. Apple demonstrated this by open-sourcing its Swift programming language in 2014\. Rather than weakening their position, this accelerated Swift's development far beyond what their internal team could have accomplished alone, while simultaneously strengthening Apple's standing in the developer community. **Sharing builds authority, not vulnerability.** Machine learning researcher Rachel Thomas published her deep learning course materials online for free—resources that could have been monetized as an exclusive program. This generosity established her as a thought leader, bringing consulting opportunities, speaking engagements, and funding that exceeded what she might have earned by keeping her knowledge proprietary. **Open ideas create serendipity engines.** When marine biologist Asha de Vos published her research on blue whales in the Indian Ocean openly, a shipping company executive discovered her work and proposed rerouting shipping lanes to protect whale populations—a collaboration that would never have materialized had she kept her research private until "perfect." **Phil McKinney’s Studio Notes** is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ## **The Deeper Truth** The fundamental insight is this: ideas aren't fixed assets that depreciate when shared—they're more like seeds that multiply when planted in fertile ground. This isn't just idealism; it's practical economics for the innovation economy. The industrial economy trained us to protect scarce physical resources. But innovations operate differently—they grow more valuable through circulation, combination, and refinement. Entrepreneur Pieter Levels demonstrated this when he publicly documented his "12 startups in 12 months" journey on Twitter. Critics warned he was giving away his competitive advantage. Today, two of those openly developed concepts generate over $1 million in annual revenue. The transparency didn't diminish their value—it created an audience that became his first customers. ## **Finding the Balance** This doesn't mean abandoning all intellectual property protection. The key is distinguishing between ideas (which benefit from sharing) and execution capabilities (your true competitive advantage). Brazilian entrepreneur Ricardo Semler understood this perfectly. He regularly invited competitors to tour his factories, explaining every management innovation. Competitors would return to their companies and implement... nothing. Semler recognized that his advantage wasn't in secret processes but in his organization's unique ability to execute those ideas. ## **Your First Steps Toward Intellectual Generosity** If you're intrigued by this approach, start small: 1. **Choose one protected idea** and release it through a blog post or presentation. Track what returns to you—feedback, connections, opportunities. 2. **Create sharing systems** that turn one-way giving into two-way exchanges. Document the insights that come back and how they improve your original thinking. 3. **Examine your assumptions** about your most closely guarded ideas. For each, ask: "What's the worst that could happen if I shared this?" and "What opportunities might emerge?" The real paradox isn't just that giving ideas away creates returns—it's that those returns often exceed what protection would have yielded. When cryptographer Whitfield Diffie published his public-key cryptography breakthroughs openly in the 1970s, rather than patenting them, he helped create the secure internet we rely on today. His reputation and career soared because of his generosity. ## **The Mindset Shift** The most powerful change isn't in what you share, but in how you think about ideas themselves. When you shift from viewing ideas as finished products to seeing them as evolving organisms that require diverse environments to reach their full potential, everything changes. The question shifts from "How can I protect this idea?" to "How can I help this idea reach its full potential?" In our connected world, intellectual generosity isn't just virtuous—it's the most practical, efficient path to creating value. The more generously you sow, the more abundant your harvest will be. Are you ready to test this paradox with your own ideas? --- This article was originally posted over on [Studio Notes on Substack](https://philmckinney.substack.com/). ### 7 Physical Thinking Tools That Will Improve Your Creativity More Than AI URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/7-physical-thinking-tools-that-will-improve-your-creativity-more-than-ai/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:07.000Z 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](https://www.philmckinney.com/real-innovation-artificial-intelligence/) can analyze patterns faster than we can blink. But if you're searching for that breakthrough moment that flips a challenge on its head, you're better off reaching for physical thinking tools. These tactile instruments engage your mind in ways algorithms can't, triggering insight through perception rather than prediction. The real secret? These [thinking tools](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) aren't new. They're rooted in centuries-old traditions that redefined how humanity thinks, creates, and innovates. Let's explore seven modern physical tools that will do more for your creativity than any AI assistant can. ## Why Thinking Tools Matter More Than Ever Ideas didn't just power the Scientific Revolution—it was driven by instruments. Galileo's telescope didn't just reveal Jupiter's moons; it shattered humanity's view of its place in the universe. These early thinking tools—from telescopes to barometers—reshaped knowledge and the very *act* of knowing. Today, we stand at another inflection point. AI is fast and efficient, but it often reinforces existing patterns. Physical thinking tools can break those patterns entirely because they engage your senses. ## 7 Modern Thinking Tools That Will Improve Your Creativity 1. [**Oblique Strategy Cards**](https://enoshop.co.uk/products/oblique-strategies?variant=51221629501780&ref=philmckinney.com)Created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt, these cards prompt creative detours like "Use an old idea" or "Emphasize the flaws." The physical act of drawing a card makes the moment memorable and sets a deliberate tone—something a digital prompt can't replicate. 2. [**Killer Questions Card Deck**](https://innovation.tools/products/killer-questions-card-deck?ref=philmckinney.com)Instead of telling you what to do, these cards ask questions that reroute your brain—like "What if our biggest competitor became our best customer?" The power is in the pause they create before action. 3. **Innovation Dice** Roll a constraint—"reduce cost by half," "change your timeline"—and you're instantly rethinking your assumptions. It's randomized pressure with a creative twist. 4. **Tangible Problem Mapping Kits** Use physical tokens to represent pain points, users, and interactions. Moving these around on a table reveals patterns you wouldn't notice on a spreadsheet. 5. **Metaphor Objects** Want your app to "work like a Swiss Army knife"? Use real objects to represent abstract ideas. This builds instant understanding in group settings. 6. **Decision Wheels** They look like toys, but they cut through indecision with surprising clarity. Spinning a physical wheel turns choices into commitments. 7. **Material Libraries** Touching different fabrics, metals, or plastics triggers sensory thinking. Sometimes, a breakthrough comes from texture—not text. ## Thinking Tools Create the Right Kind of Friction Physical thinking tools slow you down just enough to notice the details. That pause is powerful. It invites reflection and allows your brain's deeper, less conscious mechanisms to get involved. You're no longer reacting—you're reimagining. Unlike AI, which excels at finding answers fast, these tools force you to linger in the question. That's where insight lives. ## Build Your Thinking Toolkit - **Start small**: Try just one tool for a week. - **Make it yours**: Create custom cards or metaphor objects. - **Involve others**: Collaboration multiplies their power. - **Create rituals**: Use them before big decisions or creative sessions. ## Final Thoughts If you're serious about creativity, you need tools that challenge, not just optimize. Physical thinking tools aren't relics—they're essential. They help us reframe, reconnect, and ultimately reimagine what's possible. Subscribe to the [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) for more creativity, innovation, and problem-solving episodes. Want to support this content and get exclusive perks? Join the community over on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com). Creativity doesn't come from having all the answers. It comes from [asking the right questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-definition-of-innovation/)—and sometimes, from rolling the right die. Keep creating, keep experimenting—and above all, keep thinking differently. To learn more about the physical thinking tools that can boost creativity, listen to this week's show: [***7 Physical Thinking Tools That Will Improve Your Creativity More Than AI***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/7%5FPhysical%5FThinking%5FTools%5FThat%5FWill%5FImprove%5FYour%5FCreativity%5FMore%5FThan%5FAI.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* ### Think Like Bill Gates: The 6-Step System That Built Microsoft and is Changing the World URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/think-like-bill-gates-the-6-step-system-that-built-microsoft-and-is-changing-the-world/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:07.000Z 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't just the software he wrote or the companies he built. It's how he thinks. Today, Gates' thinking framework continues to impact global health, [education](https://www.philmckinney.com/do-we-have-what-it-takes-to-innovate-the-education-system-s11-ep21/), and innovation through the Gates Foundation. And the best part? You don't need to be a billionaire or a coder to use it. His 6-step system can help you break down overwhelming problems, identify hidden leverage, and build sustainable solutions that scale. Let's unpack this mental model—step by step. ## Why Bill Gates' Thinking Still Matters While many [entrepreneurs](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-driven-entrepreneurship/) rely on instinct or vision, Bill Gates applies precision. He dissects problems, identifies leverage points, and builds scalable systems. During my time at HP, I saw firsthand how he doesn't just throw effort at a problem—he engineers the path to impact. Here's what defines his approach: - **Structural Thinking:** He breaks systems down to their most basic components. - **First-Principles Analysis:** He rethinks assumptions from the ground up. - **Scenario Planning:** He prepares for multiple outcomes—simultaneously. - **Quantitative Optimization:** He relentlessly tracks and measures progress. Let's walk through his 6-step system so you can apply it in your work. ## 1\. Define the Problem Space Bill Gates starts with clarity. He doesn't just define the problem; he maps the entire ecosystem—stakeholders, dependencies, incentives. When Microsoft entered personal computing, Gates didn't focus on applications. He zoomed out and identified the operating system as the keystone. That insight helped him position Microsoft for explosive growth. **Key takeaway:** Don't accept the problem as given. Reframe it. Redefine the boundaries. ## 2\. Break Down Complexity Gates simplifies without oversimplifying. He solves complex issues by breaking them into parts that still work together as a system. For example, the Gates Foundation approaches global health not as a single challenge but as layers: diseases, healthcare delivery, R&D, and funding. This decomposition uncovers the right entry points. **Key takeaway:** Complexity becomes solvable when you deconstruct it methodically. ## 3\. Identify Critical Leverage Points Instead of solving *everything*, Gates asks: Where will effort deliver the most impact? In his famous "Internet Tidal Wave" memo, Gates zeroed in on the browser, server software, and content. Focusing Microsoft's resources there helped the company survive the web revolution. **Key takeaway:** Not all actions are equal. Focus where effort yields exponential returns. ## 4\. Build Systematic Solutions Gates doesn't believe in one-off fixes. He builds repeatable systems that solve the root problem—and keep solving it. Take Visual Basic. Instead of building more tools, Gates systematized software development itself. That move expanded the entire Windows software ecosystem. **Key takeaway:** Great solutions scale because they're systems—not band-aids. ## 5\. Iterate with Data This is where Gates shines. He doesn't guess—he tracks, measures, and improves based on feedback. At Microsoft, every bug, feature, and rollout had a metric. The iteration wasn't random—it was laser-focused and structured. **Key takeaway:** Feedback loops are gold. Data-driven iteration unlocks growth. ## 6\. Scale with Precision Gates understands that scaling requires control. He adapts solutions to fit new contexts without compromising their core. Microsoft's global growth wasn't just about expansion—it was about localizing products while preserving what made them great. **Key takeaway:** Don't just scale. Scale *intelligently*. ## Bill Gates' Thinking in Action Whether you're a business leader or an innovator, Gates' mental model is a powerful asset. Here's how you can apply it: 1. **In Business:** - Map your ecosystem - [Identify bottlenecks](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-systems-thinking-skills/) - Focus on the 20% that delivers 80% of the results 1. **In Tech Implementation:** - Break down big initiatives into manageable pieces - Identify key dependencies and feedback loops - Use data to refine continuously 1. **In Social Innovation:** - Reframe the problem from first principles - Build scalable, measurable systems - Optimize interventions over time 1. **In Personal Growth:** - Use structured time (like Gates' "Think Weeks") for reflection - Break goals into components - Track what moves the needle—and focus there ## What You Can Do Next You don't need to be a billionaire or tech titan to use Bill Gates' system. Anyone can learn to: - Reframe problems - Focus on leverage - Build systems - Measure what matters Start by applying one step to a challenge you're facing today. You'll begin to see the structure behind the complexity—and that's where innovation begins. If you found this framework valuable, watch our full deep-dive episode on [**YouTube**](https://www.youtube.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com)**.** Support the series, get exclusive content, early episodes, and behind-the-scenes thinking on [**Patreon**](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com)**.** Keep thinking differently. Because how you think determines what you can achieve. To learn more about Bill Gates and his 6-step system, listen to this week's show: [***Think Like Bill Gates: The 6-Step System That Built Microsoft and is Changing the World***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Think%5FLike%5FBill%5FGates%5F-%5FThe%5F6-Step%5FSystem%5FThat%5FBuilt%5FMicrosoft%5Fand%5Fis%5FChanging%5Fthe%5FWorld.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* ### Dangerous Ideas: Why We Fear Innovation (And Why We Shouldn't) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/dangerous-ideas-why-we-fear-innovation-and-why-we-shouldnt/ Last updated: 2025-03-30T20:54:39.000Z From the harmless to the revolutionary, innovations throughout history have often been met with suspicion, fear, and sometimes outright hostility. This pattern is so persistent across cultures and time periods that it reveals something fundamental about human nature: we have a complicated relationship with the unknown. Today's breakthroughs—from artificial intelligence to genetic engineering—face similar resistance. But is this reaction justified, or is it part of a predictable cycle we've been repeating for centuries? ## **The Historical Fear of Innovation** Our tendency to fear new technologies isn't just a modern phenomenon. When umbrellas first appeared in London in the 1750s, users were pelted with garbage and insults. The male umbrella pioneer Jonas Hanway faced particular ridicule for using what was considered an effeminate accessory. Critics claimed umbrellas would weaken the constitution, make people susceptible to illness, and devastate the hackney cab industry, whose drivers relied on rainy days for business. Few remember that in the 1800s, many feared the devastating psychological effects of reading novels—especially for women. Medical journals published case studies of "novel-reading addiction," with symptoms including nervousness, irregular pulse, and "mental prostration." One physician, T.S. Clouston, warned that excessive reading caused "a morbid craving" and "depraved appetite" that could lead to insanity. Perhaps most obscure was the 19th-century panic over the dangers of the bicycle. The medical establishment issued grave warnings that "bicycle face"—a permanent facial distortion supposedly caused by riding against the wind and maintaining tension while navigating—would afflict anyone who regularly rode these newfangled machines. The Journal of the American Medical Association even published concerns that women who cycled risked developing "bicycle legs" and other physical deformities. ## **The Psychology Behind Innovation Fear** This resistance isn't merely amusing historical trivia; it reflects deeper psychological patterns. Humans have learned to be cautious of novelty as a survival mechanism. When our ancestors encountered something unfamiliar, the safest assumption was potential danger until proven otherwise. Psychologists call this phenomenon "neophobia"—the fear of new things. It shows up in our reluctance to try new foods, adopt new technologies, or embrace radical ideas. Combined with status quo bias and loss aversion (our tendency to prefer avoiding losses over acquiring equivalent gains), we become naturally resistant to change. Our minds also favor anecdotal evidence over statistical reasoning. A single story about a technology failure will stick in our minds more than data showing it's generally safe. We're hard-wired to remember dramatic stories over abstract numbers. ## **Beyond the Familiar Examples** While fears around AI, genetic modification, and social media are frequently discussed, history offers more obscure examples that follow the same pattern: When mechanical refrigeration was introduced in the 1800s, many insisted that artificially cooled food was unhealthy and lacked "vital essence." Natural ice harvesters mounted campaigns claiming mechanical refrigeration would produce dangerous gases and contaminate food. The introduction of margarine in the late 19th century caused such panic among dairy farmers that "anti-oleomargarine" laws were passed in several states, requiring the product to be dyed pink or black to warn consumers of its "artificial" nature. When elevators were first installed in buildings, they weren't just feared as physically dangerous—some religious leaders condemned them as "vertical transportation to doom," arguing that humans were meant to ascend stairs through honest effort, not mechanical shortcuts that encouraged laziness. Voice assistants in the home continue to face resistance beyond typical privacy concerns. Some language experts warn about potential speech degradation as we adapt our talking patterns to be understood by AI. Meanwhile, many parents worry that children who grow up giving commands to assistants may develop poor social skills or struggle with conversations requiring nuance. Facial recognition for everyday convenience (like paying at stores or unlocking doors) faces resistance from unexpected groups. Some fashion designers now create "anti-recognition" clothing, while certain communities worry about algorithmic bias affecting their daily lives. The technology also faces pushback from those who value anonymity as a social good rather than merely a privacy right. ## **A Framework for Evaluating Innovation** How can we avoid repeating this cycle with each new breakthrough? Instead of knee-jerk fear or blind acceptance, consider this framework for more thoughtful evaluation: 1. **Recognize Historical Patterns:** Acknowledge that initial resistance to innovation is normal and has often proven exaggerated. This doesn't mean all concerns are invalid but understand they may be amplified by our psychological biases. 2. **Identify Concrete vs. Speculative Risks:** Distinguish between demonstrated harms and theoretical concerns. Ask: "What evidence exists for this risk? Has it been observed or is it purely speculative?" 3. **Consider Scale and Context:** Evaluate both potential benefits and risks across different timeframes and populations. Some technologies present short-term challenges but long-term benefits or help many while posing risks to specific groups. 4. **Follow Evidence Evolution:** Instead of forming a permanent judgment based on early information, commit to following how evidence evolves. The understanding of any innovation improves with time and research. 5. **Examine Power Dynamics:** Ask who benefits from adoption or resistance. Sometimes, opposition comes from those whose economic interests are threatened rather than genuine safety concerns. This helps reveal when resistance might be more about protecting existing power structures than legitimate risks. 6. **Seek Diverse Perspectives:** Consult viewpoints from various disciplines, including those from communities that might experience impacts differently. 7. **Support Responsible Governance:** Advocate for adaptive regulation that allows innovation while establishing guardrails against demonstrable harms. ## **Embracing Thoughtful Optimism** The history of innovation resistance shows that human progress has always faced initial skepticism. From the printing press (which authorities feared would spread heresy) to the telephone (which was considered an invasion of privacy), transformative technologies have overcome initial fear. This doesn't mean we should embrace every innovation uncritically. The most beneficial approach is neither blanket fear nor unchecked enthusiasm but rather *thoughtful optimism*: a willingness to explore new possibilities while maintaining appropriate caution. Thoughtful optimism in practice can be seen in how smartphone technology evolved. Initial concerns about constant connectivity eroding attention spans and social interactions were valid, but neither rejection nor uncritical embrace would have served us well. Instead, a thoughtful approach acknowledged legitimate concerns while exploring benefits. This balanced perspective eventually led to features like screen time monitoring and focus modes—innovations born from addressing critics' concerns rather than dismissing them. The most valuable progress often emerges when we navigate between reflexive fear and blind enthusiasm, using criticism as fuel for responsible innovation rather than as a roadblock. By understanding our psychological biases and learning from history's pattern of innovation fears, we can develop more nuanced approaches to emerging technologies. The question isn't whether we should innovate but how we can do so while addressing legitimate concerns and maximizing human well-being. > ***Yesterday's "dangerous ideas" are today's necessities. Tomorrow's breakthroughs await the same journey—from ridicule to reverence. The most powerful innovation may be in how we think about innovation itself.*** [Subscribe To Studio Notes Newsletter](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) ### Think Like Steve Jobs: 6 Strategies Behind Billion Dollar Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/think-like-steve-jobs-6-strategies-behind-billion-dollar-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:06.000Z 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](https://www.philmckinney.com/einsteins-secret-to-effective-problem-solving/) and [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-prioritize-time-off-to-boost-your-creativity-and-innovation/) in a way that merged art with technology, bringing human experience to the forefront. Let’s dive into six strategies that defined his success and see how you can apply them to create your billion-dollar ideas. ## 1\. Start with Human Experience, Not Technology When Steve Jobs conceptualized the iPod, he didn’t start with storage specs or technical limitations. Instead, he began with the user experience, famously framing it as “1,000 songs in your pocket.” This simple yet profound approach guided every design and engineering decision, resulting in a product revolutionizing the music industry. **Apply This Strategy:** - Start with the end-user experience in mind. - Ask yourself: “What emotion do I want to evoke?” - Create a simple, memorable phrase that captures that experience. - Test all decisions against this experience statement. ## 2\. Simplify Ruthlessly One of the most iconic traits of Steve Jobs’ leadership was his ruthless focus on simplicity. Upon returning to Apple in 1997, he famously slashed the product line by 70% to focus on just four core categories. The goal wasn’t to do more—it was to do less, better. **Apply This Strategy:** - List every feature or product you’re working on. - Identify the core function and eliminate everything that doesn’t enhance it. - Use a simple two-by-two grid to map priorities. - Remember, simplicity is not just minimalism—it’s about clarity and focus. ## 3\. Connect the Dots in Unexpected Ways Steve Jobs was a master at making connections where others saw none. One famous example is how he applied his knowledge of calligraphy to the typography of the first [Macintosh](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-art-of-storytelling-for-business-and-innovation/) computer. This seemingly unrelated skill became the foundation for making computers feel more human. **Try This Now:** - Write down one hobby or interest that seems unrelated to your work. - Identify three principles from that hobby. - Think about how those principles can solve a current challenge. By merging different fields of knowledge, you can break out conventional thinking patterns and spark innovation. ## 4\. Embrace Aesthetic Intelligence Design wasn’t just a surface-level concern for Steve Jobs—it was a core value. He understood that beauty, simplicity, and function had to coexist. Whether it was the sleek curves of an [iPhone](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-nokia-kodak-and-blockbuster-all-missed-the-groupthink-factor/) or the intuitive feel of its user interface, the design had to resonate on an emotional level. **Apply This Strategy:** - Audit your product or service’s aesthetic appeal. - Identify three ways to enhance its design without compromising function. - Ask yourself: “How does this make users feel?” Jobs believed that great design isn’t just about how something looks—it’s about how it works. ## 5\. Inspire Through a Compelling Vision Jobs didn’t just motivate people—he compelled them to believe in an almost impossible vision. His “reality distortion field” was legendary, convincing people to push beyond their limits and create what they once thought was unachievable. **Your Reality Distortion Exercise:** - Choose a current project and write down its transformative potential in one sentence. - Share it with someone and gauge their response. - Refine it until it genuinely excites and inspires. ## 6\. Prototype, Test, and Iterate Despite being a visionary, Jobs wasn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and test his ideas repeatedly. The first iPhone went through countless iterations before its release. [Rapid prototyping](https://www.philmckinney.com/fast-prototyping/) and relentless testing ensured that what finally hit the market was revolutionary. **Prototype Challenge:** - Create a basic version of your idea within 24 hours. - Test it with real users and get feedback. - Identify the biggest pain points and address them. - Repeat the process until you achieve excellence. ## Think Like Steve Jobs—Start Your Innovation Journey Steve Jobs’ legacy isn’t just about products; it’s about mindset. To think like Steve Jobs, start with human experience, simplify with ruthless clarity, make unexpected connections, embrace aesthetics, inspire others, and never stop iterating. By adopting these six strategies, you’re not just [dreaming up ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/day-dreaming-boost-creativity/)—you’re crafting billion-dollar opportunities. **What Next?** For more in-depth breakdowns of innovation strategies and real-world applications, subscribe to our [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) and consider supporting us on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com). Unlock exclusive content and community chats where we discuss how to think like the world’s most innovative minds. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible—together. To learn more about Steve Jobs and his strategies, listen to this week's show: [***Think Like Steve Jobs: 6 Strategies Behind Billion Dollar Ideas***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Think%5FLike%5FSteve%5FJobs%5F-%5F6%5FStrategies%5FBehind%5FBillion%5FDollar%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* ### Moving to Substack: A New Chapter URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/moving-to-substack-a-new-chapter/ Last updated: 2025-03-24T16:34:35.000Z I'm excited to announce that I'm moving to [Substack!](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) This is a significant shift that will allow me to focus more on creating meaningful content and less on managing multiple platforms and technologies. On Substack, I'm consolidating my content from various channels—including my other newsletters such as "Finding New Ideas" on LinkedIn and blog posts from philmckinney.com—under what I'm calling "[Studio Notes](https://philmckinney.substack.com/)." ## What is Studio Notes? Studio Notes is my most personal channel—where I share the stories behind my three decades of innovation. Unlike my [podcast](https://killerinnovations.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and [YouTube content](https://youtube.com/@philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com), these are my unfiltered experiences, the hard-won lessons from both failures and successes. It's where I reflect on what I've learned working with Fortune 100 CEOs, leading innovators, government officials, university researchers, and startups–and offer my current thinking about innovation's role in shaping society. Studio Notes isn't about teaching methods—it's about sharing the genuine human journey of innovation as I've lived it - and how I live it today. ## Why Substack? I've been feeling increasingly scattered across too many digital spaces. The constant maintenance of website updates, email lists, and platform-hopping has taken valuable time away from what matters most—creating new content and connecting with you. Substack offers something refreshingly simple—a dedicated space without platform restrictions. **No algorithms determining what reaches you.** No complex tech stacks to maintain. Just direct connection, creating a more reliable relationship between us. ## What This Means For You Your support and interest in my work have always meant the world to me, and I want to make this transition as seamless as possible: - **All subscribers will be transferred** \- You'll continue receiving content without interruption - **Paid subscribers from the blog** \- If you're already a paid subscriber on my blog, your paid status will transfer over, plus you'll receive an additional six months of paid membership as a huge thank you for being an early supporter - **More consistent publishing** \- With less time spent on tech management, I can focus on creating regular content - **A mix of free and paid content** \- The vast majority of the content will remain free, with behind-the-scenes content, live streams, and other exclusives available to paid subscribers - **A cleaner experience** \- No more navigating between emails and websites—everything in one place ## Beyond The Practicalities This move represents something more meaningful than just a platform switch. It's about creating a space where I can share experiences without chasing metrics, where the focus returns to substance and connection. In a world of digital noise, I'm creating a more focused space—both for myself as a creator and for you as a follower—a place where we can explore innovation more deeply. ## Join Me On This Journey If you're already subscribed to my content on other platforms, you don't need to do anything—you'll continue receiving it at this new home. If you're reading this elsewhere, I'd love for you to [join us on Substack](https://philmckinney.substack.com/). [Subscribe to Studio Notes on Substack](https://philmckinney.substack.com/) Thank you for your continued support and for being part of this community. I'm grateful for your presence and excited about this focused new direction with Studio Notes. Here's to simplicity, focus, and direct connection. Phil P.S. If you have questions about this transition, please don't hesitate to reach out. Your feedback is always welcome as we build this space together. ### Pay It Forward: How Three Words Created Podcasting's Longest-Running Innovation Show URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/pay-it-forward-how-three-words-created-podcastings-longest-running-innovation-show/ Last updated: 2026-04-12T16:06:56.000Z 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: **pay it forward**. That philosophy is the foundation of *Killer Innovations*, the longest-running **innovation show** in podcasting history. Since its launch in March 2005, the show has shaped conversations about [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-science-of-creativity/), leadership, and [disruptive ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-creating-a-disruptive-ideation-workshop/), guiding listeners through the ever-changing innovation landscape. But its journey began in the unlikeliest place—a hotel bathroom in Phoenix, Arizona. ## From Bathroom to Broadcast: The Birth of an Innovation Show Podcasting was still in its infancy when I decided to take a leap into the unknown. With nothing but a microphone and a quiet space (which happened to be a hotel bathroom), I recorded the first episode of *Killer Innovations*. I had no audience, sponsors, or clear idea of where it would lead. I did have a lesson drilled into me by my mentor, [Bob Davis](https://www.philmckinney.com/best-career-advice-ever-received/). Bob had invested countless hours guiding me, helping me navigate challenges, and opening doors I didn't even know existed. One day, I asked him how I could ever repay him. His response changed everything: *"There's no way you can pay me back. You have to pay it forward."* That challenge stuck with me. Could a podcast be my way of doing just that? Could I share what I'd learned about innovation and leadership with a few people and an entire community? ## Innovation Lessons That Stand the Test of Time Fast forward to today, and the show has become more than I could have imagined. But at its core, it remains about one thing: helping others innovate better. Through hundreds of episodes and conversations with some of the world's most creative minds, I've uncovered key truths about what makes innovation work: - **Innovation is intentional** – It doesn't happen by accident. The best innovators create environments where new ideas can thrive. - **Failure is part of the process** – The best lessons come from what doesn't work. Embracing failure leads to growth. - **Diverse perspectives spark creativity** – The most disruptive ideas come from bringing together different viewpoints. - **Innovation is a learnable skill** – Creativity isn't just for the naturally gifted. With the right tools, anyone can innovate. - **Human-centered solutions win** – The best innovations aren't just technically impressive; they solve real human problems. These principles have guided not just my work but the evolution of the **innovation show** itself. ## How the Innovation Show Found Its Audience In the early days, I recorded episodes without knowing if anyone would listen. Then, one moment changed everything. [Adam Curry](https://www.philmckinney.com/ask-me-anything-qa/)—the pioneer of podcasting—mentioned Killer Innovations on his own show. Overnight, we gained an audience. That recognition validated the idea that people were hungry for conversations about creativity, problem-solving, and leadership in innovation. Since then, the **innovation show** has continued to grow, not just in listenership but in its ability to shape real-world impact. ## Season 20: A New Chapter in Innovation Reaching Season 20 is more than a milestone; it's a renewed commitment to the original mission of paying it forward. This season, we're doubling down on: - **Innovation leadership** – Giving you the tools to lead change in your organization. - **Practical creativity** – Helping you turn ideas into reality. - **Live sessions from the** [**Innovation Studio**](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-your-innovation-studio/) – Bringing the conversation to life in new ways. To continue evolving, we're inviting our community to support the show through [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com). Contributions help cover production costs, bring in new experts, and improve the quality of what we deliver every week. ## Join the Innovation Show Community As we move forward, one thing remains the same: *Killer Innovations* isn't just a podcast—it's a conversation. And I want you to be part of it. - **Subscribe on** [**YouTube**](https://www.youtube.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) for new episodes and insights. - **Support the show on** [**Patreon**](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) to help shape the future of innovation content. - **Connect with me on LinkedIn**—mention that you're a listener when you send a request. What innovation challenges are you facing right now? What's standing between you and your next breakthrough? Let's explore those questions together as we continue making innovation accessible, impactful, and lasting. After all, the best innovations don't just change industries—they change lives. To learn more about paying it forward and Season 20 of Killer Innovations, listen to this week's show: [***Pay It Forward: How Three Words Created Podcasting's Longest-Running Innovation Show***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Pay%5FIt%5FForward%5F-%5FHow%5FThree%5FWords%5FCreated%5FPodcastings%5FLongest-Running%5FInnovation%5FShow.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* ### Tesla vs Edison: The Innovation Methods That Changed The World URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/tesla-vs-edison-the-innovation-methods-that-changed-the-world/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:06.000Z On a stormy night in the 1880s, two men were working relentlessly to shape the future of electricity. In Menlo Park, [Thomas Edison](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-think-like-thomas-edison/) meticulously tested another filament variation for his electric light, documenting every failure in his growing logbook. Across New York, [Nikola Tesla](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-think-like-nicola-tesla/) paced frantically, visualizing complete rotating magnetic fields in his mind, spotting design flaws before touching a single tool. One man built success through relentless iteration, the other through pristine mental simulation. Their methods were drastically different, yet both revolutionized the world. Their rivalry wasn't just about technological advancements but a battle of innovation philosophies. Edison's methodical, [convergent thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-convergent-thinking-skills/) emphasized practical experimentation, while Tesla's [divergent thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/) relied on theoretical elegance and visualization. Their approaches to problem-solving influenced modern innovation, leaving lasting lessons for today's thinkers and creators. ## The Crucible of Competition: Three Defining Challenges Their different styles of innovation became evident in three defining technological battles: ### 1\. Illuminating the World Edison's approach to electric light involved convergent thinking—breaking problems into smaller, testable components. He famously tested thousands of materials before perfecting the light bulb filament. "I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work," he declared. Tesla, in contrast, sought an elegant mathematical solution. He focused on alternating current (AC), calculating its efficiency before physically testing it. While Edison's light bulb succeeded first, Tesla's AC system proved more scalable for cities. ### 2\. The Motor Challenge Edison, committed to incremental improvement, refined direct current (DC) motors through trial and error. His 99% perspiration approach ensured steady progress but was slow and resource-intensive. Using associative thinking, Tesla visualized the alternating current motor concept before even drawing a blueprint. The idea struck like lightning as he walked through a park reciting Goethe's Faust. "In an instant, I saw it all," he recalled. His AC motor would go on to power the world's electrical grids. ### 3\. The War of Currents Their battle reached its climax in the War of Currents. Through systematic experimentation and a ruthless PR campaign, Edison sought to discredit Tesla's AC system by publicly demonstrating its dangers. He even influenced the development of the electric chair to prove AC's lethal nature. Armed with deductive reasoning, Tesla focused on mathematical proofs and efficiency studies. He collaborated with George Westinghouse, whose company successfully demonstrated AC's superiority at the 1893 World's Fair. Ultimately, AC won, shaping the modern power grid. ## The Innovation Mindsets of Tesla and Edison Their successes and failures highlight two dominant innovation methods: ### Edison's Systematic Approach: - Break significant problems into small, testable components (convergent thinking) - Document everything, including failures - Focus on practical applications over theoretical concepts - Build market demand alongside technical solutions - Maintain a large team of specialists to execute ideas ### Tesla's Visionary Approach: - Visualize complete solutions before building (divergent thinking) - Focus on theoretical elegance and efficiency - Work primarily alone or with minimal assistance - Prioritize revolutionary over incremental advances - Trust mathematical proofs over trial and error ## The Credit Conundrum: The Human Side of Innovation Their battle wasn't just technical—it was personal. Edison, an empire-builder, absorbed individual contributions into his corporate brand, often failing to credit employees. Tesla, in contrast, sought individual recognition but struggled to commercialize his ideas. This tension between collaboration and individual brilliance remains a key challenge in modern innovation. Tech companies today balance these approaches differently. Some, like [Microsoft Research](https://www.philmckinney.com/bob-odonnell-of-technalysis-research-what-innovation-impacts-you/), allow individual recognition within corporate frameworks. Others, like Apple, blend visionary leaps with systematic refinement, ensuring innovation and execution thrive. ## Modern Lessons from Tesla and Edison Their rivalry offers timeless lessons for innovators: - **Balance systematic refinement with visionary insight.** A hybrid approach often leads to the best breakthroughs. - **Recognize different thinking styles.** Some problems require meticulous iteration, while others benefit from bold conceptualization. - **Encourage communication between diverse thinkers.** The best teams integrate both Edison-like systematizers and Tesla-like visionaries. - **Document progress but remain open to intuition.** Structured processes and creative leaps should coexist. ## Looking Ahead: The Jobs Revolution [Steve Jobs](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-innovators-think-key-traits-revealed/) combined Tesla's visionary thinking with Edison's systematic execution, creating one of the most innovative companies in history. Next week, we'll explore how Apple mastered this balance, transforming technological flashes of insight into market-ready products. Innovation isn't about choosing between Tesla or Edison—it's about synthesizing their strengths. The future belongs to those who harness both the dreamer's vision and the builder's discipline. **If you found value in this deep dive, consider supporting the channel through** [**Patreon**](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) **or** [**YouTube Memberships**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com)**.** To learn more about Tesla and Edison's rivalry, listen to this week's show: [***Tesla vs Edison: The Innovation Methods That Changed The World***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Tesla%5FVs%5FEdison%5F-%5FThe%5FInnovation%5FMethods%5FThat%5FChanged%5FThe%5FWorld.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* ### How To Think Like Thomas Edison URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-think-like-thomas-edison/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:05.000Z 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 some of his colleagues doubted him. But 18 months later, Edison unveiled the first practical [incandescent light bulb](https://www.philmckinney.com/revolutionary-ripples-how-small-innovations-can-create-a-big-impact/), forever changing the world. What set Edison apart wasn't just his inventive capacity but his systematic problem—solving approach. His famous quote, *"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration,"* wasn't just philosophy—it was a blueprint for structured innovation. If you want to think like Thomas Edison, you must understand his methodology, which relied on systematic experimentation, market-driven innovation, and turning failure into information. ## The Edison Approach to Thinking Edison's thinking wasn't random; it followed structured principles that fueled his breakthroughs. Here are three core patterns that defined his problem-solving strategy: 1. **Systematic Experimentation** Edison didn't stumble upon great ideas—he tested thousands of possibilities. Where others saw failure, he saw data. Unlike [inventors](https://www.philmckinney.com/building-innovation-confidence-tips-and-tricks/) who sought a single, perfect solution, Edison methodically worked through every possible variation until he found the best one. This systematic approach now influences everything from pharmaceutical research to software development. 1. **Market-Focused Innovation** Edison understood that an invention wasn't valuable unless people wanted it. He didn't just ask, *"Can it work?"*—he asked, *"Will people buy it?"* This focus on commercial viability is what separates true innovation from mere experimentation. Think like Thomas Edison, and you'll focus on solving real-world problems with market-ready solutions. 1. **Failure as Data** Edison's perspective on failure wasn't just positive—it was strategic. His famous remark, *"I have not failed 10,000 times. I've successfully found 10,000 ways that won't work,"* highlights how he treated failure as an essential part of discovery. He wasn't failing—he was collecting data. ## How Edison Thought Through Problems Edison's approach to problem-solving followed a repeatable process, which innovators still use today. 1. **Define the Problem in Market Terms** Edison began with the market, unlike other inventors who started with technical specifications. When developing the light bulb, he didn't just aim to create electric light—he calculated the exact price point and operational costs that would make it competitive with gas lamps. 1. **Break Down the Problem into Components** Edison knew he could tackle significant challenges more efficiently by breaking them into smaller problems. For the light bulb, he separated the challenge into: - Finding the right filament material - Determining the ideal atmospheric conditions inside the bulb - Optimizing electrical current flow - Designing a cost-effective manufacturing process - Creating a distribution system for mass adoption By thinking systematically, he made an impossible challenge solvable. 1. **Conduct Systematic Experiments** Edison's thousands of light bulb tests seemed like trial and error to outsiders. However, he used detailed experimental matrices to test multiple variables simultaneously while maintaining rigorous documentation. His team examined: - Over 6,000 plant-based materials for filaments - Different filament thicknesses - Multiple current levels and voltage settings - Various vacuum conditions inside the bulb This structured experimentation ensured every effort contributed to progress. 1. **[ Rapid Prototyping](https://www.philmckinney.com/fast-prototyping/) and Testing** Edison's lab wasn't just a research space but a prototype factory. His team built and tested multiple versions of inventions daily, refining designs in real time. This rapid iteration process is the same methodology that modern tech companies like SpaceX and Tesla use today. 1. **Document everything** Edison knew ideas weren't enough—they needed to be recorded and refined. His laboratory kept: - Detailed notebooks with every experiment logged - Technical sketches and blueprints - Market research findings - Cost analysis reports - Observations on failed tests This documentation system helped prevent repeated mistakes and turned his insights into institutional knowledge. ## Think Like Thomas Edison in the Modern World Edison's systematic innovation model is alive today in some of the most groundbreaking companies: - **LEGO's Future Lab** uses Edison-style parallel experimentation to develop new products, testing multiple prototypes simultaneously. - [**SpaceX**](https://www.philmckinney.com/my-meeting-with-elon-musk-innovate-like-a-5-year-old/) applies its rapid iteration model to rocket development, reducing the time between design and testing. - **Amazon** embraces its market-first innovation, ensuring real-world demand drives every product launch. - **Corning Inc.** continues to build on Edison's systematic testing principles, refining glass technology for over 150 years. ## Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Innovation Even the best methodologies can fail without proper execution. Here are three common pitfalls when applying Edison's approach—and how to overcome them: 1. **Analysis Paralysis** Some teams get stuck over-documenting instead of executing. Solution: Set clear time limits for planning (20%) versus execution (80%). 1. **Fear of Failure** Many organizations talk about embracing failure but punish mistakes in practice. Solution: Shift from outcome-based judgment to hypothesis-driven learning. 1. **Lack of Systematic Approach** Jumping between random ideas without a structured method leads to wasted effort. Solution: Use standardized testing protocols and maintain centralized knowledge repositories. ## A Challenge: Apply Edison's Thinking Want to think like Thomas Edison? Try this: 1. Pick a problem—something in your industry or daily life that seems unsolvable. 2. Break it down into testable components. 3. Design a series of small experiments to test different solutions systematically. 4. Document your results—both successes and failures. 5. Analyze patterns and refine your approach. ## What's Next? Next week, we'll compare Edison's systematic experimentation with [Tesla's visualization-based innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-think-like-nicola-tesla/). Their vastly different approaches offer powerful lessons for today's innovators. Subscribe now and hit the notification bell so you don't miss it. If you found value in this deep dive, consider supporting the channel through [**Patreon**](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) or [**YouTube Memberships**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com). Your support funds more research and exclusive content. Think like Thomas Edison because the next breakthrough might be yours. To learn more about thinking like Thomas Edison, listen to this week's show: [***How To Think Like Thomas Edison***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FThink%5FLike%5FThomas%5FEdison.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* ### How To Think Like Nicola Tesla URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-think-like-nicola-tesla/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:05.000Z Picture this: A man stands in a dusty Colorado laboratory, surrounded by crackling electrical arcs illuminating the night sky. While others might flinch at the raw power, [Nicola Tesla](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-googles-innovation-strategy-is-failing/), sketching in his notebook, remains unfazed. He isn’t just observing—he’s envisioning the future of wireless energy, mentally simulating systems with perfect clarity before ever building a prototype. His thinking process wasn’t just innovative—it was revolutionary. But what if you could think like Nicola Tesla? What if you could harness his ability to see solutions before others even recognize the problem? His mental approach, built on visualization, systems thinking, and rigorous problem-solving, isn’t just for engineers—it’s a framework that can help entrepreneurs, creatives, and business leaders. ## The Foundation of Tesla’s Thinking Tesla’s cognitive edge rested on three powerful mental models: - [**Mental Visualization**](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-unleash-your-creative-imagination/)**:** Unlike most inventors who relied on trial-and-error with physical prototypes, Tesla designed and tested machines entirely in his mind. Before touching a tool, he could run a full simulation of a working motor, identify flaws, and refine the design. This exemplifies aesthetic thinking, where function and form create a unified whole. - [**Systems Thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-systems-thinking-skills/)**:** Tesla never saw inventions in isolation. When he developed alternating current (AC), he wasn’t just creating a motor—he envisioned an entire power grid. This interconnected view is what modern businesses use today when designing ecosystems like Apple’s hardware-software integration. - [**Divergent**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/) **and** [**Convergent Thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-convergent-thinking-skills/)**:** Tesla generated bold, out-of-the-box ideas (divergent thinking) and then rigorously tested them mentally to narrow down the best approach (convergent thinking). This allowed him to sidestep costly trial-and-error cycles that slowed other inventors. By applying these thinking methods, Tesla reshaped industries. And these same principles can transform the way you approach innovation. ## How Tesla Thought Through Problems Tesla didn’t just stumble upon breakthroughs—he followed a structured process that made his ideas a reality: 1. **Initial Visualization** – He built a complete mental image of the problem and potential solutions before working with materials. 2. **Mental Simulation** – He ran mental “experiments,” observing how his imagined designs behaved under different conditions. 3. **Systematic Refinement** – Through repeated mental iterations, he perfected his designs before moving to real-world implementation. 4. **Physical Verification** – Only after exhaustive mental testing would he construct the prototype, often achieving success on the first attempt. 5. **Integration Thinking** – Tesla considered how his inventions fit into a broader system, ensuring long-term relevance and scalability. This process helped him develop the AC motor, wireless transmission, and even early robotics concepts—years ahead of his time. ## Think Like Nicola Tesla in the Modern World Tesla’s methods aren’t relics of the past—they are actively used in today’s most successful companies: - **Mental Prototyping** – SpaceX engineers run digital simulations before building rockets, just as Tesla tested his inventions mentally. - **Systems Integration** – Companies like Amazon don’t just launch products; they create ecosystems that work seamlessly together. - **Applied Visualization** – Designers at companies like IDEO and Apple use mental modeling techniques to refine user experiences before creating physical prototypes. Tesla’s thinking isn’t just for scientists—it’s a powerful tool for anyone solving complex problems. ## Avoiding Tesla’s Pitfalls Even Tesla had his struggles. His perfectionism sometimes delayed execution, allowing competitors like Marconi to commercialize radio technology first. The lesson? Mental modeling is powerful, but at some point, you must act. Modern innovators balance deep thinking with agile execution. Companies like Toyota use minimum viable products to test ideas quickly, avoiding Tesla’s tendency to over-refine concepts without real-world validation. ## A Challenge: Apply Tesla’s Thinking Try this exercise: Pick an everyday object—a coffee maker or smartphone charger. 1. **Mentally Disassemble It** – Close your eyes and visualize every component. How do they fit together? 2. **Run a Mental Simulation** – Imagine it working. Where is energy lost? What could be improved? 3. **Reimagine It** – What if it used a different power source? Could it serve another function? ## What’s Next? Next, we’ll explore **Thomas Edison’s approach to innovation**—how his relentless experimentation turned failure into success. While Tesla perfected ideas mentally, Edison made progress through iteration. Their contrasting methods offer valuable lessons for modern innovators. Please subscribe so you don’t miss out. If you found value in this deep dive into Tesla’s thinking, consider supporting the channel through [**Patreon**](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) or [**YouTube Memberships**](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com). Your support fuels future explorations into the minds of history’s greatest innovators. Think like Nicola Tesla because the world is waiting for your next big idea. To learn more about thinking like Nicola Tesla, listen to this week's show: [***How To Think Like Nicola Tesla***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FThink%5FLike%5FNicola%5FTesla.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Building an Innovation Studio Part 2 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/building-an-innovation-studio-part-2/ Last updated: 2026-10-17T16:22:37.000Z Ever wondered what it takes to build a space that sparks creativity and enables innovation? I've been on a journey transforming my studio from a simple podcast recording room into a full-fledged innovation workspace, and I'm excited to share the progress with you. [Five months ago, we embarked on a complete teardown and reconstruction.](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-your-innovation-studio/) While we missed our January completion target, the transformation has been remarkable. We've installed hardwood flooring (goodbye, dust allergies!), added professional-grade tool organization with Husky cabinets, and installed a suspended lighting grid that would make theater technicians proud. The studio now features dedicated zones for different types of creative work. There's a 3D printing station with the constantly-running Bamboo Labs X1 Carbon, professional audio and video equipment storage, and flexible workspace areas for prototyping and ideation sessions. Everything is designed to keep the floor clear and maximize the space's versatility. Some challenges have emerged along the way – like the unexpected acoustic effects of the hardwood flooring (hello, echo!) and the adventure of hoisting heavy tool cabinets above the garage with a man lift (don't tell my wife!). We're still working on sound suppression solutions and evaluating options for a collaboration display wall. Want to see how it all comes together? Check out the full video tour where I dive into the details of each upgrade and share the thinking behind the design decisions. You'll get an inside look at the professional-grade lighting grid installation, the cable management solutions, and even some fresh 3D prints hot off the printer. If you're interested in innovation, making, or creating your own creative workspace, consider supporting the channel by becoming a member. You'll get exclusive content, live stream invites, and early access to videos. Plus, you might even get a chance to collaborate on prototyping your own ideas in the studio. Subscribe and join me on this journey of creation and innovation. Become a member on: YouTube Members: [https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) To learn more about the innovation studio build, listen to this week's show: [***Building an Innovation Studio Part 2: 5-Month Transformation Update***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Building%5Fan%5FInnovation%5FStudio%5F-%5FPart%5F2.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). *Go deeper:* [*Innovation Lab vs. Innovation Studio - What is the Difference?*](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lab-vs-innovation-studio-what-is-the-difference/) ### The 90-Second Rule URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-90-second-rule/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:04.000Z Ever wondered why simple decisions feel like defusing a bomb? In this week's episode, we unpack the 90-Second Rule – a game-changing approach to conquering decision paralysis that's transforming how top performers work. Did you know you lose an average of 37 minutes overthinking each important decision? Multiply that by dozens of decisions per day, and you're wasting weeks of your life each year to [mental paralysis](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-dealing-with-fobo-fear-of-a-better-option/). But what if you could make better decisions in just 90 seconds? We dive deep into the neuroscience of decision-making, revealing why your brain treats choosing lunch like it's choosing a career path. You'll discover the surprising link between decision fatigue and poor choices, and learn a counter-intuitive technique used by successful leaders to make faster, better decisions. Plus, we'll show you exactly how to implement this system in your daily life, with real examples from work, creative projects, and personal situations. Ready to transform your decision-making? Our member community gets access to the complete decision-making toolkit, including: - Monthly Q&A sessions - Decision-making templates - Priority topic requests - Behind-the-scenes content Support the creation of more science-backed productivity content by joining us on Patreon at [https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com). Your membership helps us continue bringing you strategies that actually work. Listen now to stop overthinking and start doing. 🎧 To learn more about the 90-second rule, listen to this week's show: [***The 90-Second Rule***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5F90-Second%5FRule.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Digital Iron Curtains: When Tech Walls Create Better Innovations URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/digital-iron-curtains-when-tech-walls-create-better-innovations/ Last updated: 2025-01-28T18:19:24.000Z In recent years, we've witnessed an escalating trend of governments attempting to maintain technological supremacy through restriction rather than competition. From semiconductor export controls to AI development constraints, policymakers seem convinced that building walls around innovation will preserve their competitive edge. They couldn't be more wrong. History teaches us that innovation thrives not in the absence of constraints but because of them. The recent emergence of China's DeepSeek in artificial intelligence provides a powerful illustration. When faced with limited access to advanced semiconductors due to U.S. export controls, their engineers didn't admit defeat—they reimagined the entire approach to AI training, developing novel techniques that achieved similar results with far less computational power. As former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger noted on LinkedIn, "Engineering is about constraints." The fundamental misunderstanding lies in treating innovation as a linear process that can be controlled through access management. Technological progress resembles water finding its way downhill—block one path, and it will find another, often more efficient route. When the Biden administration restricted the export of high-performance AI chips to China, companies like DeepSeek responded not by giving up but by developing clever shortcuts and architectural innovations that are now being studied by those who thought they had a lock on their market position. This pattern repeats across industries and eras. Consider quantum computing—while established players focus on building ever-larger superconducting systems requiring complex cryogenic infrastructure, researchers in markets with limited resources are exploring room-temperature alternatives using diamond defects and photonic systems. These approaches, born of necessity, might ultimately prove more practical and scalable than the mainstream path. The tools available to innovators facing restrictions are more powerful than ever. DeepSeek's success demonstrates this perfectly—rather than trying to match the brute-force approach of unrestricted competitors, they developed innovative techniques like their "mixture of experts" approach, which maximizes the efficiency of limited resources. Sometimes, the most valuable innovations come from questioning established methods rather than simply scaling them up. Moreover, restrictions often backfire by creating powerful incentives for breakthrough innovation. When faced with constraints, organizations invest heavily in finding novel solutions that circumvent limitations while achieving the same ends. DeepSeek even took the unconventional step of preferentially hiring inexperienced engineers, recognizing that [fresh perspectives unburdened by traditional thinking](https://killerinnovations.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/?ref=philmckinney.com) could lead to revolutionary approaches. This isn't to say that all technology controls are misguided. Legitimate national security concerns exist. However, broad restrictions on "key technologies" often prove counterproductive, creating innovation vacuums that competitors rush to fill, often with novel approaches that render the original restrictions moot. The year-long window before tightened U.S. chip export controls didn't prevent innovation—it accelerated it in unexpected directions. Instead of focusing on restriction, organizations would be better served by investing in their innovation ecosystems. This means strengthening education, research infrastructure, and commercial development pathways while maintaining the open exchange of ideas that has historically driven technological progress. DeepSeek's success wasn't just about circumventing chip restrictions—it was about fostering an environment where fresh thinking could flourish. The paradox of innovation is that attempts to control it often accelerate its development in unexpected directions. As organizations (businesses, governments, etc.) grapple with technological competition, they would do well to remember that the most effective way to stay ahead isn't to block others' progress but to run faster themselves. The future belongs not to those who can best restrict technology but to those who can best execute it. In the end, innovation, like water, will always find its way forward—the only question is whether we choose to flow with it or waste resources trying to dam its inevitable progress. > The views expressed in this article are solely my own and do not reflect the positions of my current or former employers or any other organizations with which I am affiliated. This analysis is based on publicly available information and my personal observations of technology innovation patterns over my many years. ### Why Google's Innovation Strategy is Failing URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-googles-innovation-strategy-is-failing/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:04.000Z Google spends over $45 billion on R&D a year, yet its graveyard of failed innovations keeps growing - Google+, Glass, Stadia, and countless others. But here's the surprising truth: this pattern isn't unique to Google. Even with unlimited resources and top talent, tech giants struggle to innovate alone. The era of solo innovation is dead. Consider this: in 1985, breakthrough innovations required input from 2-3 organizations. Today, that number has exploded to 15-20 organizations for cutting-edge technologies. [Tesla](https://www.philmckinney.com/my-meeting-with-elon-musk-innovate-like-a-5-year-old/), often praised for vertical integration, relies on 300+ suppliers, multiple university partnerships, and data from millions of drivers. The innovation game has fundamentally changed. Modern breakthroughs emerge from complex webs of collaboration between competitors, startups, universities, and [governments](https://www.philmckinney.com/government-and-innovation-who-is-really-pulling-the-strings/). Companies clinging to the lone wolf approach are falling behind. CRISPR gene editing technology, often attributed to a single lab, actually required dozens of universities, multiple government grants, and countless biotech firms working in parallel. SpaceX's reusable rockets build on NASA research, hundreds of suppliers, and open-source contributions. The message is clear: your organization's innovation potential isn't limited by your internal resources - it's limited by your ability to orchestrate an ecosystem of partners. Listen to the podcast: [https://killerinnovations.com/subscribe-to-podcast/](https://killerinnovations.com/subscribe-to-podcast/?ref=philmckinney.com) Watch the video: [https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) Want the complete innovation ecosystem playbook? Become a member and get instant access to our comprehensive Innovation Ecosystem Playbook, participate in the discussion in our exclusive Discord community of innovators, and much more. Our community is transforming how companies approach breakthrough innovation. Join the community and get the Innovation Playbook: Become a member via Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) #innovation #businessstrategy #technology #leadership To learn why Google's strategy is failing, listen to this week's show: [***Why Google's Innovation Strategy is Failing (And What It Means For Your Business)***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5FGoogles%5FInnovation%5FStrategy%5Fis%5FFailing.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Consume Less to Create More URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/consume-less-to-create-more/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:03.000Z Ever notice how you can spend hours scrolling through "inspiration" but end up feeling creatively drained? You're not alone. In this eye-opening episode, we dive into a counterintuitive truth about creativity that could transform how you generate ideas and solve problems. What if I told you that the secret to unlocking your creativity isn't about consuming more content, but less? That by creating intentional gaps in your constant consumption of social media, articles, and "[inspiration](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-inspirational-thinking-skills/)," you could rediscover your authentic creative voice? In this episode, I share my personal journey from being a compulsive consumer of content to rediscovering the joy of original thinking. You'll learn practical, immediately applicable strategies to: Create space for your own ideas to emerge Build confidence in your authentic, creative voice Transform your morning routine from consumption to creation Develop sustainable practices that foster genuine creativity Most importantly, you'll discover why your most valuable creative asset isn't your ability to absorb others' ideas - it's your unique perspective and vision. This isn't about [dramatic lifestyle changes](https://www.philmckinney.com/proven-strategies-to-scaling-innovations/) or complete digital detoxes. Instead, you'll learn small, achievable shifts that can lead to profound changes in how you think and create. Whether you're a professional looking to bring more innovation to your work, or simply someone who wants to rediscover their creative spark, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how to make space for your original ideas to flourish. Want to go deeper into creativity and innovation? Join our community of [creators and innovators](https://www.philmckinney.com/look-in-new-directions-to-create-the-unexpected-and-spark-innovation/). Members get access to: Our private community for sharing challenges and victories on Patreon Monthly live Q&A sessions addressing your specific creative challenges Early access to upcoming content and special features Check out the membership options on YouTube or Patreon (links below) and choose the one that works best for you. Your support helps ensure we can keep creating content that challenges conventional thinking and sparks innovation. Join us on: YouTube Members: [https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney](https://www.youtube.com/@PhilMcKinney?ref=philmckinney.com) Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) To learn how to consume less to create more, listen to this week's show: [***Consume Less to Create More: Unlocking Your True Creative Potential***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Consume%5FLess%5Fto%5FCreate%5FMore.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ### What Nokia, Kodak, and Blockbuster All Missed: The Groupthink Factor URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-nokia-kodak-and-blockbuster-all-missed-the-groupthink-factor/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:03.000Z It was a quiet moment in a Nokia conference room that would eventually cost $100 billion. An engineer stood nervously, holding a prototype of a full touchscreen phone. The response from management? "Interesting, but that's not how phones work." This dismissal highlighted the absence of the groupthink factor—a unified vision that could have driven innovation. One year later, Apple launched the iPhone, and [Nokia](https://www.philmckinney.com/hanno-narjus-of-teleste-on-european-innovation-and-nokia/)'s dominance began to crumble. Around the same time, in a Blockbuster boardroom, executives were dismissing Netflix as a "very small niche business," turning down a $50 million acquisition offer. Today, [Netflix](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-innovators-think-key-traits-revealed/) is worth over $100 billion, while Blockbuster is a cautionary tale. And let's not forget Kodak, who actually invented the first digital camera but convinced themselves it would never replace film – right up until they filed for bankruptcy after a century of market dominance. Three industry titans. Three catastrophic falls. Most people think these were just bad decisions – moments where smart leaders somehow got it wrong. But what if there was something deeper at work? What if these weren't just isolated mistakes, but symptoms of a hidden pattern that's probably affecting your organization right now? Here's the scary part: the faster your market is moving, the more susceptible you become to this pattern. Even more troubling? The organizations that succumb to it never see it coming. In fact, they're usually convinced they're making the right decisions right up until reality proves them catastrophically wrong. In this episode, we'll reveal the subtle force that brought down these giants and may be killing innovation in your organization right now. More importantly, we'll show you how to spot it before it's too late. Join us to discover what these [fallen giants](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-innovation-blind-spots-that-killed-nokia-and-kodak-s11-ep9/) missed – and how you can avoid being next. To learn about the groupthink factor, listen to this week's show: [***What Nokia, Kodak, and Blockbuster All Missed: The Groupthink Factor***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/What%5FNokia%5FKodak%5Fand%5FBlockbuster%5FAll%5FMissed-%5FThe%5FGroupthink%5FFactor.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). ### 15 Innovation Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/15-innovation-jobs-that-dont-require-a-degree/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:03.000Z What if the biggest predictor of success in innovation wasn't what everyone thinks? Our research tracking 1,000+ innovation professionals revealed a shocking truth about who succeeds in this high-paying field – and it's not what you'd expect. In this episode, we break down 15 innovation careers that are transforming industries, with salaries ranging from $70k to $400k+. But here's what makes this guide different: we're not just giving you job titles and salaries. We reveal the actual personalities that thrive in each role, alternative paths to break in without traditional credentials, and the unexpected traits that separate success from failure. From [Research & Development](https://www.philmckinney.com/when-innovation-stagnates-the-consequences-of-slowing-research-and-innovation/) to Innovation Management, Product Development, Digital Innovation, and the startup ecosystem, we explore how these roles are shaping the future – and why companies are desperate to fill them. Key takeaways: - Why failing at least 3 times makes you MORE likely to succeed in innovation - Alternative qualification paths for every role (no degree required) - The personality traits that matter more than technical skills - Real salary data based on current market conditions - Which roles are best suited for different working styles Most importantly, you'll learn why your past "failures" might be the exact preparation you need for a successful innovation career. Whether you're a career changer, recent graduate, or experienced professional looking to pivot, this guide shows you the practical steps to break into the innovation economy. Bonus: Members get access to our comprehensive career guide, including detailed personality profiles, qualification roadmaps, and monthly salary updates. Plus, connect with innovation professionals in our private community. Download 👉 **[INNOVATION CAREER GUIDE](https://www.patreon.com/posts/download-careers-119029302?utm%5Fmedium=clipboard%5Fcopy&utm%5Fsource=copyLink&utm%5Fcampaign=postshare%5Fcreator&utm%5Fcontent=join%5Flink)** The download is for members of the Innovators Community. Become a member on at Patreon at [https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) To learn about the innovation jobs that don't require a college degree, listen to this week's show: **[15 Innovation Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/15%5FInnovation%5FJobs%5Fthat%5FDont%5FRequire%5Fa%5FDegree.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Experimenter Mindset URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-experimenter-mindset/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:02.000Z Why do some innovators bounce back stronger from every setback? In this episode, we dive into the fascinating story of a product demo that literally burst into flames in front of a potential investor - and how that spectacular failure led to three groundbreaking patents. The key? Something called the experimenter mindset. It's a powerful approach used by [leading innovators](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-innovators-think-key-traits-revealed/) that completely transforms how we view outcomes. Instead of seeing things as successes or failures, experimenters view every result as valuable data pointing toward their next breakthrough. This episode breaks down the five core characteristics that make up the experimenter's DNA and shows exactly how to develop each one. You'll see how real teams use simple tools like the three-column technique to extract powerful insights from every outcome, and how keeping a "friction log" can turn your most contentious meetings into [breakthrough sessions](https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-monumental-innovation-with-marginal-gains/). Some key takeaways from the episode: - Why emotional detachment is crucial for innovation (and how to develop it) - The power of hypothesis-driven thinking in everyday situations - A simple documentation method that compounds learning over time - How pattern recognition transforms random data points into breakthrough insights - The iterative mindset that keeps you moving forward The most valuable insight might be the distinction between experimental results and personal worth. As one engineer in our story discovered, separating these two can be the difference between quitting and breakthrough innovation. Whether you're leading a team, building a product, or working on personal projects, this episode offers practical tools for transforming setbacks into stepping stones toward your next innovation. Want to start applying these concepts right away? Grab a piece of paper and try the three-column technique we demonstrate in the episode. It's surprisingly simple but remarkably powerful at extracting valuable insights from any situation. *Check out the full episode to get the complete framework and see real examples of how teams are using these tools to drive innovation.* #Innovation #ExperimenterMindset #Leadership #ProductDevelopment #CreativeProblemSolving To learn about the experimenter mindset, listen to this week's show: **[The Experimenter Mindset: How to Learn From Every Failure](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FExperimentors%5FMindset.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Be a Professional Innovator URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-be-a-professional-innovator/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:02.000Z In poker, strategies divide professionals and amateurs. A professional poker player participates in only 15% of hands, while amateurs engage far more recklessly. This principle applies to innovation as well. To stand out as a professional innovator, you must move beyond enthusiasm and adopt a disciplined, [strategic approach](https://www.philmckinney.com/strategic-storytelling/) to managing ideas and resources. ## The Traits of a Professional Innovator Professional innovators understand that success lies not in chasing every idea but in executing the right ones effectively. Here’s what sets them apart: - **Strategic Thinking**: Professionals clearly envision their goals and the landscape they operate within. They critically assess opportunities, focusing on projects that align with long-term objectives. - **Resource Management**: Time, energy, and capital are finite. Professionals allocate these resources carefully, ensuring they support projects with the highest potential returns. - **Risk Awareness**: Innovation involves uncertainty, but professional innovators evaluate risks thoroughly. They create contingency plans to manage challenges, turning potential threats into manageable risks. ## Steps to Transition From Amateur to Professional Many innovators start as amateurs, brimming with ideas but lacking direction. Here are actionable steps to leap: 1. **Hone Strategic Planning Skills** A professional innovator sets clear, actionable goals and develops a roadmap with measurable milestones. This clarity prevents distractions and ensures focused efforts. 1. **Prioritize Effectively** Not all tasks are created equal. Understand the distinction between urgent and important tasks, and direct your energy toward activities that drive long-term impact. 1. **Embrace Failure** [Failure isn’t a setback](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-a-success-mindset/)—it’s a learning opportunity. Analyze what went wrong in past projects to refine your approach and build resilience for future endeavors. 1. **Evaluate Ideas Systematically** Before pursuing a new project, assess its potential impact and alignment with your overall strategy. Ask questions like: - Does this idea solve a significant problem? - Can it scale effectively? - Does it align with my core objectives? By filtering out less promising ideas early, you conserve resources for high-potential opportunities. ## The Mindset of a Professional Innovator Adopting the mindset of a professional innovator means balancing passion with practicality. Enthusiasm plays a crucial role, but strategic foresight must anchor it. Professionals view innovation as a discipline that requires thoughtful planning, adaptability, and consistent follow-through. In conclusion, the journey from amateur to professional innovator is about more than experience. It’s a commitment to strategic thinking, effective resource allocation, and embracing challenges. The [world of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-the-innovation-economy-and-its-impact-on-our-world/) is vast and full of opportunities. Equip yourself with the right tools and mindset, and you’ll achieve success and inspire others to elevate their approaches. Whether you’re just starting or refining your approach, remember being a **professional innovator** is within reach. Take deliberate steps, and watch your impact grow. To learn about being a professional innovator, listen to this week's show: **[How to Be a Professional Innovator](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FBe%5Fa%5FProfessional%5FInnovator.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation Debt: The Comfort Zone Trap URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-debt-the-comfort-zone-trap/ Last updated: 2024-12-05T19:29:25.000Z Remember that child-like curiosity that makes kids ask "why" about everything around them? That pure, questioning spirit seems to vanish in most organizations today. In its place grows something far more dangerous: innovation debt. This debt runs deeper than balance sheets and efficiency metrics - it fundamentally [reshapes how companies think](https://www.philmckinney.com/breaking-out-of-the-cycle-of-lazy-thinking-a-dog-story/) and dream. Organizations often fall into a predictable trap. They champion innovation in mission statements while their actions tell a different story. Like army ants marching in an endless circle, they follow established patterns even when those patterns lead nowhere. The only salvation comes from someone willing to break from the routine, yet most corporate cultures actively discourage these pattern-breakers. ### The Psychology of Innovation Resistance Think about your own organization. When was the last time a truly radical idea received more than polite acknowledgment? For most companies, genuine innovation remains rare. Instead, organizations create cultures where [stagnation feels safe](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-protocol-bureaucracy-and-turf-wars-block-innovation/) and comfortable. Every day spent choosing the familiar over the possible adds to mounting innovation debt. This organizational mindset mirrors cognitive overload. Just as our brains struggle when overwhelmed, companies become paralyzed by potential risks and endless "what-ifs." The natural response leads back to familiar territory. But that seeming comfort zone actually functions as a cage, limiting future possibilities. The damage creeps in gradually. Employees learn that questioning too deeply or suggesting different approaches brings unwanted attention. The organization's capacity for envisioning new possibilities slowly withers. Eventually, companies find themselves staffed with people trained to see limitations instead of opportunities. ### **Breaking Free from Innovation Debt** Even past innovation leaders can fall victim to this pattern. Companies that once pioneered bold advances become prisoners of their previous successes. They stop asking killer questions - those probing inquiries that challenge assumptions and spark real innovation. Safe questions with predictable answers take their place. Perhaps most dangerous of all, innovation stagnation reinforces itself. Each safe choice makes the next bold move harder. Organizations aren't just avoiding innovation - they're building immunity against it, developing corporate antibodies that attack new ideas before they can take root. But hope remains. Organizations can break free from this cycle by recognizing that their innovation comfort zone offers false security. The key lies in rediscovering those fundamental "why" questions that come so naturally to children. ### **Charting an Innovation Mindset** The solution requires courage rather than complexity. Companies must create space for questioning everything, even basic assumptions. Reward different thinking instead of enforcing conformity. Most critically, recognize that the greatest risk comes not from trying something new, but from standing still while the world evolves. The choice becomes clear: continue accumulating innovation debt while organizational thinking grows more rigid, or break free from self-imposed constraints. March in circles or chart new paths forward. ### Time for Organizational Change A true innovation mindset transcends new technologies or processes. It maintains the ability to imagine and create different futures. Every retreat from innovation doesn't just miss one opportunity - it diminishes the capacity to recognize future possibilities. When organizations default to safe choices, they should remember those army ants. Are they [following established paths](https://www.philmckinney.com/being-claustrophobic/) because they're right, or simply because they exist? The answer might save them from innovation stagnation. Breaking free requires embracing discomfort and uncertainty. But the alternative - a slow descent into irrelevance - carries far greater risk. The time has come to shed innovation debt and rediscover the power of asking "why?" ### How To Build An Explorer Mindset URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-an-explorer-mindset/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:02.000Z Download [How\_to\_Build\_an\_Explorer\_Mindset.mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FBuild%5Fan%5FExplorer%5FMindset.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Want to know why some people get excited about uncertainty while others run from it? It's all about having an explorer mindset. Think of it as having the ability to see opportunities where others only see obstacles. In this episode, I share how history's [greatest innovators](https://www.philmckinney.com/ep14/) transformed uncertainty into their superpower - from ancient mariners charting unknown waters to modern entrepreneurs reshaping entire industries. The best part? You can tap into these same patterns of thinking. I break down three key traits of the explorer mindset that set breakthrough thinkers apart: - Seeing uncertainty as an invitation to discover - Using questions as powerful tools for insight - Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable But I don't just talk theory. You'll get real, practical ways to build these skills week by week. My favorite is the Daily Unknown Challenge - a simple but powerful way to stretch your comfort zone bit by bit. Of course, it's not all smooth sailing. We also look at the tricky parts nobody talks about, like: - How to avoid getting overwhelmed by too many possibilities - Ways to bring others along on your journey when they prefer the familiar path - Tips for balancing exploration with actually getting things done - Dealing with pushback from those who prefer "business as usual" Here's what makes this topic so exciting: anyone can develop an explorer mindset. You don't need special talents or an adventurous personality - just the right approach and consistent practice. Want to know the strategies that real innovators use to create breakthrough success? Tune in to hear the full story. I share specific practices you can start using today to build your own explorer mindset. Whether you're leading a team, running a business, or just want to think differently, this episode will change how you see uncertainty. You might find it hard to go back to "business as usual" once you see the world through an explorer's eyes. Ready to transform challenges into opportunities? Watch the full video or [listen to the podcast](https://killerinnovations.com/subscribe-to-podcast/?ref=philmckinney.com) for all the details. And hey, drop a comment - I'd love to hear what makes you nervous about stepping into the unknown. Want to go deeper? Join our community of innovators and explorers by supporting us on Patreon. You'll get exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and direct access to the live stream from my personal innovation studio, where we can explore ideas together. You will also get access to The Innovators Community over on Discord! 🎯 RESOURCE: Download the **Guide to the Explorer Mindset** mentioned in the video: [https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney](https://www.patreon.com/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) To learn about building an explorer mindset, listen to this week's show: **[How To Build An Explorer Mindset](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FBuild%5Fan%5FExplorer%5FMindset.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Build a Success Mindset URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-a-success-mindset/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:01.000Z Your brain often lies to you about what’s possible. Success isn’t just about skills, connections, or even luck. The real differentiator is your mindset—the internal operating system that drives how you interpret challenges and opportunities. Developing a success mindset isn’t about forced positivity or empty mantras; it’s about reshaping the way your [brain processes](https://www.philmckinney.com/mapping-out-your-innovation-career-path/) the world, making success a possibility and a consistent outcome. ## The Hidden Architecture of Achievement Consider two people with identical skills. Why does one excel while the other stagnates? The answer lies in mindset. Your success mindset determines how you approach uncertainty, learn from failures, and seize opportunities. Neuroscience confirms that beliefs shape neural pathways, influencing everything from creativity to resilience. ### Mindset vs. Thinking Skills Think of your brain as a [computer](https://www.philmckinney.com/next-generation-technology-human-computer-interaction/). Your thinking skills—problem-solving, decision-making, planning—are like software programs. However, even the best programs falter on an outdated operating system. A success mindset is the foundational architecture that enables your thinking skills to thrive. Here’s how they differ: - **Thinking Skills:** - Solve problems and generate ideas. - Plan strategies and make decisions. - **Mindset:** - Believes in possibilities. - Assigns meaning to failure. - Views personal potential as dynamic. A robust mindset ensures your brain operates entirely, turning challenges into opportunities. ## Four Game-Changing Mindsets for Success Exceptional achievers often share four key mental frameworks. Adopting these can help you navigate challenges and unlock potential: 1. **The Explorer Mindset**Embrace uncertainty as a doorway to discovery. Treat confusion as a natural part of growth and ask, “What can I learn?” instead of fearing failure. 2. **The Experimenter Mindset**View life as a series of experiments. Separate self-worth from outcomes and transform failures into valuable data for future success. 3. **The Connector Mindset**Foster collaboration over competition. Recognize the power of diverse perspectives, and learn from the successes of others rather than comparing yourself. 4. **The Navigator Mindset**Stay flexible in the face of challenges. Focus on progress over perfection and ask, “What’s my next best move?” to maintain momentum. ### Avoiding the Silent Success Killers As empowering mindsets propel us forward, specific patterns can silently sabotage our progress. Beware of these destructive tendencies: - **The Fortress Mindset:** Over-prioritizes safety, avoiding growth opportunities. - **The Fixed Identity Mindset:** Equates current abilities with permanent limitations. - **The Finite Game Mindset:** Treats success as a zero-sum game, fostering scarcity thinking. ## Rewiring Your Mental Operating System The good news? My mindset remains flexible. You can rewire your brain and build a success mindset with deliberate effort: 1. **Map Your Current Programming:**Identify recurring beliefs about your capabilities and how you respond to setbacks. 2. **Install New Mental Software:**Replace self-limiting thoughts with open-ended questions like, “How might this work?” 3. **Run Regular System Updates:**Test new approaches, gather evidence that challenges limiting beliefs, and surround yourself with growth-oriented individuals. ## The Compound Effect of Mindset Shifts Minor mindset adjustments can yield massive long-term results. Like an airplane that changes its trajectory by just one degree, even slight changes in how you interpret challenges or respond to failures can lead to entirely new destinations in life. ### Your Next Step Take a moment to reflect: where do you feel stuck? What belief might be holding you back? Remember, your mindset stays flexible—it functions as software you can update. Choose your [mental operating system](https://www.philmckinney.com/government-and-innovation-who-is-really-pulling-the-strings/) wisely because your success mindset is the key to unlocking your true potential. To learn about building a success mindset, listen to this week's show: **[How to Build a Success Mindset](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FBuild%5Fa%5FSuccess%5FMindset.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How I Got My First Job in Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-got-my-first-job-in-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:01.000Z When people ask how to land their first job in innovation, my story always surprises them. It wasn’t about finding the [perfect job](https://www.philmckinney.com/career-advice-for-finding-the-dream-innovation-job/) posting or waiting for an opportunity to knock. Instead, I created my opportunity. In 1992, I worked for a small company in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, when Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) acquired it. The transition opened a unique door for me to carve out a role that set the foundation for my career in innovation. ## Creating My Opportunity I was the Director of Data Center Operations at the time. While I found the role fulfilling, I discovered my true passion for exploring creative and strategic ways to drive organizational success—an area CSC had not formally defined. I decided to take matters into my own hands. Instead of waiting for a new role to materialize, I wrote my [job description](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-career-opportunities/). ### Key Steps I Took: 1. **Identify the Role You Want**Before jumping into action, I envisioned a role that aligned with my passion and would bring value to the company. For me, that position focused on driving innovation within the organization. 2. **Write Your Job Description**I crafted a detailed proposal outlining what the job would entail and why it was critical for the organization. Importantly, I avoided negativity or scare tactics, like claiming the company would fail without it. Instead, I focused on strategic storytelling—painting a picture of the brighter future this role could help create. 3. **Pitch the Idea**Armed with my proposal, I approached the VP of the division. To my surprise, they were intrigued and open to the idea. After refining the proposal through several conversations, they officially created the position. Within 60 days, I transitioned into my first job in innovation. ## The Power of [Strategic Storytelling](https://www.philmckinney.com/better-ways-to-co-innovation-and-strategic-storytelling/) Convincing leadership to create a new role wasn’t just about presenting facts. It was about selling a vision. I focused on: - Showing how this role could benefit the organization in the long term. - Demonstrating my unique qualifications and passion for the position. - Framing the proposal in a way that aligned with the company’s strategic goals. This approach helped me gain buy-in and set the tone for a career built on creative problem-solving and innovation. ## Lessons for Aspiring Innovators Here’s what my experience taught me: - **Don’t Wait for the Perfect Opportunity**Sometimes, the best opportunities are the ones you create. Take the initiative if you see a gap or a chance to add value. - **Be Bold but Positive**Pitching a new idea can feel risky, but remaining confident and constructive is crucial. Leaders want solutions, not complaints. - **Prove Your Value**Once you secure the role, it’s on you to deliver. Hard work and results will validate the trust your leaders placed in you. ## Why Your First Job in Innovation Matters Your first job in innovation is more than a career milestone; it’s a chance to set the stage for future opportunities. For me, stepping into this role unlocked doors I never knew existed and paved the way for decades of exciting [challenges and successes](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-media-and-entertainment-with-craig-leddy-of-interactive-tv-works/). If you’re passionate about innovation, don’t be afraid to take risks, tell your story, and create the path that aligns with your vision. Innovation doesn’t wait—why should you? To learn about my first job in innovation, listen to this week's show: **[How I Got My First Job in Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FI%5FGot%5FMy%5FFirst%5FJob%5Fin%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### My Meeting With Elon Musk: Innovate Like A 5-Year-Old URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/my-meeting-with-elon-musk-innovate-like-a-5-year-old/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:32.000Z When I walked into Elon Musk's office at Tesla in 2011, I knew I was about to see something remarkable, but I couldn't have predicted how mind-opening the experience would be. Elon Musk, known for revolutionizing industries through SpaceX and Tesla, has a way of questioning the world that feels almost childlike—but not in the way you might think. He roots his approach to problem-solving not an extensive knowledge of past achievements but by tackling challenges like a 5-year-old, unafraid to ask 'why' until he reaches the core of an issue. Here's what I learned about innovation from my meeting with Elon Musk. ## The Power of First Principles Thinking What sets Elon Musk apart is his commitment to [**First Principles Thinking**](https://www.philmckinney.com/einsteins-secret-to-effective-problem-solving/)—a method that deconstructs problems to their fundamental truths. Instead of relying on established ideas, Musk strips away assumptions and starts from scratch. His belief is simple: assumptions can limit innovation, while first principles allow endless possibilities. He often explains it like this: "The normal way we conduct our lives is reasoning by analogy… But with first principles, you boil down to the most fundamental truths and then reason up from there." ### 3 Steps to First Principles Thinking We can boil down Musk's approach into three actionable steps anyone can use. 1. **Identify Your Assumptions**: Challenge every "truth" and tradition associated with a problem. If you notice something is "always done this way," ask yourself, "Why?" 2. **Break Down to Fundamental Truths**: Identify core, provable facts that can't be further simplified. 3. **Build Up from Basics**: Reimagine a solution based solely on these fundamental truths, ignoring all previous conventions. ## My Experience: How Elon Musk Sees Beyond Assumptions During our conversation about HP's military-grade rugged displays, I watched Musk break down assumptions about car interfaces. What began as a discussion about technology quickly turned into a reimagining of how drivers interact with their vehicles. For example, Musk questioned why dashboards needed physical buttons and considered the actual purpose of car displays—this ability to strip down assumptions allowed Musk to redefine what was possible for Tesla's interface design. ## Rethinking Innovation Like a 5-Year-Old Musk's thought process is more than just a strategy—it's a mindset. Think about how a 5-year-old constantly asks "why" to understand the world. Musk approaches challenges with a similar curiosity, seeing barriers as merely starting points for innovation. This is a reminder that breakthrough thinking doesn't require years of experience or knowledge; it requires curiosity and the courage to question what others accept as true. ## Facing Resistance One takeaway from my time with Elon Musk was his ability to anticipate pushback. "[Government officials](https://www.philmckinney.com/short-term-thinking-is-dangerous-to-innovation/) will push back," he told me, predicting resistance to his vision of touch-screen interfaces in cars. Thirteen years later, regulatory bodies are challenging touch interfaces, advocating for more physical buttons for safety. Musk's foresight shows that innovators often face institutional resistance when pushing boundaries. ## How You Can Innovate Like Elon Musk Applying first principles thinking is more straightforward than it sounds; you don't need to be a tech billionaire. Here are a few steps: - **Start Small**: Apply first principles to daily routines or small business processes. - **Challenge Assumptions**: Identify one routine task, repeatedly ask " why, " and strip it down to its core need. - **Build from Basics**: Create a new, more effective approach based on your answers. ## Final Thoughts What I learned that day in Musk's office wasn't just a new strategy—it was a reminder that the most significant innovations often come from [childlike curiosity](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-imagination-of-others-as-inspiration/). By questioning everything, we open ourselves to a world of possibilities beyond what we currently accept as possible. So, the next time you face a seemingly insurmountable problem, channel your inner 5-year-old and ask, "What if we're thinking about this all wrong?" To learn more about Elon Musk, listen to this week's show: **[My Meeting With Elon Musk: Innovate Like A 5-Year-Old](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/My%5FMeeting%5Fwith%5FElon%5FMusk%5F-%5FInnovate%5FLike%5Fa%5F5-Year-Old.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Einstein's Innovation Secret Exposed URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/einsteins-innovation-secret-exposed/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:01.000Z Albert Einstein once famously said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." This quote isn't just a glimpse into his genius and a revelation of the secret behind his groundbreaking discoveries. While his contemporaries were focused on scientific data and equations, Einstein's innovation secret lay in his ability to visualize complex concepts like riding alongside a beam of light or imagining the fabric of space-time warping. He proved that imagination could lead to some of the most revolutionary scientific achievements of the 20th century. ## Why Imagination is the Key to Innovation The concept of imagination as the driving force behind innovation isn't just for artists or creative thinkers. It's at the core of every scientific, technological, and social advancement. From the smartphone you're using to the design of the chair you're sitting on, everything begins as a mental image. This innovation secret is critical in today's rapidly changing world, where the ability to foresee opportunities and solve complex problems is invaluable. But many don't understand that imagination isn't just an innate talent; it can be trained and developed. Einstein's approach to innovation wasn't some mystical gift but a skill he sharpened deliberately. He used specific [mental exercises](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-stop-being-mentally-weak/) to enhance his imagination, and these techniques can be applied by anyone who wants to cultivate breakthrough thinking. ## The Three Types of Imagination To truly harness the power of imagination, it's essential to understand its three distinct types. These aren't merely artistic daydreams but purposeful approaches that, when combined, create what Einstein called "combinatory play." This synergy allows innovators to connect seemingly unrelated ideas to discover new solutions. 1. **Strategic imagination** is the ability to foresee the future and anticipate what might be coming. It's about seeing possibilities before they become apparent to others. Visionaries like Jeff Bezos imagined online shopping dominating the retail industry long before it became mainstream. 2. **Creative Imagination**: This is where you experiment mentally with new ideas, combining and recombining concepts in novel ways. Elon Musk used this to blend electric vehicles with luxury performance, a combination revolutionizing the automotive industry. 3. **Practical Imagination**: The third form is about turning ideas into reality. This is where innovation secret number three lies—how to translate abstract concepts into tangible results. Engineers, project managers, and athletes excel at this, visualizing steps and rehearsing solutions before execution. ## Exercises to Strengthen Your Imagination Einstein believed that imagination was like a muscle that could be strengthened. His innovation secret was his methodical approach to mental training, using exercises that sharpened his imaginative abilities. Here are a few techniques that can help you unlock your creative potential: - **Reverse Engineering Dreams**: Analyze your dreams and attempt to manipulate the outcome consciously. This strengthens your ability to create complex mental scenarios. - **The Empty Room Exercise**: Sit in an empty room and mentally design different configurations every few minutes. This forces you to continuously generate new ideas. - **System Inversion**: Take a [familiar process](https://www.philmckinney.com/building-innovation-confidence-tips-and-tricks/) and reverse it. By breaking the mold, you challenge the assumptions that limit your creativity. ## Einstein's Innovation Secret Revealed At its core, Einstein's innovation secret isn't about possessing superhuman intelligence but mastering the art of imagination. By training his mind systematically, he could consistently see beyond the obvious, creating the foundation for discoveries that changed the world. You, too, can tap into this innovation secret by exercising your imagination deliberately and systematically. The [future of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/) doesn't depend solely on knowledge—it thrives on the ability to imagine what could be. So, what's your next breakthrough? The answer is already in your mind. To learn more about Einstein's innovation secret, listen to this week's show: [**Einstein's Innovation Secret Exposed**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Einsteins%5FInnovation%5FSecret%5FExposed.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### A Model Career in Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/a-model-career-in-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:00.000Z In the world of technology and innovation, building a model career often means evolving with industry changes, embracing risks, and showing resilience. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Nimrod Ben-Natan, CEO of Harmonic, whose career path is a true model for success in innovation. Starting as a software developer in the mid-90s, Nimrod has led Harmonic through groundbreaking advancements in [network virtualization](https://www.philmckinney.com/asaf-matatyaou-of-harmonic-on-innovation-culture-and-ai/) and broadband. Here, he shares his journey and advice for aspiring innovators looking to build their own model careers in tech. ## From Software Developer to CEO Ben-Natan’s career at Harmonic began in 1996 as a software developer, working on solutions for fiber optics and digital video. He transitioned from technical roles into customer-facing and leadership positions, illustrating how a model career involves versatility and a willingness to pivot. Through multiple cycles of industry change, he worked on projects from digital ad insertion to video-on-demand, each requiring a deep understanding of technology and customer needs. This adaptability helped him to rise to his current position, leading the company as it navigates a continually evolving industry. ## Embracing Failure as Part of Success A key turning point for Ben-Natan was Harmonic’s decision to enter the broadband access market with a new hardware approach. However, the project faced significant setbacks, even failing to meet industry standards initially. Instead of abandoning the effort, Ben-Natan and his team pivoted toward a network function virtualization approach, eventually achieving market leadership in this area. This experience highlights a vital component of a model career in innovation: seeing failure as an opportunity to pivot and improve. > "Failure isn't a negative—it's education," I emphasized, aligning with Ben-Natan’s view that resilience and learning from setbacks are essential for long-term success. ## A Vision for the Future Looking ahead, Ben-Natan shared insights on how emerging tech professionals can build a model career in today’s rapidly shifting environment. His advice includes: - **Commit to continuous learning**: Keep up with evolving skills and industry developments. Staying stagnant can render skills obsolete quickly. - [**Foster curiosity**](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-unleash-your-creative-imagination/): Let your curiosity drive your career path, whether in hardware, software, or another technology area. - **Value in-person connections**: Ben-Natan strongly advocates for in-office experiences to gain essential social skills and professional insight, especially for younger professionals. Ben-Natan also stressed the importance of balancing technical knowledge with an understanding of customer needs, which he believes has been crucial in his model career. By combining technical and customer-facing roles, he gained a 360-degree view of the industry, ultimately guiding him through various high-stakes decisions. ## The Long Bet on Innovation Not every company can maintain a long-term vision, especially regarding risky ventures. Harmonic’s success with network function virtualization took nearly a decade to realize. Yet, the management team’s commitment to a long-term strategy allowed them to weather the uncertainties and ultimately bring innovative products to market. I pointed out that few companies have the patience for a 10-year development process. According to Ben-Natan, Harmonic’s resilience was rooted in a firm conviction that this investment would provide lasting value, positioning the company for [industry leadership](https://www.philmckinney.com/leading-through-uncertainty-innovation-leadership-in-time-of-crisis/). ## Building Your Model Career in Innovation If you’re looking to build a model career in innovation, take these lessons from Ben-Natan’s journey: - **Embrace adaptability**: Being willing to take on new challenges and pivot when necessary can keep your career aligned with industry shifts. - **Learn from setbacks**: Viewing failure as a stepping stone to success is key to resilience. - **Commit to a long-term vision**: Companies and individuals can benefit from strategic patience, investing in ideas that may take years to bear fruit. In today’s tech-driven world, a model career isn’t just about reaching the top—it’s about staying relevant, being open to change, and finding new ways to contribute. To learn more about building a model career in innovation, listen to this week's show: **[A Model Career in Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/A%5FModel%5FCareer%5Fin%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Fear Steals Your Best Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/fear-steals-your-best-ideas/ Last updated: 2024-10-25T16:07:07.000Z Let's talk about something that's probably holding you back right now: fear. You know that brilliant idea you had last week? The one you talked yourself out of because "it might not work"? That's fear in action, and it's costing you more than you think. ## Your Brain on Fear: Not as Smart as You Think Here's what happens when fear kicks in: your brain basically goes into caveman mode. That clever prefrontal cortex of yours - the part that comes up with amazing solutions and creative ideas - shuts down like a laptop running out of battery. Instead of thinking, "What if this works?" you're stuck in "What if this fails?" Think about it: - You stick to the safe answer in meetings - You sit on that business idea for "just a bit longer" - You water down your bold proposals to make them "more realistic" - You check your work 15 times before hitting send Sound familiar? ## Innovation's Worst Enemy Isn't Competition - It's Fear Remember Blockbuster? They had the chance to buy Netflix for $50 million. But fear of changing their business model led them to pass on the deal. We all know how that turned out. Netflix is worth billions, and Blockbuster... well, you get the point. Fear does three things that kill innovation: **It Makes You Play It Safe** Instead of asking "what if?" you end up asking "why bother?" You stick with what's worked before, even when you know things need to change. **It Turns You Into a Professional Procrastinator** You keep waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect data, the perfect circumstance. News flash: perfect doesn't exist. While you're waiting, opportunities are passing you by. **It Turns Your Inner Editor Into a Tyrant** Before your ideas even have a chance to breathe, your inner critic shoots them down. "That's stupid." "Nobody will like that." "It's probably been done before." Sound familiar? ## The Real Cost of Playing It Safe Here's what fear is really costing you: - That promotion you wanted? Someone else took the risk and got it - That market opportunity? Your competitor was brave enough to try - That great team member? They left for a company willing to innovate - That industry breakthrough? Someone else made it happen ## Breaking Up with Fear: A Practical Guide Look, you don't need to become fearless (that's just reckless). You just need to get better at managing fear. Here's how: **1\. Treat Failure Like a Science Experiment** Instead of seeing failure as the end of the world, treat it like a scientist would: "Well, that was interesting. What did we learn?" Every "failure" is just data for your next attempt. **2\. Take Baby Steps** You don't have to bet the farm. Start small. Want to pitch a radical new idea? Test it with a trusted colleague first. Want to start a business? Try a side hustle. **3\. Create a "No-Judgment Zone"** Whether it's your team or your own mindset, create space where wild ideas are welcome. The crazier, the better. You can always dial it back later. **4\. Chase Growth, Not Safety** Ask yourself: "What would I do if I knew I couldn't fail?" Then do a smaller version of that. **5\. Reality-Check Your Fears** Most fears are like horror movie monsters - they look a lot less scary when you turn on the lights and really look at them. ## The Bottom Line Here's the truth: The most successful people aren't fearless - they're just better at handling fear. They feel the fear and move forward anyway. They know that in today's world, staying still is riskier than moving forward. Want to be more successful? Stop letting fear be your career advisor. It's time to thank fear for trying to protect you, then politely tell it to take a back seat while you do something amazing. Want to know more? Check out my recent YouTube video on how to stop being mentally weak. ### Thinking About Your Thinking Process - Metacognition URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/thinking-about-your-thinking-process-metacognition/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:04.000Z Have you ever stopped to think about how you think? It may sound odd at first, but this process, known as metacognition, is one of the most powerful tools we have for improving our mental abilities. Metacognition is the act of being aware of your thoughts and thinking patterns, helping you understand how you process information and fine-tune those processes to become more effective. This article will explore advanced techniques for improving your metacognitive abilities and discuss why these skills are so important in your personal and professional life. ## Why Metacognition Matters Metacognition allows you to reflect on your thoughts, decisions, and actions. By being aware of how you think, you become better equipped to recognize mistakes and identify areas where your thinking may be limited. This [self-awareness](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-power-of-mindful-innovation/) allows you to adjust and improve your approach, resulting in better decision-making and problem-solving. The significance of metacognition goes beyond just self-improvement. It also enhances your ability to process new information and adapt to changing circumstances. Mastering your thinking process can provide a competitive edge in a world filled with constant challenges. Regularly assessing your cognitive processes improves you at evaluating information, thinking critically, and making informed choices. ## Advanced Techniques for Metacognitive Mastery It’s important to go beyond basic self-reflection and apply more advanced strategies to harness the power of metacognition. Here are five techniques that can help you elevate your thinking skills: ### 1\. Cognitive Reappraisal Cognitive reappraisal involves consciously changing how you respond to challenging situations. By reframing your thoughts and emotions, you reduce stress and adopt a more reflective approach to [problem-solving](https://www.philmckinney.com/einsteins-secret-to-effective-problem-solving/). This technique encourages you to recognize your mental habits and biases, making you more aware of your thinking patterns. - **Steps to apply Cognitive Reappraisal:** - Identify a challenging situation. - Reflect on your initial emotional response. - Reframe your perspective to improve your outcome. ### 2\. Thought Experimentation Inspired by great thinkers like [Einstein](https://www.philmckinney.com/einsteins-secret-to-effective-problem-solving/), thought experimentation allows you to simulate different scenarios mentally. This practice strengthens your ability to anticipate consequences and make strategic decisions. - **Steps to engage in Thought Experimentation:** - Choose a decision or problem. - Visualize multiple outcomes. - Analyze potential solutions. ### 3\. Metacognitive Journaling Journaling with a metacognitive focus means regularly reviewing and analyzing your thoughts for patterns over time. This reflection sharpens your ability to regulate cognitive processes and make more informed choices. - **Steps to practice Metacognitive Journaling:** - Record your thoughts in a journal. - Regularly review entries to detect patterns. ### 4\. Mind Mapping Mind mapping helps organize information visually, promoting better comprehension and discovering new connections between ideas. This technique improves your ability to analyze and synthesize information. ### 5\. Socratic Questioning By deep questioning, you examine the foundations of your beliefs and assumptions. This approach fosters critical thinking and improves your capacity to analyze the validity of your thoughts. ## Conclusion Metacognition, or thinking about your thinking, can revolutionize how you approach challenges and opportunities. Adopting the abovementioned techniques allows you to master your [cognitive processes](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-convergent-thinking-skills/) and improve your ability to think critically and solve problems effectively. Start applying metacognition in your daily life, and watch as your mental agility sharpens, leading to better outcomes in everything you do. To learn more about metacognition, listen to this week's show: [**Thinking About Your Thinking Process - Metacognition**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Thinking%5FAbout%5FYour%5FThinking%5FProcess.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Stop Being Mentally Weak URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-stop-being-mentally-weak/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:38:00.000Z Mental strength isn't just for high achievers; it's something we can all build. The first step to stopping being mentally weak is recognizing that mental strength doesn't mean never feeling fear or doubt. Instead, it's about pushing past these feelings to achieve your best. Let's dive into three strategies to break free from mental weakness and get on track to mental resilience. ## Understanding Mental Weakness Mental weakness is more about self-sabotage than skill or intelligence. It's that whisper urging you to give up or holding you back through doubt, fear, or even perfectionism. Here are some common signs of [mental weakness](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-convergent-thinking-skills/): - **Procrastination**: Avoiding tasks due to fear of failure or self-doubt. - **Negative Self-Talk**: Phrases like "I can't" or "I'll never be good enough." - **Self-Criticism**: Berating yourself for minor mistakes or perceived flaws. - **Comparing to Others**: Constantly measuring yourself against others leaves you feeling inadequate. If these sound familiar, you're not alone. The good news? You can stop being mentally weak by practicing a few simple strategies daily. ## 1\. Practice Positive Self-Talk To stop being mentally weak, it's essential to shift your mindset. Positive self-talk isn't about ignoring [challenges](https://theinnovators.network/mastering-the-role-of-chief-innovation-officer-cino/?ref=philmckinney.com); it's about framing them in a way that highlights growth. Here's how to make it happen: - **Reframe Negative Thoughts**: Instead of saying, "I can't do this," try, "I will learn how to do this." This subtle change shifts your focus from limitations to possibilities. - **Create Affirmations**: Develop a list of positive affirmations such as "I am resilient" or "I embrace challenges as growth opportunities." Reciting these phrases daily can strengthen your resolve. - **Visualize Success**: Picture yourself achieving your goals. Feel the emotions associated with success to boost confidence. - **Challenge Negativity**: When negative thoughts arise, question their validity. Often, simply challenging these thoughts can lessen their impact. ## 2\. Build Resilience Through Incremental Challenges Resilience is a powerful tool to help you stop being mentally weak. By taking on small, manageable challenges and gradually increasing the difficulty, you train your mind to withstand setbacks. - **Set Achievable Goals**: Start with small goals just outside your comfort zone. With each success, your confidence and mental strength grow. - **Incremental Progress**: Tackle progressively harder challenges. This creates momentum and reinforces resilience. - **Develop a Routine**: [Consistency is key](https://www.philmckinney.com/exploring-the-future-of-home-automation-with-oliveriqs-will-west-and-eric-smith/). Establish routines that incorporate resilience-building activities like exercise, journaling, or meditation. - **Stay Flexible**: Life throws curveballs, so adaptability is essential. Keeping an open mind fosters resilience and reduces resistance to change. ## 3\. Learn from Failures and Adjust Instead of fearing failure, view it as a learning opportunity. Every setback offers a chance to grow stronger. Here's how to make failure work for you: - **Reflect on Setbacks**: When something doesn't go as planned, analyze what went wrong. This isn't about assigning blame but about identifying areas for improvement. - **Embrace Accountability**: Take responsibility for your actions. Owning up to mistakes empowers you to make necessary adjustments. - **Extract Lessons**: For every failure, there's a lesson. Use these insights to strengthen your strategies moving forward. - **Celebrate Growth**: Recognize the resilience you build each time you overcome a challenge. Each small win builds momentum, making you mentally stronger over time. ## Bonus: Rewrite Your Narrative The secret to stopping mental weakness isn't just about shifting thoughts; it's about changing the story you tell yourself. You're the author of your life narrative, so choose resilience, courage, and determination as the themes. As you practice mental strength, you craft a powerful story that sets you on an unstoppable path toward success. ## Conclusion You can stop being mentally weak and develop resilience by taking small, intentional steps. Cultivate mental strength as a skill. Challenge negative thoughts, build resilience through [gradual progress](https://www.philmckinney.com/revolutionary-ripples-how-small-innovations-can-create-a-big-impact/), and learn from each setback. Embrace your role as the author of your life, and you'll find that mental strength is within reach. To learn more about how to be mentally strong, listen to this week's show: **[How to Stop Being Mentally Weak](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FStop%5FBeing%5FMentally%5FWeak.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Navigating the New Frontier of Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/navigating-the-new-frontier-of-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:59.000Z Innovation isn't a solo act. It's about finding the right people to journey with, blending skills, and creating a foundation built on trust and shared goals. At the recent Tech Expo, I sat down with my best friend and long-time partner, Harry Beane. We've shared years of collaboration, including launching Omnipoint—the first GSM mobile carrier in the U.S., now known as T-Mobile—and Teligent, the first point-to-multipoint carrier in the U.S., which expanded to 12 countries. Working with Harry taught me that strong partnerships are just as important as [fresh ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/) in the new frontier of innovation. ## The Importance of Complementary Skills From the early days, Harry and I recognized how perfectly our strengths complemented each other. While I focused on one aspect, he tackled another, allowing us to overcome even the toughest challenges. As we navigate this new frontier of innovation, having people who bring diverse skills to the table has never been more critical. I've learned that the best innovations come from teams where everyone understands their role and respects what others bring to the process. ## Fostering Creativity in the Next Generation Innovation is a long game, and it doesn't stop with us. As a grandparent, I actively help my grandchildren see the potential in creating rather than just consuming technology. My granddaughter, for instance, runs her own YouTube channel, and my grandson has turned his passion for laser cutting into a small business. Watching them explore their creativity reminds me of the joy of discovery and the importance of giving young people the tools they need to shape their futures. Harry and I talked about balancing screen time with physical, hands-on projects. It's all about blending modern technology with practical skills that build motor skills and problem-solving abilities. The new frontier of innovation isn't just about what we can create; it's about equipping the next generation to take it even further. ## Embracing Failure as Part of the Process Failure often has a bad rap, but Harry and I know it's a powerful teacher. I've had my share of failures, and so has he, but we agree that each was a necessary step in the learning process. My time with the [Boy Scouts](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-ethical-boundaries-of-technology/) taught me the value of structured, safe risk-taking—something that modern businesses sometimes shy away from. Harry's military background reinforced this outlook; he understands that failure isn't the end but an opportunity to re-strategize and move forward with more insight. This new frontier of innovation demands a mindset that embraces failure as part of the journey. Teaching young people to see failure this way will set them up to take risks, explore new ideas, and ultimately become more resilient. ## Building a Team Culture That Supports Innovation One of the biggest lessons Harry and I have learned is the importance of a supportive team culture. [Innovation](https://theinnovators.network/build-the-future-with-an-innovation-consultant/?ref=philmckinney.com) isn't about being a lone genius; it's about building a place where every member feels safe to share ideas, take risks, and fail without fear. Team members explore uncharted territory far more readily when they know I won't punish them for their mistakes. That's how real breakthroughs happen. In our conversation, we discussed how transparency and trust are crucial in this environment. A team needs leaders to encourage them to push boundaries and celebrate wins and learning moments. When you create this kind of culture, innovation and a shared expectation are possible. ## Final Thoughts Wrapping up our conversation, I recognized the true value of a good partnership. We've supported each other so much, and sharing this journey with him has been a pleasure. Looking forward, I see that the new frontier of innovation will need not only cutting-edge ideas but also resilience, open-mindedness, and a [team culture](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-blame-culture-and-how-it-kills-innovation/) that supports each member's growth. This new frontier of innovation isn't just about finding the next big thing. It's about passing down the tools, mindset, and courage to the next generation so they can take innovation even further. And that's a journey I'm proud to be part of. To learn more about how to navigate the new frontier of innovation, listen to this week's show: **[Navigating the New Frontier of Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Navigating%5Fthe%5FNew%5FFrontier%5Fof%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Improve Your Design Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-design-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:59.000Z What do Apple's first mouse, the stand-up toothpaste tube, and the Palm V PDA have in common? They were all products of design thinking, a methodology that drives innovation and creativity to solve complex problems. Companies like [IDEO](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lab-vs-innovation-studio-what-is-the-difference/), a leading expert in design thinking, have revolutionized product development and set the standard for innovation. But how do you cultivate the skills that led to such breakthroughs? Anyone can learn and practice design thinking skills, and they offer a powerful approach to developing products, services, and experiences that make an impact. ## Understanding Design Thinking At its core, design thinking is not just about creating creative ideas. It's a structured approach focusing on understanding and empathizing with the end user. By getting to the root of users' needs, design thinkers create more intuitive, functional, and user-friendly solutions. To improve your design thinking skills, you must understand its key components: empathy, [creativity](https://theinnovators.network/how-to-prioritize-time-off-to-boost-your-creativity-and-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com), and rationality. ## Steps to Improve Your Design Thinking Skills Whether you're a seasoned professional or just beginning your journey, honing your design thinking skills requires practice and dedication. Here are essential steps you can take to strengthen these skills: ### 1\. Empathize with Users The first and most critical step in design thinking is empathy. It would help if you put yourself in the shoes of your users to understand their needs, challenges, and motivations. - **[Conduct User Research](https://www.philmckinney.com/mapping-out-your-innovation-career-path/):** Interviews, surveys, and focus groups help gather data on user experiences. - **Observe in Real Life:** Spend time with users in their natural environment to see how they interact with products. - **Create Empathy Maps:** Visualize what your users think, feel, and do. This can be a simple map or a more detailed storyboard of their journey. ### 2\. Define the Problem After empathizing, it's crucial to define the problem clearly. This helps ensure you are solving the right issue. - **Analyze Insights:** Review user research to find key themes and pain points. - **Craft a Problem Statement:** A well-defined, user-centric problem statement keeps your focus sharp during ideation. ### 3\. Brainstorm Creative Solutions Once the problem is apparent, it's time to generate a wide range of potential solutions. Design thinking encourages [brainstorming](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-steps-to-brainstorming-ideas-on-demand/), focusing on quantity over quality at the early stages. The more ideas, the better! - **Diverse Perspectives:** Encourage input from people with varied backgrounds. This leads to unique solutions that people might have otherwise overlooked. ### 4\. Prototype and Test Turn your ideas into tangible prototypes. These can be as simple as sketches or as complex as interactive models. Testing these prototypes with users helps refine the solution. - **Iterate and Improve:** Collect feedback and iterate based on what works and doesn't. This process is essential to building solutions that truly resonate with users. ## Why You Should Master Design Thinking Skills Design thinking is a tool that can propel your creativity and problem-solving capabilities to new heights. It's a versatile approach that can be applied across industries, whether you're in tech, marketing, or healthcare. By improving your design thinking skills, you set yourself apart as a creative problem solver who understands how to create user-focused solutions. With practice, anyone can enhance their design thinking skills. It's about embracing a mindset that prioritizes empathy, creativity, and collaboration. Whether designing a product, solving a [business challenge](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-art-of-storytelling-for-business-and-innovation/), or improving service, the power of design thinking can lead to breakthroughs that transform industries. To learn more about design thinking, listen to this week's show: **[How to Improve Your Design Thinking Skills](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FImprove%5FYour%5FDesign%5FThinking%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Building Innovation Confidence: Tips and Tricks URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/building-innovation-confidence-tips-and-tricks/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:58.000Z Innovation confidence is a crucial mindset for anyone looking to excel in today's fast-paced world. The perfect blend of [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-prioritize-time-off-to-boost-your-creativity-and-innovation/), [strategic thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-systems-thinking-skills/), and [adaptability](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-innovators-think-key-traits-revealed/) allows you to approach challenges with fresh perspectives. Whether aiming for personal growth or professional success, building innovation and confidence can make all the difference. This episode explores actionable tips and tricks to help you develop and enhance your confidence. ## What is Innovation Confidence? At its core, innovation confidence is more than just believing in your ability to innovate—it's about equipping yourself with the tools and mindset necessary to face complex challenges head-on. Innovation confidence isn't just for inventors or leaders; it's essential for anyone looking to solve problems, improve their work, or adapt to changing environments. By cultivating innovation confidence, you position yourself to: - Tackle challenges with creativity and resilience. - Drive continuous learning and improvement. - Embrace feedback and adapt to the rapidly evolving world. ## Why Innovation Confidence Matters Confidence in your innovative abilities pushes you to step out of your comfort zone and take the risks necessary for growth. Without it, you might miss out on opportunities to: - Develop creative solutions. - Enhance your problem-solving capabilities. - Foster teamwork through collaboration. In both personal and professional settings, having innovation confidence opens the door to new possibilities. It allows you to confidently navigate the unknown, promoting personal growth and professional advancement. ## Tips for Building Innovation Confidence ### Engage in Creative Exercises To strengthen your innovation confidence, engage in regular creative exercises. Brainstorm new ideas, take on creative challenges, or use tools like mind maps to explore new concepts. This practice stimulates your brain and encourages creative thinking, helping you break free from conventional approaches. ### Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity Innovation confidence means embracing failure and treating it as a stepping stone to success. When things don't go as planned, analyze the situation, identify what went wrong, and figure out how you can improve. Celebrate small wins and view setbacks as valuable learning experiences contributing to growth. ### Collaborate with Diverse Teams Working with people from various backgrounds fosters innovation. Collaboration brings new perspectives and insights, which can significantly improve your problem-solving capabilities. A diverse team challenges you to think differently and pushes the boundaries of what you believe is possible. ### Say Yes to New Challenges An essential part is taking on tasks outside your [comfort zone](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/). By saying "yes" to new challenges, you build resilience and expose yourself to unfamiliar problems, strengthening your innovation ability. ### Seek Feedback and Iterate Don't be afraid to seek feedback. Asking for input helps you refine your ideas and approach. Use constructive criticism as a tool for improvement. Innovation is a continuous process, and iteration is key to long-term success. ## Conclusion Building innovation confidence is a journey that requires effort, creativity, and persistence. It's about embracing challenges, learning from failure, and consistently striving to improve. As you apply the tips and tricks discussed here, you'll find yourself more equipped to face the demands of both personal and professional life. With innovation confidence, you unlock your potential to solve complex problems, lead with creativity, and adapt to an ever-changing world. Remember, confidence isn't something you either have or don't—it's something you can develop. Start small, keep pushing forward, and see how this mindset leads to greater success and personal fulfillment. To learn more about building confidence as an innovator, listen to this week's show: **[Building Innovation Confidence: Tips and Tricks](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Building%5FInnovation%5FConfidence%5F-%5FTips%5Fand%5FTricks.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How Innovators Think: Key Traits Revealed URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-innovators-think-key-traits-revealed/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:58.000Z Innovation is at the heart of transformation, and understanding how innovators think can unlock the potential for groundbreaking progress. [Innovators don't just come up with ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/); they embody a mindset that fosters curiosity, resilience, and adaptability. By examining the core elements of the innovator's mindset, we can better understand the actions and attitudes that drive them toward success. ## The Innovator's Mindset The first thing to recognize about innovator’s mindset is their ability to challenge the status quo. Innovators constantly pursue new ideas, envisioning ways to improve processes, products, and systems. This mindset is essential for personal growth and organizational success, as it allows individuals and companies to remain competitive in a fast-paced world. ## Key Elements of the Innovator's Mindset Several key traits drive innovators and differentiate them from others. Let's explore three major elements that characterize how innovators think. ### Curiosity Curiosity is perhaps the most critical trait of innovators. It fuels their exploration and drives them to seek knowledge beyond what's familiar. Innovators often find connections where others see unrelated concepts. [Steve Jobs](https://www.philmckinney.com/leading-through-uncertainty-innovation-leadership-in-time-of-crisis/), for example, exemplified this by blending technology with the humanities, creating functional and aesthetically pleasing products. His insatiable curiosity led to innovations that redefined industries. ### Resilience Resilience is the ability to view failure as an opportunity to learn rather than a setback. Innovators like Thomas Edison demonstrated this trait perfectly. Edison famously said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." His resilience allowed him to persevere, resulting in the invention of the lightbulb, among many other achievements. This mindset enables innovators to navigate the obstacles they inevitably face. ### Adaptability The third key trait is adaptability, which allows innovators to adjust quickly to changing environments. Innovators must integrate new information into their strategies as industries and markets evolve. Take Netflix, for example. Initially a DVD rental service, Netflix adapted to the digital age by pivoting to streaming, and it's now one of the leading media platforms globally. Adaptability is crucial in ensuring that innovators remain relevant in dynamic industries. ## Actions That Demonstrate an Innovator's Mindset To understand the innovator’s mindset, we must also look at their actions. Innovators actively encourage experimentation and embrace failure as a part of the growth process. Companies like Google illustrate this by encouraging personal projects among their employees, leading to innovations like Gmail. Innovators also seek diverse perspectives, recognizing that varied viewpoints can lead to more robust solutions. ## Benefits of an Innovator's Mindset Adopting an innovator's mindset brings several benefits for individuals and organizations. It fosters creativity, opening avenues for development and progress. Moreover, it keeps organizations agile and competitive in ever-changing markets. With the right mindset, innovators drive meaningful progress that can shape industries and society. ## Steps to Cultivate the Mindset Anyone can cultivate an innovator's mindset by committing to continuous learning and engaging with diverse ideas. Exploring knowledge beyond your comfort zone and remaining persistent, even when faced with adversity, is important. These steps encourage the curiosity, resilience, and adaptability necessary for success. ## Conclusion In conclusion, how innovators think is grounded in a mindset that prioritizes curiosity, resilience, and adaptability. These traits enable individuals to [challenge the status quo](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-start-a-career-in-innovation/), pursue groundbreaking ideas, and drive meaningful progress. By cultivating these key elements, anyone can adopt the mindset needed to make a lasting impact on the world. To learn more about the innovator's mindset, listen to this week's show: [**How Innovators Think: Key Traits Revealed**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FInnovators%5FThink%5FKey%5FTraits%5FRevealed.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Mastering the Role of Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-the-role-of-chief-innovation-officer-cino/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:58.000Z The role of a Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) has become increasingly critical in today's fast-paced business landscape. As a relatively new member of the C-suite, the CINO serves as the driving force behind transformation and progress. However, this position is often fraught with challenges, with many CINOs having a brief tenure of fewer than two years. To succeed, one must navigate opportunities and obstacles with eyes wide open, understanding the key responsibilities of this innovative leadership role. ## Understanding the Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) Role The CINO's position may be relatively new, but its importance quickly becomes recognized at the executive level. Unlike traditional C-level roles like the [Chief Executive Officer](https://www.philmckinney.com/large-company-experiences-secret-ingredient/) (CEO) or Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the Chief Innovation Officer creates a culture of innovation and ensures that the organization stays ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing market. However, CINOs often face unique challenges that contribute to their high turnover. Among these are unrealistic expectations, limited resources, and organizational resistance to change. This makes it critical for organizations and leaders to clearly understand the role of a CINO to enable it to succeed. ## Role Comparison: CINO vs. Other C-Level Executives One of the key insights into the CINO role is that the early Chief Information Officers (CIOs) experienced similar challenges, particularly in terms of short tenure and unclear objectives. Over time, the CIO role has evolved, with average tenures now aligning closely with those of the CEO and CFO, often around five years. There are valuable lessons CINOs can learn from the evolution of the CIO role, including how to manage expectations and build stronger alignment with other business leaders. ## Reasons for High Turnover A major factor behind the high turnover of CINOs is the disconnect between their role and organizational expectations. Organizations bring in many CINOs with the hope of [immediate transformation](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-unleash-your-creative-imagination/), but innovation takes time and requires sustained commitment from the entire team. Expecting a CINO to drive change without clear, stable objectives or adequate resources sets the stage for failure. Additionally, an organizational culture that resists change can significantly hamper the CINO's efforts. ## Strategies for Success as a Chief Innovation Officer To thrive as a Chief Innovation Officer, it's essential to establish clear, aligned goals that resonate with the company's strategic vision. CINOs must work closely with other C-level executives and internal influencers to fully integrate their innovation efforts into the broader organizational strategy. Developing a detailed roadmap can provide the necessary guidance to steer innovation efforts, ensuring the CINO stays on track. A successful CINO also understands the importance of fostering a culture of innovation. This means creating an environment that values creativity, encourages risk-taking, and supports experimentation. The CINO must act as a cultural architect, helping to shape a company-wide mindset that embraces innovation. ## Effective Communication and Adaptability One of the most important skills for a Chief Innovation Officer is communicating their vision clearly and persuasively. CINOs must build stakeholder buy-in through strong relationships and effective communication to advance the innovation agenda. Additionally, adaptability and resilience are essential traits for a CINO. As the business environment evolves, the CINO must be able to pivot strategies while focusing on long-term objectives. Regular reflection on personal goals and [organizational needs](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-80-percent-of-innovation-consultants-are-not-worth-the-money/) helps build resilience, contributing to long-term success. ## Conclusion: Building a Legacy of Innovation Ultimately, success as a Chief Innovation Officer hinges on dedication, strategic foresight, and fostering collaboration across the organization. CINOs must balance their leadership with a team-oriented mindset, prioritizing humility and collective progress. With the right approach, a CINO can transform a brief tenure into a lasting legacy of innovation. By understanding the challenges and opportunities of the Chief Innovation Officer role, organizations can empower these leaders to drive meaningful change and build a culture that embraces continuous innovation. To learn more about the role of a Chief Innovation Officer (CINO), listen to this week's show: [**Mastering the Role of Chief Innovation Officer (CINO)**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Mastering%5Fthe%5FRole%5Fof%5FChief%5FInnovation%5FOfficer.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation Lab vs. Innovation Studio - What is the Difference? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lab-vs-innovation-studio-what-is-the-difference/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:04.000Z With innovation fast-evolving, the terms **innovation lab** and **innovation studio** are often thrown around interchangeably, especially in Silicon Valley. However, despite their seemingly similar purposes, these two entities serve distinct roles in the journey from idea to implementation. Understanding their nuances can help organizations choose the right approach for their goals. ## What is an Innovation Studio? Ideas take shape in an **innovation studio** and become tangible products or services. Studios focus on transforming concepts into reality with clear deliverables. They typically adopt a [design-centric approach](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-design-thinking/), making them creative allies in product development. Key characteristics of an innovation studio include: - **Focused Product Development**: Studios concentrate on developing and launching new products or services, integrating seamlessly into existing business processes. - **Design-Centric Approach**: They use a design-driven methodology to solve problems, ensuring that the end product is functional and aesthetically pleasing. - **Small to Medium Teams**: Innovation studios often operate with [small to medium-sized teams](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-optimal-innovation-team-size/), allowing agility and swift iterations. ## What is an Innovation Lab? In contrast, an **innovation lab** constantly pushes the boundaries of what’s possible, serving as a playground for exploration. Labs dive into uncharted territories, experimenting with ideas that could redefine industries. Key characteristics of an innovation lab include: - **Experimental Freedom**: Labs function independently from immediate business objectives, offering a safe space for radical experimentation and breakthroughs. - **Long-Term Focus**: Unlike studios, labs are not tied to specific products or services but aim for long-term exploration, often looking three to eight years into the future. - **Significant Resources**: Innovation labs typically require substantial investment in people, money, and ecosystem support, given the scope of their exploratory activities. ## Innovation Studio vs. Innovation Lab: Which One Do You Need? Deciding between an innovation studio and an innovation lab depends on your organization’s goals and resources. - An innovation studio is your best bet if you want to develop and launch a product with clear deliverables. It’s about taking ideas from concept to market with precision. - On the other hand, if your goal is to explore new technologies or business models without the pressure of immediate returns, an innovation lab provides the space and resources to experiment freely. ## Real-World Examples To put things into perspective, consider some real-world examples: - **Innovation Labs**: Amazon Lab126, HP Labs, and IBM Research are renowned for their deep exploratory work, often leading to groundbreaking innovations that shape entire industries. - **Innovation Studios**: IDEO, Frog Design, and Red Design are leaders in the innovation studio space, known for transforming creative ideas into market-ready products. ## Conclusion Both innovation labs and innovation studios play crucial roles in the [innovation ecosystem](https://www.philmckinney.com/build-innovation-ecosystem-inside-organization/), but they cater to different needs. Whether you need a structured approach to bring a product to market or a space to explore revolutionary ideas, understanding the difference between an innovation lab and an innovation studio will ensure you choose the right path for your organization’s innovation journey. To learn more about the difference between an innovation studio and innovation lab, listen to this week's show: [**Innovation Lab vs. Innovation Studio - What is the Difference?**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FLab%5Fvs%5FInnovation%5FStudio%5F-%5FWhat%5Fis%5Fthe%5FDifference.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation Begins When We Question Everything URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-begins-when-we-question-everything/ Last updated: 2024-08-26T14:17:07.000Z In the hustle and bustle of today's world, adopting a beginner's mindset is crucial for navigating through the chaos. It's a mindset that fosters innovation and personal growth by allowing us to approach problems and opportunities with [fresh eyes](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-fresh-eyes/), free from preconceived notions and biases. Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, encapsulates this idea well in his quote: > "By resisting the beginner’s mind, you make yourself more prone to repeat yourself than to create something new. The attempt to avoid failure, in other words, makes failure more likely." ## The Power of Fresh Eyes Ed Catmull's quote underscores a significant challenge both individuals and organizations face—stagnation. When we resist approaching situations with a beginner’s mind, we become more susceptible to repeating past mistakes instead of innovating a new solution. This reluctance to see things anew can lead to a cycle of mediocrity, where the fear of failure stifles creativity and progress. Fresh eyes allow us to question the status quo, explore uncharted territories, and ultimately, drive innovation. ## The Ego Barrier Ego is often the biggest barrier to adopting a fresh perspective, especially for seasoned professionals. The more experience and success one accumulates, the harder it becomes to admit that there’s still much to learn. [Ego](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-fear-of-innovation/) whispers that we know enough, that we’ve seen it all, and that our past successes will guide our future endeavors. However, this mindset can be detrimental. I recall a time when my own ego prevented me from listening to a junior team member's suggestion. It wasn't until I set my ego aside that I realized their idea had the potential to revolutionize our business. Overcoming ego is not just about humility; it's about recognizing that wisdom can come from anywhere, and sometimes, fresh perspectives are what we need the most. ## Cultivating Humility Humility is the key to seeing with a beginner’s mind. It requires the willingness to learn, adapt, and acknowledge that we don't have all the answers. Here are some practical tips for developing humility: 1. **Ask Questions**: Never assume you know everything. Ask questions and be genuinely curious about others' perspectives. 2. **Seek Feedback**: Actively [seek constructive criticism](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-they-could-become/) and be open to learning from it. 3. **Admit Mistakes**: Acknowledge when you’re wrong and view mistakes as learning opportunities. 4. **Practice Awareness**: Stay present and aware, which can help you detach from ego-driven thoughts and behaviors. By cultivating humility, we open ourselves to new ideas and continuous improvement. ## The Journey to Innovation Seeing with fresh eyes leads to numerous positive outcomes, including inventiveness, personal growth, and improved problem-solving abilities. When we approach challenges with a beginner’s mind, we are more likely to find creative solutions and break free from conventional thinking. For instance, many groundbreaking inventions and discoveries have come from individuals willing to question established norms and explore new possibilities. So ask yourself... 1. What [assumptions](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-are-your-assumptions/) am I making about my current situation that may limit my perspective? 2. In what areas of my life or work do I feel stuck or stagnant? 3. Who could I learn from with a background or experience different from my own? 4. What recent feedback have I received that I may have dismissed too quickly? 5. How can I create an environment that fosters openness and curiosity in my team or community? By contemplating these questions, you empower yourself to embrace new ideas and cultivate a mindset that thrives on innovation and growth. ## Conclusion Seeing with a beginner’s mind is a powerful tool for fostering innovation, personal growth, and problem-solving. By overcoming the ego barrier and cultivating humility, we can approach situations with fresh eyes and drive meaningful change. As Ed Catmull wisely pointed out, resisting the beginner’s mind makes failure more likely. Therefore, striving to maintain a beginner’s perspective, continually learning, and adapting ultimately paves the way for a brighter, more innovative future. ### How to Build Your Innovation Studio URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-your-innovation-studio/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:57.000Z Creating an innovation studio is essential for fostering creativity, developing ideas, and transforming concepts into reality. Whether you're an inventor, a designer, or a creative professional, having a dedicated space for your work is crucial. In this episode, we'll walk you through building your innovation studio, inspired by my experience setting up a multifunctional space that caters to various aspects of innovation. ## The Importance of a Dedicated Space Your innovation studio doesn't need to be a grand space; it can be as simple as a corner in your bedroom or a small office. What's important is having a dedicated area to focus solely on your [creative endeavors](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-unleash-your-creative-imagination/). When I first started, my studio was a small desk in the master bedroom. Over time, it evolved into a 1200-square-foot space designed to meet my needs. A dedicated innovation studio allows you to create an environment conducive to your workflow. Whether recording a podcast, designing a prototype, or brainstorming ideas, your studio should be where creativity flows freely. ## Designing Your Innovation Studio When designing your innovation studio, consider the different activities you'll conduct in the space. My studio, for example, is divided into several zones, each with a specific purpose: - **Audio and Video Production Zone**: We optimized this area for recording podcasts and YouTube videos. It features sound suppression materials, custom-built tuning panels, and suspended lighting to ensure the best audio and visual quality. - **Prototyping Zone**: Equipped with [3D printers](https://www.philmckinney.com/revolutionary-ripples-how-small-innovations-can-create-a-big-impact/), laser cutters, and other tools, this zone is where I bring ideas to life. Whether I'm building rough prototypes for startups or developing my concepts, I designed this space to facilitate hands-on innovation. - **Zoom Collaboration Zone**: As virtual meetings have become a staple of modern work, having a dedicated area for Zoom calls is essential. This part of the studio has a TV, a comfortable seating arrangement, and a setup that ensures seamless communication. ## Key Considerations for Your Innovation Studio When building your innovation studio, there are several key factors to keep in mind: - **Space Utilization**: Make the most of the space you have. If you're working with a smaller area, consider multifunctional furniture and storage solutions that maximize efficiency. - **Sound Management**: Whether you're recording audio or want a quiet space to focus, managing sound is crucial. Incorporate materials that suppress and tune the acoustics to create an optimal environment. - **Lighting**: Proper lighting is essential, especially for video production. Consider installing a lighting grid to eliminate the need for floor-standing lights, which can clutter the space. - **Flexibility**: Your innovation studio should be adaptable. As your projects evolve, so too should your workspace. Incorporate elements allowing easy reconfiguration, such as rolling tool chests or movable desks. ## The Journey of Building My Innovation Studio My innovation studio has undergone several transformations since its inception. What started as a simple setup has grown into a comprehensive space where I can ideate, [prototype](https://www.philmckinney.com/fast-prototyping/), and collaborate with others. The ongoing process of refining the studio has taught me the importance of flexibility and the value of a well-designed workspace. As I continue building and optimizing my innovation studio, I encourage you to think about your space. What do you need to bring your ideas to life? How can you create an environment that supports your creative process? Whether starting with a corner of a room or designing a full-fledged studio, the key is to make it your own. To learn more about creating an innovation studio, listen to this week's show: **[How to Build Your Innovation Studio](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FBuild%5FYour%5FInnovation%5FStudio.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How To Prioritize Time Off To Boost Your Creativity and Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-prioritize-time-off-to-boost-your-creativity-and-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:57.000Z In today's fast-paced world, taking breaks is often underestimated. However, prioritizing time off is crucial to [boost creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/day-dreaming-boost-creativity/) and innovation. This simple yet effective strategy can significantly enhance productivity and lead to groundbreaking ideas. ## The Importance of Disconnecting During a two-week vacation with my family, I experienced firsthand the benefits of being completely disconnected from work. The trip, which included a cruise to Alaska, provided a much-needed digital detox. By avoiding broadband and only checking essential emails sporadically, I could enjoy the scenery and the company of my loved ones without the constant distraction of work. This break from the digital world was refreshing and crucial for my [mental well-being](https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-monumental-innovation-with-marginal-gains/) and creativity. ### Implementing a True Disconnect Policy At CableLabs, where I serve as CEO, we have a strict paid time off (PTO) policy. When employees go on vacation, they genuinely disconnect from work. This means appointing a proxy to handle responsibilities and [make decisions](https://innovation.tools/products/killer-questions-card-deck?ref=philmckinney.com) in their absence. Trust is essential in this process, as the proxy must be well-prepared to take on these duties. This policy ensures that employees can fully disconnect and recharge, leading to more creativity and innovation when they return. **Key Points:** - Appoint a proxy to handle responsibilities during PTO - Ensure the proxy is well-prepared and trusted - Enforce strict rules to prevent employees from checking emails or joining calls during their break. ## Digital Detox: A Path to Enhanced Creativity Taking a digital detox is not just about avoiding work emails; it's about breaking free from the constant barrage of digital information. During my vacation, I couldn't access my usual sources of information and news, which allowed my mind to rest and recharge. This break from the digital world provided a fresh perspective and renewed energy vital for creativity and innovation. ### Tips for a Successful Digital Detox - **Choose Locations with Limited Connectivity:** If self-discipline is challenging, select vacation spots with little internet access. This forces a complete disconnect. - **Use Apps to Limit Digital Access:** Applications like Freedom can help by blocking access to the internet for a set period, ensuring you stay disconnected. - **Plan Vacations Strategically:** Align your vacations with times when work responsibilities are minimal, allowing for a more relaxed and stress-free break. **Key Points:** - Pick remote locations for vacations - Use apps like Freedom to block digital access - Plan vacations during less busy work periods ## Prioritize Time Off for Long-Term Benefits It's important to prioritize time off for immediate relaxation and long-term productivity and creativity. Regular breaks can prevent burnout and ensure a steady flow of innovative ideas. Our company encourages unlimited vacation time, allowing employees to take extended breaks without worrying about approval. This flexibility helps them balance work and personal life, reducing stress and enhancing overall performance. ### Unlimited Vacation: A Bold Approach - **Flexibility and Balance:** Employees can take extended vacations, ensuring they return to work refreshed and full of new ideas. - **Coordination and Planning:** Proper planning ensures that projects and programs continue smoothly, even during extended breaks. - **Trust and Responsibility:** Empowering employees with the freedom to take time off builds trust and encourages a healthier work-life balance. **Key Takeaways:** - Unlimited vacation offers flexibility and reduces stress - Proper planning ensures continuity of work - Building a culture of trust and responsibility is essential ## Conclusion To boost your creativity and innovation, it's essential to prioritize time off. Disconnecting from work and the digital world allows your mind to rest and recharge, enhancing productivity and [groundbreaking ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/leading-through-uncertainty-innovation-leadership-in-time-of-crisis/). By implementing policies that encourage true disconnection and offering flexible vacation options, you can create a work environment that values balance and fosters innovation. So, take that break, enjoy your time off, and return with renewed energy to change the world. Remember, prioritizing time off is not just a luxury—it's a necessity for sustained creativity and innovation. To learn more about prioritizing time off, listen to this week's show: **[How To Prioritize Time Off To Boost Your Creativity and Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FTravel%5FImpacted%5FOur%5FFamily%5Fand%5FMy%5FCareer.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How Travel Impacted Our Family and My Career URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-travel-impacted-our-family-and-my-career/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:57.000Z Travel has always played a pivotal role in shaping my career and family life. During a recent podcast episode, I shared how travel influenced us unexpectedly. Here's a deeper dive into how embracing travel transformed our experiences and led to numerous opportunities. ## Travel and Family: Creating Lifelong Memories Our journey with travel began with a desire to combine work with family time. My wife and I decided to homeschool our children starting in 1987, which allowed us the flexibility to take them on my business trips. This decision wasn't just about education but about enriching our kids' lives with experiences beyond textbooks. - **New York**: During a six-month consulting gig, my children explored the city and learned about its rich history and diverse culture. - **London**: We spent significant time in the UK, teaching our kids to navigate the London Underground and appreciate British heritage. - **Paris and Milan**: These cities offered unique cultural experiences, from Paris's art to Milan's fashion. This approach gave our children a worldly perspective, preparing them to navigate and appreciate diverse environments. It wasn't just about the destinations; it was about the journey and the invaluable life lessons learned along the way. ## The Role of Travel in My Career Travel has significantly impacted my career trajectory. Early on, I realized the importance of prioritizing experiences over immediate [financial gains](https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-monumental-innovation-with-marginal-gains/). This shift in mindset came from a profound piece of advice: focus on the value and experience you bring to your roles, and financial rewards will follow. ### Key Career Insights from Travel 1. **Adaptability**: Traveling for work, whether for consulting or speaking engagements, taught me to adapt quickly to new environments and cultures. This adaptability proved invaluable in various professional settings, from high-stakes negotiations to collaborative projects with international teams. 2. **Networking**: Attending global conferences and events expanded my professional network, connecting me with experts and innovators worldwide. These relationships often led to unexpected opportunities and collaborations. 3. **Work-Life Balance**: I maintained a healthy work-life balance by incorporating travel into our family life. This approach ensured that I remained productive without sacrificing precious family moments. ### Travel and Content Creation In this episode, I shared insights on creating content, personal growth, and balancing positive and negative feedback. Our mobile studio, the Prevost bus, has been a game-changer. It allows us to travel and produce content simultaneously, ensuring we never miss an episode. The bus has impacted my career and our family priorities, enabling us to explore and learn together. ### Prioritize Your Values in Career Choices As has been the topic of recent episodes, listeners must prioritize their values and make career choices that align with them. The choice my wife and I made in homeschooling our kids back in 1987 allowed the family to travel extensively and gain valuable experiences. While my early career was as a consultant, my family benefited by traveling with me to major cities like New York, London, Paris, and Milan, providing our kids with a global perspective and their role. ## Travel: A Lifelong Learning Experience Travel is more than just a career tool; it's a lifelong learning experience. It's about gaining insights, [building resilience](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-start-a-career-in-innovation/), and understanding the world from different viewpoints. Travel has been a way to stay connected, learn continuously, and grow personally and professionally for my family and me. ## Conclusion: Balancing Career and Family Goals If we boil down my advice, it is vital to prioritize career and family goals, take breaks to recharge, and return from time away ready to change the world. Embrace travel, prioritize your values, and watch how it transforms your life and career. Feel free to reach out if you have questions or topics you'd like me to address in future episodes. Here's to more adventures and continued growth, both on the road and in our careers. To learn more about how travel impacts career and family, listen to this week's show: **[How Travel Impacted Our Family and My Career](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FTravel%5FImpacted%5FOur%5FFamily%5Fand%5FMy%5FCareer.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Is Humanity's Dependence on Technology Good Or Bad? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/is-humanitys-dependence-on-technology-good-or-bad/ Last updated: 2024-07-10T13:17:01.000Z In today’s rapidly evolving world, technology is both an enabler and a challenge. Its pervasive presence in our lives raises pertinent questions about its impact on our critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities. As we navigate this digital age, we must ask: Has our increasing reliance on technology improved or diminished these vital skills? To address this, we first need to understand the transformative power of technology. Indeed, technological advancements have undeniably enhanced our ability to solve complex problems. Powerful computational tools and sophisticated algorithms have enabled us to tackle challenges that were once deemed insurmountable. For instance, artificial intelligence (AI) systems can analyze vast datasets to predict outcomes and suggest optimal solutions, offering unparalleled insights in fields ranging from healthcare to finance. However, this very reliance on technology carries certain risks. There is growing concern that our dependency on digital tools may erode our intrinsic problem-solving abilities. A [2017 study by Kaspersky Lab](https://media.kasperskycontenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/100/2017/03/10084613/Digital-Amnesia-Report.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com) found that excessive use of digital devices could lead to a decline in cognitive control, impacting our capacity to focus and think deeply. This phenomenon, often referred to as "digital amnesia," suggests that overreliance on technology can diminish our memory and analytical skills. The omnipresence of information at our fingertips has led to a culture of instant gratification, where the allure of quick answers overshadows the process of critical inquiry. The ease of accessing information through search engines and digital assistants may discourage individuals from engaging in rigorous research and reflective thinking. A [study by the Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2012/11/01/part-ii-the-mixed-impact-of-digital-technologies-on-student-research/?ref=philmckinney.com) highlighted that while technology facilitates access to information, it also fosters superficial learning, where users skim through data without engaging in deeper analysis. Yet, it would be overly simplistic to attribute these challenges solely to technology. The root cause lies in how we integrate technology into our lives and educational systems. When used judiciously, technology can complement and enhance our thinking capabilities rather than supplant them. For example, educational platforms that incorporate interactive and adaptive learning experiences can stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving among students. Programs like Khan Academy and Coursera use technology to create immersive learning environments that encourage active engagement and critical analysis. Also, check out these [**YouTube videos on improving thinking skills**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbM1BElmkABhgFD1P5OjJYuy&si=1Z7%5FmvEKVXXZiSEG&ref=philmckinney.com). We must recognize the importance of balance. Encouraging activities that promote mindfulness and deliberate practice can counteract the potential drawbacks of technological dependency. Engaging in tasks that require sustained attention and deep thought, such as reading complex texts or solving challenging puzzles, can help maintain and strengthen our cognitive abilities. In conclusion, while technology has the potential to enhance our critical thinking and problem-solving skills, its benefits are contingent upon mindful integration and usage. To ensure that we harness the positive aspects of technology without succumbing to its pitfalls, we must cultivate a balanced approach. By fostering environments that encourage deep thinking, critical inquiry, and mindful technology use, we can nurture our cognitive faculties and prepare ourselves to navigate the complexities of the digital age. --- **Resources** [YouTube Playlist: THINK - How to improve your thinking skills](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvB-SRr-lUbM1BElmkABhgFD1P5OjJYuy&si=1Z7%5FmvEKVXXZiSEG&ref=philmckinney.com) **Footnotes** [The Rise and Impact of Digital Amnesia - Kaspersky](https://media.kasperskycontenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/100/2017/03/10084613/Digital-Amnesia-Report.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com) [Pew Research Center study on information access and learning](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2012/11/01/part-ii-the-mixed-impact-of-digital-technologies-on-student-research/?ref=philmckinney.com) [↩](https://app.jasper.ai/chat?ref=philmckinney.com#user-content-fnref-2) ### Worst Career Advice I've Ever Received URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/worst-career-advice-ive-ever-received/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:56.000Z The worst career advice I have ever received led me down a path that failed to result in success. [Early in my career](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-built-my-innovation-self-confidence/), I was advised to chase jobs based on salary and stability, with voices telling me to work for big, secure companies. However, I quickly learned there were better moves than prioritizing finances over family, personal growth, and gaining new experiences. ## Chasing Salary and Stability Many well-meaning people advised me to focus on jobs with the highest salary and the most stable environment. They believed that financial security would bring long-term happiness and career satisfaction. However, this approach stifled my growth and limited my opportunities to learn new skills. One significant turning point came when I took a 30% pay cut to work at a company that promised invaluable learning experiences. This decision felt risky and counterintuitive, especially considering the prevailing wisdom to prioritize financial stability. However, it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my career. The new role accelerated [my professional growth](https://www.philmckinney.com/leading-through-uncertainty-innovation-leadership-in-time-of-crisis/), and I gained skills that opened doors to more excellent opportunities. ## The Value of Experience Over Money Focusing on the value I could bring to an organization and the experiences I could gain proved far more rewarding than chasing higher paychecks. By emphasizing personal and professional development, I found that financial rewards naturally followed. My career flourished because I prioritized growth and learning over immediate financial gain. This approach led me to adopt the principle of never negotiating my starting salary or asking for raises. Instead, I concentrated on how I could create high value and impact within the organizations I joined. This mindset shifted my focus from short-term financial gains to long-term career development and satisfaction. ## Prioritizing What Truly Matters If I don't prioritize financial gains, what do I prioritize? I follow five criteria: faith, family, friends, fitness, and finances. This framework has guided me for decades, helping me maintain a balanced and fulfilling life. When I keep my priorities correctly, finances tend to take care of themselves. ### Key Takeaways: - **Chasing salary and stability** can lead to missed personal and professional growth opportunities. - **Focusing on experience** and the value you can bring to an organization often leads to greater long-term rewards. - **Prioritizing key life aspects** like faith, family, friends, fitness, and finances creates a balanced approach to career and life. - **Avoiding salary negotiations** and focusing on creating high impact can shift the focus to more meaningful career development. In summary, the worst career advice I received taught me the importance of prioritizing growth and experiences over immediate financial gains. I have achieved greater career satisfaction and long-term success by focusing on what truly matters. To learn more about career advice, listen to this week's show: [**Worst Career Advice I've Ever Received**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Worst%5FCareer%5FAdvice%5FIve%5FEver%5FRecieved.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Best Career Advice Ever Received URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/best-career-advice-ever-received/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:56.000Z During a recent lunch with interns, I shared the best career advice I ever received. Bob Davis, my mentor who hired me for my first job as a software programmer, imparted wisdom that has guided my career trajectory. Bob saw my potential and advised me to build more than technical skills. He moved me through various departments: IT, marketing, finance, and sales. Each rotation lasted six months, giving me insights into how different parts of the organization worked and how to communicate with non-technical people. ## Embrace the T-Shaped Career This experience broadened my skills and led to a T-shaped career. It would be best to have depth in one area and a broad understanding across fields and industries. This approach has helped me in various roles, from advanced microprocessors to artificial intelligence and mobile technology. The best career advice involves gaining expertise in one area while seeking broad experiences. This method proved invaluable in my career success at [Hewlett Packard](https://killerinnovations.com/hp/?ref=philmckinney.com) and CableLabs, where I interact with diverse professionals worldwide. ## Avoid Frequent Job Hopping The second best career advice I received was to [avoid frequent job hopping](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-the-innovation-economy-and-its-impact-on-our-world/). A long-term commitment to one company can provide valuable networks and growth opportunities. If offered a chance to gain new experiences, and you feel it would build out your "T," say yes, even if you do not know how to do the job initially. Staying with one company long enough to gain in-depth experience and build strong relationships can offer a solid foundation for career growth. ## Best Career Advice for Success > **"True career success comes from mastering one discipline while cultivating a broad spectrum of knowledge and experiences. Depth gives you expertise, breadth gives you perspective, and together, they empower you to adapt, innovate, and lead."** > – Phil McKinney 1. **Gain Deep Expertise and Broad Experience**: Focus on becoming an expert in one area while acquiring knowledge in various job functions and industries. This dual approach prepares you to communicate and solve problems effectively at all levels. 2. **Engage in Different Job Functions**: By rotating through different departments, you can understand the inner workings of an organization and improve your ability to work with diverse teams. 3. **Stay Creative and Dedicated**: Continuously look for ways to innovate and improve your field. Dedication to your craft and a willingness to learn will set you apart in any industry. 4. **Commit to Long-Term Goals**: Avoid the temptation to switch jobs frequently. Instead, focus on building a career that allows for growth and development within one or a few organizations. ## Building Your T-Shaped Career To build a T-shaped career, follow these steps: - **Seek Rotational Opportunities**: Look for roles that offer the chance to work in various departments. This will help you gain a broad understanding of different functions within the company. - **Pursue Cross-Disciplinary Projects**: Engage in projects that require collaboration across different fields. This will enhance your ability to work with diverse teams and solve complex problems. - **Invest in Continuous Learning**: Take courses, attend workshops, and seek mentorship to deepen your expertise in your chosen field while expanding your knowledge base. - **Network Within and Outside Your Industry**: Building connections with professionals in various fields can provide insights and opportunities you might not encounter within your immediate circle. ## Conclusion The best career advice centers around developing depth and breadth in your expertise. Embrace a T-shaped career by seeking diverse experiences and committing to long-term goals. This approach will make you a versatile professional and prepare you to tackle challenges and seize opportunities in any industry. If you have questions or need further career advice, please share them at [PhilMcKinney.com](https://www.philmckinney.com/contact-phil/). Stay dedicated, keep learning, and pursue your career with passion and creativity. Cheers to your future success! To learn more about career advice, listen to this week's show: **[Best Career Advice Ever Received](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Best%5FCareer%5FAdvice%5FIve%5Fever%5Freceived%5F.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Real Change Requires Intellectual Clarity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/real-change-requires-intellectual-clarity/ Last updated: 2024-06-25T17:44:00.000Z In today's fast-paced world, where discussions and debates are often reduced to soundbites and tweets, the art of deep, exact thinking has become a rare gem. Think about it—how many times have you watched or participated in a discussion where facts were twisted, oversimplified, or misunderstood altogether? The consequences of such weak thinking permeate not just individual mindsets but society as a whole. It's high time we address this issue head-on and rekindle the flame of rigorous, clear thought in our discourse. Exact thinking about understanding the nuances and complexities of any issue at hand. It's about moving beyond the superficial and genuinely engaging with problems, ideas, and solutions. But why is this important? Because when we think deeply and accurately, we uncover truths that would otherwise remain hidden. Imagine the breakthroughs we could achieve in medicine, technology, and social policy if our leaders, innovators, and everyday citizens were committed to this level of intellectual clarity and rigor. The absence of exact thinking leads to a dangerous erosion of public discourse. When debates are filled with half-truths and emotional appeals, we end up with decisions that are not grounded in reality. This is not just theoretical; look around, and you'll see the real-world implications. Consider the widespread implementation of facial recognition technology without rigorous, exact thinking about its biases and ethical implications. Numerous individuals have been misidentified, leading to wrongful arrests and a pervasive erosion of trust in technological advancements. Such outcomes underscore the critical need for precise and comprehensive thinking before deploying powerful technologies on a broad scale. But let's turn this around. Imagine a society where every debate, from the dinner table to the halls of Congress, is marked by intellectual clarity supported by exact thinking. A society where we don't just parrot talking points but actively seek to understand and explain our positions. This is not just an academic exercise; it is a call to arms for better living. When we engage deeply with ideas, we make better decisions, foster more meaningful relationships, and create a better future for ourselves and future generations. So, let's start today. Challenge yourself to think deeply, demand clarity in your discussions, and inspire others to do the same. Our future depends on it. Let’s leave weak thinking behind. Our next generation will be better for it. ### Mapping Out Your Innovation Career Path URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mapping-out-your-innovation-career-path/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:55.000Z A well-defined career path is crucial for anyone aspiring to establish a successful career in innovation. The rapidly evolving landscape of innovation jobs demands a strategy to navigate its complexities effectively. An innovation career path is a roadmap clarifying the progression and milestones necessary to achieve your professional goals. It helps you identify the [critical skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-critical-thinking-skills/) and experiences required at each stage, stay aligned with industry trends, and facilitate continuous growth and learning. A clear career path empowers you to make informed decisions, seize opportunities promptly, and maintain a focus on your long-term vision. ## Exploring Different Roles Embarking on a career in innovation offers many exciting opportunities that cater to diverse interests and skill sets. To build a successful innovation career, it is essential to understand the various roles available and how each can contribute to your professional journey. By exploring these roles, you can identify where your strengths and passions align, allowing you to make informed choices and strategically plan your career path in innovation. ### Product Manager Product managers in the innovation field oversee the development and lifecycle of new products. They identify market needs, define product vision, and work closely with engineering, marketing, and other departments to ensure successful product launches. **Key Skills Required:** - Strong communication and leadership skills - Market research and analytical capabilities - [Strategic thinking](https://theinnovators.network/how-to-improve-your-critical-thinking-skills/?ref=philmckinney.com) and problem-solving - Understanding of product development lifecycle **Pros:** - Opportunity to drive the creation of groundbreaking products - High visibility within the company - Diverse responsibilities and a dynamic work environment **Cons:** - High-pressure role with significant responsibility - Requires balancing multiple stakeholder interests - Long development cycles can delay seeing results ### Research & Development (R&D) R&D focuses on researching new technologies, materials, and methods to create innovative solutions. Their work often involves conducting experiments, analyzing results, and collaborating with other researchers. **Key Skills Required:** - Strong technical and analytical skills - Creativity and innovative thinking - Proficiency in specific scientific or engineering disciplines - Ability to work independently and as part of a team **Pros:** - Hands-on involvement in cutting-edge research - Intellectual stimulation and the opportunity to solve complex problems - Potential for significant contributions to scientific and technological advancements **Cons:** - Research can be time-consuming and resource-intensive - Potential for high levels of uncertainty and project failures - Requires continuous learning and staying updated with the latest developments **Innovation Consultant** Innovation consultants help organizations develop and implement innovation strategies. They diagnose challenges, propose actionable solutions, and assist in driving change within companies. **Key Skills Required:** - Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills - Strong interpersonal and communication abilities - Deep understanding of innovation processes and methodologies - Project management and organizational change expertise **Pros:** - Exposure to a variety of industries and projects - Opportunities to work with top executives and decision-makers - Rewarding role in driving transformation and business success **Cons:** - The role may require extensive travel and long hours - High expectations for delivering impactful results - Need to adapt to different organizational cultures and industry nuances continuously ### Design Thinker Design thinkers apply a [human-centered approach](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-centered-design/) to problem-solving that involves understanding user needs, brainstorming creative solutions, prototyping, and testing. **Key Skills Required:** - Empathy and user-centric mindset - Proficiency in ideation and brainstorming techniques - Rapid prototyping and iterative testing skills - Strong communication and storytelling abilities **Pros:** - Opportunity to create meaningful, user-centric innovations - Involvement in a dynamic and creative process - A collaborative work environment with diverse perspectives **Cons:** - It can be challenging to balance user desires with business goals - Requires frequent iteration and refinement of ideas - Potential for high levels of ambiguity and uncertainty in the early stages ## Create a Personalized Career Map > Those who feel passionate about their careers are five times more likely to be highly successful. Dreams don't just happen; they require purpose and determination. Creating a personalized career map is essential for achieving long-term professional success. It provides a clear roadmap to navigate your career journey, ensuring you remain focused and motivated. ### Steps to Craft a Career Map 1. **Self-Assessment** - Conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to understand your internal and external factors. - Identify your core values and what you want from a career. - Reflect on past experiences to determine what you enjoyed and excelled at in previous roles. 2. **Set Clear Goals** - Set clear, actionable goals using the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). - Break down long-term goals into smaller, manageable milestones. - Regularly review and adjust your goals to stay aligned with your evolving aspirations. 3. **Research Careers** - Conduct informational interviews with professionals in fields of interest. - Use online resources, job boards, and professional networks to explore industries and job roles. - Identify the required qualifications, skills, and experiences for each career path. 4. **Develop a Skill Acquisition Plan** - Enroll in relevant courses, workshops, or certifications to build necessary skills. - Seek out mentorship opportunities. - Pursue hands-on experience through internships, volunteer work, or side projects. 5. **Build a Professional Network** - Attend industry conferences, seminars, and networking events. - Utilize social media platforms like LinkedIn to build and maintain professional relationships. - Join professional organizations or groups related to your career interests. 6. **Implement and Review** - Set regular intervals to review and update your career map. - Track your accomplishments and setbacks to understand your progress. - Stay flexible and open to new opportunities. ## Building Experience in Innovation Gaining experience in innovation requires hands-on practice, which can be effectively achieved through internships, entry-level positions, and even stepping down to a role that better aligns with your long-term goals. **Tips for Gaining Experience:** - Take advantage of internships and entry-level opportunities. - Participate in collaborative projects and brainstorming sessions. - Seek mentorship from experienced innovators. - Volunteer for organizations or projects related to your career interests. - Document your experiences by creating a portfolio. Following the steps outlined, you will have created a [personalized career map](https://www.philmckinney.com/discovering-the-roadmap-to-a-better-future/) tailored to your goals and aspirations. Remember to review and update it regularly as your priorities and circumstances change. Use it as a guide to navigate your professional journey, staying focused on your long-term vision while remaining adaptable to new opportunities. With this roadmap, you are well-equipped to build a successful innovation career path. Stay determined, stay motivated, and never stop learning. Cheers to your future success! To learn more about mapping an innovation career path, listen to this week's show: **[Mapping Out Your Innovation Career Path](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Mapping%5FOut%5FYour%5F%5FInnovation%5FCareer%5FPath.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How To Start a Career in Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-start-a-career-in-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:55.000Z A career in innovation means positioning yourself at the forefront of change, constantly seeking new ideas and approaches to solve problems and create value. It involves a continuous improvement mindset and a willingness to challenge the status quo. Innovators drive progress by blending creativity, analytical thinking, and a deep understanding of emerging trends and technologies. However, innovation is not just about developing new ideas; it also requires turning them into tangible results. ## Assessing Your Interest > Did you know that the vast majority of jobs that will exist in 2030 have yet to be invented? Embrace innovation today, and you'll be shaping the future, not just living in it. The first step in building a successful career in innovation is to assess your interest and passion for the field. Are you naturally curious about new ideas and technologies? Do you enjoy experimenting and problem-solving? These are essential traits that define successful innovators. Take some time to reflect on your interests and strengths. Look for opportunities to immerse yourself in innovation through reading, attending workshops and conferences, or conversing with others in the field. This will help you gauge your level of interest and determine if a career in innovation is right for you. ## Education and Learning Investing time and effort into educating yourself about the latest trends and technologies driving innovation in your industry is crucial. This can involve pursuing a formal education, such as a degree in business or engineering, or taking online courses and certifications to expand your knowledge. Learning is an ongoing process, so commit to continuously seeking [new knowledge and skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-aesthetic-thinking-skills/) throughout your career. ## Formal Education Degrees in engineering, computer science, business, and design provide a robust theoretical and practical grounding. These programs often include coursework that fosters analytical thinking, problem-solving, and project management—critical competencies for any innovator. ## Online Courses Online courses and workshops can significantly enhance your skill set, either in place of a degree or to supplement your formal education. Platforms like Coursera, Udacity, and edX offer numerous courses tailored to innovation, entrepreneurship, and new technologies. For example, Stanford's "Innovation and Entrepreneurship" course on Coursera comprehensively introduces the field. These courses keep you current with emerging trends and tools, essential in a rapidly evolving field. ## Workshops and Boot Camps [Workshops and boot camps](https://www.philmckinney.com/government-and-innovation-who-is-really-pulling-the-strings/) offer hands-on experience that can be pivotal in applying theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios. These immersive learning environments often focus on design thinking, rapid prototyping, and agile methodologies, providing you with practical skills to drive innovation projects forward. ## Basic Skills Needed To excel in a career in innovation, cultivating a robust skill set is essential. Here are some fundamental skills that will serve you well: - **Critical Thinking**: Evaluate complex problems from multiple angles and devise creative, effective solutions. - **Communication**: Convey your innovative ideas clearly and effectively to stakeholders, team members, and potential investors. - **Project Management**: Plan, organize, and lead innovative projects efficiently using tools and methodologies like Agile and Scrum. - **Coding and Data Analysis**: Proficiency in languages like Python, JavaScript, or SQL, along with the ability to interpret data and generate insights. - **Collaboration**: Work effectively within a team, leveraging diverse perspectives and expertise. - **Resilience and Adaptability**: Persist in the face of adversity and stay flexible in a rapidly changing landscape. ## Networking and Mentorship Networking and mentorship are critical elements in establishing a successful career in innovation. Forming solid professional connections and seeking mentorship can accelerate your growth and development. ## Building a Professional Network Building a robust professional network is fundamental for a thriving career in innovation. Here's how to effectively grow your network: - **Attend Industry Conferences and Events**: Meet like-minded professionals and thought leaders. - **Join Professional Organizations**: Engage with peers and leaders in innovation and entrepreneurship. - **Use Social Media and Online Platforms**: Leverage LinkedIn and other platforms to connect with industry professionals. - **Engage in Collaborative Projects**: Work on collaborative projects to build relationships and trust. - **Offer Value**: Show your skills, knowledge, and assistance to others in your network. ## Finding Innovation Mentors Innovation mentors are pivotal in shaping your path toward becoming a successful innovator. They provide technical guidance and emotional support, helping you navigate the complexities of the innovation landscape. ## How to Find an Innovation Mentor - **Identify Your Needs**: Define what you need help with. - **Leverage Your Network**: Utilize your existing network to find potential mentors. - **Attend Industry Events**: Engage with professionals willing to share their knowledge. - **Seek Recommendations**: Ask colleagues, professors, or other mentors for recommendations. - **Use Mentorship Platforms**: Platforms like Intro and LinkedIn's Career Advice feature can match you with mentors. ## Innovation Career Path Navigating a career path in innovation is both challenging and rewarding. [Innovation roles](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-art-of-selecting-an-innovation-mentor/) exist across diverse industries, from tech startups and established corporations to academia and non-profits. As an innovator, you'll harness your creativity, problem-solving skills, and technical acumen to develop groundbreaking products, services, and processes. This career path demands continuous learning, adaptability, and a proactive approach to adopting new technologies and methodologies. ## Conclusion Embarking on a journey in innovation is not just a career choice; it's a commitment to drive change, push boundaries, and envision the impossible. Exploring professional networks, [mentorship opportunities](https://www.philmckinney.com/), and career path options lays the foundation for a limitless future. By cultivating relationships, leveraging the wisdom of seasoned mentors, and continuously honing your skills, you are preparing yourself for a highly successful career in innovation. In future episodes, I will share more insights, tips, and strategies for building a career in innovation. Remember, the only limit is your imagination. Keep pushing boundaries and creating a future that surpasses expectations. To learn more about starting a career in innovation, listen to this week's show: **[How To Start a Career in Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FStart%5Fa%5FCareer%5Fin%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Mastering Inspirational Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-inspirational-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:55.000Z Have you ever felt stuck staring at a blank page, struggling to find the spark to ignite your next great idea? Inspirational thinking skills often trigger that elusive moment where everything clicks, and your creativity flows effortlessly. These skills are the secret sauce behind groundbreaking innovations and the driving force that can turn mundane tasks into exciting opportunities. Imagine tapping into a wellspring of limitless possibilities, where your mind can explore new territories and solve problems in ways you never thought possible. Whether you're an artist, a student, or a professional tackling [complex projects](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-convergent-thinking-skills/), embracing inspirational thinking can unlock the door to your human ingenuity and creativity. ## The Concept of Inspirational Thinking Inspirational thinking involves harnessing your imagination to see things in a new light. It starts with the simple yet powerful act of envisioning possibilities beyond the immediate, mundane realities. When you practice inspirational thinking skills, you can dream big and explore ideas without limitations. This mindset can break down barriers, fostering a mindset open to innovation and unconventional solutions. Inspiration acts as a catalyst, lighting up the creative pathways in your brain and enabling you to connect seemingly unrelated ideas. For example, an artist might [find new techniques](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-find-new-ideas/) by drawing inspiration from nature, or a scientist could spark a breakthrough by thinking about a problem from a different industry. Inspirational thinking fuels creativity by encouraging you to think outside the box, turning abstract thoughts into tangible outcomes. ## The Importance of Inspirational Thinking Skills > Did you know that inspirational thinking sparked one idea that has saved millions of lives every year? By adding a tiny amount of iodine to salt, entire populations have been protected from deadly iodine deficiency diseases. ### Driving Innovation and Progress Inspirational thinking skills are crucial as they are the bedrock for innovation and progress across various fields. By envisioning possibilities beyond the current status quo, this approach encourages individuals and teams to venture into uncharted territories, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. ### Sustaining Motivation and Morale Inspirational thinking sustains motivation and morale during difficult times or complex projects. It infuses optimism and a can-do attitude, essential for overcoming obstacles and achieving long-term goals. When individuals believe in the value of their ideas and the potential for success, they are more likely to remain committed, resilient, and proactive. ### Fostering Collaboration and Teamwork Inspirational thinking fosters collaboration and teamwork. When one person's ideas inspire others, it creates a dynamic exchange of perspectives, leading to more comprehensive and innovative solutions than anyone can achieve in isolation. The [collective power of a team](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-number-1-reason-teams-fail-at-innovation/) resonating with shared vision and creativity has the potential to produce extraordinary outcomes. ## Benefits of Inspirational Thinking Here are some key benefits of incorporating inspirational thinking skills into your daily life and work: - **Enhanced Problem-Solving Abilities:** Inspirational thinking opens new avenues for solving complex problems by approaching challenges with a fresh perspective. - **Increased Motivation and Drive:** When inspired, you're more motivated to pursue your goals with enthusiasm and determination. - **Improved Collaboration and Teamwork:** Inspirational thinking can ignite a spark within a team, fostering a collaborative environment. - **Greater Resilience and Adaptability:** It equips you with the resilience to navigate setbacks and adapt to changing circumstances. - **Higher Levels of Confidence:** Engaging in inspirational thinking boosts your confidence by reinforcing the belief in your potential to achieve great things. - **Enhanced Creativity:** It encourages you to think outside the box and explore uncharted territories, leading to unique ideas and innovative solutions. ## Real-World Examples of Inspirational Thinking ### The Wright Brothers and Powered Flight The pioneering efforts of Orville and Wilbur Wright exemplify inspirational thinking skills. Faced with the challenge of achieving powered flight, they applied unconventional thinking and persistent experimentation, leading to the first controlled, sustained flight of a powered aircraft in 1903. ### Elon Musk and SpaceX Elon Musk's vision for SpaceX underscores the impact of bold, inspirational thinking in space exploration. His ambitious goal to reduce the cost of space travel drove the development of reusable rocket technology, revolutionizing the space industry. ### IDEO and the Shopping Cart Redesign IDEO applied inspirational thinking to revolutionize the shopping cart. Embracing rapid prototyping and user feedback, they developed a safer, more efficient cart, showcasing how out-of-the-box thinking can lead to innovative solutions. ## Conclusion Inspirational thinking skills are a powerful force that can unlock untapped creative potential, driving innovation and progress in ways that transcend the ordinary. By embracing it, individuals and teams can break free from [conventional thought patterns](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/) and explore uncharted territories of possibility. With the right mindset, tools, and practices, anyone can cultivate an environment that nurtures inspirational thinking. What will you create with your brand of inspirational thinking? To learn more about inspirational thinking skills, listen to this week's show: [**Mastering Inspirational Thinking Skills**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Mastering%5FInspirational%5FThinking%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Too Big to Fail? Think Again URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/too-big-to-fail-think-again/ Last updated: 2024-06-09T17:14:59.000Z The myth that anything or anyone is too big to fail persists, but history serves as a stark reminder that size and influence do not guarantee permanence. As someone who grew up in Chicago, I was aware of the widespread belief that Sears, Roebuck, and Co., the hometown retail giant, was "too big to fail." Its size, power, and influence were legendary. In the 1920s, Sears was more than just a department store; it was an integral part of American life. Through its mail-order catalog, Sears connected with millions of households across the country. The company sold an astonishing range of products, including radios, when many Americans didn't have access to radio stations. This presented a challenge, which Sears turned into a business opportunity by launching WLS 890 AM Chicago in 1924—a radio station powerful enough to broadcast across the Midwest. This strategic move allowed Sears to sell radios and control the content that listeners consumed. Imagine a scenario today where a retail giant like Walmart sells you a television and then controls the broadcast content, continuously feeding you advertisements for its products. This was the influence Sears wielded, and they were not too subtle about it. WLS stood for "World's Largest Store," and rightly so, as Sears's reach and power were unmatched. Fast forward to today, and Sears is a shadow of its former self, having filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and closed numerous stores. Its current foot print is about a dozen stores in the US. This downfall underscores a critical lesson: no organization or individual is immune to failure, regardless of their size or market dominance. The rapid shifts in consumer behavior, technological advancements, and competitive pressures can bring even the mightiest entities to their knees. Comparatively, Walmart, while a retail behemoth in its own right, has never achieved the level of cultural and economic integration that Sears once had. Yet, Sears's fate serves as a cautionary tale for Walmart and other large corporations. Complacency, failure to innovate, and underestimating emerging competition can lead to decline, regardless of how entrenched a company might seem. Success is earned by adaptability, innovation, and a relentless commitment to meeting changing demands. As we navigate our own careers and lives, we must remember that no individual or organization is too big to fail and that our actions and decisions have a ripple effect on the future. ### Mastering Systems Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-systems-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:54.000Z This episode is the fourth in a series on mastering creative thinking skills. We delve into an exciting topic that could revolutionize how you tackle problems: Systems Thinking. By the end of this article, you'll understand how to use systems thinking to solve complex problems like a pro. Trust me, this will be a game changer for your creativity and problem-solving skills. ## Introduction to Systems Thinking In our modern world, brimming with complex challenges and intricate dynamics, the natural default response is often to simplify a problem by breaking it down into smaller pieces and tackling each individually. While this can be helpful in some cases, it frequently leads to tunnel vision and a narrowed focus on isolated factors rather than [the bigger picture](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-divergent-thinkers-will-always-win/). What if I told you there was a better way to approach problem-solving? Systems thinking is a powerful tool that helps us see beyond immediate symptoms and understand the underlying structures and relationships that drive complex systems. It encourages us to think holistically and consider a system's interconnections, dependencies, and components. But before we dive into the applications of systems thinking, let's define what we mean by "systems." ## What is a System? A system is an interconnected set of elements or components that work together to achieve a common goal or objective. Think of it as a puzzle where each piece is unique but necessary to complete the bigger picture. Systems can be found everywhere, from natural ecosystems and organizations to social systems, our bodies, and even our political environment. Understanding systems is vital to solving complex problems. ## The Importance of Systems Thinking **Holistic Problem-Solving** Systems thinking goes beyond the surface level of a problem. It encourages us to analyze how various system parts are connected and how changes in one part can significantly impact other parts. By considering the bigger picture, we gain a deeper understanding of the underlying causes and are better equipped to develop effective solutions. This holistic approach revolutionizes how we see and think about problems in our day-to-day lives. **Comprehensive and Sustainable Solutions** Unlike reductionist thinking, which focuses on breaking down a problem into isolated elements and solving each component individually, systems thinking forces us to understand the complexity of a system and the interdependencies of all its various factors. This leads to more [comprehensive and sustainable solutions](https://www.philmckinney.com/stop-performing-innovation-theatre/) to problem-solving. ## Benefits of Systems Thinking Before diving into the tools and techniques of systems thinking, let's explore its benefits to entice you to stick through to the end. 1. **Improved Problem-Solving Skills** Systems thinking enhances your ability to tackle complex problems by considering the entire system rather than individual components. This approach helps identify root causes and understand hidden factors that, if changed, will have a significant impact. 1. **Enhanced Strategic Planning** Systems thinking enables better forecasting and long-term planning by holistically viewing problems or new opportunities rather than as isolated situations. It helps organizations anticipate potential consequences and craft robust, flexible strategies in response. 1. **Increased Adaptability** Understanding the interconnected nature of systems allows for greater adaptability and resilience. Systems thinkers can quickly identify and respond to changes within the system, making them better equipped to handle unexpected challenges and disruptions. ## Applying Systems Thinking in Various Contexts **Business and Organizations** In business, systems thinking can transform how organizations approach problems and opportunities. It encourages leaders to look beyond immediate issues and consider the broader implications of their decisions. This holistic perspective can lead to more effective and sustainable business strategies. **Social Systems** Social systems, such as communities and societies, are inherently complex. Systems thinking can help policymakers and social leaders understand the intricate relationships and dynamics within these systems. They can develop policies and initiatives that address root causes and create positive, lasting change. **Environmental Sustainability** Environmental sustainability is another area where systems thinking plays a crucial role. Ecosystems are highly interconnected, and changes in one part can have far-reaching effects. By applying systems thinking, environmentalists can develop strategies considering the entire ecosystem, leading to more comprehensive and sustainable solutions. **Healthcare** In[ healthcare](https://www.philmckinney.com/josh-smith-on-healthcare-innovation-at-richardson-methodist/), systems thinking can improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. By understanding the interconnectedness of various healthcare components, administrators and practitioners can develop holistic approaches to patient care, resource allocation, and process improvement. ## Tools and Techniques for Systems Thinking **Causal Loop Diagrams** Causal loop diagrams are visual tools that help map out system relationships and feedback loops. They allow you to identify critical variables and understand how changes in one part of the system affect others. **Systems Archetypes** Systems archetypes are recurring patterns of behavior within systems. Recognizing these archetypes allows you to anticipate and address common challenges more effectively. Examples of systems archetypes include "Fixes That Fail" and "Shifting the Burden." **Stock and Flow Diagrams** Stock and flow diagrams represent a system's accumulation and movement of resources. They help visualize the flow of materials, information, or money, allowing you to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. **Scenario Planning** Scenario planning involves creating multiple plausible [future scenarios](https://theinnovators.network/build-the-future-with-an-innovation-consultant/?ref=philmckinney.com) based on different assumptions and variables. This technique allows you to explore the potential impacts of various decisions and develop robust and adaptable strategies. ## Conclusion Systems thinking is not just a problem-solving tool; it's a mindset that encourages us to see the world more interconnected and holistic way. Understanding and applying systems thinking can enhance your creativity, problem-solving skills, and strategic planning. Whether you're a business leader, policymaker, environmentalist, or healthcare professional, systems thinking can help you develop more effective and sustainable solutions. To learn more about mastering systems thinking skills, listen to this week's show: **[Mastering Systems Thinking Skills](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Mastering%5FSystems%5FThinking%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Mastering Aesthetic Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-aesthetic-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:54.000Z Welcome back to the Innovators Studio. Today is the third episode in our five-part series on [Mastering Creative Thinking Skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-creative-thinking-skills/). In this episode, we dive into aesthetic thinking and its role in your creative process. Have you ever wondered why some things look cool and make you feel good? I’m here to break it down for you and show you how to apply aesthetic thinking to your creative projects. Trust me, once you start thinking aesthetically, you’ll never look at things the same way again. Stick around because, by the end of this article, you'll see beauty and creativity in a whole new way. ## The Essence of Aesthetic Thinking > The average person spends over seven hours a day looking at screens, yet most of us still crave more meaningful, beautiful experiences. Those who apply aesthetic thinking can fill this void and create inspiring solutions for our screen-saturated society. Aesthetic thinking skills involve deliberately considering beauty and design in any creative process. They require awareness of how visual elements, such as color, shape, and texture, combine to produce a pleasing and harmonious effect. Unlike purely functional approaches that prioritize utility and efficiency, aesthetic thinking integrates form and function, ensuring that the end product is helpful, visually, and emotionally appealing. In contrast to other creative thinking skills, such as convergent thinking, which focuses on logic and structured methods, aesthetic thinking highly values sensory experiences and emotional impact. For example, compare a feature phone to an iPhone. Feature phones are functional and do their job well, but they lack the aesthetic appeal that draws people to Apple products. The iPhone's sleek design and user-friendly interface make it an object of desire, not just a tool for communication. ## Why Aesthetic Thinking Matters Aesthetic thinking skills matter because they can transform mundane tasks into memorable moments and ordinary products into objects of desire. In today's fiercely competitive world, it's no longer enough to have a great product or service; you must also package it to capture attention and create an emotional connection with your target audience. Aesthetic thinking extends to all senses, considering the [overall sensory experience](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-innovations-accelerating-the-technological-singularity/), including touch, smell, and sound. For example, a luxury hotel creates an atmosphere of elegance and comfort through its visually appealing decor, the softness of its linens, and the soothing music in the background. ## Barriers to Aesthetic Thinking Despite its benefits, several barriers can hinder the cultivation and integration of aesthetic thinking skills: - **Rational Mindset**: Educational and professional systems often prioritize rational, analytical thinking over creative aesthetic thought. - **Time Constraints**: The urgency to produce results quickly can lead to prioritizing function over form. - **Lack of Exposure**: Limited exposure to varied artistic and design experiences can hinder one's ability to think aesthetically. - **Cultural Attitudes**: Societal norms that value practicality and efficiency over beauty can discourage aesthetic considerations. - **Fear of Judgment**: The subjective nature of beauty can lead to fear of criticism, limiting creative expression. - **Resource Limitations**: Aesthetic thinking requires additional time, money, and materials, which may not always be feasible. - **Self-Doubt**: Many people doubt their creative abilities and knowledge of aesthetics. ## Cultivating Your Aesthetic Thinking Skills To develop your aesthetic thinking skills, follow these steps: - **Engage with Different Art Forms**: Regularly expose yourself to various art forms, such as painting, sculpture, music, literature, and theatre. - **Practice Deliberate Observation**: Notice the colors, textures, patterns, and compositions in everyday objects and environments. - **Create Regularly**: Set aside time for creative activities like drawing, writing, designing, or crafting. - **Study Aesthetic Principles**: Familiarize yourself with balance, contrast, harmony, proportion, and rhythm. - **Collaborate with Others**: Engage in projects that involve aesthetic considerations to learn new techniques and perspectives. - **Stay Curious**: Explore new ideas and forms of artistic expression through workshops and online tutorials. - **Visit Natural Environments**: Spend time in nature to enhance your aesthetic appreciation. ## Aesthetic Thinking Tools and Techniques Here are some tools and techniques to help you develop your aesthetic thinking skills: - **Mood Boards**: Create visual collages that capture the essence of a concept or theme. - **Sketchbooks and Journals**: Record ideas, drawings, and reflections to document your aesthetic experiments. - **Photography**: Capture and study visual elements such as composition, lighting, and color. - **Design Software**: Use tools like Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or Sketch to create digital art and graphics. - **Color Wheels and Swatches**: Explore relationships between colors to ensure a balanced and harmonious palette. - [**Critique Sessions**](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/): Participate in sessions to receive feedback and discuss your work. - Workshops and Courses: Enroll in workshops or online courses on various artistic disciplines. - **Inspirational Media**: Consume diverse media to understand and apply aesthetic elements. ## Conclusion Mastering aesthetic thinking skills is about honing a more profound sense of awareness and intentionality in your creative efforts. By integrating aesthetic principles, you can enhance the creativity you bring to your work, making it more captivating and emotionally engaging. Embrace aesthetic thinking as a vital tool in your [creative toolbox](https://theinnovators.network/10-ways-to-find-new-ideas/?ref=philmckinney.com), and you'll find yourself confidently navigating challenges and innovating beyond traditional bounds. To learn more about mastering aesthetic thinking skills, listen to this week's show: **[Mastering Aesthetic Thinking Skills](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Mastering%5FAesthetic%5FThinking%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Mastering Convergent Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-convergent-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-10-19T15:39:01.000Z This episode is the second in a series on mastering creative thinking skills. Today, we are focusing on convergent thinking. Convergent thinking sharpens your mind, focusing creativity toward finding not just any solution but the most effective one. Master it, and you turn challenges into opportunities, blending analysis with imagination to unlock unparalleled potential. ## What is Convergent Thinking? > Convergent thinking turns the chaos of ideas into the clarity of innovation. It's not just about finding ideas; it's about discovering the right ideas that become transformative innovations. Convergent thinking is a creative skill that enables individuals to solve problems by narrowing down multiple possibilities to find the best possible solution. Unlike divergent thinking, which involves generating many ideas in a free-flowing, open-ended manner, convergent thinking demands precision, critical analysis, and logical reasoning. Convergent thinking is pivotal in [decision-making](http://decision-making/?ref=philmckinney.com), especially when people seek clear answers. Convergent thinking is the silent force behind every decision, from the simplest daily tasks to the most complex projects in the workplace. Its role in shaping our lives and driving progress is undeniable, making its mastery a non-negotiable skill for personal and professional success. ## The Science Behind Convergent Thinking Recent research into the neural mechanisms of convergent thinking has shed light on how our brains execute this focused type of problem-solving. Studies utilizing neuroimaging techniques have identified that convergent thinking primarily engages the brain's left hemisphere, which is known for its analytical and logical capabilities. Specifically, areas involved in processing language, memory, and [problem-solving tasks](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-blame-culture-and-how-it-kills-innovation/) show increased activity during convergent thinking exercises. This suggests that the ability to perform convergent thinking is rooted in the fundamental structures of our brain, underscoring its natural basis. Evidence points to the prefrontal cortex's role in managing the convergent thinking process by evaluating potential solutions based on logic and known information. Researchers find that while convergent thinking relies on well-established neural pathways, they can enhance its efficiency and effectiveness through targeted training and practice. Such findings highlight the impressive plasticity of the human brain and suggest that, even though convergent thinking is a natural cognitive process, individuals have significant potential to develop and improve this skill over time. ## Barriers to Convergent Thinking There are numerous barriers to effective convergent thinking, some inherent in our cognitive processes and others arising from external factors. These include: - Fear of Failure: The fear of failure or making the wrong decision can paralyze individuals, preventing them from committing to a single solution even when they possess all the necessary information. - Cognitive Overload: Cognitive overload occurs when the brain is bombarded with too much information, leading to decision fatigue and decreased ability to discern the most viable solution. - Stress: Stress and emotional turbulence can disrupt the brain's logical processing capabilities, impairing convergent thinking. - [Lack of Knowledge/Expertise](https://www.philmckinney.com/spotting-fake-innovation-consultants/): A lack of knowledge or expertise in a given area limits our ability to analyze and evaluate possible solutions effectively, making identifying the best course of action challenging. - Rigid Thinking Patterns: Rigid thinking patterns and reluctance to change or challenge existing beliefs can hinder our ability to apply convergent thinking to its full potential. These barriers underscore the complexities of optimizing this cognitive process and highlight the need for strategies to overcome these challenges. ## Techniques for Effective Convergent Thinking ### SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) is a strategic planning tool that helps individuals and groups identify the best options by evaluating these four critical aspects. This approach encourages a thorough examination of potential decisions. ### Criteria Ranking This tool evaluates and compares multiple ideas using a set of criteria. Each option is scored against the criteria, making it easier to see which choice ranks higher overall. This technique is helpful for both individual and group decision-making processes. ### Brainstorming Followed by Prioritization People typically associate brainstorming with divergent thinking, but they can pair it with convergent thinking techniques such as prioritization or voting. After generating a wide array of ideas, individuals or groups can evaluate each idea based on predefined criteria to select the most feasible one. ### Pros and Cons Lists A list is a simple yet effective tool for weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each option. This method facilitates a clearer understanding of the potential impact of each decision, aiding in the selection of the best course of action. ### Fishbone Diagram Also known as an Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagram, it helps identify the [root causes of a problem](https://theinnovators.network/einsteins-secret-to-effective-problem-solving/?ref=philmckinney.com). Once the underlying causes are understood, converging on the most effective solutions becomes easier by addressing the core issues rather than the symptoms. ## Mastering Convergent Thinking > Despite an overwhelming majority of the workforce facing complex challenges daily, a staggering 90% lack formal training in convergent thinking, a critical skill for effective problem-solving. Seizing the opportunity to master this skill can not only set you apart but transform the way you approach challenges—turning obstacles into stepping stones towards innovation and success. ### Cultivating the Right Mindset - Openness to Experience: Be open to exploring diverse knowledge areas. This will widen your perspective and enhance your solution-finding capabilities. - Persistence: Convergent thinking often requires persistence to sift through information and ideas to find the best solution. Cultivate the resilience to seek solutions, even when the answer isn't immediately apparent. - Adaptability: Be willing to adapt your approaches based on the problem. Flexibility in thinking ensures you can apply the most appropriate strategies to find solutions. ### Targeted Exercises - Daily Decision-Making Practice: Intentionally practice making decisions daily, ranging from simple choices like what to wear to more complex decisions like planning a project. Reflect on the process and outcomes to refine your decision-making skills. - Case Studies Analysis: Regularly analyze case studies relevant to your field or interest. This exercise helps understand the application of convergent thinking in real-world scenarios, focusing on how problems were identified and solved. - Logic Puzzles and Strategy Games: Engage regularly with logic puzzles, strategy games, and similar activities that require you to analyze information and make strategic decisions. These activities train your brain to focus, evaluate, and deduce the optimal path or solution. - Role-Playing Scenarios: Participate in or create role-playing scenarios that require problem-solving. This strategy helps apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations, improving your ability to converge on effective solutions in varied contexts. - Collaborative Problem-Solving: Working on group projects or tasks that require collaborative problem-solving helps you hone your thinking skills. The exchange of ideas and perspectives can lead to more effective solution-finding, broadening your approach to problem-solving. ## Conclusion Mastering convergent thinking is not just an enhancement of your cognitive toolkit. By weaving together the threads of critical decision-making, focused analysis, and strategic planning, you can develop a powerful creative thinking approach leading to efficient and effective innovations. This potent [blend of creativity and precision](https://www.philmckinney.com/balancing-creativity-and-practicality/) prepares you to distill vast oceans of ideas into practical solutions, making it an invaluable skill in today's fast-paced world. To learn more about mastering convergent thinking skills, listen to this week's show: [***Mastering Convergent Thinking Skills***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Mastering%5FConvergent%5FThinking%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***.*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] *Go deeper:* [*How To Improve Your Logical Reasoning Skills*](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-logical-reasoning-skills/) ### Mastering Divergent Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-divergent-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:53.000Z Today marks the beginning of a series of episodes introducing you to five creative thinking skills. Future episodes will explore each skill's background, steps, application, and examples. In this episode, we'll explore how mastering divergent thinking skills can transform your life, turning obstacles into opportunities and making the impossible seem possible. [Remember to subscribe so you don't miss out on any upcoming episodes.](https://killerinnovations.com/subscribe-to-podcast/?ref=philmckinney.com) Let's get started. ## The Power of Divergent Thinking Harnessing the power of divergent thinking is essential in mastering creative thinking. Divergent thinking is the cornerstone of creativity. It enables individuals and teams to generate multiple solutions to a problem, diverging from linear thinking, which seeks to find one correct solution. You can break free from your usual patterns and tap into your creative potential by using divergent thinking. Today, we'll explore divergent thinking and how mastering it can unlock your creativity. ## Background of Divergent Thinking Divergent thinking involves generating many ideas or solutions to a single problem. Imagine opening your mind's toolbox when faced with a challenge and exploring every tool, idea, and approach rather than just reaching for the usual hammer or screwdriver. ## History and Development > Many of the world's groundbreaking inventions, from the airplane to the mobile phone, were initially dismissed as flights of fancy. Yet, it's the persistent pursuit of the impossible that turns today's dreams into tomorrow's reality. Psychologist J. P. Guilford first conceptualized divergent thinking in the 1950s. During this period, creativity and cognitive processes became central to psychological studies. Guilford distinguished between [convergent and divergent thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/different-thinking-styles-improve-your-creativity/), highlighting the latter's role in creativity. While convergent thinking converges on a single, correct solution, divergent thinking generates multiple potential solutions, paving the way for innovative thinking and creativity. Over the decades, this concept has evolved and been embraced as a critical skill for problem-solving and generating novel ideas. ## Characteristics of Divergent Thinking Divergent thinking has several critical characteristics that drive its effectiveness: 1. **Generates Multiple Solutions**: It thrives on generating numerous possibilities without restriction. 2. **Promotes Originality**: It encourages creating unique and novel ideas, pushing thinkers to explore beyond conventional ideas. 3. **Encourages Risk-Taking**: It involves exploring the unknown and taking risks, seeing failure as part of the creative process. 4. **Flexibility**: This enables shifting approaches quickly and viewing problems from multiple perspectives. 5. **Non-Linear Thinking**: It allows for unexpected connections and conclusions to emerge. 6. **Encourages Curiosity and Exploration**: A divergent thinker enjoys exploring various possibilities, seeking understanding and multiple approaches. ## Comparisons with Convergent Thinking Divergent thinking thrives on quantity, encouraging open-ended exploration beyond traditional boundaries. In contrast, convergent thinking evaluates and chooses among the options generated by divergent thinking. Together, they encompass a [full cycle of the creative process](https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-creative-thinking-skills/). Divergent thinking starts the cycle, while convergent thinking focuses on refining ideas into practical solutions. Each has its place in problem-solving and innovation. ## Importance of Divergent Thinking Divergent thinking is crucial in a rapidly changing world. It fosters adaptability, allowing individuals and organizations to thrive in uncertain environments. This approach encourages innovation and continuous improvement, which is particularly valuable in technology and other fields requiring constant advancements. Divergent thinking enhances learning and understanding by examining topics from multiple viewpoints, leading to comprehensive insights and greater empathy. Mastering divergent thinking equips individuals with flexibility, creativity, and resilience to tackle 21st-century challenges. ## How to Master Divergent Thinking Mastering divergent thinking involves developing a mindset and skill set that enables endless possibilities. Here are practical steps and exercises to cultivate this capability: ### Mindset Shift Adopting a mindset conducive to divergent thinking involves: 1. **Fostering Curiosity**: Cultivate an insatiable curiosity about the world. 2. **Welcoming Failure**: See failure as a stepping stone to innovation. 3. **Practicing Open-mindedness**: Challenge existing beliefs and be open to new ideas. 4. **Encouraging Idea Generation without Immediate Judgment**: [Brainstorm freely without early critique](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-steps-to-brainstorming-ideas-on-demand/). 5. **Seeking Diverse Experiences**: Immerse yourself in various environments, cultures, and fields. 6. **Practicing Discomfort**: Step out of your comfort zone regularly. ### Exercises and Practices Enhance your divergent thinking skills with these exercises: 1. **Brainstorming Sessions**: Regularly engage in brainstorming on various topics. 2. **Daily Creativity Challenges**: Set a daily creative challenge for yourself. 3. **SCAMPER Technique**: Use the SCAMPER technique to innovate everyday objects or problems. 4. **Thought Experiments**: Engage in thought experiments with unusual scenarios. 5. **Ask Question**: Use a set of questions, like the [Killer Question Card Deck from Innovation.Tools](https://innovation.tools/products/killer-questions-card-deck?ref=philmckinney.com). 6. **Change Your Environment**: Alter your surroundings to spark creativity. 7. **Reverse Thinking**: Start with the desired outcome and work backward. 8. **Play and Experimentation**: Dedicate time to play and experiment without specific goals. 9. **Interdisciplinary Learning**: Explore subjects outside your expertise. ## When to Use Divergent Thinking Divergent thinking is beneficial in various scenarios, such as: 1. Brainstorming and Ideation Phases 2. Problem-Solving Situations 3. Creative Endeavors 4. Strategic Planning 5. Conflict Resolution 6. [Personal Growth](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-art-of-selecting-an-innovation-mentor/) ## When Not to Use Divergent Thinking However, divergent thinking may not be effective in: 1. Time-Sensitive Decisions 2. High-Risk Environments 3. When Clarity and Simplicity are Required 4. During the Implementation Phase 5. In Highly Regulated Industries ## Conclusion In the next episode, we'll focus on convergent thinking and its role in mastering creative thinking skills. Subscribe so you don't miss out on upcoming episodes. In the meantime, cultivate your divergent thinking skills to enhance innovation and unlock new possibilities. Remember, you can develop creativity with practice. To learn more about mastering divergent thinking skills, listen to this week's show: **[Mastering Divergent Thinking Skills](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Mastering%5FDivergent%5FThinking%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Mastering Creative Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mastering-creative-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:53.000Z Are you ready to unleash your full creative potential and take your innovation skills to new heights? In today's fast-paced world, creativity and innovation are essential for success. That's why I'm excited to launch a new series on "Mastering Creative Thinking Skills." This series will explore techniques to help you become a better problem solver and idea generator. Remember, [creativity is not limited to a select few](https://theinnovators.network/balancing-creativity-and-practicality/?ref=philmckinney.com); it's a skill anyone can learn and hone over time with practice. ## Exploring Creative Thinking Skills > Despite the inherent ability within all of us, most people tap into less than 10% of their full creative potential throughout their lives. Unlocking our creative thinking skills can propel us to achieve our dreams and redefine the boundaries of what's possible. Imagine having a powerful toolkit that transforms every challenge into an [opportunity for innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/redefining-the-innovation-opportunity-how-to-redefine-the-problem-to-uncover-the-breakthrough-idea/). From breaking down complex problems with Systems thinking to sparking your motivation with Inspirational Thinking, we will dive deep into skills that will make you more creative and dramatically increase your effectiveness. Let's explore the five creative thinking skills together: ## Divergent Thinking Divergent thinking is the capability to generate multiple solutions to a problem, exploring as many avenues as possible. Casting a wide net when fishing for ideas prioritizes quantity with the mindset that there will be a few gems worth refining among the many ideas. The optimal time to employ divergent thinking is at the onset of problem-solving processes. Before any attempt to narrow down solutions, it's crucial to explore all potential ideas. ## Convergent Thinking Convergent Thinking is the mental process of focusing on a single, optimal solution to a problem from a pool of possibilities generated during divergent thinking. This thinking style involves logical reasoning, critical analysis, and the application of existing knowledge and rules to arrive at a definitive answer. Engage in convergent thinking after exploring various possibilities through divergent thinking. ## Aesthetic Thinking Aesthetic thinking goes beyond mere appreciation of the visual; it involves a holistic perception of aesthetics, recognizing the harmony between form and function. Applying aesthetic thinking is critical in areas where the user experience is paramount. This includes, but is not limited to, product design, [architecture](https://www.philmckinney.com/adaptive-3d-and-microarchitecture-innovation/), digital interfaces, and art. ## Systems Thinking Systems thinking helps us see how different parts of a problem or opportunity are connected. It's about understanding that changing one thing can affect many other things, too. Using systems thinking is crucial because it helps us make better decisions. For example, if a school is trying to improve students' health, systems thinking would consider physical education classes, cafeteria food options, mental health resources, and even how much time students spend on screens. ## Inspirational Thinking Inspirational thinking is the spark that drives creativity. It involves imagining the best-case scenarios to find a new way to solve a problem. This thinking is critical in keeping us excited and passionate about what we're doing, whether in school, as a hobby, or even when working on a challenging project. ## Conclusion Future episodes will focus on one creative thinking skill at a time, providing tips on cultivating and using these skills effectively. With practice, you can learn to use the right creative thinking skills at the right time and in the right way to overcome challenges, generate new ideas, and drive innovation. [Remember to subscribe](https://killerinnovations.com/subscribe-to-podcast/?ref=philmckinney.com) so you don't miss out on the upcoming episodes. In the meantime, start incorporating these thinking skills into your problem-solving and decision-making processes. The more you use them, the stronger they will become, and the more successful you will find innovative solutions. To learn more about overcoming creative block, listen to this week's show: **[Mastering Creative Thinking Skills](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Mastering%5FCreative%5FThinking%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 5 Steps to Overcoming Creative Block URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/5-steps-to-overcoming-creative-block/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:53.000Z The creative process often seems elusive, with the best ideas striking at the most unexpected moments. That magical spark can be exhilarating when an idea materializes seemingly out of nowhere. But how do you harness that creative energy at will rather than waiting for it to strike spontaneously? Many would argue it's impossible, blaming their struggles on the creative block. However, overcoming creative block is achievable and more straightforward than you imagine. In the following sections, I'll share five actionable steps to help you overcome creative block and tap into your creativity whenever needed. ## Understanding Creative Block Creative block is akin to writer's block—that feeling stuck when faced with [a blank canvas](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lean-canvas-a-one-page-innovation-plan/), page, or screen, unable to generate ideas. It's frustrating when your creativity seems to vanish when you need it most. The prevailing myth suggests you must wait for creativity as if an external force controls it. However, the truth is that your creativity never truly leaves you; it's always there, waiting to be accessed. ## The Root Causes of Creative Block Several factors contribute to creative block, including fear of failure, perfectionism, burnout, and a lack of routine. Fear of failure often prevents people from starting a creative endeavor, while perfectionism leads to procrastination as individuals wait for ideal conditions. Burnout can result from prolonged creative efforts without adequate rest or relaxation, while a lack of routine makes it difficult to sustain creativity consistently. ## Five Steps to Overcome Creative Block ### Step 1: Establish a Routine Establishing a structured creative routine is crucial for maintaining [consistent creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-cultivate-a-creativity-habit/). Set aside specific times for creative work and prepare your workspace to minimize distractions. Treat your creative time as non-negotiable, blocking it on your calendar to ensure uninterrupted focus. ### Step 2: Embrace Imperfection Learn to embrace imperfection and be willing to accept that your first attempts may not be perfect. Perfectionism can be paralyzing, hindering your creative process. By embracing imperfection, you free yourself from the pressure to produce flawless work and allow yourself to experiment and grow. ### Step 3: Seek New Experiences Break out of your routine and [seek new experiences](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-unleash-your-creative-imagination/) to stimulate your creativity. Engage in activities outside your comfort zone, travel to new places, or join clubs and communities that expose you to different perspectives. New experiences feed your subconscious mind, sparking fresh ideas and insights. ### Step 4: Practice Self-Care Prioritize your mental and physical well-being to support optimal creativity. Take breaks, engage in hobbies unrelated to your creative pursuits, and incorporate exercise into your routine. Recharge your creative energy by taking time to relax and rejuvenate. ### Step 5: Collaborate and Share Collaborate with others and share your work to gain valuable feedback and insights. Join online and offline creative communities where you can connect with like-minded individuals and exchange ideas. Sharing your work fosters collaboration and provides opportunities for growth and learning. ## Conclusion Overcoming creative block is not about waiting for inspiration to strike; it's about committing to the creative process and taking action. By establishing a routine, embracing imperfection, seeking new experiences, practicing self-care, and collaborating with others, you can overcome creative block and unlock your full creative potential. Remember, your creativity is always within reach—now go out and create something amazing! To learn more about overcoming creative block, listen to this week's show: **[5 Steps to Overcoming Creative Block](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/5%5FSteps%5Fto%5FOvercoming%5FCreative%5FBlock.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 80 Attempts at Innovation by Acquisition: Lessons Learned URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/80-attempts-at-innovation-by-acquisition-lessons-learned/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:52.000Z In the competitive landscape of business, innovation isn't just a buzzword; it's the driving force that fuels growth, sustains relevance, and pushes companies into the future. While many organizations focus on cultivating innovation from within, there's an alternative path that's often overlooked—innovation by acquisition. [During my decade-long stint as CTO at HP](https://www.philmckinney.com/about-phil-mckinney/), I was front and center for over 80 acquisitions, all in pursuit of innovation by acquisition. These experiences ranged from roaring successes to cautionary tales, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of integrating innovative ventures into established corporate ecosystems. ## The Wall Street Conundrum The challenge? Aligning traditional valuation metrics with the intangible benefits of innovation-driven acquisitions. When companies are acquired for their innovative potential, their valuation often hinges on a 'future promise'—a projection of how their innovations will contribute to new [revenue streams](https://www.philmckinney.com/business-model-innovation-why-agility-matters/), market differentiation, and competitive advantage. This speculative nature makes it tough for investors to gauge the true value of these deals, leading to market skepticism or overenthusiasm. ## The Complex Dynamics of Integration Achieving a return on innovation through acquisitions requires more than just integrating new technologies or products. It involves merging distinct corporate cultures, teams, and visions—a task that's easier said than done. Traditional Wall Street valuation models, adept at evaluating tangible assets, often fall short in these complex scenarios. This gap can result in volatile investor reactions, from inflated stock prices to sharp declines. ## When Innovation by Acquisition Works What sets apart successful innovation acquisitions from missteps? Clear objectives, defined metrics, and organizational alignment. Pursuing an acquisition with a clear goal of injecting innovation, backed by concrete metrics and aligned with organizational goals, smoothens the integration and value creation process. Yet, achieving this clarity is a challenge. Many leaders, enticed by quick innovation fixes, dive into acquisitions without fully understanding their motivations or exploring alternative paths. ## The Road Less Traveled: Alternatives to Acquisition Before diving into acquisitions, leaders should consider less risky, more efficient alternatives. Collaboration forms, like patent licenses or cross-licenses, can offer access to desired technology with lower risk and financial outlay. These approaches also shield companies from [Wall Street scrutiny](https://www.philmckinney.com/most-downloaded-show-of-2022-innovation-benchmarking/), allowing for more freedom and flexibility in pursuing innovation. ## Navigating the Acquisition Maze For those committed to innovation by acquisition, success hinges on understanding what makes these ventures thrive. It's about delving deep into organizational cultures, values, and future visions. It requires meticulous post-acquisition planning to ensure the acquired company's innovative spirit isn't stifled by bureaucratic hurdles or cultural resistance. ## Steps to Successful Innovation Acquisition - **Identify Strategic Alignment**: Ensure the acquisition aligns with long-term strategic goals and innovation objectives. - **Conduct Thorough Due Diligence**: Assess the target company’s culture, technology, and market position beyond financials. - **Involve Key Stakeholders Early**: Engage leaders and employees from both organizations to foster alignment and address concerns. - **Define Clear Metrics and Goals**: Establish concrete metrics for success and guide the integration process. - **Plan for Cultural Integration**: Address cultural differences to avoid clashes post-acquisition. - **Focus on People**: Recognize the importance of human capital for success and [ensure clear communication](https://www.philmckinney.com/leading-through-uncertainty-innovation-leadership-in-time-of-crisis/). - **Maintain Innovation Momentum**: Provide the acquired team with autonomy and resources to continue innovating. - **Monitor and Adjust Post-Acquisition**: Review integration progress against metrics and adjust strategies as needed. ## Key Lessons Learned The journey to successful innovation by acquisition requires a deep, long-term commitment to nurturing the acquired company. Achieving this is incredibly challenging, often requiring substantial effort to shift from a "C" or "D" to an "A-" or "B+". Those claiming consistent success in this arena are likely exaggerating. The true test lies in the retention and promotion of acquired talent within the organization post-acquisition. ## The Verdict on Innovation by Acquisition Is innovation by acquisition a guaranteed path to corporate renewal and growth? The answer is nuanced. While it can be a powerful engine for innovation when executed correctly, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. It requires a strategic mindset, recognizing value where others see complexity. The road is challenging but filled with opportunities for growth and transformation. Success lies in approaching acquisitions with open eyes, recognizing their complexity, and committing to fostering innovation at every step. To learn more about innovation by acquisition, listen to this week's show: **[80 Attempts at Innovation by Acquisition: Lessons Learned](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/80%5FAttempts%5Fat%5FInnovation%5Fby%5FAcquisition.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### STOP Performing Innovation Theatre URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/stop-performing-innovation-theatre/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:52.000Z The term "innovation theatre" has become increasingly prevalent in today's competitive landscape. It refers to the superficial acts organizations undertake to appear innovative without genuinely committing to the hard work of genuine innovation. This misleading facade often leads to [wasted resources](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-innovations-fail-the-top-10-causes/), missed opportunities, and damaged reputations. So, how can you spot this illusion, and what can you do to foster real innovation? ## Misleading Motivations Innovation theatre stems from a desire for quick wins and external validation rather than a genuine commitment to innovation. Organizations often invest heavily in flashy innovation labs, prime locations, and top facilities, prioritizing appearance over substance. This focus on the exterior rather than the core innovation process is a telltale of innovation theatre. ### Common Signs 1. **Flashy Innovation Labs with No Substance:** These labs serve as mere showpieces, lacking the foundational research and development needed for true innovation. 2. **Hackathons with No Follow-Through:** While hackathons generate excitement and publicity, they often lack a concrete plan for implementing the ideas generated. 3. **Premature Product Announcements:** Some companies announce groundbreaking products that never materialize, creating buzz without delivering value. 4. **Frequent Rebranding of Innovation Initiatives:** Constantly changing the name and logo of innovation projects can signal a lack of focus and commitment. 5. **Adopting Buzzwords Without Strategy:** Incorporating trendy terms like blockchain, AI, or quantum without a clear implementation plan is another form of superficial innovation. 6. **Treating Innovation Funding as Optional:** Viewing innovation as a discretionary expense rather than a strategic investment can hinder long-term success. ## The Pitfalls of Innovation Theatre Engaging in innovation theatre can have several negative consequences: - **Wasted Resources:** Organizations spend money on appearances rather than genuine innovation efforts. - **Lack of Sustainable Progress:** Short-term gains fail to translate into long-term success. - **Damaged Reputation:** A lack of substance can lead to skepticism from stakeholders and the public. - **Missed Opportunities:** Focusing on the facade of innovation means missing out on [genuine growth opportunities](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-handle-rejection-of-your-idea/). - **Cultural Impact:** Innovation theatre can foster a culture that values style over substance, leading to cynicism and disengagement among employees. ## The Benefits of Authentic Innovation In contrast to innovation theatre, authentic innovation offers numerous benefits: - **Sustainable Success:** Genuine innovation creates a pipeline of ideas that fuel long-term growth. - **Industry Leadership:** Authentic innovation allows organizations to lead rather than follow, setting industry standards rather than chasing them. - **Better Resource Allocation:** When we focus on genuine innovation, we allocate resources more effectively, which leads to higher productivity and greater employee satisfaction. - **Cultural Impact:** A culture of genuine innovation fosters critical thinking, continuous improvement, and trust among employees. ## Choose Authenticity Over Illusion Innovation is not a strategy; it's a survival tactic. Organizations must move beyond the illusion of innovation theatre and commit to the hard work of [genuine innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/#/portal/signup). By doing so, they can unlock sustainable success, industry leadership, and a culture of continuous improvement. So, the next time you encounter an organization engaging in innovation theatre, ask yourself: Are they truly committed to innovation or merely putting on a show? To learn more about the illusion of innovation theatre, listen to this week's show: **[STOP Performing Innovation Theatre](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/STOP%5FPerforming%5FInnovation%5FTheatre.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Shift from Monotonous Thinking to Creative Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-shift-from-monotonous-thinking-to-creative-thinking/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:52.000Z In an age of constant change, we cannot overstate the value of adaptability and innovation. Yet, many of us find ourselves entrenched in a pattern of repetitive thinking, relying on familiar approaches to navigate the complexities of life. However, there exists a transformative alternative: creative thinking. This article explores the power of creative thinking and provides insights into how to cultivate this invaluable skill. ## Understanding Monotonous Thinking Monotonous thinking, akin to traversing the same path repeatedly, offers comfort and predictability. Our brains, naturally inclined towards efficiency, gravitate towards established patterns and solutions. While this may have sufficed in the past, it poses limitations in today's dynamic world. Signs of monotonous thinking include a preference for routine, reluctance to embrace change and resistance to new ideas. To determine whether you're entrenched in monotonous thinking, follow this checklist. If you agree with several of these statements, it might be time to infuse more creativity into your problem-solving strategies. - **Repetition Comfort:** You prefer sticking to routines and methods you're already familiar with, even when they're not yielding the best results. - **Solution Stagnation:** When faced with a problem, your first instinct is to apply solutions that worked in the past, regardless of their fit for the current issue. - **Risk Aversion:** The thought of trying something new or unconventional makes you uncomfortable, leading you to avoid it altogether. - **Idea Dismissal:** You tend to quickly dismiss new ideas without fully exploring their potential benefits or applicability to your situation. - **Feedback Resistance:** People often respond to criticism or suggestions for alternative approaches with defensiveness rather than curiosity or openness to change. - **Inspiration Insufficiency:** You struggle to find inspiration or generate new ideas, often feeling stuck in a creative rut. - **Change Challenge:** Changes in your environment or routines are viewed more as threats than opportunities for growth and learning. ## Creative Thinking: An Overview Creative thinking characterizes a willingness to challenge conventions and explore unconventional solutions, contrasting with monotonous thinking. It involves asking probing questions, envisioning possibilities, and embracing diverse perspectives. Creative thinkers exhibit curiosity, flexibility, and fluency in generating ideas. By fostering a [creative mindset](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-and-the-creative-mindset/), individuals can unlock innovative solutions and navigate challenges with resilience and adaptability. At its core, creative thinking involves three key components: - **Originality:** The ability to develop fresh and unique ideas that deviate from the norm. - **Flexibility:** The capability to adapt to new situations, to shift perspectives, and to consider multiple aspects of a problem simultaneously. - **Fluency:** The ease with which one can generate a wide range of ideas on a given topic or problem. Employing creative thinking doesn't mean abandoning logic or practicality; instead, it means enhancing your problem-solving arsenal with a richer diversity of strategies and perspectives. By balancing [critical thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-critical-thinking-skills/) with [creative exploration](https://www.philmckinney.com/unlocking-your-creative-potential/), individuals and organizations can uncover solutions that are effective but also innovative and tailor-made for the complexities of today's world. ## The Pitfalls of Monotonous Thinking Often fueled by fear and comfort, monotonous thinking can hinder personal growth and innovation. Psychologist Carol Dweck warns against the dangers of a fixed mindset, which stifles learning and development. Similarly, educator Sir Ken Robinson highlights the role of traditional education systems in perpetuating uniform thinking patterns. Overcoming monotonous thinking requires courage to venture into the unknown and embrace discomfort. ## The Imperative for Creative Thinkers The demand for creative thinkers has never been greater in today's rapidly evolving landscape. Traditional problem-solving approaches fall short in addressing complex, interconnected challenges. Creative thinking offers a pathway to innovation, enabling individuals to devise solutions that anticipate future needs and circumstances. ## Transitioning from Monotonous to Creative Thinking Shifting from monotonous to creative thinking requires intentional effort and practice. Embracing curiosity, practicing divergent thinking, stepping out of one's comfort zone, fostering a growth mindset, and seeking diverse perspectives are essential in cultivating creative thinking. By incorporating these habits into daily life, individuals can overcome mental barriers and tap into their creative potential. So, how do we shift from monotonous to creative thinking? It's not as daunting as it might seem. Here are some steps and habits to foster creativity: 1. **Embrace Curiosity:** Creative thinking starts with curiosity. Ask questions, seek out new experiences, and dive deep into topics that interest you. Why does something work the way it does? How could it be improved? Adopting a curious mindset is the first step toward breaking free from monotonous thinking. 2. **Practice Divergent Thinking:** Divergent thinking involves generating multiple solutions to a problem. Set aside time to brainstorm, and don't censor your ideas—the wilder, the better. This exercise stretches your creative muscles and shows that there's rarely only one correct answer. 3. **Step Out of Your Comfort Zone:** Growth happens at the edge of your comfort zone. Try new things, whether learning a language, taking an improv class, or traveling to an unfamiliar place. These experiences disrupt routine thinking and expose you to new perspectives. 4. **Allow for Reflection:** Creativity often strikes when not actively seeking it. Make space for reflection and downtime. Walking, meditating, or journaling can help quiet the noise and allow subconscious ideas to surface. 5. **Foster a Growth Mindset:** Embrace failures and challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. A growth mindset encourages resilience and persistence, critical traits for creative problem-solving. 6. **Surround Yourself with Diversity:** Engage with people who think differently than you. Diverse perspectives can challenge your assumptions and inspire new ideas. Collaboration is often the birthplace of innovation. ## A Creative Thinking Exercise: The 30 Circles Test A practical way to exercise creative thinking is through the 30 Circles Test. This activity challenges participants to transform simple circles into recognizable objects within a limited time frame. By pushing the[ boundaries of imagination](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-myth-of-scarcity-the-endless-supply-of-ideas/) and rapid idea generation, individuals can enhance their creative thinking skills and develop a fresh perspective toward problem-solving. The steps are simple: 1. **Prepare Your Space:** Find a quiet spot to sit comfortably without interruptions. You'll need a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. 2. **Draw 30 Circles:** Draw 30 small, empty circles on your paper. They don't have to be perfect—quick sketches will do. 3. **Set a Timer:** Give yourself three minutes. Yes, just three. This constraint is crucial as it creates a sense of urgency, prompting quicker, more instinctive responses. 4. **Transform the Circles:** The goal is to turn as many of these circles into recognizable objects as possible before the timer runs out. Think fruit, sports equipment, planetary bodies, or anything else the circles inspire in you. Remember, there are no wrong answers here, only opportunities to see things differently. 5. **Reflect:** Once the timer stops, take a moment to look over your creations. How many circles did you fill in? Were there any patterns in your ideas? Did you stick to safe concepts or venture out with more imaginative interpretations? This exercise is about how many circles you can fill and about stretching your ability to see potential and opportunity in something as simple as a circle. It highlights the importance of rapidly generating ideas, a key component of creative thinking, and shows creativity can be sparked and exercised, much like a muscle. Try this exercise regularly and challenge yourself each time to surpass your previous count or to come up with even more diverse and innovative ideas. Over time, you'll notice a marked improvement in your capability to think creatively and to approach problems with a fresh perspective. ## Conclusion: Embracing Creativity as a Journey Transitioning from monotonous to creative thinking is a gradual process fueled by curiosity, experimentation, and resilience. It requires a willingness to embrace uncertainty and a commitment to lifelong learning. By embarking on this journey, individuals can unlock new possibilities, discover hidden talents, and navigate life's challenges confidently and creatively. So, take the first step towards creative thinking today and embark on endless exploration and growth. To learn more about handling rejection of ideas, listen to this week's show: **[How to Shift from Monotonous Thinking to Creative Thinking](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FShift%5FFrom%5FMonotonous%5FThinking%5Fto%5FCreative%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How To Handle Rejection of Your Idea URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-handle-rejection-of-your-idea/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:51.000Z Experiencing rejection of your idea can feel like a punch to the gut. Whether it's a proposal, a suggestion, or criticism, the initial sting can be hard to shake off. But rejection isn't the end—it's an opportunity for growth and improvement. ## Personal Experience > 92% of people give up on their dreams after facing rejection only once. Yet, it's this very challenge that has the power to refine our visions and propel us towards achieving greatness. We've all been there. Rejection hurts, but it's not about you—it's about the idea. It's essential to separate your self-worth from your ideas and recognize rejection as a chance to refine and enhance your concept. ## Attitudes to Adopt ### 1: Gain Perspective Shift your focus from the rejection to what you can learn. Use feedback to improve and explore alternative solutions. ### 2: Embrace Failure Failure is a stepping stone to success. Learn from rejections, grow, and persevere. ### 3: Build Resilience Develop Resilience to bounce back from setbacks. Reframe your thoughts and focus on growth opportunities. ### 4: Cultivate a Growth Mindset See every rejection as a chance to learn and improve. Ask yourself what you can learn from the feedback. ## 7 Steps To Soliciting Feedback Over my 30 years in the innovation game, I have had more ideas rejected than I would care to count. However, each [rejection](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-creative-qualities/) has taught me something new about my idea and ultimately helped me improve it. The journey from conception to realization of an idea is fraught with challenges, not least of which is navigating the sea of opinions, critiques, and suggestions that come your way. How do we solicit this feedback constructively, and how do we move forward with grace and determination? Here are the seven steps I follow to solicit, analyze, and act on feedback: ### Step 1: Identify Your Feedback Circle Not all feedback is created equal. Begin by identifying individuals whose opinions you value —[mentors](https://www.facebook.com/philmckinneyfan), peers, or critics with a history of insightful observations. This selective approach ensures that the feedback you receive is relevant and constructive. Remember, the goal is to refine and improve your idea, not to gather as many opinions as possible. Be careful not to solicit feedback only from people who agree with you. Diverse perspectives can offer valuable insights and help challenge your assumptions. ### Step 2: Frame Your Request for Feedback When soliciting feedback, clarity is key. Be specific about the kind of input you're looking for. Are you seeking thoughts on the feasibility of your idea, its potential impact, or suggestions for improvement? A well-framed question makes it easier for others to provide useful feedback and demonstrates your seriousness about refining your idea. - Some sample questions to start with include: - What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of this idea? - How can I improve upon this concept? - Do you have any suggestions for potential challenges or obstacles? ### Step 3: Create a Safe Space for Honest Feedback One of the biggest hurdles to receiving honest feedback is the natural inclination to defend our ideas against criticism. To overcome this, explicitly state your openness to constructive criticism and assure your feedback circle that their honesty is appreciated and essential. This creates an environment where feedback is given and received in the spirit of mutual growth. Remember, feedback is not a personal attack but an [opportunity for improvement](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-art-of-selecting-an-innovation-mentor/). ### Step 4: Actively Listen and Take Notes As you receive feedback, engage in active listening. This means focusing entirely on the feedback, asking clarifying questions, and resisting the urge to justify or explain your idea unless asked to do so. Taking notes during this process can help you capture feedback accurately and signal to your feedback providers that you take their input seriously. ### Step 5: Express Gratitude Whether the feedback is positive or negative, always thank your feedback providers. Acknowledging the time and thought they have invested in helping you fosters goodwill and encourages them to be forthcoming with feedback in the future. Expressing gratitude can also help you maintain a positive attitude toward the feedback and avoid any feelings of defensiveness or negativity. ### Step 6: Reflect and Analyze With feedback in hand, take the time to reflect on what you've heard. Analyze the feedback for common themes or recurring suggestions. It's important to approach this process with an open mind and consider how each feedback piece can strengthen your idea. Remember, the goal is not to please everyone but to consider all perspectives and make informed decisions. ### Step 7: Decide and Act Armed with insights from your feedback, decide which suggestions to implement. Not all feedback will be actionable or align with your vision, and that's okay. The key is to make informed decisions that refine and improve your idea. Then, take action. Implement the changes you've decided on and prepare to iterate further based on new feedback and insights. ## Moving Forward with Resilience Consider the example of Thomas Edison, whose quest to invent the electric light bulb was met with countless failures and rejections. Instead of succumbing to despair, Edison viewed each setback as valuable feedback, famously saying, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." His Resilience and willingness to embrace and learn from rejection ultimately led to one of the most transformative inventions in human history. Navigating the landscape of feedback and rejection is an integral part of the creative and [innovation process](https://www.philmckinney.com/process-innovation-including-the-innovation-process/). By following a structured approach to soliciting and leveraging feedback, you enhance the quality of your ideas and cultivate a mindset of Resilience and continuous improvement. ## Rejection of Your Idea The rejection of your idea isn't personal—it's an opportunity to improve. By adopting a growth mindset, seeking feedback, and taking decisive action, you transform rejection into a powerful tool for development. So, the next time your idea faces resistance, remember: It's not about you. It's about making your idea better. To learn more about handling rejection of ideas, listen to this week's show: **[How To Handle Rejection of Your Idea](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FHandle%5FRejection%5Fof%5FYour%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Our Addiction to Innovation Novelty URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/our-addiction-to-innovation-novelty/ Last updated: 2024-03-31T17:24:40.000Z In the constant chase for the next big thing, society has fallen into a cycle that feels almost like a high-speed treadmill - always moving, never arriving. This relentless pursuit of novelty lures us with the promise of happiness just beyond the horizon, yet leaving us perpetually unfulfilled. The result is we have found ourselves in the throes of a subtle and pervasive addiction: the addiction to novelty, with a particular emphasis on innovation novelty. This phenomenon isn't merely about enjoying the latest trends or technologies; it's about an insatiable craving for the new, a relentless pursuit that often blinds us to the value of what we already possess. Consider the spectacle of people camping outside stores, their eyes alight with anticipation, waiting to get their hands on the latest gadget. It's a scene that's become all too familiar, emblematic of a culture that equates newness with progress. Companies, fully aware of this hunger for the novel, ingeniously play into it. They create artificial scarcity, limit early access, and construct events and waitlists that do nothing but heighten our desire. It's a clever dance between supply and demand, where the allure of being one of the "chosen few" can prove irresistible. But here's the rub: when does this attraction to novelty cross the line into addiction? Like any addiction, an obsession with innovation novelty comes with its drawbacks. It fosters a disposable culture where items are quickly deemed obsolete, exacerbating environmental issues through waste. It also fuels a cycle of perpetual dissatisfaction, where today's prized possession becomes tomorrow's forgotten relic. The psychological toll — constantly chasing a moving target that promises happiness but seldom delivers — can be profound. The challenge, then, is not to eschew novelty altogether but to approach it with mindfulness. It's about recognizing the difference between genuine innovation that enriches our lives and fleeting trends that only serve to distract us. It's about valuing sustainability over disposability, substance over hype. > In our quest for the next innovation, we risk becoming like ships chasing the horizon, moving with great speed but arriving nowhere, mistaking motion for progress. As we stand at the crossroads of consumption and conservation, it's time to take a hard look at our addiction to innovation novelty. - Are we merely collectors of the new, or are we curators of the meaningful? - Are we seduced by the allure of the next update, the latest model, the freshest trend? The answers might just determine the quality of our lives and the legacy we leave behind. So, let's inspire a shift in perspective. Let's celebrate innovation that offers real solutions, not just the illusion of progress. And most importantly, let's remember that sometimes, the most revolutionary act is to appreciate what we already have. ### 6 Most Common Thinking Mistakes Holding You Back URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/6-most-common-thinking-mistakes-holding-you-back/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:51.000Z I've been reflecting a lot lately about common thinking mistakes. Yes, you heard me right. It's a bit of a mind-bender. But trust me, this is going to be worth your while. We all have unique ways of perceiving the world. Sometimes, however, these perspectives can lead us astray. We may fall victim to thinking mistakes that impede our growth and success. Today, I want to unveil the six most common thinking mistakes that hinder people's progress. Removing these pitfalls can enhance your decision-making, communication skills, and overall mindset. > "Every day, the human mind travels enough mental miles to circle the globe twice, yet often finds itself stuck in the same spot." And let me assure you, I'm speaking from personal experience here. I used to make these thinking mistakes all the time, but once I became aware of them, I overcame them and achieved greater success in my [personal and professional life](https://www.philmckinney.com/about-phil-mckinney/). So, as we explore these common thinking mistakes, remember, it's not about striving for perfection or avoiding them altogether. It's about recognizing and learning from them to refine our thinking and unleash our full potential continuously. ### 1\. Confirmation Bias Ever catch yourself solely paying attention to information that confirms what you already believe? That's confirmation bias in action. It's like attending a concert and only hearing the songs you already know and love. The unfamiliar tunes? They fade into the background. In innovation, this manifests as a reluctance to consider new ideas or information that challenges our existing beliefs. Some may label this as "[Not Invented Here](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-are-the-steps-to-go-from-an-idea-to-on-the-shelf/)" (NIH). But here's the kicker: innovation thrives on diversity of thought and challenging the status quo. So, I challenge you to actively seek diverse perspectives and be receptive to changing your mind. ### 2\. Overgeneralization This occurs when we extrapolate one or two instances to an entire category. Have you ever had a negative experience with a particular type of food and then sworn it off for life? That's overgeneralization. The same applies when you hear about an idea that failed for someone else and automatically assume it won't work for you, either. Such thinking can constrain our potential and inhibit us from exploring new opportunities. To avoid this mistake: Remember, one instance does not define an entire category. ### 3\. Catastrophizing Catastrophizing involves envisioning the worst possible outcome of an event. It's like hearing a riff in a song you dislike and suddenly predicting the band's inevitable downfall. But here's the reality: catastrophes rarely materialize. And even if they do, we often possess greater resilience and capacity to handle them than we give ourselves credit for. Don't let the [fear of failure](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-failures-lead-to-innovation/) deter you from taking risks and exploring new avenues. To avoid this mistake, Endeavor must maintain perspective. A single sour note doesn't ruin the entire composition. ### 4\. Emotional Reasoning This transpires when we allow our emotions to shape our interpretation of reality. It's akin to letting a lousy mood dampen your enjoyment of an excellent rock concert. Innovation may entail dismissing ideas because they don't "feel" right or align with our current emotions. However, feelings do not equate to facts. Don't allow emotions to cloud your judgment. Instead, objectively analyze the idea and assess its potential regardless of your feelings. To avoid this mistake, Differentiate between emotions and facts. Just because you're not in the mood for rock doesn't imply the band is performing poorly. ### 5\. Black-and-White Thinking This occurs when we perceive situations as either one way or another, devoid of any middle ground. It's akin to categorizing a song as a hit or a flop, with no room for nuances. Innovation may entail dismissing ideas because they don't conform to preconceived notions of success. However, success seldom adheres to [black-and-white parameters](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/). It's nuanced, with numerous shades in between. Embrace the complexities and be receptive to unconventional ideas. To avoid this mistake, Embrace the nuances. Not every melody can top the charts, and that's perfectly acceptable. ### 6\. Thinking Traps These are ingrained patterns of thinking that we inadvertently fall into. They may include jumping to conclusions, making unfounded assumptions, and disregarding contradictory evidence. Critical thinking and recognizing when we're ensnared in these traps are necessities for innovation. Therefore, step back, pause, and objectively evaluate the situation before concluding. To avoid this mistake, Be mindful of your thinking patterns and proactively challenge them. Again, the list of the six common thinking mistakes are: 1. Confirmation Bias 2. Overgeneralization 3. Catastrophizing 4. Emotional Reasoning 5. Black-and-White Thinking 6. Thinking Traps ## Why Does The Human Mind Make These Mistakes? You may be wondering why our minds succumb to these mistakes. Our brains wire themselves to take shortcuts and simplify complex information. While this may have served us well in the past for survival, it can impede us in critical thinking and making sound decisions. However, acknowledging these common thinking mistakes and actively striving to overcome them can retrain our brains to think more critically and efficiently. So, the next time you catch yourself falling into one of these [traps](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-escape-the-innovation-benchmark-trap/), view it as an opportunity for growth and development. Keep challenging your thinking, and don't shy away from stepping outside your comfort zone. The outcomes might pleasantly surprise you. ## Conclusion Remember, life isn't a scripted performance. It's a live show with improvisations, unexpected solos, and occasional off-key notes. Embrace the complexity, the uncertainty, the beauty of it all. As the great Bob Dylan once said, "Behind every beautiful thing, there's some kind of pain." The trick is not to avoid the pain but to find its beauty. And that, my friends, starts with the way we think. So, let's tune our minds to the right frequency, shall we? Let's make our thinking as rich, diverse, and harmonious as the music we love. Rock on, folks! To learn more about common thinking mistakes, listen to this week's show: **[6 Most Common Thinking Mistakes Holding You Back](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/6%5FMost%5FCommon%5FThinking%5FMistakes%5FHolding%5FYou%5FBack.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Leadership Beyond Position and Title URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/leadership-beyond-position-and-title/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T17:21:45.000Z John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, once said: > "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader." This statement is a powerful call to action that should resonate with everyone who hears it. It urges us to step out from the shadows of passivity and indifference and assume the mantle of leadership, regardless of our position or status in society. The world is full of [armchair critics](https://www.philmckinney.com/stop-the-negativity-become-an-anti-critic/), people who are quick to point out what's wrong but slow to offer solutions or take steps toward change. They sit on the sidelines, waiting for someone else to do the heavy lifting. But leadership isn't about waiting for others to act. It's about [taking the initiative](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-moment-of-inspiration-the-innovation-story-of-2013/), making the first move, and setting an example that others can follow. The beauty of this form of leadership is that it's accessible to everyone. You don't need a fancy title or a high-ranking position to be a leader. All you need is the willingness to act and inspire others to do the same. In this sense, leadership is less about authority and more about being an inspiration. It's about making an impact that ripples across society, affecting individuals, communities, and, eventually, the world at large. But remember, the journey of leadership is not a sprint; it's a marathon. It requires patience, persistence, and resilience. There will be [obstacles and setbacks](https://www.philmckinney.com/great-leaders-keep-cool/) along the way, but that's part of the process. It's about staying the course, even when the path gets tough. My admonition: Don't wait for others to make change happen. Be the change you want to see in the world. Start with your neighbor, then your neighborhood, and then your community, state, nationally, and globally. Remember what John Quincy Adams said: if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader. So go ahead and take the first step. Inspire. Dream. Learn. Do. Become. ### How To Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-improve-your-critical-thinking-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:50.000Z In a world brimming with information and endless arguments, developing the art of critical thinking is not just advantageous—it's a necessity. By the end of this episode, you will wield a powerful toolkit that unlocks a new level of understanding and problem-solving capability, transforming how you approach challenges, debates, and decisions. Elevating your critical thinking skills enhances influence and reveals how to see beyond the surface of presented information. ## What is Critical Thinking? Critical thinking, one of the most crucial competencies, embodies deep analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information, approached with skepticism and logical reasoning. Hone this skill to peer beneath the apparent layer of information, entertain various viewpoints, and arrive at decisions grounded in rationality. You cut through the noise and complexity by honing critical thinking, leading to more precise judgment and better outcomes. ## Loss of Critical Thinking Skills In today's fast-paced, digital-first society, the loss of robust critical thinking skills is vividly apparent, especially in social media's wildfire spread of information without scrutiny. People often accept headlines without considering sources or underlying biases. This trend extends to the polarization of political discourse, where alignment with ideas frequently precedes reasoned analysis. Convenience-driven algorithms create echo chambers, reinforcing beliefs and opinions. This lack of critical engagement impoverishes personal growth understanding and undermines the fabric of an informed democracy. ## How To Improve Your Critical Thinking Improving critical thinking isn't daunting. Approach new information cautiously, evaluating the credibility of sources and validity of arguments. Actively seek context evidence and cross-reference information from multiple sources. Be open to different perspectives and ask constructive questions, cultivating a balanced and cautious approach. ## Be Cautious Always approach new information with a cautious eye. In today's [digital age](https://www.philmckinney.com/bridging-the-digital-divide-with-innovation-and-connectivity/), information is constantly at our fingertips, but not all is reliable. Taking the time to assess information critically and not accepting it at face value is a crucial first step toward improving your critical thinking skills. Steps to Approach Information with Caution: 1. **Identify the Source**: Always take a moment to look up the source of the information. Reputable sources tend to have a history of reliability and accuracy. 2. **Understand the Context**: Context matters. Seek it actively. Why was this information created? What is happening in the world that relates to it? 3. **Check for Evidence**: Look for the data or evidence supporting the claims. Research or data typically backs up reliable information. 4. **Cross-Reference**: Verify the information by consulting multiple sources. If multiple credible sources convey the same message, it adds to the credibility of the information. 5. **Be Open to Different Perspectives**: Exposing yourself to various viewpoints can provide a fuller picture and help you evaluate the information more effectively. 6. **Ask Constructive Questions**: Instead of dismissing new information outright, ask questions that probe deeper into its validity and relevance. Following these steps, you can cultivate a balanced and cautious approach to handling new information without descending into skepticism or negativity. ## Question Assumptions Question assumptions to recognize and challenge biases. This ongoing process is essential for developing robust critical thinking skills. Steps to Question Assumptions 1. **Identify Your Beliefs**: Your beliefs or assumptions about a specific topic or situation. It's important to articulate these to yourself to know exactly what you are questioning. 2. **Trace the Origin**: Once you've pinpointed your beliefs, try to trace their origins. Ask yourself, where did these beliefs come from? Were personal experiences, education, societal norms, or perhaps media influenced them? 3. **Challenge Your Beliefs**: Actively challenge your beliefs by asking critical questions such as, "What evidence do I have to support this belief?" and "Could I be wrong?". Consider the opposite viewpoint and what evidence there is to support that perspective. 4. **Seek Out Contrary Evidence**: Look for information, data, or perspectives contradicting your beliefs. This will help you to see the topic from different angles and provide a more rounded understanding. 5. [**Engage in Critical Discussion**](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-devils-advocate-is-it-good-for-innovation/): Discussing your beliefs with others, especially those with different views, can provide valuable insights and challenge you to think critically about your assumptions. Be open to changing your mind based on new information or perspectives. 6. **Reflect Regularly**: Regular reflection on your beliefs and assumptions is crucial. Acknowledge when your beliefs have changed due to new evidence or insights, and adapt your perspective accordingly. This ongoing process is essential for developing strong critical thinking skills. By following these steps, you can effectively question your assumptions, broadening your understanding and enhancing your ability to think critically about the world. ## Applying Logic Practice reasoning through logic by breaking down complex problems, identifying premises, developing a logical structure, evaluating arguments, and drawing well-reasoned conclusions. Steps to Applying Logic 1. [**Break Down the Problem**](https://www.philmckinney.com/einsteins-secret-to-effective-problem-solving/): Start by dividing the issue into smaller, more manageable parts. This simplification allows you to tackle each component one at a time, making the overall problem less overwhelming. 2. **Identify the Premises**: Determine the underlying premises or assumptions. Your logical reasoning will build upon these foundational statements or facts. It's crucial to ensure these are accurate and relevant. 3. **Develop a Logical Structure**: Arrange your premises so they lead logically to a conclusion. This step may involve creating a series of if-then statements or mapping the relationships between premises. 4. **Evaluate the Arguments**: Critically assess the validity of your logical structure. Check for common logical fallacies or errors in reasoning that could undermine your conclusion. This might include checking for oversimplifications, false dichotomies, or unproven assumptions. 5. **Draw a Conclusion**: After a thorough evaluation, draw a conclusion based on your established logical sequence. Ensure that the conclusion directly follows from the premises. If the conclusion does not follow naturally, you may need to revisit the earlier steps to adjust your reasoning. ## Avoid Logical Fallacies Recognize and avoid logical fallacies, strengthening critical thinking skills. Steps to Avoiding Logical Fallacies 1. **Educate Yourself**: Familiarize yourself with common logical fallacies and how they manifest in arguments. Some of the most common include ad hominem, straw man, slippery slope, and false dilemma. 2. **Consider Alternative Explanations**: When faced with a persuasive argument, consider alternative explanations for the evidence presented. This will help you to avoid accepting an opinion simply because it seems convincing on the surface. 3. **Examine the Evidence**: Pay close attention to the evidence presented in an argument and evaluate its validity. Look for any bias or manipulation of information that could skew the argument's logic. 4. **Stay Focused**: Getting sidetracked during a debate or argument is easy, but staying focused on the topic is essential. Avoid making personal attacks or introducing irrelevant information. 5. **Be Open to Change**: Be willing to change your mind if presented with new evidence or a stronger argument. This shows intellectual humility and a commitment to seeking truth rather than defending your beliefs. 6. **Practice, Practice, Practice**: The more you engage in critical thinking and argumentation, the better you will spot logical fallacies and avoid them in your own reasoning. So, keep practicing and challenging yourself to think critically in all aspects of life. ## Asking Good Questions Ask open-ended questions, start with "why," use different question types, listen actively, and practice curiosity. Asking good questions is a powerful tool for critical thinkers. Steps for developing good questioning skills: 1. **Start with the Why**: Asking "why" questions can help you to understand the reasoning behind someone's beliefs or actions. 2. **Use Different Question Types**: Several questions can serve different purposes, such as probing for more information, clarifying a point, or challenging assumptions. Use a variety of question types to get a comprehensive understanding of an issue. 3. **Listen Actively**: Listening is just as critical as asking good questions. Pay attention to the answers and ask for clarification if needed. 4. **Don't Be Afraid to Dig Deeper**: Feel free to continue asking questions until you achieve a satisfactory level of understanding if you sense there is more to uncover. 5. **Be Respectful**: Remember to ask questions respectfully and without judgment. This will foster open and honest dialogue, leading to deeper insights and understanding. 6. **Practice Curiosity**: Cultivate a curious mindset and be open to [exploring new ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-myth-of-scarcity-the-endless-supply-of-ideas/) and perspectives through questioning. ## Improving Critical Thinking Skills: A Journey Improving critical thinking is a journey requiring practice, patience, and perseverance. Maintain a clear and authoritative tone, letting logical reasoning and thoughtful questioning speak for themselves. ## Practice Exercise: Engage in a Debate Hone critical thinking skills through a structured debate. Here are the steps you can go about it: 1. **Select a Topic**: Choose an interesting and potentially contentious topic for both of you. This could range from discussions on social issues, scientific debates, ethical dilemmas, or even preferences in movies or art. 2. **Assign Positions**: Flip a coin to decide who will argue in favor and against the topic. This randomness ensures that you might have to discuss a position you don't personally hold, which is excellent for developing your skills of being open to hearing other positions. 3. **Prepare Your Arguments**: Each person researches the topic and prepares their arguments. Remember to look for credible sources and anticipate counterarguments you might face. 4. **Engage in the Debate**: Set a specific time and place for the debate—lay ground rules for respectful engagement and time limits for each argument. Then, present your arguments and listen to each other's points, rebutting as necessary. 5. **Record the Debate**: If possible, record the debate. This isn't for sharing but for personal review. Listening to the recording can help you identify areas of strength in your argumentation and tendencies toward any logical fallacies. 6. **Reflect and Discuss**: After the debate, take some time to discuss with your friend what you each learned from the experience. Reflect on the arguments' strengths and how you might improve in future discussions. 7. **Switch Sides**: For an added challenge, you can switch sides and argue from the opposite perspective. This exercise can broaden your understanding of the issue and improve your critical thinking skills. ## Conclusion With practice, become a strong and persuasive critical thinker, confidently navigating problems. The rewards of improved critical thinking—better decisions, effective problem-solving, and easy navigating of modern life—are well worth the effort. Apply these tips daily: keep questioning, analyzing, evaluating, and never stop learning! The impact on your personal and professional life will be profound, turning you into a discerning consumer of information, an effective problem solver, and a thoughtful communicator. Inspire others to become critical thinkers, too! To learn more about improving your critical thinking, listen to this week's show: **[How To Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FImprove%5FYour%5FCritical%5FThinking%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Imperfect Pursuit of Balance URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-imperfect-pursuit-of-balance/ Last updated: 2024-03-10T17:40:31.000Z At the heart of modern discourse on success lies the elusive concept of balance. From self-help gurus to executive seminars, the call to harmonize work and personal life echoes loud and clear. We are bombarded with advice on how to achieve balance, yet in reality, most of us find ourselves constantly struggling to maintain it. But why is balance so difficult to attain? It may be because the very idea of balance implies perfection - a perfect equilibrium between all aspects of our lives. And let's face it, perfection is an unattainable goal. We are human and, therefore, inherently imperfect. Yet, we continue to strive for balance because it promises a sense of control and fulfillment. We believe that if we can just find the right formula, we can have it all—a successful career, loving relationships, and a healthy lifestyle. But as someone who constantly juggles myriad responsibilities, I've come to see that balance is not a destination but an ongoing pursuit. It requires constant reflection, adjustment, and acceptance of imperfection. This is no self-help guide but a contemplative piece for anyone navigating the bustling intricacies of life in pursuit of personal and career success. ## Understanding Balance The term 'balance' eulogizes a tranquil state of equilibrium, yet it's often misconceived as a stagnant condition. Balance in life equates to knowing when to double down on professional commitments without jeopardizing familial ties. It's the intuition to invest in one's health while fostering intellectual growth and social serenity. Quite simply, it means finding the right rhythm in one's life, where no aspect overshadows the other. ### The Journey of Finding Balance The pursuit of balance is an expedition—a grand odyssey brimming with challenges and rewarding insights. It demands more than a steely resolve; it requires an architectural understanding of how one's life is constructed and the audacity to continually renovate it. #### My Approach to Balance Through Prioritization My criteria for [finding balance is prioritization](https://www.philmckinney.com/balancing-professional-goals-with-personal-values-my-process-of-prioritization/). Every day seems to be a flood of tasks and demands that compete for my attention. But I've found that by identifying what's truly important to me and my values, I can make informed decisions about how to distribute my time and energy. I ask myself: What are my non-negotiables? What areas of life bring me the most fulfillment? Then, I prioritize them in a way that allows me to achieve a sense of balance. For example, I value spending quality time with my grandkids, so I make sure to prioritize that in my schedule. At the same time, I'm passionate about my career, so I also allocate time for those pursuits. It's imperative to determine the core values that guide your life. For me, these values coalesce around what I call the Five F's—Faith, Family, Friends, Fitness, and Finance. #### The Five F's Each F represents an aspect of life that warrants fulfillment for a balanced existence: - **Faith**: The core beliefs and moral compass injecting purpose into one's life. - **Family**: The unyielding pillar of support and joy, anchoring amidst tumultuous times. - **Friends**: The lifeblood of camaraderie and warmth, essential for mental sustenance. - **Fitness**: The conduit for physical health and the metaphor of discipline. - **Finance**: The means to sustain independence and the freedom to pursue dreams. This classification isn't one-size-fits-all. It's the distillation of what I did right and what I did wrong over my career. It's my [framework for prioritizing demands](https://www.philmckinney.com/balancing-professional-goals-with-personal-values-my-process-of-prioritization/) on my time and energy and seeking balance. Navigating these Five F's doesn't follow a checklist. Sometimes, one may require more attention than the others. However, understanding and valuing each F allows for a holistic approach to finding balance in life. ### Embracing Imperfection In acknowledging balance for what it truly is—an ongoing, imperfect pursuit—we find liberation. It's freeing to recognize that life isn't a rigid structure to be balanced on a finger but a fluid dance where footing might falter, and that's okay. [Each misstep](https://www.philmckinney.com/all-of-my-innovation-projects-work-perfectly-no-honest-trust-me/) is an invitation to reflect, reassess, and recalibrate. #### Learning from Setbacks Setbacks are the reality. They're also the source of valuable lessons that help us strive for balance. As we embrace imperfection, we grow in our ability to prioritize and make informed decisions in the pursuit of balance. #### The Evolving Nature of Balance A critical revelation I learned early in my career is that balance is not static. Our responsibilities grow, our interests shift, and our energies wane. The balance sheet of life is one that we must reconcile with time and time again. ## Conclusion In a world entrenched in the binary of success and failure, balance is the gray area we must navigate with grace and intention. It's not a checklist to be completed but an ongoing journey that requires constant reflection, prioritization, and embracing imperfection. So keep running, keep striving, and never stop seeking balance. It may not be perfect, but it's the imperfect pursuit that makes life worth living. ### 7 Innovations Accelerating The Technological Singularity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/7-innovations-accelerating-the-technological-singularity/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:50.000Z Envision a world on the precipice of a profound transformation, driven by seven unprecedented innovations, poised to revolutionize every aspect of society. This shift, approaching a technological singularity, carries immense responsibility and high stakes for current and future generations. Our technological prowess is unrivaled. From the simplest inventions to the most complex machines, we have continually pushed the limits of what is possible. But as our capabilities grow exponentially, a looming question arises: are we heading towards a technological singularity that could change the course of humanity? The concept of technological singularity has moved beyond the fringes of [futurism](https://www.philmckinney.com/exploring-the-future-of-home-automation-with-oliveriqs-will-west-and-eric-smith/); it is now an imminent possibility. Defined as the hypothetical future point when technologies have become so advanced that humanity undergoes a dramatic and irreversible change, the singularity presents an inescapable, exhilarating, and terrifying problem for philosophers, scientists, and every human being. Are we prepared for the implications, the ramifications, and the profound changes that a tech-driven future might bring? My objective is not an attempt to provide answers. Instead, to provoke thought and conversation about what I see as seven unprecedented innovations that could lead towards a technological singularity. ## Understanding Technological Singularity The concept of technological singularity is not a new one. In 1958, mathematician Stanislaw Ulam coined the term, and in the 1990s, science fiction writer Vernor Vinge popularized it. It postulates an "intelligence explosion" moment when machines surpass human intellect, leading to unforeseeable changes in civilization. At its core, the technological singularity represents more than just the possibility of creating machines that think. It symbolizes a pivotal moment in human history where our inventions could autonomously innovate, replicate, and even make decisions that impact global economics, ethics, and governance. Imagine a future where [AI systems](https://www.philmckinney.com/startup-stories-resactlys-ai-meets-gastronomy/) design better AI systems, a cycle that accelerates innovation at a pace humans can neither anticipate nor control. Such a scenario isn't just about machines taking over mundane tasks but about them driving forward civilization's progress in areas like medicine and space exploration. This notion, once confined to the realm of science fiction, edges closer to reality with each generation of Moore's law. The question we must ask ourselves isn't just "Can we create super-intelligent AI?" but "Should we?" What safeguards must we implement to ensure that this leap in our evolutionary trajectory doesn't start the collapse of society? How do we maintain the essence of our humanity in a world where our creations might outthink, outlive, and outperform us? These are not questions of technology alone but of philosophy, ethics, and survival. ## Intersection of Humanity, Philosophy, and Innovation At the heart of technological singularity are questions that have plagued the minds of philosophers for centuries. What does it mean to be human? What role does consciousness play in our existence? Are we simply complex machines ourselves? The singularity, with its promise of immortality, limitless knowledge, and superhuman abilities, challenges the very core of human philosophy. It threatens to redefine our notions of mortality, individuality, and spirituality. It beckons humanity to contemplate its place not only in the universe but in a world it has redefined through innovation. As we strive to push the boundaries of what is possible, we must also grapple with the responsibility that comes with such immense power. But the most pressing question is whether our current philosophies and belief systems can handle a world where technology has surpassed our capabilities. Will our ethical frameworks evolve to keep up with these advancements, or will they become obsolete, leaving humanity in a moral crisis? ## Unprecedented Innovation Current trends in technology suggest we are hurtling toward this critical milestone. Each year, we witness the release of advancements that not only widen our capabilities but also seem to skirt the fringes of the sci-fi domain. Programs are learning to beat us at our games, to simulate emotions, and potentially — to feel them. We are not talking about Buck Roger's science fiction. We are talking about the near future, where we will have to reckon with the impact on humanity within our lifetime. The potential consequences are vast, from economic displacement to the loss of autonomy. But the possibilities are equally extraordinary — a future where we can solve complex problems, eradicate diseases, and explore new frontiers. The seven unprecedented innovations I would put forward as accelerating the singularity include: 1. **Quantum Computing**: Beyond the realm of classical computing, quantum computers leverage the principles of quantum mechanics to process information at speeds inconceivable to traditional machines. This leap could revolutionize encryption, drug discovery, and even AI's learning capabilities, potentially solving complex problems beyond our reach. 2. **Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs)**: Merging the human brain with computers offers the promise of telepathy-like communication, enhanced cognitive abilities, and the restoration of sensory and motor functions. This technology blurs the lines between human intelligence and artificial augmentation, challenging our concepts of identity and autonomy. 3. **Gene Editing (CRISPR-Cas9)**: CRISPR-Cas9 has ushered in a new era of genetic engineering, with the potential to edit genes with unprecedented precision. This innovation could eradicate hereditary diseases, produce new food sources, and even extend human lifespans, posing ethical questions about the nature of evolution and the limits of human enhancement. 4. **Autonomous Vehicles and Drones**: Once a staple of sci-fi narratives, autonomous technology is rapidly becoming a reality. Self-driving cars and delivery drones are set to redefine mobility, logistics, and urban landscapes, offering increased efficiency but also triggering concerns about job displacement, safety, and privacy. 5. **AI and Machine Learning Algorithms**: Artificial intelligence, powered by increasingly sophisticated algorithms, transforms industries, from healthcare with predictive diagnostics to finance with automated trading. Yet, as AI systems outperform human capabilities, we must confront the potential for dependency, bias proliferation, and the erosion of privacy. 6. **Space Tourism and Colonization**: Several companies aim to make space travel and habitation possible for civilians, igniting dreams of Mars colonies and space exploration. This frontier-pushing endeavor highlights human ingenuity but also raises questions about resource allocation, environmental impacts, and the implications of extraterrestrial human presence. 7. **Fusion Energy**: Mimicking the sun's power generation, fusion energy promises a clean, almost limitless power source. By achieving a controlled fusion reaction, we could dramatically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and power future generations. However, the technical and ethical challenges in harnessing and distributing this power remain daunting. While some herald these innovations as the next step in human evolution, others caution against the naivety of creators playing the role of gods. They warn of a world where humanity has ceded control to machines, where the calculations of silicon minds determine our fate with no empathy. ## Humanity's Role in Shaping the Future What responsibility do we hold as the creators of these advancements? What moral code should guide our actions as we strive to outthink, outlive, and outperform ourselves? Our role is of the utmost importance. The path to singularity does not have a [predetermined destiny](https://www.philmckinney.com/politics-of-innovation-how-should-politicians-think-about-innovation/). Our collective choices and actions shape it. It requires us to engage with deliberation and humility to contextualize innovation within our shared values and beliefs. ## Personal Stance The potential for singularity to enhance human life is as great as its potential to diminish. In the face of looming change, our greatest strength lies not in our silicon gadgets but in our uniquely human qualities — our capacity for empathy, creativity, and moral reasoning. Therefore, as we continue on this path of unprecedented innovation, let us not forget what it means to be human. The balance of humanity in this uncertain future lies in our collective hands, and our decisions now will reverberate for generations to come. ## Conclusion Instead of calling to halt progress or stifle innovation, this is a call to temper the zeal of the creators with the wisdom of the sages. We must proactively establish safeguards against our creations' [unforeseen consequences](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-myth-of-scarcity-the-endless-supply-of-ideas/). The technological singularity is not a singular event at all. It is a continuum that begins today, with every line of code we write, every innovation we build, and every decision we make that inches us closer to — or further from — the potential future we envision. The age of singularity is upon us, and we must shape it with care, consideration, and humanity. To learn more about accelerating technological singularity, listen to this week's show: **[7 Innovations Accelerating The Technological Singularity](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/7%5FInnovations%5FAccelerating%5Fthe%5FTechnological%5FSingularity.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Art of Selecting an Innovation Mentor URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-art-of-selecting-an-innovation-mentor/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:50.000Z Navigating the intricate realm of innovation is akin to sailing without a map, a challenging endeavor. That's where the invaluable role of an innovation mentor comes into play, acting as a guiding force. Picture them as friends always armed with the best advice, guiding you through [launching your venture](https://www.philmckinney.com/bryan-chambers-and-joel-radtke-on-fintech-and-venture-capital-innovation/), shaking things up at work, or bringing your ideas to life. They serve as a reliable beacon, lighting the way and steering you through rough waters. ## The Role of an Innovation Mentor Discovering a mentor to navigate the innovation maze isn't merely about hiring an expert or a quick-fix coach. An innovation mentor is your adept ally in the professional world, brimming with experience and a genuine desire to elevate your innovative spirit. Beyond dictating actions, they're committed to the long haul, offering support and sharing insights to help you think creatively and turn ideas into reality. What does having an innovation mentor mean? It's like teaming up with a seasoned companion who's been through innovation's challenges. They provide wisdom from their own experiences, offering guidance, cheering you through hurdles, and encouraging [different ways of thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-creative-thinking-based-on-nature-or-nurture/). An innovation mentor doesn't just offer advice; they foster a connection and actively contribute to your growth. It's more than a transaction; it's about building a connection, growing together, and achieving success as a team. ## Complexity of Mentor Matching Finding the right innovation mentor is akin to searching for a vintage gem in a thrift store—it requires sorting through a myriad, and outcomes can be hit or miss. Amidst the proliferation of fancy titles on LinkedIn, spotting a genuine mentor becomes challenging. The key is to sift through the noise and identify someone who genuinely stands out, connects with your values, and is as invested in your success as you are. How do you know if a mentor is the key to your success or just another calendar entry? The answer lies in [investing time to talk](https://www.philmckinney.com/jordi-fernandez-of-benetalk-on-innovating-stuttering/) with potential mentors, relying on intuition. Impressive backgrounds and recommendations can sometimes be misleading; the best fit often surprises you—the individual whose values align with yours. ## Personal Experience With Mentors and Mentees Drawing from over 40 years of experience with my mentor, [Bob Davis](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-innovation-coaching-versus-innovation-mentoring/), it's evident that mentorship goes beyond transactions. It's a merging of shared values, mutual respect, and a commitment to learning. Commitment, honest communication, and mutual time investment are crucial for a rewarding experience when mentoring others. The connections formed and the growth of mentees continue to motivate me to be the best mentor. > Mentees with innovation mentors are more likely to become mentors themselves, creating a cycle that not only enriches their personal growth but also perpetuates a culture of learning and mentorship. It’s a ripple effect that transforms the professional landscape—yet, astonishingly, less than one-third of professionals seek mentorship. Before hitting the search button for a mentor, reflect on why you are seeking one and what you hope to gain. It's about more than opening doors; it's finding a genuine connection and partnership to navigate innovation challenges successfully. ## Qualities of an Innovation Mentor A remarkable innovation mentor is more than a sideline cheerleader or someone who tells you what you want to hear. They're akin to a coach deeply involved in the game. They challenge your ideas, bring experience, root for your success, and ensure you stay on the right path. The eight qualities you should look for in an innovation mentor are: 1. **Visionary Insight:** The best mentors possess a keen foresight that sees beyond current trends and anticipates future shifts. Like a seasoned chess player, they guide mentees through moves that position them for long-term success. 2. **Empathy and Understanding:** They deeply understand the mentee's journey and can relate to their experiences. This empathy establishes trust and a safe space for open dialogue and vulnerability. 3. **Adaptability:** Innovation is synonymous with change; a top-notch mentor navigates these waters with poise. They adapt their guidance to suit the mentee's evolving needs rather than sticking to rigid doctrines. 4. **Unwavering Commitment:** They are consistently available and invested in the mentee's growth, providing support through thick and thin. Their commitment is a stabilizing force amidst the [chaos of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/leading-through-uncertainty-innovation-leadership-in-time-of-crisis/). 5. **Skilled Communication:** The ability to articulate complex ideas simply and to listen actively is paramount. They challenge mentees with questions that spark reflection and creative thinking. 6. **Resilience in Failure:** Mentors should celebrate successes and provide a resilient frame for overcoming setbacks. They teach that failure is not a setback but a necessary step toward innovation. 7. **Ethical Integrity:** They exemplify the highest standards of ethics as individuals and professionals, serving as role models for ethical decision-making in a challenging business landscape. 8. **Network Savviness:** An effective mentor brings a wealth of connections and understands the power of networking. They help mentees access crucial resources and opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. ## Benefits of Mentorship A robust innovation mentorship goes beyond offering tips—it transforms your perspective, opening new paths. Here are some of the benefits that strong innovation mentorship can yield: 1. **Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills:** Mentorship elevates your ability to tackle complex problems by fostering critical thinking. Mentees develop sophisticated strategies to face challenges by observing and discussing approaches with a mentor experienced in innovative problem-solving. 2. **Accelerated Professional Development:** A mentor's guidance can fast-track a mentee's career progression by identifying and honing key skills essential for advancement, often leading to opportunities that may have taken years to materialize organically. 3. **Expanded Professional Network:** Mentors often introduce their mentees to a vast network of industry professionals, providing connections and the social capital necessary to thrive in competitive environments. 4. **Increased Confidence:** With a mentor's support, mentees are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, leading to a significant boost in self-assurance, which is crucial when asserting ideas and taking on leadership roles. 5. **Heightened Innovation and Creativity:** Exposure to a mentor's creative process and innovative thinking spurs mentees to explore new ideas and approaches, fostering innovation within themselves and their teams. 6. **Better Risk Management:** Learning from a mentor's past experiences helps mentees [navigate risks](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-strength-acquiring-innovation-avoiding-the-biggest-risks-to-innovation/) and understand the nuances of risk-taking, which is essential for innovation. 7. **Sustained Learning and Growth:** Mentorship instills a continuous learning mindset, ensuring that the quest for knowledge and improvement doesn't end with formal education but becomes a lifelong journey. 8. **Holistic Personal Development:** A good mentor understands the importance of balance and can guide mentees in areas beyond professional life, contributing to their overall well-being and personal fulfillment. So, are you making a splash, or is it time to toss that pebble in the pond? Your mentor's influence has the potential to shape those ripples—choose wisely. ## The Investment in Innovation Mentorship Selecting a mentor is a significant decision akin to choosing a guru, your Yoda. They are the ones you'll turn to when your career hits turbulence, equipped with the map to guide you through it. However, it's not a one-time arrangement; you must be ready to introspect, invest effort, and face challenges. Mentorship is your shortcut to accelerated growth, providing skills for long-term success. Mentorship is not just about receiving facts; it's about acquiring skills that empower you to thrive in the long run. The mentorship magic lies in imparting skills, not just facts. [So, are you ready to dive into the mentorship pool?](https://intro.co/philmckinney?ref=philmckinney.com) Choose wisely, put in the effort, and reap the benefits of a robust innovation mentor-mentee relationship. To learn more about finding an innovation mentor, listen to this week's show: **[The Art of Selecting an Innovation Mentor](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FArt%5Fof%5FSelecting%5Fan%5FInnovation%5FMentor.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Hidden Price of Tomorrow's Innovations URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-hidden-price-of-tomorrows-innovations/ Last updated: 2024-02-23T23:46:41.000Z Is the rosy glow of technological advancement blinding us to the potential pitfalls of an increasingly utopian narrative? As a society, we're embedded in an era where innovation is glorified—a narrative spun by the tech elite, promising a future so bright we must wear shades, and more often than not, it's hard not to get swept up in the enthusiasm. But perhaps we need to take off those shades and look more critically at the vision being propagated. Here, I am, as someone who has been in the tech and innovation game for years, to provide a balanced perspective on the real-world implications of our technological optimism. My goal is not to throw cold water on innovation progress but to examine it realistically. ## Defining the Dream [Technological utopianism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological%5Futopianism?ref=philmckinney.com), or technotopianism, is more than an aspiration for a better future through technology; it’s a belief that technological innovation will eventually solve our most pressing problems, bringing about a state of idealized harmony. It’s a vision where machines work tirelessly to sustain and improve human life, where every ailment has a cure in a pill, and where daily drudgery is replaced with the bliss of leisure. But who gets to dictate these visions? And, more crucially, are they universally beneficial? ## Who’s Penning the Vision? It’s often the tech giants and the entrepreneurial elite who are not only penning but aggressively promoting the technotopian story. They wield an inordinate amount of influence, able to shape public opinion and policy in ways that nudge us closer to their vision of a utopian reality. By framing their innovations as integral to the advancement of society, they draw a veil over the less savory aspects of their vision. Consider the massive environmental cost of producing the next smartphone, or the labor exploitation behind the latest device. It’s a narrative that often sidelines the messy, complex, and less-utopian issues in favor of the glossier technological achievements. When the narrative of utopianism is closely linked to corporate interests, we have to question whether technology is genuinely serving the betterment of humankind. For many of these companies, the utopian vision is little more than a marketing ploy—a way to sell a product under the guise of progress. This 'corporate utopianism' masks the true nature of technological advancements by perpetuating a one-sided narrative. ## A Balanced Perspective It’s crucial that we don't blindly accept the technotopian narrative but rather approach it with a critical eye. This doesn't mean everyone should become a [Luddite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite?ref=philmckinney.com), but it requires us to question who is driving the narrative and whose interests are being served. We must also consider the potential drawbacks and unintended consequences of technological advancement. By balancing optimism with a critical lens, we can work towards a more realistic and responsible approach to progress. But that is hard to do. Basking in the glow of innovation is tempting. Who wouldn’t want to believe in a future where all our problems are solved by technology? However, skepticism can go a long way in ensuring that we don’t rush headlong into a future crafted by the few without considering the many. How? - We need to foster a culture that encourages reflection on the potential consequences of our collective actions and a society that questions the narratives fed to us. - We need to arm every citizen with technological/innovation literacy—not to be able to code but to understand the implications of the technologies that infiltrate our lives. The aim is not to stymie innovation but to democratize it, ensuring [everyone has a voice in shaping our technological future](https://www.wired.com/story/america-can-still-achieve-its-techno-utopian-dream/?ref=philmckinney.com). > In our sprint toward a shiny tech utopia, we often overlook the footprints we leave behind. We must pause and look over our shoulders, ensuring that what we build for tomorrow doesn't dismantle what we cherish today. ## Balancing Enthusiasm with Pragmatism I, too, have been swept up by the allure of technological possibility. It’s hard not to be when the stories of progress are painted in such vibrant, hopeful colors. But as I look back on my career, I can’t help but notice the potential downsides of technotopianism, and it’s made me realize the importance of balancing enthusiasm with pragmatism. It is a balance between embracing the benefits of technology and apprehending the dangers. It’s a tightrope walk of enthusiastic progress and pragmatic caution. It’s about not denying the brilliance of human invention while remaining acutely aware of the potential darkness that can accompany it. ## Shaping a Realistic Utopia It is not my intent to throw stones at the glass house of progress. Innovation has and will continue to bring us remarkable opportunities. However, we must become discerning consumers of the technotopian narrative. We must demand transparency from the tech elite, engage critically with the technologies that shape our world, and remember that true utopia lies in a collective, informed, and prepared society. Hope for the future isn’t misplaced, but it’s paired with a healthy dose of caution. In doing so, we can ensure that the future we create is not only bright but a utopia for all. ### Unlocking the Door to Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/unlocking-the-door-to-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:49.000Z Embarking on becoming an innovation consultant is an adventure fraught with challenges and opportunities. The question that often arises is: What kind of experience does diving into the depths of innovation consulting require? Breaking into this highly competitive field necessitates a blend of academic knowledge and real-world practice. Still, the pathway is less about a set timeframe and the rich experiences gained, opening the door to innovation. ## The Power of Apprenticeship: Learning by Doing Consider the apprenticeship — the age-old tradition of learning by doing —the key to unlocking latent potential. Aligning with a mentor, someone whose accomplishments you respect and aspire to emulate, becomes vital. Through this alliance, the transfer of wisdom is not merely academic but vibrantly alive, fertilized by the flow of ideas born of actual projects and commercial undertakings. ## Years vs. Experience: Redefining Success in Innovation Is there a magic number of years required for mastery, or does the variety and depth of experience trump the span of time? What if success in innovation is not just about the ideas you conceive but also about your capacity to shepherd those ideas through the stages of development to execution? This pursuit of innovation is not for the faint-hearted. It's for those willing to be tenacious, invest time and effort, and repeatedly return to the forge of creation. So, are you ready to unlock the door? ## Real-world Experience: A Necessity, Not a Luxury [Venturing into the startup arena](https://www.philmckinney.com/treat-your-life-like-a-startup/) is daunting, with roughly 90% failing within their first year. Strikingly, the restaurant industry shares a similar fate, where 60% do not celebrate their first anniversary. Combining these two volatile worlds, as Fisayo has done with Resactly, is a brave endeavor — a testament to her passion and tenacity. ## The Role of Internships and Apprenticeships Is two years the minimum requirement for mastery, or can internships and apprenticeships be tailored to individual needs? Not everyone can commit to a two-year apprenticeship, but real-world experience is crucial. Find someone you admire, someone who has the experience, and be part of all aspects of innovation, from ideation to execution. ## Unlock the Door to Innovation Consulting In conclusion, the journey to becoming an innovation consultant is personal. Whether through internships, apprenticeships, or hands-on experience, the key is to immerse yourself in the world of innovation. Acquiring the hard knocks of real-world experience is essential, and this practical knowledge sets you apart. Once you've gained this experience, you can confidently unlock the door to innovation and share your insights with the world. So, are you ready to take that first step? To learn more about unlocking the door to innovation, listen to this week's show: *[*Unlocking the Door to Innovation*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Unlocking%5Fthe%5FDoor%5Fto%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).* \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Startup Stories: Resactly's AI Meets Gastronomy URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/startup-stories-resactlys-ai-meets-gastronomy/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:49.000Z In the convergence of gastronomy and technology, Fisayo Oluwadiya stands at the forefront, embodying the fusion of engineering, culinary artistry, and entrepreneurship. This week, our conversation delves into her brainchild, Resactly, a pioneering AI-powered restaurant recommendation system that promises to reshape how we navigate the culinary landscape. ## A Palatable Blend of Passions Fisayo, an engineer, food writer, and entrepreneur, breaks the mold of a conventional techie. She ingeniously intertwines her love for coding and gastronomy, giving birth to Resactly, a web application poised to revolutionize how we experience and [explore food](https://www.philmckinney.com/2024-innovation-and-trends-to-watch/). The synergy between these seemingly disparate worlds sparks a delectable journey into the future of dining. ## Resactly: A Gastronomy Navigator At its core, Resactly transcends the conventional boundaries of restaurant recommendations. It's a guide and a gastronomic companion, utilizing [AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-number-1-reason-teams-fail-at-innovation/) to tailor suggestions based on individual preferences and dietary requirements. Have you ever felt misled by subjective restaurant reviews? Resactly emerges as a beacon of objectivity, akin to a trusted friend who comprehends your palate intricately. The platform's innovation doesn't halt at recommendations; it seamlessly integrates with restaurants, ushering in a new era of culinary understanding. This elevated interaction between users and establishments signifies a monumental leap forward, surpassing the limitations of traditional methods and embracing a more nuanced, user-centric approach. ## The Journey from Idea to Culinary Innovation > Venturing into the startup arena is daunting, with roughly 90% failing within their first year. Strikingly, the restaurant industry shares a similar fate, where 60% do not celebrate their first anniversary. Combining these two volatile worlds, as Fisayo has done with Resactly, is a brave endeavor—a testament to her passion and tenacity. Reflecting on Fisayo's journey from ideation to innovation, our conversation parallels my entrepreneurial ventures. I share my narrative of initiating 13 startups on credit cards, culminating in a triumphant IPO. The emphasis lies on the driving force of innovation – passion. It's the unwavering commitment that propels ideas into transformative realities. ## Navigating Entrepreneurial Challenges In the entrepreneurial arena, challenges are inevitable. For Resactly, securing funding emerged as a significant hurdle. Fisayo, however, candidly shares these realities, offering a transparent look into the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. This openness underscores the resilience required to navigate the unpredictable landscape of startup ventures. ## The Future of Gastronomy: A Glimpse In conclusion, our conversation serves as a captivating peek into the future of food technology. It illuminates the transformative role of AI in enhancing our dining experiences, emphasizing the [indispensable role of passion](https://theinnovators.network/the-morality-of-knowledge-playing-god-or-responsible-innovator/?ref=philmckinney.com) in propelling innovation forward. Fisayo's call for early-stage tech exploration and user feedback is a poignant reminder that we all play a part in shaping this exciting future. As we embark on this gastronomic journey, let's actively contribute to Resactly's evolution. Join us in testing Resactly and be part of the culinary revolution. Visit [www.resactly.com](http://www.resactly.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and indulge in the future of personalized dining experiences. To learn more about the convergence of technology and food, listen to this week's show: **[Startup Stories: Resactly's AI Meets Gastronomy](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Startup%5FStories%5F-Resactlys%5FAI%5FMeets%5FGastronomy.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Is Boredom the Silent Muse? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/is-boredom-the-silent-muse/ Last updated: 2024-02-09T21:43:20.000Z In this fast-paced world, where every moment is scheduled, and every tick of the clock is a siren call for productivity, we are often afraid to embrace the quiet of boredom, a state ripe with potential for creativity and introspection. Yet, is it not also curious that in the same breath, we lament the loss of our ability to concentrate? The irony is not lost that as we chase ceaselessly after stimulation, our attention spans wane, undermined by the very technologies and habits devised to quell our idle time. Could it be that in dodging boredom, we are inadvertently eroding our capacity for focused, deep thought? Boredom, as philosopher Bertrand Russell noted, is less prevalent in our lives compared to our ancestors, yet we fear it more than ever. We view it as a negative state, something to be avoided at all costs. But what if we've got it all wrong? What if boredom isn't the enemy but an ally? The myth of boredom as a negative state has been perpetuated by our fast-paced society. We're conditioned to believe that being busy is synonymous with being productive and, therefore, valuable. Consequently, boredom is seen as a sign of laziness or lack of ambition. This perspective, however, couldn't be further from the truth. I have experienced the benefit of boredom firsthand. As a writer, I often struggle with creative blocks and periods of self-doubt. During these times, it's tempting to fill every moment with distractions - scrolling through social media, binge-watching TV shows, or mindlessly surfing the internet. But when I allow myself to be bored, my mind has permission and freedom to wander, to explore new ideas, and to make connections. During these moments of mental wandering, I often come up with my most creative ideas. Albert Einstein, for example, believed that his imagination, which often sparked during moments of boredom, was more important than knowledge. Similarly, Steve Jobs saw boredom as a breeding ground for curiosity. On the flip side, while technology has made our lives easier in many ways, it has also contributed to shrinking our attention spans. The constant pings, notifications, and updates have conditioned us to crave quick fixes of dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter. Over time, this has led to an expectation of instant gratification and a decreased ability to focus on tasks that don't provide immediate rewards. Rather than viewing boredom as a negative state to be avoided, we should see it as a gateway to creativity and innovation. Here is what I do to embrace boredom: 1. **Designate Times to Disconnect**: I set aside specific periods when I purposely steer clear of technology. For instance, I set aside the time early in the morning as a no-internet hour. During this time, I resist the impulsive checks of my phone or computer. I allow my mind to adjust to the silence and embrace the stillness that comes with it. 2. **Pursue Solitary Walks**: I take a leaf from the great thinkers' books and walk alone. Nietzsche, Kant, and Beethoven all found solace and inspiration during their solitary strolls. I allow myself to observe the environment, follow the rhythm of my breathing, and let my thoughts meander like a leisurely stream, unguided and untamed. 3. **Engage in Manual Tasks**: I choose activities that require a bit of effort yet minimal cognitive strain, like gardening or organizing my studio. Remember how Sherlock Holmes would play the violin when he was pondering a complex case? Similar repetitive and somewhat mundane tasks can serve as a sort of meditation, letting creativity surface. 4. **Practice Mindfulness and Meditation/Prayer**: Whether it's focusing on your breath for a few minutes each day or mindful eating—savoring each bite of your meal—sitting still and praying -- such practices can be a prelude to boredom, but they also teach patience and awareness, key virtues for nurturing a longer attention span. Boredom is not our enemy but an opportunity for creativity and personal growth. Our attention is precious and should not be hijacked by the allure of instant gratification. Embrace boredom, reclaim your attention, and unlock your full potential. It's a challenge worth taking. Are you ready? ### Spotting Fake Innovation Consultants URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/spotting-fake-innovation-consultants/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:49.000Z In the ever-evolving realm of innovation, a troubling trend is emerging—the rise of self-proclaimed experts with credentials as insubstantial as the pages of the very innovation books they often quote. This prompts us to question whether an individual can genuinely be considered an expert in a multifaceted field based solely on theoretical knowledge or if authentic, [hands-on experience](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-challenges-facing-innovation/) is the true differentiator. This discussion inevitably leads us to scrutinize the credibility and legitimacy of those who dub themselves innovation consultants, especially the troubling rise of fake innovation consultants. ## Theory vs. Practice: Bridging the Divide > Consider this staggering yet simple truth: the cost of ignoring experience in favor of theoretical expertise can be measured not just in failed businesses but in human lives. Consider the concept of expertise not as a trophy won through academic pursuits but rather as a medal forged in the fire of real-world experience. It's about being in the trenches, not just analyzing the battlefield from a safe distance. This disconnect between knowledge and practice is alarming, especially when the stakes involve steering companies toward innovation. ## The Glaring Gap: McKinsey's Settlement as a Cautionary Tale Reflect on the example of new MBAs from prestigious firms like McKinsey, armed with the latest business theories but lacking the scars of battle that only [hands-on experience](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-us-it-that-most-organizations-fail-at-innovation-leadership/) can provide. The gap between [theory and practice](https://www.philmckinney.com/aug-23-with-tara-roehl/) becomes glaringly apparent, as well as illustrated by McKinsey's hefty settlement over their consulting practices linked to the opioid crisis, proof that theoretical expertise can lead to real-world consequences. ## Expertise in Innovation: A Surgical Precision Approach It is necessary to ask the hard-hitting question: would you trust a surgeon who has only learned their craft from textbooks and has never held a scalpel? The medical community unanimously dismisses such a scenario—shouldn't we apply the same rigorous experience standards to innovation? ## Innovation Through the Lens of Practical Wisdom As a consultant, I witnessed the profound impact of practical know-how. It shapes instincts, refines judgment, and brings a deep understanding of problem-solving that academia cannot replicate. To me, real-world experience is non-negotiable—it is the essence of expertise. ## Discerning Fake Innovation Consultants However, it's not all gloom, as authentic experts exist, those who can prove they've weathered the storm of innovation. These professionals bring invaluable insights and are worth the effort to find them. They've not just studied the map—they've journeyed the terrain and know the pitfalls and shortcuts. > A study revealed that startups founded by those with relevant field experience were 350% more likely to grow and succeed than those led by purely academic trailblazers—a sobering reminder of what's at stake when we overlook the value of authentic experience. Therefore, when considering an innovation consultant, strive for genuine experience. [Success in innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-jonah-complex-how-to-stop-sabotaging-your-success/) is contingent upon the guidance of someone who has not merely witnessed the journey but has walked it, step by step, innovation by innovation. It's crucial to be led not by a theoretician with a polished resume but by [a seasoned expert](https://www.philmckinney.com/) who has firsthand navigated the labyrinth of innovation. So, choose your innovation guide wisely—your innovation success depends on it. And beware of the pitfalls of relying on fake innovation consultants who may offer more rhetoric than substance. To learn how to spot fake innovation consultants, listen to this week's show: **[Spotting Fake Innovation Consultants](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Spotting%5FFake%5FInnovation%5FConsultants.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 7 Secrets to Innovation Success URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/7-secrets-to-innovation-success/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:48.000Z Laws exist to keep some form of order or control such as the traffic laws we follow to avoid chaos as we drive around. There are a variety of laws that exist. Scientific laws are laws that we can test and prove, and we can reconfirm that the law still applies. An example would be the law of gravity that always exists. There are also other kinds of laws that we use in the context of business terms. In this case, those laws are observed and validated over extended periods of time. We can test them, predict from them, and see if those predictions are true. A perfect example of a law used in business is Moore's law, which states that the number of transistors on semiconductors will double about every 18 to 24 months. This law has been in place since the 60s and is continuously validated. In the realm of business, the adherence to laws governing innovation success is crucial for companies aiming to thrive and stay ahead in the dynamic market landscape. > "Innovation is not just about birthing ideas; it's about breathing life into them. Astonishingly, only 1 in 3000 ideas actually get executed, making the journey from notebook to reality a true rarity." There are some things that people mistake as laws that are actually [rules of thumb](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-myths-of-innovation/). Rule of thumb is an anecdote that is based on personal experience or some lore that has been passed down. One of the most prevalent rules of thumb is the 8020 rule, which says that 20% of your actions generate 80% of the results. For example, 20% of your customers generate 80% of the revenue, or 20% of your trouble tickets generate 80% of your truck rolls. What is interesting, though, is that this rule has been proven to be not very sound. Rules of thumb are good to identify if there is a problem. It is an early test to see if there's something that you can narrow down to find a problem that you can work on, but a rule of thumb is not a law. ## Laws of Innovation The laws of innovation have been observed and validated for over 30 years by successful people. They are not a rule of thumb. These laws are proven and tested for effective innovation. I will be specifically covering the seven laws of innovation. ## Law of Leadership The first law for successful innovation is the law of leadership. Good leadership is a foundational necessity. High-quality [leaders prioritize innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-the-art-of-innovation-leadership/) and show it through their actions. Leaders do not only fall in the executive leadership category such as the CEO or the owners of a business. Leaders include everybody from lower-level team leaders to organization leaders. For example, if you are a project manager, you don't have people reporting to you, but you've been put in charge of a project to deliver. Therefore, the law of leadership applies to you. If innovation is important to you and as important to your organization, you must demonstrate it. The team will follow you based on what you model to your organization. ## Law of Culture Law number two is the law of culture. A lot of organizations focus more heavily on their strategy. They are trying to come up with the perfect strategy to achieve success. But culture is foundational. What I mean by foundational is that it lays the bedrock that everything else in the organization builds upon. If you do not have a [well-defined culture](https://theinnovators.network/leadership-build-the-culture-you-deserve/?ref=philmckinney.com), that foundation is weak. Without the ability to drive a program of innovation inside any organization, your team is going to fail. Specifically, around a culture of innovation, there are certain elements that you need to have in that culture such as the willingness to take risks and not penalize people for it. If team members try something and fail, their failure can be used as a learning experience. We should never see failure as something negative when we can use it as a positive. If a trial-and-error culture is not strong in the workplace, people will not take risks, and without risks, there is no innovation. The law of culture is critical for innovation success. ## Law of Resources The third law of innovation is the law of resources. Innovation requires committed and consistent resourcing. Resourcing involves people, time, and money. All three are necessary for innovation to be successful. Most organizations do not dedicate or allocate [resources to innovation](https://theinnovators.network/when-innovation-stagnates-the-consequences-of-slowing-research-and-innovation-funding/?ref=philmckinney.com). Organizations that want to achieve innovation success must have a consistent set of resources committed. How many organizations have a budget line with uncommitted dollars that are given away to teams and organizations where people can throw in their latest ideas? Most organizations do not have that. Challenges arise when new ideas are created, and not enough people are available to make that idea a reality. Another problems innovators face is the issue of funding. In the case of a lot of resources, projects go beyond the calendar year and the budget year you dedicate resources to. But what about every budget cycle? Do you have to revalidate every project? Do you have to go through and ask for money again to keep your project going? Or does this law of resources enable you to have committed resources for extended periods of time depending on how big and how complex the project is? The law of resources not only covers resources allocated to a project, but also ensures organizations stay committed to them so innovators are not tied to an arbitrary calendar of budget cycles. It is defined by what is appropriate for the project at hand. The law of resources is critical because if you do not have people, time, and money, the odds of you having innovation success are slim. ## Law of Patience The fourth law of innovation is the law of patience. Innovation takes time, more time than expected. The path to innovation is difficult and the outcome is hard to predict. It's important to keep in mind that uncertainty is a part of the innovation process. You may not know exactly what will happen or what your efforts will look like. It's crucial to be patient and have multiple projects in your innovation pipeline. You must also be prepared for the possibility of failure and experiments not working out as planned. Trials may not generate the expected results, but it's important to learn from them and keep moving forward. Patience by far is one of the hardest laws for executive leaders to get their heads around. Most executive leaders like predictability. They live by the quarter to see those results. Most executive leaders struggle with this law, which is a hindrance for organizations trying to achieve innovation success. Executives throughout the entire leadership organization down to individual employees need to have patience. In a lot of organizations, people become frustrated because they are not seeing progress fast enough. You must get used to the fact that no matter what you plan, odds are it's going to take longer than expected. ## Law of Process The fifth law of innovation is the law of process. It establishes a continuous [innovation process](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-law-process-impact-innovation/). The key point is that it initiates and builds relation processes while using the fire framework focus ideation principles of ranking and execution as a structure in the process. It is important to continuously improve and remember innovation isn’t static. There are many consultants out there that will come to you with a list of ten magic steps for innovation and tell you to follow them for undisputed success. Reality is, there is no one-size-fits-all plan. Teams and organizations are unique with different projects and different team nomenclature. Processes behind the scenes are different for every organization. If you take an innovation process from somewhere, be willing to adapt it, change it, or tweak it in a way that works for your project experiment. You might uncover an entirely new activity in the process that succeeds. It is important to have a process established. Your team needs to train in it. They need to know how to use it and operate it. Additionally, you need to avoid rigidness so you can continuously innovate. If your established process isn’t working, how do you improve that innovation process? What experiment could you do? You could try something a little different than how you define the target area. You could change how you do your brainstorming or your ideation activities. Try a new way to rank your ideas to find the best solution out of the hundreds of ideas that you are going to generate. And then execute an experiment in different ways. And be willing to exercise it. If the process doesn’t work, change things around. You need to be flexible, you need to establish your process, and you need to continuously innovate around it. ## Law of BHAG The next law of innovation, the law of BHAG, defines the target and shows a clear finish line for your projects. BHAG or “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” is used because it catalyzes a team by giving a straight-forward goal to try to achieve. BHAGs are unbelievable motivators. When you look at and dissect teams that had high innovation impact, they consciously or unconsciously followed the principles of BHAG. A prevalent BHAG example is when, in the 60s, the president of the United States announced during a speech to Congress that before the end of the decade, we would put a man on the moon and return him safely. That was a big hairy audacious goal. They had no clue how to do it at the time. They had not worked out all the engineering. But the president defined a clear goal, and the United States successfully put a man on the moon and brought him home safely by using the components of BHAG. Organizations may have multiple BHAGs depending on what they are trying to achieve. This is why it is important to have a goal that everybody in the team understands, can communicate, and can share. BHAG defines your innovation mission by asking questions like, “where is your BHAG at?” Is it going to motivate and attract people to want to be on this project to deliver that mission? ## Law of Execution The seventh and final innovation law is the law of execution. The law of execution says that [ideas without execution](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-are-not-innovations/) are a hobby. Putting ideas into notebooks and sticking them on the shelf provides zero value. How do we deliver ideas? For ideas to become successful realities, action is necessary. You need to translate that idea into something tangible like a mobile app, a piece of hardware, or a new advertising campaign. The law of execution is where rubber meets the road because without execution, all the other activities in the innovation create no value. When ideas are executed, they translate into innovations that can have a significant impact, and in some cases, can even change the world. Teams and organizations should focus on that ability to execute and drive strategies to get things done. Take your best ideas and execute them. ## Navigating the Path to Innovation Success The seven laws of innovation set a clear path for teams and organizations to embark on to reach success. Failure can be mitigated by following these principles during the innovation process. Although there is no clear-cut way to reach innovative success, these laws are proven by trial and error to guide and direct people to achievement. To learn more about the secrets to innovation success, listen to this week's show: *[*7 Secrets to Innovation Success*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/7%5FSecrets%5Fto%5FInnovation%5FSuccess.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Exploring the Future of Home Automation with OliverIQ’s Will West and Eric Smith URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/exploring-the-future-of-home-automation-with-oliveriqs-will-west-and-eric-smith/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:48.000Z During CES 2024, the innovative products and concepts on display showed the exciting future of technology. OliverIQ debuted to the public with its unique home automation platform. This versatile solution streamlines the process of turning your home “smart.” Founders Will West, and Eric Smith presented OliverIQ as a solution that turns connectivity across devices into a service that caters to those looking to use technology as a helpful addition to their homes. In this episode, we delve into how West and Smith used [out-of-the-box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-2/) to find a [solution](https://www.philmckinney.com/problems-in-need-of-solving-where-to-start/) consumers didn’t know needed solving. ## Will West on OliverIQ Will West, CEO and Co-founder of OliverIQ, set out with a clear goal of bringing automation to the mainstream market. Producers in home automation were marketing more toward the high-income consumer while the average household could not enjoy the same benefits. With installation and maintenance fees inflated, there was a need for a streamlined and cost-effective service for the everyday user. After decades of perfecting, we created OliverIQ to break down these barriers. With OliverIQ, your smart devices, such as doorbells, lights, and speakers, work together to create an enjoyable experience for you, the consumer. Not only are your devices connected to a user-friendly platform, but any problems your devices face can be fixed by servicing agents through the app with a simple call to around-the-clock agents. This [practical solution](https://theinnovators.network/balancing-creativity-and-practicality/?ref=philmckinney.com) takes the hassle away from the consumer. > "By 2025, the average American home will contain 500 smart devices, transforming even the simplest of daily routines into a futuristic experience. Think about it. In a world wired for connection, your home is just one 'Hey Siri' away from becoming your personal assistant." If you have a problem with plumbing in your home, you would call a plumber, and OliverIQ takes a similar approach in their product strategy. When issues arise with your home devices, instead of you having to take care of them or find a willing installation company to fix the problem, OliverIQ will find a way to fix the problems of multiple devices for you. Technology lovers design OliverIQ for technology lovers. It brings convenience, efficiency, and enjoyment into the lives of everyday people at an affordable price. ## Eric Smith on OliverIQ CTO and fellow Co-founder Eric Smith combined his decades of experience in research and knowledge in the automation field to perfect OliverIQ. He faced [challenges](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-challenges-facing-innovation/) as unique problems arose with the ever-changing tide of technology. He realized one glaring problem in the home automation arena. Due to automation decay—the natural process of devices experiencing problems such as glitches, going offline, or undergoing updates—users constantly find themselves fixing multiple devices in the home. Usually, the fixing falls to the user to figure out. There needed to be a way for these devices to be maintained simultaneously on a more significant level. There needed to be consistency and a higher level of performance. OliverIQ found the solution to home automation problems by looking at the channels used to solve this problem and finding a way to integrate multiple technologies across one platform. Consumers don’t need to find an installer willing to fix the problem because the tech support channel takes care of the problem. Users also don’t need to worry about technology not working together or a device having problems. OliverIQ streamlines multiple devices and brands to work together smoothly to provide the home experience you want by setting the lights to a specific shade or thermoset to a particular temperature. OliverIQ brings the consumer a specialized experience at a low cost. ## Conclusion OliverIQ is a novel platform that bridges the gap between technology and home life. It creates a seamless experience for users and takes the stress of fixing devices off the shoulders of consumers by using around-the-clock representatives who are ready to help. Using [innovative designs](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-by-design-what-is-it-why-does-it-matter/), OliverIQ makes home automation systems easy to set up, use, and maintain together. To learn more about the future of home automation, listen to this week's show: **[Exploring the Future of Home Automation with OliverIQ’s Will West and Eric Smith](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Exploring%5Fthe%5FFuture%5Fof%5FHome%5FAutomation%5Fwith%5FOliverIQs%5FWill%5FWest%5Fand%5FEric%5FSmith.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 2024 Innovation and Trends to Watch URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/2024-innovation-and-trends-to-watch/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:48.000Z The world of innovation is wildly fascinating and constantly developing. At the CES conference in Las Vegas, some of innovation's biggest names display their newest creations for the world to see. The fact that any one of these creations could develop into a [groundbreaking innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/revolutionary-ripples-how-small-innovations-can-create-a-big-impact/) with global reach is exciting. This year, innovations varied from entertainment to transportation, with predicted tech trends affecting inventions in all these areas. ## Standout Innovations TVs and display screens constantly develop as companies seek to upgrade their products with bigger screens and clearer resolutions. Samsung and LG both announced their latest contributions with the potential for use in marketing for businesses and the entertainment industry. ## Transparent Displays LG's groundbreaking announcement of its transparent displays generated significant interest. There are various potential uses for transparent displays in many fields. One such use is marketing in businesses. Using a transparent display to advertise a product in a store-front window would allow customers to see a snapshot of the store's most eye-catching product while also being able to see beyond the store's advertisement into the store. Transparent displays can be used in unexpected situations, making them all the more unique. ## Larger Screens Screens on different devices have progressively gotten larger over the years. With a 180-inch screen displayed at the convention, it is hard to see how a large screen would be practical for viewing in the average house. However, companies are not just making displays for the intended purpose of watching movies or TV. A recent surge in the gaming industry has companies taking notes on improving their displays to target this audience better. The [focus on size](https://www.philmckinney.com/hidden-buying-criteria/) has shifted. Companies focus on improving color, size, and refresh rate so gamers can enjoy better posture, less eye strain, and better experiences. ## Transportation Innovations in transportation have evolved to heights that once seemed impossible. The idea of flying cars was a concept that seemed almost mythical for many years, but it is now something that could be obtainable soon. At CES, through a simulation, people could experience what it would feel like to be in a flying car. Bringing this experience to life infused it with an exciting outlook for the future of transportation. ## Robotics While robotics have found applications in various industries, from restaurants to factories, they have not yet become mainstream in households. Various companies have shown interest in robotics and have contributed to advances in that area. Work still needs to be done, but humanoid robots that can assist in households could be a sooner reality than we think. # Predicted Trends for 2024 With so many wonderful innovations on display this year, one can conclude three factors. The first is that every company appeared to use some form of AI. AI isn't as exclusive as it once was, so companies using AI must find other ways to differentiate themselves from each other. One such way that companies using AI can stand out is by investing in quality training data that is specific to their use cases. As [AI becomes mainstream](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-the-age-of-ai-how-innovators-stay-relevant/), companies must find ways to stay ahead of the competition and remain relevant. The second trend is on most people's minds, from consumers to producers. The state of the economy has people worrying about employment and whether they will have funds to afford housing, food, and other necessities. Companies worry about whether consumers will be spending and willing to buy their newest products. This can be concerning for innovators as finding funding during [uncertain times](https://theinnovators.network/leading-through-uncertainty-innovation-leadership-in-time-of-crisis/?ref=philmckinney.com) can be extremely difficult. Even with funding, another concern is whether consumers in many households across the US will be willing to buy a new product when disposable income is used for necessities. The third trend, [innovation confidence](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-built-my-innovation-self-confidence/), is vital for success in businesses. The conference exuded a palpable excitement for the future of innovation as presenters and workers, representing their beliefs, contributed to the atmosphere. Even though times are uncertain, innovation continues to thrive as our world needs new perspectives and solutions. ## Conclusion Innovation is reaching transformative heights as new technological, transportation, and entertainment inventions surge. With these changing innovations, [predicting trends](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-how-to-survive-changing-cycles-and-accurately-forecast/) will help companies maintain a [competitive edge](https://theinnovators.network/are-you-future-proof-preparing-for-technological-disruptions/?ref=philmckinney.com) that will keep consumers interested now and in the future. To learn more about the new trends at CES 2024, listen to this week's show: **[2024 Innovation and Trends to Watch](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/2024%5FInnovations%5Fand%5FTrends%5Fto%5FWatch.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Number 1 Reason Teams Fail at Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-number-1-reason-teams-fail-at-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:47.000Z Although failure is sometimes necessary for innovation, failure is an experience that companies and organizations can avoid by understanding the reasons behind it. Poor ideas and poor execution can cause an innovation project failure. But what causes teams to make these mistakes in the first place? And how can companies best avoid these mistakes? By discouraging groupthink and encouraging strong problem comprehension, companies and organizations can experience [successful innovation](https://theinnovators.network/key-ingredients-for-innovation-success/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Effect of Groupthink The first threat to a team's flexibility and authenticity is groupthink. [Groupthink](https://www.philmckinney.com/groupthink-kills-innovation/) occurs when a team member latches on to an idea that is replicated, repeated by other members, and accepted as the solution without allowing room for variation. Groupthink often thrives in an organization with an environment that rallies around one person. Because the group follows one person, it usually follows one idea and solution. This [herd mentality](https://www.philmckinney.com/if-you-want-to-innovate-then-dont-go-with-the-herd-groupthink-leads-to-bad-decisions/) stunts the creativity and growth needed for innovation to happen. Companies and organizations can avoid this dilemma by encouraging individual thinking and participation in the innovation process. Giving every team member a voice allows for valuable thoughts, ideas, and feedback to generate better solutions. ## Importance of Team Individualism The individual members who make up a team play an integral part in the innovation process. It is vital to put thought into the selection process of team members. Having a healthy mix of people with different backgrounds, different personality traits, and differing views allows for helpful contrasting perspectives. An eclectic group is less likely to fall into groupthink because individualism is applauded. While teams should be diverse and full of different thoughts and ideas, the common goal of the project needs to remain paramount. Differences should not divide the group but act as an aid in innovative thinking. Individuals should be able to [speak up](https://www.philmckinney.com/sharing-is-caring-so-share-your-idea/) within the group freely and comfortably. A group environment that encourages various thoughts, ideas, and opinions can offer better insight into [solving problems](https://theinnovators.network/problems-in-need-of-solving-where-to-start/?ref=philmckinney.com) and making decisions. ## Understanding the Problem The second hindrance to innovation in a team setting is simple but often overlooked. It is an avoidable failure that many teams make in the innovative process. Not taking the time to examine problems deeply can be detrimental to innovation. This oversight can happen when an organization is rushing to fix a problem. Not allotting enough time and resources to understand a problem's facets can prove catastrophic. As Albert Einstein's popular [problem-solving method](https://www.philmckinney.com/einsteins-secret-to-effective-problem-solving/) suggests, most of the innovation process's time should be spent thinking and studying the problem. Within this approach, the remaining sliver of available time should solve the problem. A company should know the ins and outs of the problem so well that a comparatively small amount of time is all that is needed to solve the problem. ## Conclusion There are many reasons teams can fail at innovation projects. Groupthink and a lack of thorough problem comprehension are top contenders for innovation failure. Avoiding an environment that fosters groupthink is imperative to innovation growth. Additionally, the different perspectives of a well-rounded team will accelerate sound decision-making, while an in-depth understanding of a problem will encourage better solutions. Organizations encouraging collaboration, communication, and careful consideration of problems can turn potential innovation failure into success. To learn more about why teams fail, listen to this week's show: **[The Number 1 Reason Teams Fail at Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FNumber%5F1%5FReason%5FTeams%5FFail%5Fat%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] **Watch the video on the YouTube Channel:** ### The Myth of Scarcity: The Endless Supply of Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-myth-of-scarcity-the-endless-supply-of-ideas/ Last updated: 2023-12-28T23:27:25.000Z Life is often viewed as a win/lose proposition. It's a common belief that success is a finite resource, with the triumph of one individual necessitating the defeat of another. However, this premise is fundamentally flawed. Success isn't a limited commodity to be won or lost in a zero-sum game. Instead, it is born from the [boundless supply of ideas](https://killerinnovations.com/10-ways-to-find-new-ideas/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### The Fallacy of a Win/Lose Worldview The concept of win/lose has been ingrained in our thinking since childhood. We are taught to compete and strive for success, often at the expense of others. This mindset is perpetuated in various aspects of our lives — from education and sports to career advancement and relationships. Consequently, we are conditioned to view success as a finite resource where only a select few can achieve it. This limiting belief creates a scarcity mentality, where individuals constantly compare themselves to others and feel the need to outdo them. It leads to a constant state of competition, envy, and stress. We see it in the business world, where companies are constantly fighting for market share and feel threatened by new competition. This mindset stifles innovation and collaboration, as individuals are too focused on protecting their own interests instead of working together to achieve greater success. The universe of ideas is infinite, and one person's success does not diminish another's potential for success. In fact, the opposite is true — when one person succeeds, it opens up new possibilities and opportunities for others. ### The Power of Ideas and Innovation History is filled with examples of how ideas have transformed industries and societies. The invention of the wheel, electricity, and the internet are just a few examples. When the first personal computer was invented, it didn't consume all the possibilities in the tech world. On the contrary, it ignited a wave of ideas and innovations that have since changed our lives. The invention of the PC didn't steal the chance of success from others; it merely paved the way for more opportunities. Innovative solutions to societal problems can also have a significant impact on our world. From sustainable clean water to advancements in healthcare, ideas, and [innovation can shape a better future](https://killerinnovations.com/benevolent-innovation-blending-profit-and-purpose/?ref=philmckinney.com) for generations to come. These groundbreaking ideas have not only brought success to their creators but also opened doors for countless others to build upon and create their own successes. But what makes ideas so powerful? It's their unlimited nature - they are not a constrained resource. This means the opportunity for success is not a scarce commodity but an abundant possibility. > In a world governed by ideas, the only limit to success is the limitation of our imagination. ### Embracing a Win/Win Mindset So, why do we still cling to the win/lose proposition? Perhaps it's because competition is deeply ingrained in our society. But isn't it time to challenge this outdated mindset? What if we view success not as a trophy to be won but as an idea to be nurtured? What if we start recognizing that my success doesn't necessitate your failure, and vice versa? Isn't it possible that in the vast expanse of ideas, there's room for every one of us to succeed? Collaboration, rather than competition, leads to greater success for everyone involved. > "Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much." \~ Helen Keller ### Conclusion The world of ideas and innovation is a testament to the non-zero-sum nature of success. It shows us that success is not limited or exclusive but abundant and accessible. Every idea holds within it the seed of success, and there's no limit to how many of these seeds can sprout. So, let's debunk the myth of the win/lose proposition. Ideas are unlimited, and therefore, so is the potential for success. In the game of ideas, everyone can be a winner. Isn't that a much more empowering perspective? ### Leading Through Uncertainty: Innovation Leadership in Time of Crisis URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/leading-through-uncertainty-innovation-leadership-in-time-of-crisis/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:47.000Z In today's fast-paced world, [change](https://theinnovators.network/a-new-dawn-for-leadership-embracing-change-in-the-21st-century/?ref=philmckinney.com) is the only constant. The volatility of the stock market, sudden changes in the workforce due to automation, or shifts in consumer behavior due to evolving technologies have thrown individuals and organizations into an era of uncertainty. It feels like we've been thrust onto a roller coaster ride, experiencing exhilarating highs, terrifying lows, and unexpected turns at every corner. Yet, amidst this uncertainty, we find the most exceptional leaders rising. Those who can navigate through these turbulent times inspire their teams to continue innovating and emerge on the other side stronger than before. How do they do it? The answer lies in innovation leadership. ## Innovation Leadership [Innovation leadership](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-the-art-of-innovation-leadership/) is not about having all the answers. It's about embracing the unknown, asking the right questions, and daring to disrupt. In times of crisis, this kind of leadership can turn uncertainty into a breeding ground for innovation. Leaders who are open to new ideas, approaches, and perspectives create an environment where creativity and innovation can thrive. Rather than seeking immediate solutions, it's essential to understand the problem at hand deeply. This may involve exploring the nature of the problem, its origins, and the factors contributing to its existence. Asking questions like "What is the root cause of this issue?", "What are the underlying patterns or trends?" and "How does this problem affect our organization's objectives?" can lead to a more profound understanding of the situation and are powerful tools for turning the unknown into a catalyst for innovation. ## What Does Uncertainty Look Like? > "In the middle of uncertainty, leaders are not born; they are forged. It is within the chaos of the unpredictable where the greatest leaders find their true mission and passion." Uncertainty, in its unadorned form, is akin to standing at the edge of a precipice shrouded in dense fog. The trepidation of stepping forward without clarity of what lies ahead is palpable. It's like navigating a pathless wilderness without a map or compass, where the future and outcomes are unpredictable. Often accompanied by a sense of unease and discomfort, uncertainty can create a feeling of standing on shifting sands, where even the most well-laid plans may crumble unexpectedly. However, it's important to note that the essence of uncertainty also lies in its immense potential for change and innovation. So, what does uncertainty look like, and how does it affect us today? Let's consider [artificial intelligence](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-the-age-of-ai-how-innovators-stay-relevant/) (AI) and automation. While promising efficiency and progress, this technological revolution has created significant uncertainty in job markets globally. AI and automation are disrupting industries by replacing manual and repetitive tasks. This has led to a widespread fear of job loss and insecurity among the workforce. Simultaneously, it has opened up opportunities for new roles that didn't exist before, demanding upskilling and reskilling of employees. This scenario of uncertainty requires innovative leadership to navigate the upheaval and turn it into an opportunity for growth and development. But there's another side to this coin. Uncertainty also brings with it the innovation potential. Disruption of the status quo compels us to think differently, challenge assumptions, and discover new approaches. This is where innovation leadership comes into play. ## Going Beyond The Uncertainty Innovation leaders can see beyond the immediate challenges and identify opportunities amidst the chaos. They foster a culture of creativity and risk-taking, encouraging their teams to explore new ideas and push boundaries. Consider the case of Apple during the 2008 financial crisis. While many companies struggled to survive, Apple was launching a revolutionary product - the iPhone. Steve Jobs, the then CEO, saw an opportunity where others saw a threat. He led his team to innovate, resulting in a product that changed the tech industry and helped Apple become one of the most valuable companies in the world. Innovation leaders also understand the importance of resilience and adaptability. They know that failure is not a setback but a stepping stone to success. They create a safe environment where their teams can experiment, learn from their mistakes, and continuously improve. > "In uncertainty, leaders are not just navigators but inventors, creating paths where none existed before." For example, when Amazon launched the Fire Phone in 2014, it was a commercial failure. But instead of seeing this as a defeat, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, saw it as a learning opportunity. Amazon utilized the lessons from the Fire Phone to enhance other products, resulting in successes such as Alexa and the Echo devices. Another ability of innovation leaders is to embrace diverse perspectives and ideas. They create a culture of inclusivity, where everyone's voice is heard and valued. This diversity in thinking can lead to breakthrough solutions that may not have been possible with a homogenous group. A stellar example of innovation leadership embracing diverse perspectives is the rise of the global music streaming giant Spotify. The company's success stems from its leadership's adeptness at considering diverse perspectives, including those of artists, listeners, and the tech community. When record sales plummeted, and piracy was rampant, Spotify's leadership dared to reimagine the music industry's business model. Recognizing that people were gravitating towards the internet for their music needs, they developed a platform that brought artists and listeners together in a digital space. This innovation, born from embracing diverse viewpoints and understanding the changing landscape, revolutionized the music industry and set Spotify up as a leading player in the market. ## How To Lead During Uncertainty? In times of uncertainty, innovation leaders can employ various strategies to navigate through the tumultuous waters of change. The key lies in shifting perspective from viewing uncertainty as a daunting challenge to seeing it as a fertile ground for innovation and growth. They can leverage this shift by encouraging exploration, fostering resilience, promoting inclusivity, and embracing diverse perspectives in their teams. In the following sections, we will delve deeper into these strategies and provide practical guidance on how leaders can implement them to foster a culture of innovation during uncertain times. 1. **Encouraging Exploration:** Leaders can stimulate curiosity and experimentation by fostering an environment that welcomes new ideas and unconventional thinking. Emphasizing a 'learning by doing' approach, they can motivate their teams to step out of their comfort zones, test hypotheses, and learn from the outcomes. 2. **Fostering Resilience:** Uncertainty often comes with setbacks and failures. Leaders can turn these into learning opportunities by promoting a culture of resilience. They can emphasize the importance of perseverance and tenacity in facing challenges, helping their teams view setbacks as stepping stones to success and not as roadblocks. 3. **Promoting Inclusivity:** Innovative leaders value diversity and inclusivity. They understand that a multiplicity of perspectives can bring about groundbreaking ideas and ensure that every voice within the team is heard and respected. They cultivate a culture that celebrates differences and ensures that everyone feels valued. 4. **Embracing Diverse Perspectives:** Leaders can foster innovation by welcoming a range of perspectives and ideas. They understand that homogeneity can stifle creativity and encourage diverse thought within their teams. By doing so, they can facilitate the generation of unique and creative solutions to complex problems. 5. **Adapting to Change:** In an uncertain environment, adaptability is key. Innovative leaders are [flexible](https://www.philmckinney.com/elastic-innovation-a-needed-innovation-capability/) and willing to pivot their strategies in response to changing circumstances. They encourage their teams to be nimble, to [anticipate change](https://www.philmckinney.com/changing-customer-base/), and to be proactive in adapting to new circumstances. ## 4 Uncertainties Ripe for Innovation In our rapidly evolving world, we face many uncertainties that challenge us and offer unique opportunities for innovation. These uncertainties offer a fertile ground to rethink existing frameworks, challenge the status quo, and explore uncharted territories. Let's delve into some of today's most pressing uncertainties that, with the right mindset and the spirit of innovation, hold the potential to reshape our future. ### Economic instability leading to job insecurity and financial uncertainty. [Economic instability](https://theinnovators.network/continue-innovating-during-an-economic-downturn-2/?ref=philmckinney.com) is a pervasive uncertainty, often characterized by unpredictable fluctuations in the market, inflation rates, and employment levels. These fluctuations can lead to job insecurity, as businesses may need to downsize or restructure in response to changing economic conditions. Such a volatile environment can influence consumer behavior, too, causing hesitancy in spending and investments, which, in turn, can further exacerbate the instability. However, amidst these challenges lie immense opportunities for innovation. For instance, the rise of the gig economy, remote work models, and digital platforms are all testaments to how innovation can thrive under economic instability. Such innovations create new job opportunities and contribute to economies' resilience, helping them withstand and adapt to fluctuations. ### Rapid technological advancements leading to a state of constant learning and adaptability. Rapid technological advances present a significant source of uncertainty as they continually shift the landscape of practically every industry. The pace at which new technologies are emerging and evolving is unprecedented, from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning to blockchain, robotics, and beyond. These technological advancements necessitate constant learning and adaptability, as organizations must keep abreast of the latest trends and developments to remain competitive. This sometimes rapid and relentless change can be daunting and disruptive, potentially causing job displacement and a skills gap. However, it also opens up exciting avenues for innovation. Technological advancements can drive the development of new products, services, and business models, enhance efficiency and productivity, and create opportunities for personal and professional growth. For instance, AI and data analytics enable more personalized and user-friendly services. Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize transactions and contracts, while robotics and automation can transform manufacturing and logistics. Despite the challenges posed, the potential benefits of these advancements are astronomical, signaling an exciting era of innovation and discovery. ### Social and political divide leading to feelings of unease and fear. Social and political divides present another form of uncertainty that society grapples with. Characterized by differing ideologies, beliefs, and values, these divides can lead to conflict, miscommunication, and a lack of cohesion within societies. They can instigate unease, fear, and insecurity, hindering cooperation and unity. However, such divisions also present opportunities for innovation. They can catalyze dialogue, fostering an environment where varied perspectives can be shared and understood. This could inspire the creation of new platforms for communication, social networking tools that promote empathy and understanding, or educational programs aimed at cultivating a more inclusive society. Moreover, the political divide could stimulate innovative public policies, contributing to a more harmonious and prosperous society. ### Changing customer demands and market trends creating business uncertainty. Changing customer demands and market trends present a significant source of business uncertainty. Consumers' expectations and requirements continually evolve as they become more informed and empowered. This might include a growing demand for personalized and seamless experiences, a shift towards sustainability and ethical consumerism, or an increased expectation for digital and mobile solutions. These dynamic shifts can render traditionally successful products or services inadequate, necessitating companies to constantly innovating to meet these changing demands. On the other hand, market trends can also fluctuate rapidly because of factors such as technological advancements, regulatory changes, and socioeconomic developments. Businesses, therefore, must stay nimble and adaptable, identifying and responding to these trends promptly and effectively. Yet, within this uncertainty lies a wealth of opportunity for innovation. By embracing these changes, businesses can uncover new avenues for growth, develop unique offerings, and build stronger customer relationships. For instance, companies are increasingly leveraging technologies like AI and data analytics to offer hyper-personalization, while others are committing to sustainable practices to attract eco-conscious consumers. These are only four major uncertainties, but countless others present challenges and opportunities for innovation. The spirit of innovation becomes our greatest ally, transforming challenges into opportunities and continuously paving the way for progress, growth, and prosperity in an ever-evolving world. ## Conclusion > "Over 40% of business leaders feel ill-equipped to manage their teams in times of uncertainty. Most admit they struggle with decision-making and fostering a positive work environment during unpredictable times. But with the right mindset and tools, leading through uncertainty can be a catalyst for innovation and growth." Navigating through the landscape of uncertainty is indeed a daunting task, yet it is also brimming with possibilities for individuals, organizations, and societies willing to embrace change and innovation. The key lies in cultivating a mindset that sees uncertainty not as a threat but as a breeding ground for creativity, resilience, and growth. Whether it's economic instability, rapid technological advancements, social and political divides, or changing customer demands and market trends, each of these uncertainties presents unique challenges that require innovative solutions. Leadership in such uncertain times demands courage, adaptability, and a clear vision that can guide others through the complexities of change. Leaders must foster an environment that encourages continuous learning, open dialogue, and collaboration. Innovation thrives through such an environment, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and improvement. Leading through uncertainty is about transforming challenges into opportunities. It's about seeing the potential in the unknown and using it as a catalyst for innovation and growth. It requires a balance of courage, vision, adaptability, and resilience. As we navigate the complex uncertainties of today's world, let us remember that it is the very nature of these uncertainties that drives us to innovate, adapt, and, ultimately, evolve. To learn more about leading in a time of crisis, listen to this week's show: **[Leading Through Uncertainty: Innovation Leadership in Time of Crisis](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Leading%5Fthrough%5FUncertainty%5F-%5FInnovation%5FLeadership%5Fin%5FTime%5Fof%5FCrisis.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Einstein's Secret to Effective Problem-Solving URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/einsteins-secret-to-effective-problem-solving/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:46.000Z Albert Einstein once said, "If I had an hour to solve a problem, I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions." This quote is more than just a clever remark; it encapsulates a fundamental truth about [problem-solving](https://www.philmckinney.com/problems-in-need-of-solving-where-to-start/) that many overlook. It emphasizes the importance of deeply understanding a problem before attempting to solve it. So, what's the difference between understanding and deeply understanding a problem? Simply put, understanding a problem means recognizing its existence and perhaps having a basic grasp of its nature. However, deeply understanding a problem involves knowing its root causes, implications, context, and repercussions. It's like the difference between knowing the surface of a lake and exploring its depths. One noteworthy example of Einstein's approach to deep understanding is his development of the theory of relativity. Einstein didn't just stumble upon E=mc^2; he spent a decade wrestling with the problem. His deep understanding of the issue allowed him to question the established Newtonian physics. He explored every facet of the problem, considering the implications of a universe where the speed of light was constant and time was not absolute. This deep dive into [understanding the fundamentals](https://theinnovators.network/how-to-use-first-principles-thinking-to-innovate/?ref=philmckinney.com) led him to his groundbreaking theory that revolutionized our understanding of physics. It truly encapsulates Einstein's approach to problem-solving — spend more time understanding the problem, and the solution will follow. ## Jumping To The Solution > "Every problem you encounter is merely an undiscovered opportunity dressed in disguise; decode it, and you unlock the door to your next innovation!" By nature, humans are solution-oriented beings. We tend to leap into action, trying to fix things immediately, often skipping the crucial step of thoroughly comprehending the problem. This approach may work for simple issues, but for complex problems, it can lead to ineffective solutions, wasted resources, and frustration. Research supports this inclination towards immediate problem-solving. Psychologists Heur and Oyserman's study, *"Identity-based motivation and school success: when does 'wanting to do well' lead to 'doing well'?"* demonstrates that students exposed to problems often revert to quick fixes instead of understanding the underlying concepts. Similarly, a research article by Kai Ruggeri and colleagues in *Nature Human Behaviour* showed that when dealing with policy issues, people largely favored immediate, tangible solutions over long-term strategies. People also demonstrate examples in everyday life. Consider the common approach to addressing symptoms in healthcare. For instance, a patient with chronic headaches might be prescribed painkillers without investigating the underlying causes, such as stress or poor diet. This 'band-aid' solution may provide temporary relief but fails to address the root cause, leading to recurring issues. ## Why We Jump to Solutions: A Deeper Look By bypassing a deep understanding of the problem, we may inadvertently overlook viable solutions, waste valuable resources, or even exacerbate the issue. To help you resist the urge, let us dive deeper and look at why we jump to solutions: 1. **Impatience**: We live in a fast-paced, instant-gratification culture. We want things done quickly, and this includes solving problems. Deep understanding requires time and patience, which we are often unwilling to invest. 2. **Perceived Efficiency**: We often mistake quick action for productivity. Taking a direct approach to solutions provides us with a sense of progress and efficiency, even though these feelings may be illusions if the solutions do not align with the real problem. 3. **Simplicity Bias**: We tend to oversimplify complex problems. By jumping to solutions, we avoid the painful task of delving into the complexities and ambiguities of the problem. 4. **Emotional Discomfort**: Deeply understanding a problem often means acknowledging uncomfortable truths. Avoiding these emotions by focusing on solutions, even if they are ineffective, is easier. 5. **Pressure to Perform**: Particularly in professional contexts, there may be pressure to produce results fast. This can make us prioritize solution-generating over problem understanding. 6. **Overconfidence**: Sometimes, we think we understand the problem better than we do. This overconfidence can lead us to premature solution development. By recognizing these tendencies, we can check ourselves before rushing into solution mode, ensuring we devote sufficient time and resources to understanding the problem. ## Benefits of Deeply Understanding The Problem The merits of devoting time and effort towards thoroughly comprehending a problem extend far beyond the immediate. They ripple through the entire problem-solving process, fostering innovative thinking, enhancing decision-making, and ultimately leading to more effective and enduring solutions. So, let's delve into the specific benefits of deeply understanding a problem. 1. **Greater efficiency**: When you fully understand a problem, you can tackle it more efficiently. You know where to focus your energy and resources, which reduces wasted effort and increases productivity. 2. **Improved decision-making**: A deep understanding of a problem equips you with the information necessary to make informed decisions. It allows you to evaluate potential solutions more critically, ultimately selecting the most effective solution. 3. **Enhanced creativity**: Deep understanding can spark [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-unleash-your-creative-imagination/) by revealing unexpected aspects of the problem. This can lead us to explore innovative solutions we might not have considered otherwise. 4. **Improved communication**: When you understand a problem deeply, you can communicate it more effectively to others, enabling better collaboration and collective problem-solving. 5. **Reduced risk**: Deep understanding reduces the risk of implementing a solution that could worsen the problem. By thoroughly understanding the problem, you can anticipate potential pitfalls and plan accordingly. 6. **Increased confidence**: When you fully understand a problem, you gain confidence. This confidence can be instrumental in persuading others to support your proposed solution and persevere when [challenges arise](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-challenges-facing-innovation/). ## How To Truly Understand A Problem Truly understanding a problem is a journey that requires deliberate, systematic steps. It means peeling back the layers of the issue, investigating its roots, and exploring its implications in depth. This process does not only reveal the problem's true nature but also illuminates its potential solutions. Incorporating various techniques and methods into this process can enhance our understanding of problems, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions. Let's delve into the steps involved in truly understanding a problem. So, how can one truly understand a problem? Here are some steps: 1. **Identify the Problem**: This might seem obvious, but it's crucial to be clear about the problem. Define it in clear, concise terms. A vague or poorly defined problem is difficult to understand and solve effectively. 2. **Gather Information**: Collect as much relevant information about the problem as possible. This includes facts, figures, opinions, experiences, and other pertinent data. This information can help you understand the problem's depth and breadth. 3. **Analyze the Information**: Once you have gathered the information, analyze it. Look for patterns, relationships, and anomalies. This analysis can provide insights into the underlying causes of the problem. 4. **Ask Why**: Don't stop at the surface level. Keep asking 'why' until you get to the root cause of the problem. The '5 Whys' technique, often used in problem-solving, involves asking 'why' five times or as many times as needed to reach the root cause. 5. **Consider the Context**: [Understand the context](https://theinnovators.network/understanding-the-innovation-economy-and-its-impact-on-our-world/?ref=philmckinney.com) in which the problem exists. Consider the social, economic, political, and environmental factors influencing the problem. 6. **Think About the Consequences**: Consider the potential consequences if the problem is not solved. This can provide further insights into the importance and urgency of the problem. 7. **Reflect and Absorb**: After gathering and analyzing the information, take some time for reflection. Allow your subconscious mind to absorb the information and generate insights. 8. **Consult Others**: Don't try to understand the problem in isolation. Consult others who offer different perspectives or have experience dealing with similar problems. Their insights can enhance your understanding of the problem. 9. **Challenge Your Assumptions**: Be critical of your assumptions and biases. They can cloud your understanding of the problem. 10. **Stay Open-Minded**: Keep an open mind throughout the process. Your understanding may shift and evolve as you learn more about the problem. ## Problems vs. Opportunities > "Innovation thrives not when we rush to solutions but when we dare to dwell in the depths of problems." Problems and opportunities can often seem opposites but are intrinsically linked. Frequently, seizing an opportunity is all a problem needs. Understanding problems and opportunities has many parallels, and our techniques to dissect problems can also enhance our understanding of opportunities. We typically view problems as hurdles that impede our progress. They are challenges that need solutions. Conversely, opportunities are favorable circumstances that can lead to positive outcomes if capitalized upon. But the line separating the two can often blur. A problem can unveil an opportunity to innovate or improve, and an opportunity can uncover dormant issues that necessitate [careful scrutiny](https://www.philmckinney.com/giving-receiving-intense-criticism-feedback/). We can apply the principles we use to understand problems and comprehend opportunities. We can gain a deeper understanding of both by asking similar questions, considering the same factors, and taking a systematic approach. ## Conclusion Einstein's quote is a reminder that problem-solving is not just about solutions; it's about understanding. By deeply understanding the problem first, we equip ourselves with the knowledge and insight necessary to find the best solution. So, the next time you face a problem, remember to dive deep before you swim towards the solution. You'll be surprised by how quickly and efficiently you reach your destination. To learn more about Einstein's secret to problem-solving, listen to this week's show: **[Einstein's Secret to Effective Problem-Solving: Deep Understanding of the Problem](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Einsteins%5FSecret%5Fto%5FEffective%5FProblem-Solving.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Ethics of Ambition URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-ethics-of-ambition/ Last updated: 2023-12-04T20:49:24.000Z From the meteoric rise and scandalous [collapse of Theranos](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-hero-worship-ftx-theranos-and-the-media/) to the relentless pursuit of ultra-high-risk products of FTX, we've witnessed the highs and lows of ambition on full display. Elizabeth Holmes, once touted as the youngest self-made female billionaire, saw her biotech company Theranos, crumble under the weight of fraudulent claims. Meanwhile, Sam Bankman-Fried, the CEO of cryptocurrency derivatives exchange [FTX](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-hero-worship-ftx-theranos-and-the-media/), pushed boundaries with products fraught with risk, which resulted in its collapse. These cases serve as potent reminders of the power of ambition and the ethical dilemmas it often brings to the fore. They compel us to question: How can we balance the ambition to succeed with a strong moral compass? When we think about ambition, we often imagine the quintessential go-getter, someone who is willing to climb the corporate ladder at all costs, often disregarding the collateral damage in their wake. This image, while not entirely inaccurate, is a narrow view of what ambition truly is. Ambition, in its purest form, is about striving for excellence and self-improvement. It's about setting lofty goals and pursuing them with tenacity and determination. Yet, ambition becomes [ethically challenging](https://www.philmckinney.com/ethics-the-missing-link-to-a-better-society/) when pursued without regard for others or the common good. The ambitious person who steps on others to ascend the ladder or sacrifices integrity for personal gain has crossed an ethical line. This kind of unbridled ambition can lead to destructive behavior, not only harming others but also eroding the individual's sense of moral responsibility. > **Unbridled ambition may build kingdoms, but only ethical responsibility can prevent them from crumbling.** On the other hand, ambition that is tempered by a strong sense of ethics and responsibility can be a powerful force for good. When we harness our ambition to not only improve ourselves but also contribute to the welfare of others, we create a virtuous cycle of growth and contribution. This kind of ambition can lead to true fulfillment and lasting success. Personal responsibility plays a crucial role in this equation. It is the compass that guides our actions and decisions, ensuring that we remain true to our values even as we strive for higher goals. Personal responsibility is about acknowledging the impact of our actions on others and taking ownership of the consequences. It's about making choices that align with our ethical values, even when it's not the easiest or most convenient path. Striking the right balance between [ambition and responsibility](https://www.philmckinney.com/measure-what-matters-by-john-doerr-a-book-review/) is no simple task. It requires constant self-reflection and a willingness to question our motives and actions. It involves recognizing when our ambition is leading us astray and having the courage to realign our course. In the end, the ethics of ambition boil down to a simple yet profound principle: ambition should serve as a tool for personal growth and contribution, not as a weapon to harm others or gain at their expense. When we embrace this principle, we not only elevate our own lives but also enrich the lives of those around us. So, as we set our sights on the stars and fuel our engines with ambition, let us not forget the ethical compass that guides us. Let us remember that ambition when harnessed with responsibility and respect for others, can lead to a fulfilling and meaningful life. After all, the accurate measure of success is not just what we achieve for ourselves but also what we contribute to others and to the world at large. In the grand scheme of things, ambition is not inherently good or bad. It is a tool, a driving force that can be used for good or ill. The ethics of ambition lie not in the ambition itself but in how we wield it and for what purpose. And that, ultimately, is a matter of [personal responsibility](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-morality-of-knowledge-playing-god-or-responsible-innovator/). ### When Innovation Stagnates: The Consequences of Slowing Research and Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/when-innovation-stagnates-the-consequences-of-slowing-research-and-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:46.000Z Imagine a world where people never invented the wheel and were unaware of the phenomenon of fire. Or, more relatable to our modern era, a world without the internet. These inventions, both ancient and modern, were all birthed from the womb of research and innovation. But what happens when this life-giving flow of ideas slows down or stops? What are the consequences when corporations and governments, constrained by budgets and funding, decide to pull back on their research and innovation investments? > "Dare to invest in the future; for every dollar spent on research and development, we could shape a $14 future." Let's hypothesize for a moment. Given that it takes years to build a pipeline of research and innovations, any slowdown would shrink the pipeline of ideas. In the short term, companies may see a slight impact on their bottom line. But as time goes on and the pipeline dries up, the effects would become more apparent. The result? Lost competitiveness and an inability to respond to sudden shocks of the unanticipated that research and innovation could have mitigated. And with governments, the consequences can be even more severe. Slowing or stopping research and development can harm public health, national security, and economic growth. Without continued advancements in medicine, diseases may go uncured or untreatable. Without innovations in defense technology, military capabilities such as cybersecurity may lag behind potential threats. And without progress in other sectors, economies may experience slowdowns or recessions. But it's not just about these obvious effects. Slowing research and development also stifles creativity and hinders progress. It limits the potential for discoveries, inventions, and breakthroughs that could vastly improve our lives. Innovation is a crucial driving force behind economic growth and societal advancement. It creates jobs, increases productivity, and improves our quality of life. When innovation stagnates, it affects not just corporations or governments but the entire population. Cutting back on research and development also hinders our ability to stay competitive globally. Countries compete constantly for resources, talent, and market share in today's interconnected world. If one country falls behind in innovation because of a lack of investment or support, it can have ripple effects that affect the entire [global economy](https://theinnovators.network/understanding-the-innovation-economy-and-its-impact-on-our-world/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## The Short-Term vs. The Long Bet Consider a corporation that cuts back on its research and development (R&D) budget. Given the pressure to meet the quarterly numbers, it might seem like a sensible decision in the short term. But in the long term, it could be a costly mistake. Take the pharmaceutical industry as an example. Developing new drugs takes years of research and investment, with no guarantee of success. If companies are unwilling to take that risk and instead focus on short-term profits, it could lead to a lack of breakthrough medications that could save lives or improve quality of life. After all, R&D is often a costly endeavor, and the returns are not always immediate. Without a steady [stream of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-arms-race/), the corporation risks falling behind its competitors. It loses its edge, its unique selling proposition. It could coast on its existing products for a while, but eventually, they will become outdated. And then what? Without new products to replace the old ones, the corporation's market share dwindles, its profits shrink, and it finds itself on a downward spiral from which it may never recover. The same principle applies to governments. A government that cuts back on its investment in research and innovation may save some money in the short term. But at what cost? Reduced competitiveness in the global arena? A decline in the quality of life for its citizens? An inability to respond effectively to unexpected crises? ## Examples and Impacts To further explain the effects of [short-term decision-making](https://www.philmckinney.com/short-term-thinking-is-dangerous-to-innovation/) by businesses and governments, let's delve into some tangible examples and their effects. These instances will underscore the profound ramifications when entities engrossed in immediate gains or cost-saving overlook the vital long-term investment in research and innovation. Be it a corporation's declining market value because of stagnant product lineups or a government's amplified vulnerability in crisis management, the repercussions of such decisions can be far-reaching and potentially irreversible. ## Case Study: Kodak's Downfall Kodak provides a powerful example of a corporation that allowed short-term considerations to guide its strategic decisions, leading to its downfall. At its peak, Kodak was a giant in the photography industry. However, with the advent of digital cameras and smartphones, the demand for traditional film declined rapidly. Instead of investing in research to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to changing market trends, Kodak focused on maximizing its existing profits. In 1996, Kodak's stock hit an all-time high, with a market value of over $28 billion. But by 2012, the company declared bankruptcy, unable to keep up with its competitors' technological advancements. Kodak's failure to invest in research and innovation ultimately led to its downfall and loss of market share. ## Case Study: Government Funding Cuts for Scientific Research In 2013, the U.S. government underwent a series of funding cuts, which included significant reductions in scientific research funding. This decrease in investment led to a decline in groundbreaking discoveries and advancements that could have benefited society. For instance, experts estimated that the funding cuts caused a 20% decrease in grants for medical research, hampering progress toward cures and treatments for diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. ## Case Study: Blackberry's Decline BlackBerry Limited, once a market leader in the mobile industry, offers a compelling example of how a decrease in research and innovation spend can lead to significant consequences. At its peak, BlackBerry was synonymous with smartphones, known for its unique QWERTY keyboard design and secure email services. However, as touchscreen technology started gaining traction, BlackBerry's decision to stick with its traditional design and not innovate in new areas quickly led to the company losing market share. Despite the rising popularity of the Apple iPhone and Android devices, BlackBerry failed to invest adequately in research and innovation to compete with these new technologies. The company continued to focus on its existing products, underestimating the impact of touchscreen technology and the shift in consumer preferences towards more app-oriented smartphones. Eventually, the [lack of innovation](https://theinnovators.network/are-you-future-proof-preparing-for-technological-disruptions/?ref=philmckinney.com) in their product line resulted in BlackBerry's market share plummeting from a peak of 20% in 2009 to less than 1% in 2014\. BlackBerry's story serves as a stark reminder of the importance of consistent investment in research and innovation as a long-term strategy for maintaining competitiveness and market relevance. ## Case Study: U.S. Investment in Space Exploration Another example is the U.S. government's decision to curtail its investment in space exploration in the late 20th century. When the Space Race peaked, the U.S. invested heavily in NASA, resulting in groundbreaking innovations like GPS, satellite technology, and the internet. However, in the years that followed, investment in NASA diminished significantly. The short-term savings were apparent, but the long-term effects were detrimental as other countries caught up in space technology and the resulting spinoff innovations. Recently, recognizing the strategic and economic advantages, the U.S. government has renewed its commitment to space exploration. Still, the reduced investment period has resulted in a competitive disadvantage in certain areas of space exploration and technology. ## The Counter-Argument: Investing in the Future But what if corporations and governments kept up their research and innovation investments instead of focusing on short-term funding challenges? The benefits are manifold. For corporations, continued investment in R&D can lead to developing new products that drive revenue growth and increase market share. It can also lead to improvements in existing products, making them more appealing to consumers and thus boosting sales. For governments, investing in research and innovation can lead to advancements in technology and infrastructure that improve the lives of citizens. It can also stimulate economic growth by creating jobs and attracting foreign investment. A consistent commitment to research and innovation can help corporations and governments become more resilient. Thanks to their ongoing investment in new ideas and technologies, they will be better equipped to respond and adapt when [unexpected challenges](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-battle-for-customers/) arise. ## What Can You Do? Become educated and understand the level of investment in the corporations you depend on - along with your government. While you may not be a leader, you can vote with your vote, voice, and wallet. Choose to prioritize research and innovation. Advocate for policies that promote long-term thinking and investment in the future. What should you look for? 1. **Track Research and Development Expenditure:** Monitor the annual reports or financial statements of corporations and the budget allocation of governments. A decreasing trend in the expenditure for research and innovation is a red flag. 2. **Monitor New Product or Service Launches:** Frequent introduction of new products or services indicates a healthy innovation pipeline. A slowdown could be a sign of reduced focus on long-term progress. 3. **Look for Patent Filings:** The number of new high-quality patents filed indicates innovation. A dip in this number or quality might hint at a lack of investment in research and development. 4. **Check Updates on Ongoing Research Projects:** Regular updates on ongoing research projects consistently focus on innovation. A lack of these updates could signal a shift towards short-term goals. 5. **Assess the Quality of Products or Services:** Short-term decision-making often results in compromised quality. Negative customer reviews or increased complaints can be a sign of this. 6. **Watch Out for Layoffs in R&D Departments:** Staff reductions, particularly in the research and development department, can indicate a shift towards short-term cost-cutting at the expense of [future innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/chunka-mui-on-innovating-a-perfect-future/). 7. **Scrutinize Leadership Communication:** Pay attention to the messages conveyed by corporate and government leaders. Prioritization of immediate profits over long-term innovation in their communication can be a warning sign. If you notice any of the red flags mentioned above, let them know your concerns and share why you believe investment in research and innovation is crucial for their (and your) long-term success. ## A Call to Action > "Shockingly, every dollar invested in research and innovation sparks a $14 surge in our GDP—imagine the future we could create with sustained commitment to the unknown." So, to leaders of corporations and governments, here's the message: Don't let short-term funding challenges blind you to the long-term benefits of research and innovation. Yes, it's an investment. Yes, it's a risk. But it's a risk worth taking. Consider this startling fact: According to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, every dollar spent on R&D returns an estimated $14 in GDP growth over the long run.[\[1\]](#%5Fftn1) Now, that's an investment with a promising future. In a rapidly developing world, we cannot afford to stand still. We must continually strive to push the boundaries, explore the unknown, and innovate. It is through innovation that we shape our future. And it is through research that we pave the path to get there. [\[1\]](#%5Fftnref1) Jones, Benjamin, et al. "A Calculation of the Social Returns to Innovation?" National Bureau of Economic Research, 2020\. An interesting review of the paper can be[ found here](https://www.newthingsunderthesun.com/pub/ijugr2h6/release/11?ref=philmckinney.com). To learn more about the effects of businesses and governments slowing down research and innovation spending, listen to this week's show: **[When Innovation Stagnates: The Consequences of Slowing Research and Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/When%5FInnovation%5FStagnates%5F-%5FThe%5FConsequences%5Fof%5FSlowing%5FResearch%5Fand%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Jonah Complex: How to Stop Sabotaging Your Success URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-jonah-complex-how-to-stop-sabotaging-your-success/ Last updated: 2023-11-24T23:05:17.000Z Nestled deep within us all, there's a potential for greatness—untapped, unexplored, and just waiting to burst free. Yet, most people live with this vast ocean of potential trapped within, never knowing what they can achieve. Why do some achieve this greatness while others never even realize its existence? It's a question that has plagued many, and the answer may lie in what is known as the Jonah Complex. This self-sabotaging mindset holds us back from embracing our full potential and reaching for the stars. Named after the biblical character Jonah, who tried to flee from his divine calling, the Jonah Complex is a psychological condition that keeps us grounded in our comfort zones, afraid to embrace the greatness within us. But how does it differ from the more widely known Impostor Syndrome? While both involve self-doubt and fear, they manifest differently. The Impostor Syndrome is characterized by a persistent belief that one's successes are undeserved, attributing them to luck or deceit rather than competence and hard work. On the other hand, the Jonah Complex is not about feeling unworthy of success but fearing the responsibility and expectations that come with it. Take, for instance, an accomplished pianist who turns down a prestigious concert invitation, not because he doubts his skills (Impostor Syndrome) but because he fears the pressure and attention such a performance would bring (Jonah Complex). Or consider a talented employee who refuses a promotion, not because she sees herself as a fraud, but because she fears the increased responsibility and visibility that come with the new role. > "Don't let the Jonah in you sabotage your success; the greatness within us is the world's best-kept secret waiting to be revealed." In some extreme cases, successful people have been known to sabotage their own success, consciously or subconsciously, to avoid the pressure and expectations that come with it. This can manifest in various ways, such as missing important deadlines, self-sabotaging behaviors, or even quitting a job or project just before achieving significant success. They rationalize this behavior by telling themselves they are not ready, the timing is not right, or they don't want to disappoint others' expectations. The consequences of succumbing to the Jonah Complex can be detrimental. Not only does it hold us back from achieving our true potential and living a fulfilling life, but it can also lead to feelings of regret, self-doubt, and missed opportunities. Recognizing the Jonah Complex in ourselves can be challenging, as it often disguises itself as humility, modesty, or a desire for a simple life. However, there are signs to watch for. Do you frequently downplay your abilities or avoid situations where you might excel? Do you often feel overwhelmed by the thought of standing out or being in the spotlight? If so, you may be caught in the Jonah Complex. So, what can you do to overcome this self-limiting condition? Here are a few steps: 1. **Acknowledge Your Fears**: The first step towards overcoming the Jonah Complex is acknowledging its existence. Recognize that your fear of success is holding you back from reaching your full potential. 2. **Set Personal Goals**: Set clear, achievable goals that align with your skills and aspirations. This will help you focus on your personal growth rather than on the expectations and judgments of others. 3. **Embrace Responsibility**: Understand that with greatness comes responsibility, and that's okay. Embrace it as a part of your journey towards personal and professional growth. 4. **Seek Support**: Surround yourself with people who believe in your capabilities and encourage your growth. Their support can be crucial in helping you overcome your fears and doubts. 5. **Celebrate Successes**: Celebrate each achievement, no matter how small. This will boost your confidence and help you embrace success rather than fear it. The Jonah Complex is a deeply ingrained psychological condition that can limit our abilities and prevent us from achieving our full potential. Earl Nightingale famously says, "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal." That worthy ideal he talks about is the greatness within all of us waiting to be realized. But the Jonah Complex makes us shy away from even considering what our worthy ideal might be. We doubt our abilities and question whether we have what it takes to achieve success. However, the reality is that we all have unique talents, strengths, and passions that make us capable of achieving greatness in our own way. Remember, every one of us has the potential for greatness, just like Jonah, who, despite his initial reluctance, eventually fulfilled his divine calling. So, don't let the Jonah Complex hold you back. Embrace your potential, step into the spotlight, and let your greatness shine. ### How To Unleash Your Creative Imagination URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-unleash-your-creative-imagination/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:46.000Z Have you ever found yourself lost in your thoughts, daydreaming, or ideating [without barriers](https://www.philmckinney.com/breaking-down-barriers-to-innovation/)? That's your creative imagination at work! Creative imagination is an incredible power within us—it can manifest our hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Unleashing the power of our creative imagination can be the key to realizing our personal and professional goals. ## What is Creative Imagination? Creative imagination is our ability to form mental images, concepts, and ideas that are unique and original. It is the source of our creativity, innovation, and imagination. Our creative imagination enables us to think outside the box and develop unconventional ideas, perspectives, and solutions. It's a multidimensional process that involves both conscious and subconscious minds. It's a rich blend of our experiences, knowledge, intuition, and emotions. With creative imagination, we can visualize scenarios or solutions that don't yet exist, bridging the gap between the present and myriad possible futures. Our creative imagination allows us to challenge conventions, break boundaries, and create new paradigms. It empowers us to perceive the world uniquely and interpret our experiences through fresh lenses. From creating a beautiful piece of art to pioneering a groundbreaking scientific theory, the power of creative imagination underlies all forms of human innovation and progress. Each one of us possesses this power. However, like any other skill, it must be nurtured, cultivated, and practiced to reach its full potential. ## How Does Creative Imagination Manifested? > "In a world of over 7 billion people, not a single person shares your unique creative imagination - that's your unmatchable superpower." Creative imagination manifests in many ways, including daydreaming, visualization, ideation, and creativity. It is the source of our inspiration, motivation, and passion. Creative imagination is also associated with our ability to create and innovate and our capacity to explore and develop new ways of thinking. We use our creative imagination in our personal and professional endeavors, such as: ### 1) Problem-solving: Whether figuring out a complex business challenge at work or deciding the best route to navigate a traffic jam, our creative imagination fuels our problem-solving abilities. It allows us to visualize multiple scenarios and outcomes, helping us to choose the most effective strategies. ### 2) Art and Creativity: This is the most apparent manifestation of creative imagination, evident in the works of artists, writers, and musicians. These individuals draw upon their creative imagination to conceive and express unique ideas, emotions, and perspectives. ### 3) Innovation: Every groundbreaking invention or discovery in history has been the product of someone's creative imagination. From Thomas Edison's light bulb to Elon Musk's vision for SpaceX, these innovations were once mere thoughts in the minds of their creators. ### 4) Learning and Education: Students use creative imagination to understand and remember complex concepts. For instance, a student of history might imagine themselves in a historical event to understand its nuances better. ### 5) Personal Development: Creative imagination can guide us in our personal growth and self-improvement efforts. By visualizing our ideal selves, we can map out the steps needed to reach our goals. So, whether we are conscious of it or not, we constantly use our creative imagination to shape our world and experiences with its power. ## The Power of Creative Imagination Creative imagination has immense power! It can transform our lives by enabling us to serendipitously ideate, create, and innovate. Harnessing the power of our creative imagination can inspire us to achieve our goals and realize our ambitions. We can visualize our perfect lives, careers, and relationships and use our creative imagination to manifest these into reality. Here are some key aspects that highlight its significance: ### 1) Realizing Possibilities: Creative imagination empowers us to visualize endless possibilities and solutions beyond ‌our physical senses and immediate environment. It allows us to escape the constraints of the present moment, enabling us to travel in time and anticipate future outcomes. This ability to foresee potential scenarios aids in decision-making and strategizing, thus giving us an advantage in navigating life's challenges. ### 2) Driving Innovation: The power of creative imagination is the cornerstone of all technological and societal advancements. It fuels the minds of scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs, enabling them to create products, services, and solutions that reshape our world. Without creative imagination, there would be no iPhone, internet, or electric car. ### 3) Elevating Artistic Expression: Creative imagination allows artists, writers, musicians, and performers to conceive and communicate unique ideas, emotions, and narratives in art and literature. It is the foundation of their creative process, transforming abstract thoughts and feelings into tangible works of art. ### 4) Personal Transformation: On a personal level, creative imagination aids in self-improvement and personal development. Through visualization techniques, we can imagine our ideal selves, helping us to establish and pursue personal goals. By imagining our desired future, we can align our actions and behavior to those visions, leading to personal transformation and growth. ## Increasing Your Creative Imagination There are several actionable tips and steps to increase your creative imagination, including: ## Foster curiosity Curiosity, the innate desire to know and understand, is a fundamental driver of creative imagination. It prompts us to explore the unknown, question the familiar, and seek new experiences and perspectives. Fostering curiosity is an effective way to stimulate and harness your creative imagination. Here's how: 1. **Embrace the Unknown:** Step out of your comfort zone and delve into topics, cultures, or disciplines you know little about. This foray into the unfamiliar can trigger new ideas and insights, stimulating your creative imagination. 2. **Ask Questions:** Don't accept things at face value. Instead, ask "why," "how," and "what if" to delve deeper. This inquisitive mindset can lead to new connections and ideas. 3. **Seek Diverse Experiences:** Novel experiences broaden your perspectives, fueling your creative imagination. Travel to new places, read across various genres, engage with people from diverse backgrounds, or try out different cuisines. 4. **Lifelong Learning:** Commit to lifelong learning. Stay open to acquiring new skills, knowledge, and experiences. This continuous learning helps maintain a fresh and active mind ripe for creative imagination. You keep your creative imagination vibrant, versatile, and ready by fostering curiosity. Remember, every great invention, every brilliant piece of art, and every revolutionary idea started with a curious mind. ## Cultivating Creativity [Creativity](https://theinnovators.network/the-science-of-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com) forms the bedrock of the imaginative process, and fostering it can significantly enhance the power of your creative imagination. It translates your intangible thoughts into concrete expressions, cultivating your ability to conceive unique and innovative concepts. Here are some effective strategies to cultivate your creativity: 1. **Immerse in Diverse Art Forms:** Explore different artistic disciplines such as poetry, architecture, painting, or music. These arts incite fresh perspectives and can stimulate creative thinking. By appreciating the [creativity of others](https://theinnovators.network/the-imagination-of-others-as-inspiration/?ref=philmckinney.com), you can inspire your own. 2. **Free Writing or Drawing:** Set aside a specific time for free writing or drawing each day. This unstructured and spontaneous activity allows your thoughts to flow freely, releasing withheld creativity. 3. **Creative Spaces:** Designate a space for creative pursuits. This could be a room filled with art supplies, a corner with a musical instrument, or a quiet spot for writing. A dedicated creative space can help invoke your creative spirit. 4. **Collaboration:** Engage in group activities that require creative problem-solving. Collaboration exposes you to different ideas and perspectives, stimulating your creative imagination. Creativity extends beyond art—it applies to every aspect of life. From solving complex problems to making everyday decisions, cultivating creativity can make you a more innovative thinker and help you harness your creative imagination to its fullest potential. ## Engaging in Imagination Engaging in imaginative activities is key to cultivating and strengthening your creative imagination. This practice allows you to flex your imagination, encouraging fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. Here's how you can engage in imagination: 1. **Visualization:** This is a powerful tool for mentally simulating a situation, concept, or object. By visualizing, you can explore possibilities, foresee challenges, and create solutions in your mind before taking any real-world actions. Athletes often use this technique to enhance their performance, and artists use it to conceive their creations. 2. **Daydreaming:** Contrary to popular belief, daydreaming isn't always a waste of time. It's a spontaneous, self-generated thought that allows your mind to wander freely. This can lead to the birth of original ideas and unique solutions you might not have discovered through analytical thinking alone. 3. **Reading Fiction:** Reading fiction is a form of 'indirect' imaginative engagement. As you delve into different worlds, characters, and narratives, you indirectly stimulate your creative imagination, broadening your horizons and fostering empathetic and creative thinking. 4. **Playing 'What If' Games:** Regularly challenging yourself with 'what if' scenarios is a great way to stimulate your creative imagination. Pondering hypothetical situations forces you to think outside the box and develop creative solutions. By regularly engaging in these imaginative exercises, you can effectively cultivate and enhance your creative imagination. Remember, your imagination is like a muscle - the more you use it, the stronger it gets. ## Look With Fresh Eyes Seeing the world with '[fresh eyes](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-fresh-eyes/)' is a powerful way to harness your creative imagination. This involves perceiving things from a new perspective, challenging preconceived notions, and daring to think differently. Here are some ways to achieve this: 1. **Challenge Assumptions:** Question the status quo and challenge established assumptions. This may not only lead to innovative thoughts but can also stimulate out-of-the-box thinking. 2. **Reframe Problems:** View obstacles as opportunities and try to reframe problems into challenges. This shift in perspective can spark creative solutions. 3. **Practice Empathy:** Try to understand situations from other people's perspectives. This empathetic approach can broaden your worldview and stimulate diverse thought processes. 4. **Explore Multiple Angles:** Don't be content with the first solution or idea that comes to mind. Cultivate the habit of considering various facets of a problem or concept. Keeping your eyes fresh and mind open, you can tap into the depths of your creative imagination, unlocking endless possibilities and fostering innovation. Remember, a fresh perspective is all you need to uncover the hidden gems waiting to be found in the world. ## Keeping an Open Mind Maintaining an open mind is a quintessential prerequisite for fostering your creative imagination. It allows you to explore new ideas, accept differing opinions, and step outside your comfort zone, which can fuel your creativity. Here are some ways to cultivate your creative imagination by keeping an open mind: 1. **Embrace Uncertainty:** Instead of fearing the unknown, embrace it. The uncertainty of new experiences can stimulate your imagination, pushing you to think in ways you haven't before. 2. **Welcome Different Perspectives:** Seek out and respect opinions that differ from your own. This can give you a broader range of ideas to draw from and enhance your creative thinking. 3. **Be Open to Learning:** Maintain a lifelong learner's attitude. This willingness to learn can expose you to many concepts and ideas, feeding your creative imagination. 4. **Experience Diversity:** Diversify your experiences and interactions. Engage with different cultures, philosophies, and lifestyles. The more varied your experiences, the richer your imagination becomes. 5. **Question Everything:** Adopt a questioning attitude. Explore the ' why ' behind things rather than taking information at face value. Keeping an open mind facilitates a conducive environment for your creative imagination to flourish. It enables you to see beyond the obvious, question the ordinary, and venture into extraordinary possibilities. Remember, an open mind is the doorway to a world of [creative potential](https://www.philmckinney.com/unlocking-your-creative-potential/). ## Celebrate Your Creativity > "Every minute, the human brain generates more electrical impulses than all the telephones in the world combined - harness this power; innovation is within your grasp." Part of harnessing your creative imagination involves recognizing and celebrating your creativity. Regardless of the outcome, creating holds intrinsic value and is a testament to your imagination at work. Here are some ways to celebrate your creativity: 1. **Acknowledge Your Effort:** Each creative endeavor requires courage and effort. Acknowledge your dedication, irrespective of the result. This fosters a positive mindset and motivates you to continue creating. 2. **Share Your Work:** Don't shy away from sharing your creations with others. The feedback and reactions you receive can offer new perspectives and ideas. Your work might inspire others and stimulate their creative imagination. 3. **Reflect on Your Process:** Reflect on your creative process. What did you learn? What would you do differently next time? Reflection promotes the growth and refinement of your creative skills. 4. **Reward Yourself:** Give yourself a small reward after completing a creative task. This positive reinforcement can elevate your mood and inspire you to tackle your next creative challenge with renewed energy. Celebrating your creativity will validate your creative journey, nurture your creative confidence, and set the stage for a more vibrant, creative imagination. Embracing and celebrating your creativity is not just about acknowledging your achievements; it's about recognizing the power of your creative imagination and its endless possibilities. ## Conclusion: Your creative imagination is not just an intangible concept; it's a powerful force that can transform your personal and professional life. It can turn the ordinary into extraordinary, the [mundane into magical](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-ideas-in-the-mundane-and-familiar/), and the routine into remarkable. By nurturing your creative imagination through exercises, fresh perspectives, an open mind, and celebrating creativity, you're not just enhancing your problem-solving skills or improving your innovative thinking but unlocking a world of limitless possibilities. Thus enabling yourself to dream, explore, and create beyond the boundaries of common thought. You're equipping yourself with the ability to look at life through different lenses and to find opportunities where others see none. But perhaps the most inspiring aspect of your creative imagination is its uniqueness. It's inherently yours - a reflection of your experiences, knowledge, and perspectives. No one else in the world possesses your creative imagination. Therefore, your creativity has the potential to contribute something truly unique and valuable to the world. So, dare to imagine, create, and share your creativity with the world. Through your unique creative imagination, you can inspire others, make a difference, and leave a lasting impact. Remember, every incredible creation today began as a mere figment of someone's imagination. So, who's to say what extraordinary creations your nurtured imagination might bring to life? Embrace your creative imagination, cherish it, and let it guide you through uncharted territories. The world awaits your creativity. To learn more about celebrating your creativity, listen to this week's show: **[How To Unleash Your Creative Imagination](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FTo%5FUnleash%5FYour%5FCreative%5FImagination.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Bridging the Digital Divide with Innovation and Connectivity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/bridging-the-digital-divide-with-innovation-and-connectivity/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:49.000Z In one of the most insightful episodes of Killer Innovations, I had the pleasure of hosting Mark Tubinis from Veea. Our conversation revolved around bridging the [digital divide](https://www.philmckinney.com/closing-the-innovation-divide-breaking-down-barriers-for-underdeveloped-economies/) with cable technology, particularly in Panama. Mark passionately shared his experiences, recounting how people, for the first time, could use the internet from devices other than just mobile phones. Witnessing this transformation was [profoundly moving](https://theinnovators.network/the-joy-of-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). We explored the [challenges and opportunities](https://www.philmckinney.com/embrace-the-hard-the-secret-to-a-fulfilling-life/) in creating digital identities for individuals without internet access, particularly in rural areas. Mark shared about the innovative use of a prepaid system for home broadband for unbanked populations. This system would allow for budgeting and device streaming, potentially transformative for these communities. > "Innovation is the spark that ignites change, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary and making the impossible possible." The discussion took us to Indonesia, specifically to its least-connected villages. Mark underscored the urgent need for edge computing and connectivity in these areas. We delved into the Digital Village Project, a consortium of 5,000 villages in Indonesia working to solve connectivity challenges. The sheer scale of the task was sobering, with 75,000 villages needing solutions. Our conversation then shifted to how innovation can solve such [global problems](https://www.philmckinney.com/non-obvious-innovation-non-obvious-location/). We highlighted the challenge of providing sustainable, profitable internet infrastructure in developing countries, with a specific look at Indonesia and China. Mark illustrated the potential of Veea’s technology to provide enhanced services, like smart agriculture, in these regions. The [Rural Cloud Initiative](https://ruralcloud.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) aims to bring precision agriculture to farms through partnerships with companies like Microsoft and Honeywell. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to normalize data and make it accessible to farmers, a game-changer for the agriculture sector. The digital divide and innovation in agriculture was another topic we explored. We discussed the transformative impact of digital innovation in Rwanda, particularly in the fish farming industry, where technology adoption has drastically reduced waste and increased efficiency. Mark agreed that bringing broadband to homes is vital to unlocking the economic potential in certain cultures, emphasizing countries with limited access to power and connectivity. > "In the realm of innovation, it's astounding to note that the digital divide, a chasm seemingly vast, can be bridged with a spark of technology." Our closing thoughts dwelled on the importance of leaving a legacy and [making the world a better place](https://theinnovators.network/imagining-a-better-future-keys-to-human-progress/?ref=philmckinney.com) through our work. Mark shared his experiences working with innovators like Dean Kaman, making significant contributions to energy innovation. It was a truly enlightening conversation, reminding us all of the transformative power of [innovative technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-types-of-innovation-institutional-social-technological/). To learn more about Mark Tubinis from Veea and the digital divide, listen to this week's show: **[Bridging the Digital Divide with Innovation and Connectivity](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Bridging%5Fthe%5FDigital%5FDivide%5Fwith%5FInnovation%5Fand%5FConnectivty.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Exploring The Future of Cable Broadband With Paul Broadhurst URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/exploring-the-future-of-cable-broadband-with-paul-broadhurst/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:05.000Z I had the pleasure of interviewing Paul Broadhurst, the President and CEO of the Technetix Group. We met in the mobile studio during SCTE Cable-Tec Expo in Denver, CO. Paul shared his excitement about the growing confidence and support in the cable broadband industry. He particularly emphasized the emergence of new vendors and sponsors at the event, a clear indication of the sector's growth trajectory. One of the main topics we touched upon was DOCSIS 4 and the crucial need for network upgrades. Paul voiced his concerns about a skills shortage in the industry and stressed the importance of upgrading networks to meet DOCSIS 4 requirements. We both concurred on the essential need for future-proof networks. Paul pointed out an interesting fact - the cable industry needs to employ around 400,000 individuals to finish the required work. He suggested that the focus should be on educating younger individuals to be proficient and [effective in the industry](https://theinnovators.network/software-innovation-skill-growth-tips-tricks/?ref=philmckinney.com). We also spoke about the shift from manual network maintenance to automated systems. Our conversation moved towards the potential of cable broadband and [future trends](https://www.philmckinney.com/unexpected-way-to-predict-the-future/). As someone who's always been curious about the future of technology, I found Paul's insights particularly compelling. He highlighted the importance of future-proofing networks and possibly upgrading cable networks to 100 Gigabit speeds using existing infrastructure. Looking ahead, Paul predicts that wireline broadband networks will mature and become more efficient over the next 15 years. He pointed out the possibilities of self-healing capabilities and reduced power consumption, which could be a game-changer for the industry. Paul envisions an industry with increased [competition and innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/designing-over-the-competition/) driven by new market entrants and federal investment in high-performance networks. We also had an intriguing discussion about the unique culture of the cable industry. We both appreciate its focus on collaboration, trust, and people. There's a friendly and [collaborative environment](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-communities-2/) where operators share ideas and meet regularly, with CableLabs playing a crucial role in fostering this culture. Towards the end of our conversation, Paul expressed his curiosity about the potential for the possibilities with [medical monitoring](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-future-look-top-innovations-teaching-the-future-tomorrows-healthcare/) and security. Reflecting on the interview, Paul's insights and vision for the industry's future showcase his [dynamic thinking](https://theinnovators.network/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/?ref=philmckinney.com) and leadership, making our conversation a valuable experience for the listener. To learn more about Paul's support for the cable broadband industry, listen to this week's show: **[Exploring The Future of Cable Broadband With Paul Broadhurst](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Exploring%5Fthe%5FFuture%5Fof%5FCable%5FBroadband%5Fwith%5FPaul%5FBroadhurst.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Calix’s Evolution Through Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/calixs-evolution-through-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:45.000Z In this episode of Killer Innovations, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ken Grelck, SVP of Sales at Calix, about the company's impressive transformation from a hardware-focused organization to a cloud and software-centric business. Ken shed light on how Calix concentrates on improving customer experience, regardless of the size of their network. Their dedication to [customer experience](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-innovations-in-customer-support/) is central to their shift toward software-defined networks. Ken and I explored how this transformation has impacted the cable industry, discussing Calix's decade-long journey and $1 billion investment in creating a platform that optimizes customer problem resolution. A significant shift in operator skill sets within the organization also marked this transformation. Michael Weaning, ex-Salesforce executive, joined Calix as President, playing an instrumental role in changing the company's customer engagement approach. > "Innovation is not just about creating; it's about transforming with purpose and then illuminating the world with its potential." Calix's Service Cloud and Ops Cloud solutions are reshaping customer service through invaluable data insights that help service reps and technicians, significantly reducing call times and boosting efficiency. These solutions are products of Calix's [commitment to innovation](https://theinnovators.network/innovation-agencies-driving-force-behind-major-tech-trends/?ref=philmckinney.com). Our team at CableLabs collaborated with Calix on a co-innovation project, Adrenaline, which spearheaded hardware acceleration through an open-source approach. This project was a true testament to the power of [remote collaboration](https://theinnovators.network/jim-kalbach-of-mural-on-visual-collaboration/?ref=philmckinney.com) and the impact of technology on hardware capabilities. Our conversation also touched on Calix's [innovation strategies](https://www.philmckinney.com/you-need-an-innovation-strategy/) and culture. They cultivate innovation around market needs, gathering inputs from their 1800 customers via leadership advisory boards. Their approach embodies a broad-market focus, avoiding innovation targeted at specific customers. Ken provided insights into Calix's groundbreaking product, Smart Town, which arose from customer recommendations. Developed over 12-18 months, it addressed the digital divide exacerbated by the pandemic. Smart Town is a stellar example of innovation turning into a mission, intending to bridge the digital divide in rural and tribal areas in the U.S. We both believe that serving these communities should be about the greater good rather than just economic benefit. > "Innovation without ethics is just a ticking time bomb waiting to cause unintended consequences." Our discussion moved onto the ethical aspects of innovation, particularly concerning AI and child safety. Ken and I agreed on protecting children from online threats, making AI monitoring tools increasingly vital. The conversation reflected on the challenges of protecting older children, the role of parents in this task, and the potential unintended consequences of innovation. Responding to my question, "What are you most curious about?" Ken spoke about his curiosity and concerns about the impact of AI. Our conversation underlined the importance of considering potential negative consequences while harnessing [AI's potential](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-the-age-of-ai-how-innovators-stay-relevant/). This episode underscored the complex intersection of innovation, transformation, and [ethics](https://www.philmckinney.com/ethics-the-missing-link-to-a-better-society/) in our ever-evolving tech landscape. To learn more about Calix's innovation culture, listen to this week's show: **[Calix’s Evolution Through Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Calix%5FEvolution%5FThrough%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Balancing Innovation and Security in Open-Source Software URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/balancing-innovation-and-security-in-open-source-software/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:45.000Z Rob Wilmoth from Red Hat joined me in the mobile studio at the 2023 SCTE Cable-Tech Expo, where we delved into numerous discussions on enterprise technology, software customization, open-source security, and innovation. Red Hat, known for its 30-year history, has been instrumental in the enterprise technology landscape. The company's ability to harden, secure, and provide supportability for [open-source technology](https://theinnovators.network/how-to-find-oss-the-net-time-loop/?ref=philmckinney.com), benefiting customers and contributing to the ecosystem, underlines its integral role in the industry. Rob highlighted the importance of software customization, collaboration, and [scalability](https://www.philmckinney.com/proven-strategies-to-scaling-innovations/) for enterprise software users. He compared the software development process to motorsports, requiring fine-tuning performance optimization while maintaining balance. Red Hat's ability to provide customization in their Enterprise Linux and the flexibility to swap components with certified partners like Juniper reinforced their reputation for responsiveness and partnerships in the telco and cable industries. ## Innovation at Red Hat Discussing innovation at Red Hat, Rob noted their [forward-thinking approach](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-future-proof-preparing-for-technological-disruptions/), looking 18-24 months ahead to align technology with [people's needs](https://www.philmckinney.com/customers-needs/). Red Hat's culture of innovation encourages associates to bring ideas forward while maintaining a balance between innovative thought and practical application. Security and innovation in open-source software was another key point of discussion. Red Hat prioritizes innovation through upstream community contributions, tackling countless security threats, including unintentional errors and zero-day vulnerabilities. The company's emphasis on multiple reviewers to catch security issues swiftly was a testament to their commitment to security in open-source software. ## Open-Source and Security > "In the world of open-source software, every second witnesses the birth of a new line of code, fueling endless innovation." Addressing open-source software development and security vulnerabilities, Rob revealed Red Hat's approach to maintaining close ties with security organizations to address vulnerabilities. He shared an example of a public cloud provider utilizing their code to fix vulnerabilities, demonstrating Red Hat's dedication to being a responsible community steward. Rob also touched on the crucial aspect of technical debt in [open-source software](https://theinnovators.network/what-is-open-innovation-and-why-should-you-care/?ref=philmckinney.com), warning of the challenges for companies customizing a base platform, which could lead to increased time and effort for future updates. He also highlighted the significance of understanding a company's open-source policy and the role of involvement and contribution in open-source communities during hiring. We concluded by discussing the need for [standardization in tech](https://www.philmckinney.com/device-innovation-enabling-iot-standards/) and the cable industry. Rob expressed concerns about rigid standards and suggested APIs as a possible solution to bridge gaps between vendors. He and I agreed to rethink standards, focusing on interoperability to avoid silos and unintended consequences. To learn more about blame culture, listen to this week's show: **[Balancing Innovation and Security in Open-Source Software: A Conversation with Rob Wilmoth of Red Hat](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Balancing%5FInnovation%5Fand%5FSecurity%5Fin%5FOpen-Source%5FSoftware.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Manage Cognitive Load and Optimize Your Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-manage-cognitive-load-and-optimize-your-thinking/ Last updated: 2023-10-21T21:03:11.000Z Have you ever experienced feeling overwhelmed when studying for an exam or trying to solve a difficult problem? If so, you've likely encountered cognitive load. Cognitive load refers to the mental effort required to process information and complete tasks. As we go through our daily lives, we encounter cognitive load in many forms, such as trying to remember someone's name, navigating a new city, or juggling multiple tasks at once. Research has shown that excessive cognitive load can impede our ability to learn, think critically, and make decisions. However, with the right strategies in place, we can manage cognitive load and optimize our thinking. > ***Unleash the power of your mind by lightening the load; a decluttered brain is the key to unlocked potential.*** ## What is Cognitive Load? Cognitive Load Theory, proposed by psychologist John Sweller in the 1980s, is a framework used to explain the process that takes place when our brains consume and store information. Cognitive load comes in two variants: intrinsic and extrinsic. **Intrinsic cognitive load** is inherent to the difficulty of the task or information itself — it's the mental effort involved in understanding a complex concept, solving a challenging problem, or learning a new skill. It relates directly to the task at hand and varies depending on an individual's prior knowledge and ability to grasp new information. Conversely, **extrinsic cognitive load** is influenced by how the information or task is presented to us. It involves the mental effort required to deal with distractions or irrelevant information, such as a noisy study environment or complex instructions. The design of learning materials and the surrounding environment can significantly affect the extrinsic cognitive load. Remember, our cognitive resources are finite. If the total cognitive load (intrinsic and extrinsic) exceeds our cognitive capacity, it can lead to cognitive overload, making learning and problem-solving less effective. This is why understanding and managing cognitive load is vital to optimizing our cognitive performance. ## Managing Cognitive Load Managing cognitive load involves reducing both forms of cognitive load. One effective strategy for managing cognitive load is to focus on one task at a time. This helps reduce extraneous cognitive load and allows us to allocate more mental resources to the task. We can also reduce intrinsic cognitive load by breaking larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. Another strategy for managing cognitive load is to streamline your environment. Keep your workspace tidy, turn off notifications on your phone, and eliminate unnecessary distractions. This can help reduce extraneous cognitive load and allow you to focus your mental energy on the task at hand. Additionally, structuring information in a meaningful and organized way can also help reduce cognitive load. Group related concepts together when studying or learning new material and create outlines or summaries. This can help reduce the overall cognitive load and make it easier to retain information. ## Aids to Manage Cognitive Load In addition, we can manage our cognitive load by utilizing external aids. For example, a to-do list or planner can help reduce cognitive load by freeing up mental bandwidth that would otherwise be used to remember tasks and deadlines. Similarly, taking notes during a meeting or lecture can help offload cognitive load by allowing you to refer back to your notes instead of trying to remember everything. Moreover, incorporating visual aids such as diagrams, charts, or mind maps can also help reduce cognitive load and enhance understanding. These aids can help break down complex information into smaller, more digestible chunks and make connections between different pieces of information. ## Impact of Cognitive Load The benefits of managing cognitive load are numerous. Research has shown that students taught to manage cognitive load perform better on tests and retain more information. In professional settings, managing cognitive load can lead to more efficient work and [better decision-making](https://www.philmckinney.com/cognitive-bias-and-innovation-how-can-we-combat-instinct/). On the other hand, failing to manage cognitive load can have negative consequences. When we're overwhelmed with too much information or too many tasks, our working memory becomes overloaded, and we can experience cognitive overload. This can lead to difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and decreased performance on tasks. ## Personal Experience Managing Cognitive Load One way I personally manage cognitive load is by eliminating unnecessary decision-making. For example, I've found that choosing what to wear in the morning can be a significant source of cognitive load, so I've simplified my wardrobe to minimize the decisions I have to make. I wear a black golf shirt, blue jeans, and cowboy boots every day. This eliminates the need to decide what to wear daily, freeing up cognitive resources for more important tasks. It also eliminates the cognitive load when it comes to shopping, as I wear the same items from the same brands. Does my wife like it? No. But she has come to tolerate it even if she tries to inject color into my wardrobe occasionally. > ***The art of thinking begins when you learn to unload your cognitive cargo, making room for your mind to soar.*** ## Conclusion Cognitive load is a natural part of our daily lives, but effective strategies exist. By reducing both intrinsic and extrinsic cognitive load, streamlining our environment, utilizing external aids, and simplifying decision-making, we can optimize our thinking and maximize our performance on tasks. The benefits of managing cognitive load are numerous, and the consequences of failing to do so can be detrimental. Managing cognitive load is a valuable skill in our arsenal as we continue to navigate our increasingly complex world. ### The Blame Culture and How It Kills Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-blame-culture-and-how-it-kills-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:44.000Z Have you ever been present when something has gone wrong, and everyone is quick to assign blame? It's human nature to want to hold someone accountable when there's a failure, but what happens when we let a blame culture take over? The blame culture will stifle creativity and innovation in an organization. When each team member focuses on avoiding responsibility at all costs, there's little room for growth, learning, or experimentation. It discourages individuals from speaking up about potential solutions or ideas, causing progress to stagnate and morale to plummet. > "In the shadow of blame, innovation starves; it's only in the sunlight of understanding that creativity truly blooms." ## The Desire to Assign Blame The impulse to assign blame is often driven by more than just a desire for justice. Psychologically, blaming others helps us maintain our self-esteem by diverting attention and criticism from ourselves. When something goes wrong, pointing fingers at others is a defense mechanism that preserves our self-image and allows us to evade personal responsibility. Blame can also stem from fear. In an organizational context, employees may fear the consequences of failure, such as job loss or damage to their reputation. Thus, they may instinctively assign blame to others to protect their professional standing. The act of blaming can create an illusion of control. By attributing failure to someone's actions or decisions, we convince ourselves that we can avoid future mistakes by simply avoiding the same path. Unfortunately, this simplistic view doesn't account for business's complex and often unpredictable nature, and it prevents us from learning and growing from our mistakes. ## When We Are Blamed When someone blames us, we immediately try to avoid culpability by shifting the blame to someone else. That person then [shifts the blame](https://theinnovators.network/being-thrown-under-the-bus-the-dilemma-of-blame/?ref=philmckinney.com) to someone else. This creates a vicious cycle of finger-pointing that only drives teams further apart. This quick-fire response of pointing fingers rather than seeking solutions masks the real problems and fosters unproductive behavior, which impacts results. The need to apply blame comes from a lack of trust. Without mutual trust and respect, collaboration becomes impossible. This can lead to an environment where people are more interested in self-preservation than contributing to the organization's success. ## Innovation Culture and Blame Innovation culture thrives in an environment where blame is not the default response to failure. Instead, every failure is viewed as an opportunity for learning and growth, fostering a mindset that encourages experimentation and creativity. In a blame-free innovation culture, there's a collective understanding that failure is not a reflection of personal shortcomings but an inevitable part of the innovation process. Individuals tend to take risks, share ideas, and collaborate openly when we remove blame. This creates a breeding ground for innovation, as new ideas are freely exchanged and explored. With the fear of blame removed, we empower employees to think outside the box, challenge the status quo, and drive meaningful organizational change. However, building this kind of culture requires strong leadership. Leaders must model the behaviors they wish to see, fostering a sense of psychological safety where employees can openly share their ideas and failures. They must also communicate that we expect and accept failure as long as it leads to learning and improvement. By doing so, they can help dismantle the blame culture and cultivate an environment that values curiosity, bravery, and resilience, thus paving the way for sustained innovation. ## Accountability vs Blame We must distinguish between accountability and blame. While blame focuses on finding someone to hold responsible for the problem, accountability focuses on finding a resolution for the situation. Accountability seeks to identify the root causes and how to correct them. In contrast, blame focuses on passing the buck and assigning guilt. This mindset discourages open communication, results in defensiveness, and stifles creativity. Therefore, leadership must resist the urge to assign blame when there's a failure. One way that a leader can still hold team members accountable without assigning blame is to reframe the discussion. Rather than solely focusing on who's responsible for the issue, leaders can ask how we can solve the problem. This subtle shift changes the focus from a punitive tone to accountability, cooperation, and collaboration. Leaders should also model the behavior they expect from their team. Showing empathy and understanding rather than judgment or criticism will help create a culture where people feel safe to take risks, develop new ideas, and experiment with different solutions. Ultimately, blame has no place in an innovative workplace. We need to foster an environment of trust and collaboration if we are to be successful. Leaders must create a culture that encourages learning and growth, where we see mistakes as opportunities for improvement rather than grounds for punishment. We can unleash creativity and innovation in our organizations by breaking the blame culture. ## Eliminating The Blame Culture Organizations increase their resilience, growth, and innovation impact by eliminating the blame culture. If organizations can foster an environment that values creativity, takes calculated risks, and supports those who have tried new things and failed, they are on the right path to success. So, what are the steps to dismantle the blame culture? ## Promote Open Communication: Promoting open communication is a key factor in dismantling the blame culture within an organization. Open communication creates an environment where individuals feel safe to express their thoughts, ideas, and concerns without fear of being blamed or criticized. It encourages active dialogue, fosters transparency, and helps build a trust and cooperation culture. When employees feel they can openly communicate, they are more likely to [share their ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/sharing-is-caring-so-share-your-idea/), voice their concerns, and take calculated risks. This greater freedom can lead to innovative problem-solving and more effective collaboration. Open communication ensures everyone is on the same page, reducing misunderstandings that could lead to unfair blame. In a culture with open, solid communication, mistakes are not hidden but addressed openly. This shifts the focus from blaming individuals for mistakes to collectively finding solutions and learning from the experience. This approach not only promotes accountability but also encourages learning and continuous improvement. > "Innovation is the lifeblood of progress, yet fear of blame silently kills it, turning potential breakthroughs into missed opportunities." Open communication can help dispel the fear often associated with blame. When leaders are open, honest, and transparent, it sends a clear message to the team that it's okay to make mistakes as long as it uses them as a learning opportunity. This shift in mindset can contribute to dismantling the blame culture. An example of promoting open communication can be found in a practice many successful organizations employ: the "no-fault post-mortem" meeting. This technique is commonly used after a project or event, especially if things are unplanned. We encourage all team members to share their perspectives on what happened, what went wrong, and what could be improved without fearing punishment or blame. ## Foster a Learning Environment: Cultivate a culture where mistakes are opportunities for learning and growth. By shifting the focus from blame to learning, we see each failure as an opportunity for growth and innovation rather than a cause for punishment. This cultivates an organization-wide mindset shift where mistakes are not feared but embraced as part of the learning process. Employees are encouraged to try new ideas and take [calculated risks](https://www.philmckinney.com/become-that-visionary-leader-by-embracing-risk/) in a learning environment. This approach inherently acknowledges that failure is a possibility. Yet, instead of discouraging these attempts, it rewards them, recognizing that every failure brings valuable lessons that drive improvement and innovation. This environment breaks the cycle of blame as employees no longer feel the need to conceal their mistakes or defend their actions for fear of blame. Moreover, leaders can encourage open dialogue about failures by setting a precedent that mistakes are learning opportunities. This leads to collective problem-solving, with the team working together to understand what went wrong and how to prevent it in the future. In such an environment, blame has no place, as the focus is not on who caused the mistake but on what we can learn from it. This learning-oriented culture encourages transparency, trust, and accountability, effectively dismantling the blame culture. It promotes resilience, as teams that learn from their failures are more [agile](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-essential-ingredients-of-agile-innovation/) and better equipped to face future challenges. Thus, fostering a learning environment eliminates the blame culture and paves the way for an innovative, collaborative, and successful organization. An excellent example of fostering a learning environment comes from a common practice at leading Silicon Valley companies such as HP and Google. They encourage their employees to spend 20% of their work time on personal projects, a policy known as "20% Time". This initiative allows employees to explore their ideas and learn through trial and error without fear of failure. They encourage employees to view mistakes as part of innovation and learn from them. ## Develop Trust: Developing trust within an organization is a crucial stepping stone towards dismantling a blame culture. Trust fosters an environment where employees feel valued and secure, reducing the impulse to deflect blame onto others. When individuals trust their colleagues, they are more likely to believe in the collective competence and intentions of the team, feeling less need to assign blame when things go awry. Trust creates a safe space for open dialogue, enabling teams to address mistakes and failures openly and objectively, focusing on solutions rather than casting blame. It encourages individuals to admit when they are at fault, confident that their honesty will not result in punitive measures but is a learning opportunity. Trust forms the foundation of effective collaboration. In a trusting environment, team members work together towards a common goal, emphasizing collective success over individual performance. This shift in perspective minimizes defensive behaviors and promotes accountability, both crucial elements in eradicating a blame culture. Trust also strengthens the relationship between leaders and employees. When leaders demonstrate trust in their teams' abilities and intentions, it empowers individuals, promoting innovation and risk-taking. It sends a clear message that failure is not a catastrophe but a normal part of the path to success. We can see an example of developing trust in the practice adopted by Netflix. The company is renowned for its "Freedom and Responsibility" culture, which is heavily rooted in trust. Netflix offers its employees great autonomy, trusting them to make decisions that align with the company's best interests. This high-trust culture eliminates the fear of blame and promotes a collaborative, innovative, and transparent working environment. ## Encourage Accountability: Encouraging accountability is a critical strategy for dismantling a culture of blame. When accountable, employees recognize and accept responsibility for their actions and outcomes. This shift moves the focus away from blaming others, fostering a culture of ownership and personal responsibility. Accountability prompts individuals to consider the consequences of their actions, leading to more thoughtful decision-making and a stronger commitment to the tasks undertaken. This enhances the quality of work and reduces the likelihood of mistakes precipitating blame. Accountability cultivates open-mindedness and humility, as accountable individuals tend to acknowledge and learn from their mistakes rather than deflect blame. This fosters a continuous learning and improvement culture, where we view errors as growth opportunities rather than failures. When accountability is encouraged, it reduces the defensive behaviors often associated with a blame culture. Instead of wasting energy on assigning blame, teams can focus on constructive problem-solving to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future, promoting a more efficient and collaborative environment. When leaders model accountability, it sets a precedent for the entire organization, establishing an ethos of integrity, responsibility, and trust - collectively working to dismantle the antithesis of a blame culture. This leadership encourages all members to act similarly, collectively working towards dismantling the blame culture. A great example of encouraging accountability is the approach used by Amazon. Amazon's leadership principle of "Ownership" encourages employees to act on behalf of the entire company, not just themselves or their teams. This principle fosters a sense of personal investment and accountability, dissuading a blame culture. It illustrates that when every employee feels personally responsible for the company's success, they are less likely to shift blame and more likely to strive for continuous improvement. ## Lead by Example: Leading by example is a powerful way to dismantle the blame culture within an organization. When leaders demonstrate accountability, empathy, and open-mindedness in the face of mistakes and failures, it sets a precedent for the entire team. Leaders who own and use their mistakes as learning opportunities show their teams that it's acceptable to fail as long as we use these failures to fuel growth and improvement. Leaders can foster a culture of trust, respect, and continuous improvement by adopting an approach focused on learning rather than blaming. When leaders avoid the blame game and instead focus on constructive problem-solving, it encourages the same behavior among their team members. This reduces defensiveness and fear and promotes open dialogue and collaboration. Leaders who lead by example reinforce the idea that everyone, regardless of their position in the organization, is accountable for their actions. This equitable approach discourages blame-shifting and encourages individual accountability. When leaders model the behavior they wish to see, it can significantly influence the organization's culture. Through their actions, leaders can shift the focus from blame to learning, fostering an environment where failures are stepping stones to success rather than setbacks. By leading by example, leaders can effectively dismantle the blame culture and pave the way for a more resilient, innovative, and successful organization. A shining example of leading by example is Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. Nadella took the helm when Microsoft was known for its internal competitiveness, often resulting in a blame culture. Satya Nadella, however, helped transform this culture by demonstrating empathy and encouraging a growth mindset. He emphasized learning from mistakes rather than allocating blame. This shift in [leadership style](https://theinnovators.network/a-new-dawn-for-leadership-embracing-change-in-the-21st-century/?ref=philmckinney.com) fostered a more collaborative and innovative environment, demonstrating how impactful leading by example can be in dismantling a blame culture. ## Reframe the Discussion: Reframing the discussion plays a pivotal role in dismantling a blame culture. This strategy shifts the focus from assigning fault to finding solutions, promoting collaboration and collective problem-solving. Instead of a punitive approach when issues arise, encourage dialogue centered around comprehension and resolution. This reduces the fear of blame and encourages individuals to come forward with their mistakes, viewing them as learning opportunities rather than career-threatening occurrences. In a solution-oriented environment, they see mistakes as a part of the process, not as catastrophic failures. This mindset fosters continuous learning, encourages risk-taking, and drives innovation. It leans into the idea that progress is often built on trial and error, removing the sting from missteps. Reframing the discussion also enhances team cohesion and mutual respect. When teams engage in constructive, solution-focused conversations, it fosters a sense of camaraderie, promoting a sense of shared responsibility toward achieving collective goals. This shared responsibility diminishes the urge to lay blame on individuals, fostering a supportive, inclusive, and efficient work environment. Reframing the discussion helps to dismantle the blame culture by encouraging transparency, fostering team collaboration, and promoting a focus on solutions over blame. This approach contributes to a positive organizational culture, empowering individuals and teams and facilitating growth and success. We can see an excellent example of reframing the discussion in how the multinational corporation IBM handled project failures. Instead of resorting to blame when a project failed, Thomas J. Watson Sr., IBM's CEO, reframed the conversation around understanding the reasons behind the failure and learning from them. He famously said, "If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate." This approach encouraged employees to view mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth rather than personal shortcomings to be penalized. Consequently, it helped to foster a culture of innovation and continual improvement rather than a blame culture. ## Provide Constructive Feedback: Providing constructive feedback is an essential strategy in dismantling a blame culture. Constructive feedback focuses on growth and learning, tackling mistakes as opportunities for improvement rather than failures. It aims at highlighting the areas of improvement rather than pointing fingers and blaming individuals for mistakes. Giving constructive feedback opens a productive dialogue wherein individuals can express their perspectives and devise solutions to avoid repeating the same mistakes. This approach fosters an environment of trust and mutual respect, where individuals feel valued and motivated to improve their performance. Constructive feedback ensures that individuals are not left feeling blamed or criticized by focusing on behavior or performance, not the person. Instead, they are encouraged to analyze their actions and understand how to enhance their performance. This reduces the defensiveness and fear associated with blame, promoting a culture of open communication and continuous learning. Constructive feedback also ensures accountability. When individuals receive direct, clear, and fact-based feedback about their actions and impacts, they are likelier to take ownership of their actions. This fosters a sense of responsibility, reducing the chance of blame-shifting and promoting a culture of ownership and accountability. By implementing these steps, organizations can gradually move away from a blame culture towards one of trust, accountability, and innovation. A prime example of a leader giving constructive feedback is Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Facebook. Sandberg is known for her "radical candor" approach to feedback, which involves caring personally and challenging directly. Following a presentation given by her colleague, Sandberg opted for private feedback, expressing that she thought the presentation was phenomenal, but the constant use of filler words was distracting. Instead of focusing on the negatives, Sandberg began with positives, addressed the improvement area, and provided a solution. ## Conclusion Our blame culture often holds us back from our potential, as we look to assign blame first instead of seeking solutions. Failure is critical to innovation and essential to creating an environment that allows people to take risks without fear of being blamed. Leaders must shift their focus from blame to accountability to foster open communication, a willingness to take risks, and the growth of creativity. Organizations that foster an environment that values accountability and creativity will reap the benefits by tapping into the true potential of their employees. Ultimately freeing everyone to collaborate, experiment, and innovate and helping your organization to rise to the next level. To learn more about blame culture, listen to this week's show: **[The Blame Culture and How It Kills Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FBlame%5FCulture%5Fand%5FHow%5Fit%5FKills%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Government and Innovation - Who is Really Pulling the Strings? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/government-and-innovation-who-is-really-pulling-the-strings/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:05.000Z As the world becomes more digital and technology-focused, the need for innovation has never been greater. Startups and entrepreneurs drive this innovation, creating solutions to problems that have never been solved before. However, innovation is more than just creating a new product or service - it requires a [supportive ecosystem](https://www.philmckinney.com/build-innovation-ecosystem-inside-organization/) to thrive. This is where the government can play a crucial role. What role should governments play in encouraging, supporting, and growing innovation success? Each of the three levels of government (local (city), regional (state), and national (federal)) has a role to play in enabling innovation so that their constituents can compete in the innovation economy. ## Local (City) Government and Innovation The local government can play a pivotal role in growing innovation success by creating an ecosystem that supports startups and entrepreneurs. They can achieve this by providing access to affordable office space, promoting networking events, and offering tax incentives to attract startups to the area. In addition, local governments can invest in initiatives that support the growth of the local startup ecosystem. The result will be an increase in the number of startups and entrepreneurs in the area, which will drive job creation, economic growth, and innovation. ## Strengthening Education and Workforce Development Local governments can enhance innovation success by bolstering [education initiatives](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-classroom-education-needs-innovative/) and workforce development programs, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). By fostering a solid educational environment, local governments can ensure a steady stream of skilled workers to meet the needs of innovative industries. Workforce development programs can also offer adult retraining options, providing all community members can contribute to and benefit from the thriving innovation ecosystem. One example of a successful partnership between local government and education to support innovation is the LaunchCode program in St. Louis, Missouri. This initiative provides free coding boot camps for individuals interested in pursuing careers in technology. The city government has invested in this program, recognizing the potential for job creation and economic growth through developing a skilled workforce. ## Providing Infrastructure and Resources Robust infrastructure is a fundamental requirement for the growth of innovative businesses. Local governments can provide high-speed internet, efficient transportation, and reliable utilities, making the area attractive for startups. They can also facilitate the establishment of innovation hubs, incubators, and co-working spaces that provide entrepreneurs with vital resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. One example is the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) in Boston, Massachusetts. The city government supported the development of CIC by providing tax incentives and helping navigate regulatory processes. Today, CIC houses over 1,000 startups and has played a significant role in establishing Boston as a leading innovation hub. ## Affordable Housing and Competitive Cost-of-Living The presence of affordable housing and a competitive cost of living are critical elements in fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem. Affordable housing options allow entrepreneurs, startup employees, and other local talent to live and work in the same area, supporting a diverse and inclusive community. A competitive cost of living can help attract and keep talent, as individuals and families are more likely to settle in regions where their income stretches further. By actively working to maintain or lower the cost of living, local governments can ensure that their region remains attractive for innovation-focused businesses and the talented individuals they employ. One example of a local government addressing housing affordability for innovation success is the City of Austin, Texas. The city implemented an innovative program called "Affordability Unlocked" to encourage developers to include affordable units in new developments. This has helped maintain Austin's status as a desirable location for startups and entrepreneurs while ensuring that affordable housing remains accessible. ## Streamlining Regulatory Environment Lastly, local governments can play a significant role in streamlining the regulatory environment. By simplifying business registration processes, easing zoning restrictions, and creating straightforward tax systems, local governments can make it easier for startups to launch and scale their businesses. They can also promote transparency, stability, and predictability in their regulatory processes to ensure innovators can focus on their work without bureaucratic hindrances. One notable example is the city of Fargo, North Dakota. The city has implemented a streamlined online business registration process called "StartFM," which allows entrepreneurs to register their businesses in as little as 15 minutes. This initiative has made it easier for startups to enter the market, contributing to the [growth of innovation ](https://theinnovators.network/innovation-fuels-50-of-gdp-growth-per-economists/?ref=philmckinney.com)and entrepreneurship in Fargo. ## Regional (State or Provincial) Governments Role in Innovation Regional governments can also have a significant impact on innovation success. They can invest in initiatives that support the growth of the startup ecosystem in the region by creating incubators, accelerators, and grant programs to fund early-stage startups. In addition, they can collaborate with universities and research institutions to develop a pipeline of talent that can feed into the startup ecosystem. Finally, they can provide access to capital for startups through angel investor networks, public-private partnerships, and venture capital funds. ## Advancing Research and Development Regional governments can advance innovation by committing to research and development. They can collaborate with local universities and research institutions to stimulate scientific and technological advancement, encouraging the burgeoning of innovative startups in their regions. By promoting and investing in R&D, regional governments can position their region at the forefront of technological progress. The North Carolina Innovation Fund, established by the state government, provides grants to universities and research institutions for groundbreaking research projects. This has helped foster a strong innovation ecosystem in North Carolina, leading to numerous successful startups and attracting investment from large technology companies. ## Fostering Regional Collaboration and Partnership Another pivotal role that regional governments play is fostering collaboration and partnerships, both within and outside the region. They can encourage cross-regional collaboration to share knowledge, resources, and best practices. Such collaboration can expedite innovation processes and yield more robust results. Besides, regional governments can facilitate public-private partnerships, combining the strengths of both sectors for the common goal of innovation. The New York Digital Health Accelerator program is one example of successful cross-regional collaboration. The state government partnered with healthcare providers, technology companies, and venture capital firms to support and mentor early-stage digital health startups. This initiative has led to a thriving healthcare innovation ecosystem in New York and has attracted significant regional investment. ## Implementing Sound Economic Policies Regional governments can make the economic environment conducive to innovation through sound economic policies. Policies that stimulate economic growth, encourage investment, and promote competition are beneficial. They can also offer tax incentives and subsidies to innovative businesses to promote entrepreneurship and innovation. The "Innovative Rhode Island Small Business Express Program" offered by the state government provides loans and grants to small businesses, demonstrating potential for innovation and growth. This program has helped many startups in Rhode Island overcome financial barriers and succeed, contributing to the region's overall economic development. ## Nurturing an Innovation Culture Regional governments can also nurture a culture of innovation by recognizing and celebrating success. Regularly highlighting local startups and entrepreneurs making a difference can ignite a spirit of innovation among the populace. They can also organize innovation challenges and competitions to spark creativity and generate original solutions to regional challenges. The "Innovate BC-New Ventures Competition," organized by the British Columbia government, is a prime example of fostering an innovation culture. This annual competition offers mentorship, education, and funding opportunities for early-stage tech startups in the province, attracting international attention and investment to the region. ## Championing Legislative Support On a legislative level, regional governments can champion laws that promote and protect innovation. They can ensure the existence of strong intellectual property laws that protect the rights of innovators, thereby encouraging more people to innovate without fear of their ideas being stolen. They can also lobby for legislation that supports startups and makes funding more accessible. The "Michigan Invests Locally Exemption" law passed by the state of Michigan exempted crowdfunding from securities regulation, making it easier for startups to raise funding from local investors. This has led to an increase in startup growth and investment in Michigan, promoting innovation and economic development in the region. ## National (Federal) Government Role The national government has a crucial role in growing innovation success, as it can create policies and provide funding that can significantly impact the startup ecosystem. For example, the government can offer tax incentives to investors who fund startups and create grant programs that fund research and development. In addition, the government can create procurement programs that give startups access to government contracts, which can be a significant source of revenue. Finally, the government can invest in initiatives supporting the startup ecosystem's growth, such as accelerators, incubators, and training programs. ## Formulating Appropriate Infrastructure Policies National governments have the power to formulate and implement policies that develop the required infrastructure for innovation. This includes investment in digital infrastructure like high-speed internet, which is crucial for a technology-driven economy. Moreover, the development of efficient transport and logistics infrastructure can bolster the operational capabilities of businesses, making the country an attractive destination for innovative firms. One example of a national government successfully implementing infrastructure policies is Estonia. The country's "e-Estonia" initiative has created a leading digital infrastructure, making it an attractive location for innovative businesses. This, combined with favorable tax policies and a tech-savvy workforce, has led to Estonia being dubbed the "Silicon Valley of Europe." ## Establishing Strong Education Policies Education is a vital component of an innovative ecosystem. National governments can shape the future workforce by implementing robust education policies emphasizing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and promoting creativity and [critical thinking](https://theinnovators.network/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/?ref=philmckinney.com). They can also support programs that bring technology and digital literacy into classrooms, preparing the next generation for a digital future. The "Education Quality and Curriculum Enhancement Project" implemented by the Government of Pakistan, with assistance from the World Bank, focuses on improving STEM education in public schools. This project has already trained over 13,000 teachers and provided modern teaching equipment to schools, creating a more skilled and technology-literate workforce in the country. ## Promoting International Collaboration At the international level, national governments can foster innovation by establishing bilateral or multilateral collaborations in science and technology. These partnerships can encourage the exchange of knowledge and skills, joint research projects, and cross-border entrepreneurial activities. The "Digital Nations" initiative, launched in 2017 by New Zealand, Canada, and Estonia governments, aims to establish a global network for supporting digital innovation. Through this partnership, countries can learn from each other's experiences and collaborate on initiatives that drive digital transformation and growth. ## Investing in National Research and Development National governments can directly influence the scale and direction of innovation through their research and development (R&D) policies. Investment in R&D at the national level, whether through government agencies or funding to universities and research institutions, is critical for scientific discovery and technological advancement. This, in turn, can spur the growth of innovative startups and drive economic development. In 2021, the German government announced a record-breaking budget of €9.5 billion for R&D in 2022\. This investment will support research in key areas such as digitalization, climate change, and health, positioning Germany as a leader in these fields and driving innovation across various industries. ## Implementing Effective Legal and Regulatory Frameworks Lastly, national governments play a crucial role in developing the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern innovation, covering intellectual property rights, data protection, and cybersecurity. By ensuring these laws are clear, up-to-date, and effectively enforced, governments can create an environment that encourages innovation while protecting the rights and interests of all stakeholders. In 2018, the European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a comprehensive data privacy law that applies to all companies and organizations operating in the EU. This framework has increased consumer trust and confidence in technology and digital services, allowing more innovative solutions to thrive without compromising data privacy. ## Importance of Government Collaboration > "Without the invisible hand of government, the innovation engine we take for granted might grind to a startling halt." Effective collaboration across various levels of government - local, regional, and national - is a cornerstone for building a robust and dynamic innovation ecosystem. Such coordinated efforts can optimize resources, align policies, and create cohesive strategies that foster a conducive environment for growth and innovation. Collaboration also allows for sharing best practices, learning from successful models, and avoiding unnecessary duplication of efforts. This collective approach ensures that the needs and aspirations of different regions and localities are accounted for and addressed appropriately in national policies. Informed and strategic collaboration between various governmental levels promotes a balanced, inclusive, and sustainable innovation ecosystem that maximizes potential, minimizes risks, and delivers value to all stakeholders. Overall, a strong partnership between all levels of government is necessary for creating and sustaining an environment that nurtures innovation and drives economic growth. ## What Will the Future Look Like? There are two futures. One where the government steps up and plays its role in ensuring innovation success. The other when it does not. The former leads to a vibrant and dynamic economy where startups thrive, technology constantly evolves, and society benefits from new solutions to old problems. This future requires governments at all levels to actively promote innovation and create an environment that fosters growth and development. The consequences will be significant if the government takes no action to encourage, support, and grow innovation success. Without [government intervention](https://www.philmckinney.com/government-funding-innovation/), startups will struggle to access funding and resources needed for growth. Research and development efforts may stagnate, and the economy may lack new ideas and solutions. In the future, other countries with more supportive policies will surpass those neglecting innovation. Therefore, governments must recognize their role in promoting innovation success and take action to develop policies and programs that support it. ## Conclusion The government is crucial in encouraging, supporting, and growing innovation success. Local, regional, and national governments can take specific steps to create a supportive ecosystem that fosters the growth of startups and entrepreneurs. These steps include providing access to affordable office space, creating incubators and accelerators, investing in talent development and research, and creating policies and incentives that support the growth of startups. Collaboration between the three levels of government is essential for creating a coordinated effort that maximizes resources and enables entrepreneurs to thrive. Without government intervention, the consequences will be significant, including a slowdown of economic growth, fewer job opportunities, and a decline in competitiveness in the [global economy](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-the-innovation-economy-and-its-impact-on-our-world/). To learn more about the role of government in innovation, listen to this week's show: **[Government and Innovation - Who is Really Pulling the Strings?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Government%5Fand%5FInnovation%5FWho%5Fis%5FReally%5FPulling%5Fthe%5FStrings.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Balancing Creativity and Practicality URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/balancing-creativity-and-practicality/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:44.000Z Creativity and practicality are often two opposing forces in [problem-solving](https://theinnovators.network/problems-in-need-of-solving-where-to-start/?ref=philmckinney.com) and decision-making. On the one hand, we desire to develop innovative ideas and think outside the box. On the other hand, we require practical solutions that we can efficiently implement. However, contrary to popular belief, these two forces do not have to be at odds. When balanced correctly, they can complement each other, leading to even greater success. ## The Importance of Creativity > "Did you know that the human brain can generate approximately 23 watts of power when awake - enough to power a light bulb, illuminating not just a room but the human imagination and innovation?" Creativity is the ability to think in new and original ways, enabling us to find unique solutions to problems. It allows us to avoid traditional thinking patterns and explore alternative perspectives. In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, creativity is becoming increasingly important. The skill ranked by CEOs as #1 is the ability to think creatively. It allows individuals and organizations to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to new challenges. Creativity drives innovation and progress. Without it, we would still use outdated methods and technologies. Creativity is the driving force behind all major advancements, from art and design to science and technology. It enables us to push boundaries and explore new possibilities. ## The Need for Practicality Practicality is essential for turning creative ideas into tangible results. It involves considering the feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency of a solution. Without practicality, even the most brilliant ideas would remain mere concepts and fail to make an impact. Practicality also helps us stay grounded and focused on achieving our goals. It ensures we use resources wisely and make decisions based on practical considerations rather than abstract ideas. ## Finding the Balance While creativity and practicality may clash, they are two sides of the same coin. Both are crucial for achieving success in any endeavor. The key is finding the right balance between the two. Too much focus on creativity without practicality can lead to unrealistic and unattainable goals, wasting valuable time and resources. On the other hand, too much emphasis on practicality can stifle [creative thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/) and limit potential breakthroughs that can drive progress. Fulfilling a culture that embraces creativity and practicality is essential to strike the right balance. Encouraging open-mindedness, risk-taking, and experimentation can achieve this while promoting critical thinking, strategic planning, and effective implementation. ## Ask Yourself the Right Questions If you want to ensure the proper balance between creativity and practicality, ask yourself the following questions before deciding to go forward: ## Is the idea practical? When we ask if an idea is practical, we examine its feasibility, viability, and ease of implementation in real-world scenarios—being practical means grounding creative innovation in reality and ensuring that we can translate ideas into actions that produce impactful, measurable outcomes. This requires an assessment of various factors, such as the resources necessary, general approach, and timeline. 1. **Resources:** A comprehensive understanding of the resources at your disposal is vital. This includes manpower, skills, finances, tools, and technology. An idea that requires resources beyond your current capacity may not be achievable. 2. **Approach:** The method of implementation is another crucial aspect. Is there a clear path from conception to execution? One should have a well-defined approach for a feasible idea to turn an idea into a reality. 3. **Timeline:** One should also evaluate time constraints. An otherwise achievable idea might become unrealistic if it requires implementation within an unfeasible timeline. 4. **Risk Assessment:** Potential risks and roadblocks should be identified and addressed. Are there any foreseeable challenges that could derail the implementation process? If the risks outweigh the [potential benefits](https://theinnovators.network/the-innovation-paradox-navigating-the-balance-between-risk-and-reward/?ref=philmckinney.com), it is wise to reconsider. ## Does the idea align with the organization's culture and mission? The alignment of an idea with the organization's culture and mission is a key determinant of its potential success and acceptance. A culture-embracing idea fosters cohesion and unity, reinforcing the values and principles that underpin the organization. It resonates with the workforce, encouraging a sense of ownership and commitment that significantly boosts morale and productivity. The alignment with the mission ensures that the idea contributes directly to the organization's overarching objectives. It helps maintain focus on the company's strategic direction, ensuring that innovation and creativity do not divert resources from the core goals. An idea that aligns with the mission statement is inherently valuable, as it reinforces the company's purpose and propels it toward its envisioned future. The congruence of an idea with the culture and mission of the organization is not merely desirable but ‌crucial. It ensures that the innovation strengthens the organization's identity, drives its strategic progress, and garners widespread support from the workforce. ## Do you think the idea will be profitable? Profitability is a crucial determinant of an idea's viability. We deem an idea profitable if it can generate a significant return on investment. This implies that the revenue produced by implementing the idea should be greater than the total cost associated with its execution, including production, marketing, distribution, and other related expenses. When evaluating an idea's profitability, you should consider several factors.: 1. **Market Demand:** High demand for a product or service suggests potential profitability. Comprehensive [market research](https://www.philmckinney.com/hidden-buying-criteria/) can provide valuable insights into consumer needs, preferences, and buying behavior. 2. **Pricing Strategy:** An effective pricing strategy can significantly enhance profitability. The price should not only cover the cost of production but also bring in a decent profit while appealing to customers. 3. **Competition:** Competitive analysis is crucial. Achieving profitability can be challenging if the market is saturated with similar products or services. 4. **Cost Efficiency:** Streamlining operations and processes to reduce costs can increase profitability. This includes optimizing resource utilization, eliminating wastage, and improving productivity. 5. **Risk factor:** An idea may seem profitable on the surface, but conducting a thorough risk analysis is important. This includes assessing the potential for market changes, regulatory issues, or unforeseen costs that could impact profitability. An idea's profitability is not merely a calculation of revenues and costs, but a comprehensive assessment that considers market conditions, competitive landscape, pricing dynamics, cost efficiency, and potential risks. ## Examples of Success and Failure While many businesses have learned to achieve harmony between creativity and practicality, some have not been as fortunate. ## Tesla We could position Tesla as the poster child of the successful balance between creativity and practicality. The company's innovative electric vehicles are a creative response to the environmental challenges posed by traditional gasoline-fueled cars. Yet, Tesla's vehicles are eco-friendly and practical, with competitive driving ranges, high performance, and luxury features that appeal to a broad range of consumers. Elon Musk had to push his team on creativity to achieve this balance while ensuring they adhere to practical considerations such as cost, safety, and consumer demand. As a result, Tesla has not only achieved profitability but also disrupted the automotive industry and become a leader in sustainable transportation. ## Google Glass Google's ambitious product, Google Glass, is an example of creativity not backed by practicality. Despite being a feat of creativity with its groundbreaking technology and futuristic appeal, Google Glass failed to resonate with consumers. They criticized the product for its impractical design, high cost, and privacy concerns, which made it less appealing to the public. This example underscores the importance of balancing creativity with practicality. While [out-of-the-box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-1/) can lead to groundbreaking innovations, ensuring these ideas are practical and in line with market needs and consumer expectations is crucial. ## Segway The Segway Personal Transporter, despite being a creative invention, did not achieve market success due to its lack of practicality. When it debuted, it introduced the innovative two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transporter, unlike anything else on the market. However, the Segway failed to be practical for most consumers due to its high cost, difficulty navigating urban environments, and regulatory issues. The iBot, developed by Mobius Mobility using Segway technology, is a remarkable example of creativity needing to find its true purpose. When this technology was reimagined and repurposed into the iBot, it discovered a market among those who needed it most - individuals with mobility impairments. This next-generation wheelchair offered mobility and independence previously unattainable with traditional wheelchairs. Despite its initial failure, Segway technology could find its place in the market, albeit in a different form, and create a significant impact. ## Practical Experience Given my 30-plus-year career in innovation, I have learned that balancing creativity and practicality is an ongoing process - and more complex than it looks. It requires strategic thinking, market understanding, and consumer insights. As a leader in innovation, I have had to find this balance for countless projects throughout my career. One particular project that stands out was the development of a new business unit at HP called[ HP Gaming](https://www.mercurynews.com/2007/04/28/hp-exec-stays-on-top-of-the-game/?ref=philmckinney.com). The idea was to leverage HP's existing technology and expertise, combined with some acquisitions, to enter the high-growth gaming market. However, we faced a significant challenge - how do we make HP Gaming stand out in an already crowded market? We knew that just releasing another gaming laptop or desktop would not be enough; it must be unique and innovative. Through collaboration with our team of designers, engineers, and marketing experts, we developed the concept of "premium gaming" - a combination of high-performance hardware with luxury features and design elements. This idea focused on creativity and practicality - appealing to gamers' desire for top-of-the-line technology while catering to their growing interest in customizable, aesthetically pleasing devices. We conducted extensive market research to ensure our idea was practical, testing different designs and features with potential consumers. We also iterated our concept multiple times, refining it until we found the perfect balance between creativity and practicality. The result? We introduced such award-winning products at the[ HP Blackbird](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP%5FBlackbird%5F002?ref=philmckinney.com) and[ HP Firebird](https://www.pcworld.com/article/1933275/the-hp-firebird-was-a-revolution-in-desktop-pc-design.html?ref=philmckinney.com). HP Gaming became a meaningful player in the gaming market, gaining recognition for its innovative approach and achieving success through balancing creativity and practicality. Even after leaving HP over a decade ago, you can still see the fruits of our team's efforts in HP products such as the Omen. ## How to Balance Creativity and Practicality > "In a world where we produce enough food to feed everyone, it's shocking yet enlightening to realize that nearly one in nine people globally go to bed hungry each night; let this fact stir us into action and innovation." The following are the lessons learned from the examples on the success and failures of balancing between creativity and practicality: ## Involve the Right People Collaborate with a team of creative individuals, including product developers, designers, and marketers, to ensure that your idea is practical and doable. You can harness individual strengths and expertise to balance creativity and practicality by involving the right mix of people. ## Set Realistic Expectations Don't get carried away with your creativity; establish realistic expectations to keep your project on track and avoid unrealistic goals. Consider market demand, competition, and cost when setting expectations for your idea's success. This will help you stay grounded and make practical decisions throughout the project. ## Test and Validate Your Idea Conduct market research to ensure your idea is innovative and practical and meets a specific market demand. Validate your idea with potential consumers, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments to ensure its feasibility and success. ## Iterate Your Idea Don't try to get everything right the first time. Reworking your original idea to make it practical and sustainable might be necessary. By iterating your idea, you can identify and address any potential issues before they become costly mistakes. ## Don't Be Afraid to Change Direction If an idea is not working out, ‌pivot and try something different. Changing direction and finding a practical solution is better than sticking with an unfeasible idea. Please stay open and flexible, and be willing to adapt your initial idea to make it more practical. ## The Fine Line When balancing creativity and practicality, it's easy and less risky to pull back and put more emphasis on practicality. Don't. Know where the line is and balance your creativity with practicality. Leave room for innovation while considering an idea's market needs and feasibility. By finding this sweet spot, you can achieve profitability and sustainably impact your industry. So ‌unleash your creativity, but remember to keep it grounded in practicality. Keep pushing the boundaries, but ensure they align with market demand and consumer expectations. That's the [key to success](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-key-ingredients-for-innovation-success/) and a sustainable future for your business. Don't be afraid to take risks; ensure they are calculated and aligned with practical considerations. You can create a winning formula for success in any industry by finding the perfect balance between creativity and practicality. To learn more about balancing creativity and practicality, listen to this week's show: **[Balancing Creativity and Practicality](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Balancing%5FCreativity%5Fand%5FPracticality.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Achieving Monumental Innovation with Marginal Gains URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-monumental-innovation-with-marginal-gains/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:06.000Z For years, the British Cycling team was known for their spectacular failure, not winning a single Tour de France for over a century. Then came Dave Brailsford in 2003, who introduced the concept of "marginal gains." Brailsford believed that by improving every area related to cycling by just 1%, the cumulative gains would lead to significant overall improvement. He focused on a broad range of elements, from the nutrition of the riders to the type of pillow that suited each rider for the best night's sleep. The result? British Cycling saw a remarkable transformation, winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics and nine gold medals at the 2012 Olympics. In 2012, the British Cycling team won the Tour de France, and they dominated the sport for the next decade, proving the power of marginal gains. Various fields have since applied this concept. From personal development to business strategies, the 1% factor has proven to be a game-changer. It's not about making radical changes or massive improvements; it's about making small, consistent, and constant gains that ultimately lead to monumental results. ## The Power of Marginal Gains The theory of marginal gains dates back to the 1960s, when Peter Drucker, a renowned management consultant, introduced the concept of continuous improvement. This led to constant improvement over time to achieve significant overall improvement. By focusing on minor improvements in every aspect of a process or system, the cumulative impact will eventually lead to substantial gains. In the world of consulting, the power of marginal gains has been widely accepted, with organizations across various industries putting it into practice through programs like Six Sigma. Six Sigma, for instance, is a set of techniques and tools designed for process improvement, aiming to reduce defects to 3.4 per one million opportunities. It employs a data-focused approach to identify, analyze, and eliminate defects, thus optimizing business processes and enhancing performance. This is a prime example of implementing the 1% factor, resulting in substantial improvement through small, consistent gains. ## Applying the 1% Factor in Personal Development The 1% factor is not just limited to businesses and organizations; individuals can also apply it in their personal lives for self-improvement. An individual can achieve significant progress over time by focusing on making slight improvements in various areas of life. For example, in pursuing physical fitness, instead of setting lofty goals and making drastic changes that may lead to burnout, one can focus on minor daily improvements. This could be as simple as committing to a 1% increase in the steps taken per day or incorporating one additional healthy meal into their diet each week. These minor improvements, when consistent, will ultimately lead to significant physical fitness improvement. In terms of personal finances, instead of saving a large sum at once, individuals can focus on making minor adjustments in their spending habits and increasing savings by 1% every month. Over time, these marginal gains will add up and considerably impact an individual's financial well-being. ## Marginal Gains and Innovation > "In the realm of innovation, it's often the small steps, unnoticed by the crowd, that lead to the most groundbreaking leaps." When applied to the realm of innovation, the concept of marginal gains emphasizes the remarkable impact that incremental improvements can have. Rather than seeking radical, ground-breaking innovations, it promotes the idea of constant, iterative improvements to existing systems, processes, or products. Each minor enhancement may seem trivial when viewed in isolation. However, the cumulative effect of these marginal gains can lead to substantial advancements over time. Consider the case of [software development](https://theinnovators.network/software-innovation-skill-growth-tips-tricks/?ref=philmckinney.com), where continuous iteration and frequent updates are common practice. Each update might only bring minor fixes or feature improvements but significantly enhance the overall user experience and software functionality. The same principle is in manufacturing, where marginal improvements in [production processes](https://theinnovators.network/process-innovation-including-the-innovation-process/?ref=philmckinney.com) can lead to higher efficiency, better product quality, and increased profitability. Many innovators look down on incremental innovation. However, these seemingly minor improvements can lead to monumental breakthroughs. The power of marginal gains challenges the belief that innovation must be disruptive and revolutionary. ## Marginal Gains To How You Innovate Many organizations struggle to start or grow their abilities to innovate. By applying the concept of marginal gains to how you innovate, you can break down the process into smaller, achievable steps. This approach eliminates the pressure of seeking a radical launch improvement in its ability to innovate and enables organizations to improve their innovative goals continuously. One way to implement the 1% factor in innovation is through regular idea-generation sessions on improving an organization's innovation ability. Treat your innovation process just like any other process inside your organization. You'll eventually create an efficient and effective innovation engine by continuously developing and refining the process. ## How To Implement Marginal Gains with Innovation To successfully implement the concept of marginal gains as part of an innovation program, you can follow these detailed steps: ## Identify Opportunities for Improvement To identify opportunities for improvement, it's crucial to perform a comprehensive analysis of your existing innovation process. Begin by breaking down your processes into individual elements and examining each. Look for inefficiencies or aspects that you can enhance, no matter how minor they may seem. Utilize tools such as flowcharts or process maps to visualize your operations, making pinpointing improvement areas easier. Remember, the goal is not to seek out massive, sweeping changes but to identify minor, incremental improvements that, when compiled, can lead to significant gains. ## Set Clear Objectives When setting objectives, ensure they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For instance, if you aim to improve your innovation pipeline, your objective is 'to increase the number of ideas by 1% over the next month.' This objective is specific (enhancing the number of ideas), measurable (by 1%), achievable (through various improvements like better ideation processes or improved idea management capture systems), relevant (improves the innovation funnel), and time-bound (to be achieved in the next month). Be sure to communicate these objectives clearly to your team so everyone understands their role in the collective pursuit of these marginal gains. Also, establish a system for tracking progress towards these objectives. This might involve regular check-ins or project management tools to monitor tasks and deadlines. ## Develop an Action Plan Once you set your objectives, creating an action plan that provides a step-by-step roadmap for achieving these goals takes time. This plan should clearly outline the steps needed, assigning responsibilities to individuals or teams for each task. 1. **Define Tasks:** Break down each objective into smaller, manageable tasks. Team members should find each task straightforward, understanding what is expected of them. 2. **Assign Responsibilities:** Each task should have a designated person or team responsible for innovating a marginal gain. This ensures accountability and ownership of the tasks. 3. **Set Deadlines:** Every task should have a clear timeframe for completion. This will create a sense of urgency and keep the team on track. Be realistic while setting these deadlines, keeping in mind the complexity and scope of the tasks. 4. **Identify Resources:** Determine what resources will be needed to complete each task, whether it's manpower, technology, equipment, or financial resources. 5. **Monitor and Adjust:** Finally, establish a system for tracking progress on these tasks. Regularly review the plan's implementation, adjusting tasks or timelines as needed based on the progress made. This will ensure the plan remains flexible and adaptable to any changes or challenges. Remember, the aim here is to make minor, consistent improvements. Don't be disheartened if progress seems slow initially. With time and consistent effort, these small changes will accumulate, leading to significant advancements. Implementing marginal gains as part of your innovation program can improve efficiency, increase profitability, and, ultimately, a more successful business. ## Gather Data Data collection is vital to implementing marginal gains in an innovation program. It provides an evidence-based approach to determining where incremental improvements can be made and offers insights into the effectiveness of those changes. 1. **Baseline Data:** Before implementing any changes, gathering baseline data is crucial. This data will provide a snapshot of your current innovation efforts, against which you can compare future performance. This could include measures like an innovation pipeline or the funding of innovation experiments – depending on the areas identified for improvement. 2. **Data Collection Methods:** Use various methods to gather a rich, multifaceted understanding of your innovation operations. This could include surveys, interviews, observations, or review of existing documentation. Utilize digital tools and analytics software to automate and streamline the data collection process. 3. **Post-Implementation Data:** After implementing the changes, continue collecting data. This will allow you to track progress, measure the improvements' impact, and assess whether objectives are being met. 4. **Data Analysis:** Analyze the data collected pre and post-implementation to identify trends, measure the effect of your incremental changes, and guide further improvements. It's important to be patient and persistent during this stage, as the benefits of marginal gains often take time to materialize. 5. **Feedback Loops:** Establish feedback loops to share insights from the data with your team. This encourages continuous improvement and keeps everyone engaged in the process. Remember, the goal is not to seek out massive, sweeping changes but rather small, incremental improvements that, when compiled, can lead to significant gains. Consistent data collection and analysis will be the compass that guides you toward that goal. ## Monitor and Review Outcomes Monitoring and reviewing outcomes is a crucial step in the innovation program. This step ensures that the [innovation objectives](https://www.philmckinney.com/setting-innovation-objectives/) are met and guides future decision-making. 1. **Progress Tracking:** Use your established system to track progress towards the set objectives continuously. This can involve project management tools or performance dashboards that provide real-time insights into the status of tasks and overall progress. 2. **Outcome Evaluation:** Compare the outcomes with the objectives set at the beginning of the program. Evaluate whether the 1% improvements have led to the desired outcomes, such as an improved innovation pipeline, increased idea quality, or more innovation experiments. 3. **Data-Driven Review:** Use the data collected during the post-implementation phase to conduct a comprehensive review of the program. Analyze trends and patterns to understand the impact of the marginal improvements and identify areas for further enhancement. 4. **Feedback Collection:** Collect [feedback](https://www.philmckinney.com/giving-receiving-intense-criticism-feedback/) from team members and other stakeholders involved in the program. This can shed light on any challenges encountered, provide insights into the program's effectiveness, and suggest ways to improve future iterations. 5. **Adjust and Refine:** Based on the review, make necessary modifications to the innovation program. This could mean adjusting objectives, redefining tasks, or even reshaping the entire approach if required. Refining your strategy based on tangible evidence and feedback ensures continuous improvement and long-term success. Remember, monitoring and reviewing is not a one-time process but a continuous cycle that drives the innovation program. This iterative process of fine-tuning and improvement embodies the philosophy of marginal gains. ## The Importance of Consistency The key to achieving monumental results with the 1% factor is consistency. Making small daily gains may seem insignificant, but over time, they add up and lead to significant progress. One must be patient and persistent in pursuing marginal gains, knowing that each small improvement contributes towards a larger goal. In addition, consistency is essential in maintaining these improvements. It's not enough to make small gains quickly and revert to old habits. The 1% factor should become a way of life, continuously seeking ways to improve and grow. ## Example Impacts from Marginal Gains Marginal gains have been applied to various fields and have yielded significant results. One example is the implementation of lean principles in manufacturing. Companies have reduced waste, increased productivity, and improved quality by identifying and making small improvements to various areas, such as inventory management, production processes, and workflow. ## Toyota In the 1950s, Toyota introduced the Toyoda Production System (TPS), a pioneering application of lean principles and marginal gains that transformed the automobile industry. At the heart of TPS was the *kaizen* philosophy, which emphasizes continuous, incremental improvement. Every aspect of the production process was meticulously scrutinized for potential improvement, even if the benefit seemed minuscule. One significant innovation was introducing the "Just-In-Time" (JIT) production system. This system, focusing on producing only what was needed, when it was needed, and in the quantity needed, resulted in significant reductions in waste, streamlined production, and improved efficiency. Each small adjustment may have appeared insignificant in isolation, but when combined, they resulted in substantial overall gains in productivity and quality. Furthermore, Toyota empowered its employees to participate in the marginal improvement process. Workers were encouraged to pause the production line if they identified a problem or a potential efficiency improvement. This approach increased operational efficiency and fostered a culture of continuous improvement, underscoring the belief that everyone, at every level of the organization, could contribute to the marginal gains philosophy. Through these seemingly minor modifications, Toyota significantly shortened production times, decreased costs, and improved quality, setting a new standard in automobile manufacturing. Their commitment to the philosophy of marginal gains is a testament to the power of small, continual improvements and is a significant factor behind their rise to global prominence. ## Advertising Industry Consider the digital marketing landscape, where data-driven decisions and iterative improvements have revolutionized campaign success. By leveraging the power of analytics, advertisers can break down their strategies into several components and apply the marginal gains philosophy to each, thereby incrementally improving overall performance. For instance, let's take the aspect of ad targeting. Marketers can observe a noticeable improvement in engagement rates by making small adjustments, such as honing in on a more specific demographic or adjusting the time of day when the ad is displayed. Similarly, tiny modifications to the ad copy, like changing the call-to-action or tweaking the headline, can significantly increase click-through rates. Programmatic advertising, another burgeoning field, employs marginal gains to optimize ad buying in real-time. This approach allows marketers to make small improvements based on real-time data, leading to a more cost-effective allocation of ad budgets. These seemingly minor enhancements, when implemented together, can result in an exponential increase in overall campaign success, illustrating the power of the marginal gains. This constant experimentation and optimization method, driven by marginal gains, can determine a campaign's success or failure. ## Warnings About Marginal Gains While the concept of marginal gains has been celebrated in many sectors for its potential to bring about significant overall improvements, it's not without its critics. Here are some common criticisms against the philosophy of marginal gains. 1. **Lack of Focus on Major Improvements:** Critics argue that focusing on small, incremental changes often diverts attention from larger, more impactful improvements. By focusing on minutiae, organizations might miss out on making significant leaps in innovation and, instead, find themselves stuck in a cycle of small, often insignificant changes. 2. **Time and Resource Intensive:** Identifying and implementing marginal gains can be time and resource-intensive. It requires careful scrutiny of all processes and thorough data collection and analysis. These efforts might not always deliver proportional returns, making it an inefficient strategy in some critics' eyes. 3. **Overemphasis on Optimization:** Critics also point out that a hyper-focus on marginal gains can lead to an overemphasis on optimization at the expense of creativity and risk-taking. This could stifle innovation and limit the potential for major breakthroughs. 4. **Dependency on Perfect Conditions:** The strategy of marginal gains can be highly dependent on the perfect alignment of conditions, which may not always be possible, particularly in volatile and unpredictable business environments. Critics argue that this philosophy works best in controlled environments, like manufacturing or sports, with stable, repeatable processes. 5. **Unpredictable Results:** Finally, critics highlight that the seemingly minor changes made in pursuit of marginal gains can sometimes have unpredictable, unintended consequences that could negatively impact other parts of a system or process. In conclusion, while marginal gains can undoubtedly provide incremental improvement and drive continual progress, balancing this approach with a broader vision that encourages [significant innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/be-brave-to-innovate/), allows for risk-taking, and accommodates larger system-level improvements is critical. > "Even the smallest step forward can unleash a ripple effect of innovation, turning grains of sand into mountains of progress." In conclusion, the philosophy of marginal gains can significantly contribute to innovation, highlighting the compounding power of seemingly insignificant ideas. However, it's crucial to acknowledge the pitfalls of marginal gains. Critics warn of the risk of losing sight of larger, transformative improvements, the potential stifling of creativity and risk-taking, and the unpredictable consequences of minor changes. They argue that this philosophy could become a resource-intensive endeavor that doesn't always yield proportional returns, especially outside controlled environments. Balancing the philosophy of marginal gains with an overarching vision for innovation is the key. Organizations should strive for a blend of marginal improvements and significant leaps in innovation. This requires fostering an environment that rewards small enhancements and [bold, creative ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-innovation-culture-innovation-success/), ensuring neither is undervalued. If employed judiciously, the philosophy of marginal gains is valuable in the innovation toolkit, driving constant refinement and progress. However, it should not be the sole strategy but coexist with other approaches championing significant, transformative change. In this light, the philosophy of marginal gains provides a valuable insight: innovation isn't always about spectacular breakthroughs but often about the relentless pursuit of better, regardless of how small the improvement might be. To learn about marginal gains thru monumental innovations, listen to this week's show: [**Achieving Monumental Innovation with Marginal Gains**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Achieving%5FMonumental%5FInnovation%5Fwith%5FMarginal%5FGains.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Are We the Creators or the Created? The Enigma of Creativity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/are-we-the-creators-or-the-created-the-enigma-of-creativity/ Last updated: 2023-11-24T18:48:47.000Z The question of whether we are truly creative or just following God's predetermined path has been a matter of debate for centuries. As a writer, I often wonder if my words are truly a creation of my own or predetermined by God's plan. This paradox of creativity is not limited to writers but applies to all forms of art, music, and innovation. Can I truly credit myself for any invention or creation if everything I do is predetermined? Let me say upfront. I believe humans are truly creative and have free will, allowing us to choose how and when to apply our creative talents. However, I also acknowledge there is an opposing argument that our actions and creations are predetermined. Which camp do you fall into? One argument for creativity being predetermined is the concept of determinism. Determinism is the belief that everything in the universe, including human actions and choices, is predetermined by God. This means that our actions, thoughts, and choices are not truly free but predetermined. This was clearly demonstrated by Aristotle's view of the universe, where he believed individuals have no control over their lives because everything that happens to them is predetermined by outside forces. Therefore, following this argument, creation, and invention cannot be considered a result of free will. On the other hand, some believe that creative instincts come from our subconscious mind. This implies that while our conscious mind thinks it is creating something, our subconscious mind is actually doing the heavy lifting and producing something that has already been processed a million times. This means that our creations are influenced by external and internal factors we are unaware of, but it does not necessarily mean that our creations and inventions are predetermined. Subconscious influence may not be a choice, but how we execute or use that influence is solely our decision. Another argument for creativity stemming from free will is that humans can break patterns and create new thoughts and ideas that have never been thought of before. This is evident throughout history, where humans have continuously created progress and inventions that have revolutionized the world. Although these inventions may have stemmed from subconscious influence, the way they were executed was unique and influenced by individual free will. The capacity for humans to break from tradition and venture into the unknown is proof of human creativity and free will. Moreover, more recent psychological research has suggested that humans' creative capacity is most effective when familiar thoughts and concepts are taken together and reimagined and transformed into something new. This highlights that creativity is not just the result of predetermined thoughts but rather the ability to connect and reimagine existing concepts in new and creative ways. Lastly, we must acknowledge uncertainty as a critical element in creation and invention. Uncertainty is an essential aspect of creativity because if the final result weren't uncertain, it would mean that creative instincts are predetermined or planned. However, creativity thrives on uncertainty and not knowing the final outcome. It allows us to use our free will to determine the final outcome. > In the grand theatre of creativity, we may be both the composers and the composed, driven by invisible forces yet wielding the power to shape unforeseen innovations. --- Creativity, a manifestation of our free will or a predetermined path shaped by subconscious and external influences? This paradox of creativity stirs debate, with determinism arguing for predestination and the subconscious mind theory suggesting an underlying influence. Yet, the ability to form novel thoughts, reimagine existing concepts and navigate the uncertainty of outcomes evidence free-will-driven creativity. This leaves us in a tantalizing conundrum - Is creativity a predetermined voyage or a journey we chart through our free will? ### Benevolent Innovation - Blending Profit and Purpose URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/benevolent-innovation-blending-profit-and-purpose/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:24.000Z Imagine a tree that grows in the heart of your community. Each branch represents a different innovation. It's not simply content to grow and reach for the sky independently. Instead, it shares its bounty with the community around it. Its fruits provide nourishment, its shade offers comfort, and its roots stabilize the soil. The tree is an apt metaphor for benevolent innovations, which some call social innovations. Benevolent innovations are guided by the [philosophy of doing good](https://www.philmckinney.com/ethics-the-missing-link-to-a-better-society/) – aiming to enhance the quality of life, mitigate societal issues, or preserve our planet. The importance of benevolent innovations lies in their potential for large-scale positive impact. They can address pressing challenges such as climate change, poverty, or health disparities, contributing to a more equitable and sustainable world. Further, they inspire a shift in innovation thinking, emphasizing society's well-being over mere profitability. > Even the smallest spark of benevolence can ignite an innovation revolution that transforms the world's darkest corners. In contrast to benevolent innovations, innovations created primarily for profit or efficiency may not always prioritize societal or environmental well-being. While they can contribute positively to economic growth and consumer convenience, they may also inadvertently lead to negative consequences such as resource depletion, ecological degradation, or widening social inequalities if not managed responsibly. Therefore, a balance of both profit-driven and benevolent innovation is vital to sustainable progress. ## Examples of Benevolent Innovations What do we mean by benevolent innovations? 1. **The Solar Stove:** The Solar Stove was a brainchild of Lorin Symington, who was inspired to create a clean and affordable cooking solution for communities in developing regions where traditional cooking methods involve hazardous open fires or inefficient stoves. Designed to harness the sun's power, the Solar Stove operates completely emission-free. It reduces the reliance on fossil fuels, offering a sustainable cooking solution that benefits both the environment and human health. 2. **The LifeStraw:** The LifeStraw is a portable water filter designed by Vestergaard Frandsen, a Swiss-based company. The innovation was born from the need to provide a practical solution to the global water crisis, particularly in regions with scarce access to clean drinking water. The LifeStraw removes bacteria and parasites, providing a safe drinking solution for needy individuals and significantly reducing the incidence of water-borne diseases. 3. **The GravityLight:** Designers Martin Riddiford and Jim Reeves conceptualized the GravityLight to provide a safer and more affordable alternative to kerosene lamps often used in homes without electricity. The GravityLight generates power by lifting a weight, creating a safe, renewable source of light that positively impacts disadvantaged communities by reducing their dependency on hazardous and costly kerosene lamps. 4. **The See & Spray technology:** The See & Spray technology was created by a precision agriculture company, Blue River Technology, aiming to minimize the negative environmental impact of farming. Rather than spraying an entire field with pesticides, See & Spray uses machine learning to identify and spray only the weeds, reducing the amount of chemicals used by up to 90%. This innovation advances sustainable farming practices, contributing to environmental preservation and human health. ## The Importance of Leadership Styles [Leadership styles](https://theinnovators.network/a-new-dawn-for-leadership-embracing-change-in-the-21st-century/?ref=philmckinney.com) are crucial in fostering an environment conducive to developing benevolent innovations. The leaders set the vision, [cultivate the culture](https://theinnovators.network/leadership-build-the-culture-you-deserve/?ref=philmckinney.com), and provide the strategic direction for innovation to thrive. Different leadership styles can significantly influence this process. Transformational leadership, for instance, is characterized by vision, inspiration, and challenge. These leaders can inspire their teams to transcend their self-interest for the greater good, fostering a culture that values benevolence. They can paint a compelling vision of a better world by motivating their teams to develop innovations that contribute to societal well-being. On the other hand, servant leaders prioritize the needs of others, focusing on the growth and well-being of their team and the community they serve. The philosophy of benevolent innovation inherently aligns with such a leadership style. Servant leaders can foster a caring and empathetic culture, encouraging innovations that address societal challenges. Finally, democratic leaders encouraging participation and consensus among team members can ensure that the innovation process considers diverse perspectives. This can lead to more inclusive and equitable innovations, addressing the needs of underserved or marginalized communities. ## Balance of For-Profit and Benevolent Innovations Achieving harmony between profit-driven and benevolent innovations is pivotal for sustainable progress. This balance is key because businesses must ensure their financial viability while addressing the world's social and environmental challenges. Profit-driven innovations aim to create products or services that consumers will pay for, leading to revenue generation and economic growth. However, businesses may neglect their social and environmental responsibilities if they focus solely on profit-driven innovations. In the long run, this could lead to [unsustainable practices](https://www.philmckinney.com/irresponsible-innovation/), damaging the environment, exacerbating social inequalities, or exploiting vulnerable communities. On the other hand, benevolent innovations face challenges such as financial constraints, market acceptance, and regulatory hurdles. Businesses that focus only on benevolent innovations risk compromising their economic sustainability. The balance between profit-driven and benevolent innovations is not just about surviving but thriving. Businesses should see profit and benevolence not as opposing forces but as complementary elements that can fuel each other. Profit-driven innovations can fund R&D for benevolent innovations, while benevolent innovations can enhance a business's social reputation, creating a loyal customer base and opening new market opportunities. To maintain this balance, businesses should adopt a "shared value" approach, creating economic value in a way that creates value for society. Considering societal challenges in their innovation processes, they can integrate benevolence into their business strategy. Businesses can collaborate with stakeholders from various sectors, such as governments, non-profits, and academia, maximizing the social impact of their innovations while minimizing potential negative consequences. In sum, balancing profit-driven and benevolent innovations is critical to sustainable progress. By embracing this balance, businesses can ensure financial viability and contribute to societal well-being. ## Challenges and Solutions The journey of creating and launching benevolent innovations is not always smooth. ### Financial Constraints Benevolent innovations often require substantial upfront investment in research and development (R&D), yet their return on investment can be uncertain or long-term. This financial strain can dissuade many organizations from pursuing these innovations. ### Market Acceptance While the idea of benevolent innovations is appealing, they may not necessarily align with the immediate needs or expectations of the market. For instance, a product designed to preserve the environment might come at a higher cost than its conventional counterparts, making it less attractive for cost-conscious consumers. ### Regulatory Hurdles Innovations, particularly those in the health and environmental sectors, often require rigorous testing and approval from regulatory bodies. Navigating these processes can be time intensive and complicated, potentially delaying the launch of the innovation. To cope with these challenges, organizations need robust strategies. Some of these include: ### Crowdfunding and Grants Crowdfunding initiatives or grant programs can alleviate financial constraints. This can help to mobilize resources for benevolent innovations, particularly those of small organizations. ### Test Markets Organizations need to assess the market acceptance of their innovations before launching them across the board. Test markets can gauge consumer sentiment before full-scale release. ### Leveraging Regulatory Partnerships Organizations can partner with regulatory bodies to reduce compliance burden. This way, innovators can leverage existing processes and standards, streamlining the approval process. ## Future Perspectives Emerging societal needs and technological advancements will drive the diversification and expansion of benevolent innovation. However, some [essential future needs](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-future-look-top-innovations-teaching-the-future-tomorrows-healthcare/) might not be apparent at first glance. 1. There will be a growing need for innovations catering to individuals' mental health and wellness. The modern world, laden with stress and rapid change, has seen a rising incidence of mental health issues. Benevolent innovations in this domain could include digital platforms that provide accessible, affordable, and stigma-free mental health support. These innovations could also incorporate AI and machine learning to offer personalized therapeutic solutions. 2. The aging population will necessitate innovations focused on enhancing the quality of life for the elderly. This could include assistive devices that foster independence, digital platforms that combat loneliness, or health monitoring technologies that provide real-time insights into their well-being. Considering this demographic's potential technological literacy gap, these innovations must be intuitive and easy to use. 3. There is a latent need for innovations that promote inclusivity and equity in digital spaces. As more aspects of our lives move online, ensuring that these spaces are accessible to all, irrespective of socio-economic status, ability, or location, becomes critical. Benevolent innovations could look at providing affordable internet solutions, developing user-friendly interfaces for differently-abled individuals, or creating digital literacy programs for marginalized communities. 4. Protecting privacy in an increasingly connected world is a less obvious yet vital area for benevolent innovation. Innovations could include secure communication tools, data anonymization techniques, and digital literacy initiatives that educate the public about online safety. 5. Climate change remains a pressing issue, and there will be a need for innovations that encourage sustainable lifestyles without compromising convenience and affordability. This could be as simple as creating mobile apps that educate consumers on sustainable choices or as complex as developing affordable renewable energy solutions for households. ## Next Steps > Even the smallest spark of benevolence can ignite an innovation revolution that illuminates the darkest corners of the globe. As we stand on the precipice of incredible technological advancements, we cannot overstate the importance of benevolent innovation. Whether you're an entrepreneur, an investor, a consumer, or a concerned citizen, there are many ways to contribute to this cause. In our unique capacities, we can help [shape a future](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-unreasonable-quest-for-world-changing-innovation/) wherein innovation serves economic growth, societal well-being, and environmental sustainability. So, let's take this step together towards a more sustainable world. Your support and involvement can make a difference. Please get involved today, and let's create a better tomorrow together! To learn about benevolent innovation listen to this week's show: ***[Benevolent Innovation - Blending Profit and Purpose](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Benevolent%5FInnovation%5F-%5FBlending%5FProfit%5Fand%5FPurpose.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Morality of Knowledge: Playing God or Responsible Innovator? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-morality-of-knowledge-playing-god-or-responsible-innovator/ Last updated: 2023-11-24T18:49:10.000Z Humans have always been driven by curiosity and the thirst for knowledge. The endless pursuit of knowledge has brought us to where we are today, from the invention of the wheel to space exploration. But while knowledge is power, it can also be a double-edged sword. Our quest for knowledge has moral and ethical implications that affect our lives and those of others around us. Throughout history, many examples of knowledge have been pursued or discovered without considering these moral implications. Sometimes, the consequences were more beneficial than expected, but this pursuit of knowledge had disastrous results in other cases. Take, for example, nuclear research and the development of atomic bombs: while it was initially considered a significant breakthrough in science, the potential for the proliferation of the knowledge to create devastating destruction wasn't fully understood until it was too late. ## Morality of Knowledge The morality of knowledge can be traced back to the ancient Greeks. They believed in "arete," which refers to virtue, excellence, and moral goodness. They believed that knowledge should not be pursued for its own sake but should be sought after in pursuit of moral goodness. This idea has been carried forward to the modern-day, where the morality of knowledge is defined as the ethical principles that govern the pursuit, acquisition, dissemination, and application of knowledge. Our actions must always consider the potential consequences, and this includes using newly gained knowledge for moral purposes. We must also know the implications of our behavior in terms of responsible research and development practices. ## Unrestricted Knowledge Francis Bacon's famous statement that "Knowledge itself is power" reinforces the position of unrestricted knowledge. This suggests that knowledge should be sought after with no consideration for morality. Supporters of this position argue that it is impossible to determine the moral implications of a piece of knowledge before we have acquired it, making the pursuit and acquisition of knowledge morally neutral. However, this idea has been criticized by those who believe there are limits to how far our pursuit of knowledge can and should go. This position suggests that we must consider the moral implications of our knowledge before pursuing it and that unrestricted knowledge may lead to unintended consequences with devastating results. ## Moral Duty As human beings, we have a moral duty to prioritize good over evil. It is unethical to prioritize knowledge that serves personal or intellectual interests over knowledge that promotes the greater good. We must investigate the potential consequences of our actions and consider the implications of our newly acquired knowledge. We should strive to ensure that the consequences of our pursuit or application of knowledge are beneficial rather than detrimental to society. Ultimately, the morality of knowledge is about using knowledge to promote the greater good. It is important to remember that while knowledge can be powerful, we must use it responsibly and with respect for its moral implications. ## Morality of Knowledge and Innovators For innovators, moral issues associated with gaining and using knowledge are of paramount concern. Innovators who develop and introduce new technologies and ideas must carefully consider the impact of their inventions on society. The morality of knowledge should be at the center of innovators' decision-making processes. This calls for innovators to be more responsible in their quest for knowledge and considerate of the impact their innovations will have on the world. In addition, innovators must ensure that their inventions and discoveries are ethically sound. This means understanding the potential consequences of their work and ensuring that ethical considerations are considered when conducting research. Two examples of innovators not considering the morality of knowledge can be seen in the actions of Thomas Midgley Jr. and Edward Teller. Midgley, an engineer and chemist, invented both tetraethyl lead, a gasoline additive, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), both of which have had severe environmental impacts. Midgley focused on the practical applications of these inventions without foreseeing the devastating ecological consequences. Similarly, Edward Teller, often called the "father of the hydrogen bomb," strongly advocated for developing nuclear weapons during the Cold War. His focus was on the power and potential of nuclear energy, disregarding the immense potential for destruction and loss of life. ## Conclusion The pursuit of knowledge is a fundamental aspect of human life. However, as we have seen, the morality of knowledge plays a critical role in shaping our moral values and, ultimately our society. Our pursuit of knowledge should be tempered by ethical principles, and the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge should be guided by a sense of responsibility to society. The morality of knowledge should not be an afterthought; it should be at the center of our pursuit of knowledge and guide our actions toward the greater good. ### The Art of Storytelling For Business and Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-art-of-storytelling-for-business-and-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:44.000Z Storytelling has been a part of human culture since the dawn of time. In ancient times, our ancestors used cave paintings and oral traditions to tell tales of their exploits, the world, and the gods they worshipped. These stories were a way to instill values, pass down history, and maintain cultural identity. As societies evolved, storytelling developed and took different forms: myths, legends, folklore, and literature. The industrial revolution ushered in mass media, enabling stories to be shared on a scale never before possible. In the digital era, [storytelling](https://theinnovators.network/how-to-use-innovation-storytelling/?ref=philmckinney.com) has taken on new dimensions with ‌social media, podcasts, and virtual reality. At its core, storytelling is a way to make sense of the world around us. Stories provide context, give meaning to complex ideas, and help us understand our place in the grand scheme. But why do we respond so powerfully to stories? This strong response can be traced back to our evolutionary roots. Humans are wired to respond to stories because they effectively transmit information - a survival mechanism honed over thousands of years. A well-told story can captivate an audience, evoke powerful emotions, and inspire action. This emotional connection makes storytelling persuasive in various fields, from politics and marketing to education and beyond. ## Storytelling Structures While there are multiple structures to stories, some of the most common ones are the hero's journey and the inverted pyramid structure. ## Hero's Journey The Hero's Journey, known as the monomyth, is a narrative pattern in many cultures and literary works. It was first conceptualized by Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist and scholar, in his seminal work 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces.' The structure of the Hero's Journey can be broken down into three key stages: Departure, Initiation, and Return. **Departure:** This is the stage where the hero is drawn out of their familiar world and into a new one. This usually involves answering a call to adventure, which is often initially met with reluctance. It's the initial push that sets the events of the story in motion. **Initiation:** In this stage, the hero faces trials and tribulations, encountering allies, enemies, and perhaps even a [mentor](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-innovation-coaching-versus-innovation-mentoring/) who helps them along their journey. This is where the hero learns invaluable lessons and faces the greatest challenge, often a confrontation with their greatest fear or most potent enemy. **Return:** The final stage of the Hero's Journey is the return, where the hero, having defeated the enemy or overcome the challenge, returns to their familiar world. However, they are not the same as when they began; they have grown, transformed, and often carry a reward or newfound wisdom that benefits their original world. This archetypal narrative resonates with audiences because it mirrors our life journeys. We all face challenges, learn lessons, and grow from these experiences. By using this structure in storytelling, businesses can connect deeply with their audience, as consumers can easily identify with the hero and their journey. ## Inverted Pyramid The Inverted Pyramid is a journalistic style of storytelling developed with the advent of newspapers. This method is characterized by a hierarchical information structure, with the most critical details presented first. The model comprises three main segments: the Lead, the Body, and the Tail. **The Lead:** This is where the most newsworthy information is presented. It includes the story's who, what, when, where, and why, providing the reader with the key details upfront. In a fast-paced world, where attention spans are short, this approach ensures that the core message is conveyed even if the reader does not complete the article. **The Body:** This part of the story involves expanding on the details introduced in the lead. Here, essential facts are explored in further depth and supplemented with additional information. This section often includes direct quotes, statistics, and other supporting data that bring richness and context to the story. **The Tail:** The end of the pyramid includes the least important information, background details, or lesser-known facts that are not crucial to understanding the main story. It's designed this way so that if space is limited, this section can be easily trimmed without losing the essence of the story. The inverted pyramid structure in business is valuable for press releases, news articles, and emails. It helps to grab the reader's attention quickly, convey the key points efficiently, and keep the audience engaged. This structure is particularly effective in today's digital age, where information overload is common and readers scan content rather than read in-depth. Delivering the most critical information ensures your core message isn't lost in the noise. ## Creating Compelling Business Stories Compelling business stories depends on understanding the target audience and tailoring the story accordingly. A great example is that of "Apple" who has mastered this skill with their "Think Different" campaign. This campaign focused on a message resonating with the target audience: people passionate about technology. Apple used a variety of storytelling structures to convey its message in powerful and memorable ways. To create a compelling business story, there are several elements to remember. ## Authenticity People can tell when a story is genuine and connect more with authentic stories. An authentic story reflects your brand's values and mission without feeling forced or contrived. It doesn't shy away from showing the [setbacks](https://theinnovators.network/how-failures-lead-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) along the way, as these make the victories even more rewarding. ## Relevance Your story must be relevant to your audience, addressing their needs, interests, or concerns. Understanding your target audience, their values, and what triggers their emotions is essential. This requires extensive market research and a [deep understanding](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-fail/) of your customer persona. The more relevant your story, the more your audience will relate to it. ## Emotion A compelling story elicits emotions. It makes people feel something, whether it's happiness, sadness, excitement, or inspiration. Tapping into your audience's emotions can help strengthen your connection with them, as people are more likely to remember and share stories that made them feel something profound. ## Simplicity A compelling story is easy to understand. It doesn't overcomplicate things or get lost in unnecessary details. It follows a clear and simple structure—a beginning, middle, and end—that makes it easy to follow and digest. ## Uniqueness A compelling story is unique and distinct. It separates you from your competitors by highlighting what makes your brand different and special. Your unique selling proposition (USP) should be woven into your story to make it stand out. ## Conflict and Resolution Every good story has some form of conflict and resolution. This often involves presenting a problem your innovation can solve in a business context. The resolution should be satisfying and demonstrate how your brand can positively change your audience's lives. ## Innovation Storytelling I encourage you to use storytelling when introducing an idea or innovation. Innovation storytelling is a [powerful tool](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-types-of-innovation-tools/) for communicating the process, problems, and solutions of innovation in a way that resonates with your audience emotionally. Innovation storytelling is unique because it tells how future innovations will impact our lives. It is the best approach to convey your idea, and you will find that it helps to inspire, captivate, and motivate your audience to believe in and champion your innovation. Innovation storytelling requires a different approach as compared to traditional storytelling. Here are some points to consider: ## Visionary Perspective Innovation storytelling must include a visionary perspective. You're not just sharing a story about the present or the past; you're narrating a tale about the future. This requires a deep understanding of your innovation and its potential impact on society or industry. Could you paint a vivid picture of the future that your audience can see and aspire to? ## Showcase the Innovation Your story should clearly articulate the innovation, how it works, and why it's significant. This doesn't mean you must delve into the technical details but focus on the benefits and transformation it can bring. Please explain the problem your innovation addresses, how it does so, and the potential for improvement or change. ## Make It Relatable Despite the futuristic aspect of the story, it's crucial to make it relatable. Connect your innovation to the everyday experiences and needs of your audience. Please explain how the innovation will affect them directly. This can be achieved by using relatable characters, scenarios, or comparisons your audience can identify with. ## Appeal to Emotion Just like traditional storytelling, appealing to emotion is vital in innovation storytelling. Although your story revolves around a future concept, it should evoke hope, excitement, or curiosity. The more emotionally invested your audience is, the more they'll care about your innovation. ## Use of Visuals Visuals are especially effective in innovation storytelling as they can help your audience understand and imagine the future you're painting. Use diagrams, animations, infographics, or virtual reality to convey your vision. ## Examples of Great Storytelling Now, let's dive into some famous examples that showcase the power of storytelling. These instances demonstrate how a well-crafted narrative can have a significant impact. Each instance provides a unique take on storytelling, offering valuable insights and lessons that can be used to enhance your storytelling technique. ### Apple's "1984" Commercial Apple's "1984" commercial is an iconic example of storytelling that caused a significant shift in the tech industry. The commercial, aired during the Super Bowl, portrayed a dystopian future dominated by a 'Big Brother' figure, symbolizing the existing tech giants. A lone woman (representing Apple) disrupts this, signaling a new era of personal computing. This narrative positioned Apple as a revolutionary player that empowers individuals, creating a massive stir and paving the way for the success of the Macintosh. **Lesson:** Use storytelling to establish your brand's identity and mission, differentiating it from competitors. ### The Dove Real Beauty Campaign Dove's Real Beauty campaign is a powerful example of storytelling that triggered a change in the beauty industry. The campaign highlighted that real women, representing various shapes, sizes, and ethnicities, are often underrepresented in media and advertising. By telling real stories of real women, Dove challenged the stereotypes and sparked conversations about the definition of beauty. **Lesson:** Authentic stories that resonate with your audience's experiences can create a solid emotional connection, driving meaningful change. ### Airbnb and The Power of User Stories Airbnb's success can be attributed to its leveraging user stories to build trust and community. In the early days, Airbnb faced trust issues as people were reluctant to open their homes to strangers. They tackled this by featuring stories of hosts and guests who had positive experiences, thereby humanizing the platform and instilling trust. **Lesson:** User stories can be a powerful tool to address concerns, build trust, and strengthen your community. ### Tesla's Vision for a Sustainable Future Under Elon Musk's leadership, Tesla uses storytelling effectively to advocate for a sustainable future. Musk envisions a world powered by renewable energy and communicates this vision by narrating a compelling story where Tesla's electric vehicles and solar products are vital to combating climate change. This narrative has helped Tesla garner a loyal following and disrupt the auto industry. **Lesson:** Storytelling can share your vision and inspire people to join your cause. ### Microsoft's Vision of a Connected World Microsoft's 'Empowering' ad, aired during the 2014 Super Bowl, is a prime example of impactful innovation storytelling. Narrated by former NFL player Steve Gleason, who lives with ALS, the commercial painted a picture of a world where technology enables people to achieve more, regardless of their circumstances. This narrative, centered on Microsoft's innovations, spanned from a woman hearing for the first time with the help of a hearing implant to a child with prosthetic legs running. It showcased how their technology transcends disabilities, empowers individuals, and connects the world in unthinkable ways. **Lesson**: An innovation story that places human experiences at the heart of technological advancements can deeply resonate with audiences, emphasizing the transformative power of innovation. ### Boston Dynamics and The Evolution of Robotics Boston Dynamics, a ground-breaking robotics design company, offers a prime example of conveying a future shaped by innovative technology. Boston Dynamics doesn't merely display its robots' technical capabilities compared to others in the field. Instead, it tells engaging stories about the potential role of these robots in our lives. With videos showcasing their robots' abilities, such as SpotMini doing household chores or Atlas navigating rough terrains, Boston Dynamics paints a picture of a future where robots are integrated into our everyday lives, enhancing our capabilities and simplifying tasks. This narrative of coexistence and [mutual progress](https://www.philmckinney.com/imagining-a-better-future-keys-to-human-progress/) has sparked global interest and stimulated thoughtful conversation about robotics's ethical implications and future. **Lesson:** Engaging storytelling can effectively convey the capabilities of complex technology while stimulating public interest and dialogue about its potential implications and applications. ## My Attempts at Storytelling If you want to see some examples of innovation storytelling, here are a few examples I have created over the years. - **Roku's Reward**: A short film created in 2005 that told the story of a future of AR and VR intertwined with real life and its impact on entertainment and gaming.[ Watch it here](https://techtrend.com/portfolio/rokus-reward-film/?ref=philmckinney.com). - **The Near Future - A Better Life**: A short film that paints the near future (3 to 8 years) of innovations allowing the aging population to age in place/at home.[ Watch it here](https://techtrend.com/portfolio/the-near-future-a-better-place/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Conclusion Storytelling is a powerful tool that businesses can and should use to make a human connection with customers and to stimulate innovation within the company. Storytelling is a way to communicate ideas effectively that resonate with individuals emotionally. Everyone has a unique story to tell, and by using storytelling, customers will understand the message and feel emotionally invested in it. By putting stories at the forefront of your business strategy, you can create a lasting impression on customers and build strong relationships with them. To learn about the art of storytelling listen to this week's show: **[The Art of Storytelling For Business and Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FArt%5Fof%5FStorytelling%5FFor%5FBusiness%5Fand%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Stop Being That Complainer and Elevate Your Creative Power URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/stop-being-that-complainer-elevate-your-creative-power/ Last updated: 2023-11-24T18:49:37.000Z We all know them, the people who constantly complain about everything. Nothing is ever good enough, from the weather to their job to their relationships. But have you ever stopped to think about how complaining affects your life? By focusing on the negative aspects of your life, you are allowing them to take center stage and dictate what you focus on and prioritize. So, why do people complain too much? How does it impact their creativity and innovation efforts? Can you break the habit of being a complainer? ## Why Do Some People Complain Too Much? People often complain excessively as a coping mechanism to deal with frustration, disappointment, or stress. This tendency may stem from a sense of helplessness, where expressing discontent becomes a means of asserting control over circumstances that seem otherwise uncontrollable. When life's challenges become overwhelming, complaining provides temporary relief by acknowledging the issue. Moreover, habitual complaining can be a reflection of a pessimistic outlook towards life. Pessimists magnify negative aspects while downplaying positive ones, leading to a cycle of chronic complaining. Over time, this pattern reinforces itself, becoming an automatic response to any situation. Lastly, social factors also play a role. Complaints can serve as a form of bonding, as shared grievances can create a sense of camaraderie. However, this can lead to an unhealthy cycle where negativity is normalized and perpetuated. While occasional venting is a natural response to life's difficulties, excessive complaining can become a harmful habit that affects one's mental health, relationships, and overall quality of life. Recognizing these underlying causes can be the first step toward breaking the cycle of chronic complaining. ## Complain Too Much? Your reading of this post says you may be concerned that you complain too much. So how can you know if you or someone you know has a problem? Here are a few signs that might indicate an excessive complaining habit: 1. **You Focus On The Negative:** If you find yourself primarily discussing what's wrong rather than appreciating what's going well, this might be a sign of excessive complaining. You might reinforce a pessimistic outlook on life by continuously focusing on the negative. 2. **People Avoid Conversations With You:** If your friends or colleagues tend to avoid getting into discussions with you, it might be because they find your conversations draining due to your constant complaints. 3. **You Feel Powerless:** Chronic complainers often feel like victims, powerless to improve their circumstances. Instead of taking action to change their situation, they resort to complaining. 4. **You're Often In A Bad Mood:** Constant complaining can impact your mood negatively. If you're frequently feeling down, your excessive complaints might contribute to your low mood. If these signs resonate with you, it could be an indication that you are complaining excessively. But fear not; recognizing this habit is the first step towards breaking the cycle, leading to a more positive and proactive approach to life. > "Unleash your creativity and life's potential by breaking the chains of ceaseless complaining; it's a silent thief of joy and innovation!" ## Breaking the Habit of Being a Complainer Breaking the habit of excessive complaining can significantly improve your life quality, fostering a more positive mindset and healthier relationships. Here are some strategies to get started: 1. **Practice Gratitude:** A [gratitude practice](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-surprising-effects-of-gratitude/) can shift your focus from what's going wrong to what's going right. You can start by acknowledging at least one thing you're grateful for daily. This simple act can help cultivate a positive perspective and reduce the impulse to complain. 2. **Engage in Solution-oriented Thinking:** Instead of dwelling on problems, develop a [solution-oriented mindset](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-thinking-skills-needed-for-success/). When you catch yourself complaining, pause and think about solutions to the issue at hand. This approach encourages proactive behavior and reduces the feeling of helplessness. 3. **Mindfulness:** This practice allows you to become more aware of your thoughts and emotions, helping you recognize when you're slipping into complaint mode. Once you're [mindful](https://killerinnovations.com/the-power-of-mindful-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) of your tendency to complain, you can consciously choose a different response. 4. **Surround Yourself With Positive People:** The company you keep can significantly influence your outlook. [Surrounding yourself](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-communities/) with optimistic and positive individuals can help you break free from the cycle of chronic complaining. Remember, change takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself as you work to replace the habit of complaining with healthier and more constructive behaviors. ## When Is It Okay to Complain? There are times when it is appropriate to voice your concerns or express your dissatisfaction. For example, if you are treated or unfairly treated in a relationship or at work, it is important to speak up and advocate for yourself. However, focusing on finding a solution is important and not just venting your frustrations. Additionally, it's important to choose your battles wisely. Not everything is worth complaining about, and often, it's better to let small things go and focus on the bigger picture. ## Complaining's Impact On Your Creativity and Innovation Complaining can significantly impact your ability to be creative and innovative. When you are constantly focusing on the negative aspects of your life, it's hard to see possibilities for positive change. Additionally, complaining can lead to a sense of victimhood, making it harder to take responsibility for your circumstances and make positive changes. By breaking the habit of complaining, you open yourself up to new possibilities and ideas, allowing you to approach problems with a creative and innovative mindset. ## Conclusion In conclusion, don't be that complainer. By focusing on negativity, you are allowing it to control your life. Instead, choose to focus your thoughts in satisfying and beneficial directions. By practicing gratitude and reframing negative thoughts, you can cultivate a more positive outlook on life. Remember, there are times when it is appropriate to voice your concerns but choose your battles wisely. By breaking the habit of complaining, you open yourself up to new opportunities and possibilities, allowing you to approach problems more creatively and innovatively. ### How Failures Lead to Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-failures-lead-to-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:43.000Z In today's society, people often glorify and celebrate success while they avoid failure at all costs and regard it as shameful. However, failure can be an essential part of the innovation process. Many of the world's greatest inventions and breakthroughs have come about due to failure. Why is failure a powerful catalyst for innovation? How can you turn a failure into an innovation that leads to success? ## The Importance of Failure in Innovation People often regard failure as a negative thing and strive to avoid it at all costs. However, without failure, there would be no progress. Failure is essential to learning and can provide valuable feedback and insights. When Thomas Edison was working on the light bulb, he famously said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Edison understood that failure was an integral part of the innovation process and that every failure brought him one step closer to success. Walt Disney held a similar perspective about failure. He got fired from his first newspaper job for "lacking creativity." Later, his first animation studio went bankrupt. Despite these numerous setbacks, Disney persevered. He learned from his failures and used them as stepping stones to create the Disney empire we all know and love today. Instead of deterring him, these instances fueled his innovation and drove him to produce some of the most beloved animated films. By [embracing failure](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-successful-failures/) and viewing it as an opportunity to learn, you will position yourself better for innovation. ## Overcoming the Fear of Failure One of the main reasons people avoid failure is due to the fear of embarrassment or shame. However, it's essential to understand that failure does not reflect your abilities or worth. Every successful person has experienced failure at some point in their life, and what they do with that failure sets them apart. [Reframing your mindset](https://theinnovators.network/legendary-harlem-globetrotter-on-creating-a-positive-mindset/?ref=philmckinney.com) and viewing failure as a necessary part of the innovation process is essential to overcome the fear of failure. Instead of viewing it as a personal failure, see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Consider the case of Google. They have created a separate division within the tech giant that encourages its employees to work on so-called "moonshot" projects – highly ambitious projects aiming to solve enormous problems using radical solutions. However, what sets Google apart is its perspective on failure. The organization celebrates failure, understanding that it's integral to innovation. They even have a "Failure Award" award given to teams whose projects didn't succeed but demonstrated valuable learnings. This approach mitigates the fear of failure among its employees and fosters a culture of innovation and creativity. By embracing failure and recognizing it as a stepping stone toward success, Google actively encourages its employees to take calculated risks, cultivating an environment conducive to groundbreaking innovation. ## Learning from Failure Once you've embraced failure as a part of innovation, it's important to learn from it. Failure can provide valuable feedback and insights that can help you refine and improve your idea. When something doesn't work, take the time to analyze why it failed and what you can do differently next time. This process of trial and error is essential for the innovation process and can help you create something groundbreaking. Many successful companies and products have emerged from learning from failure. For example, Apple's first attempt at a tablet, the Newton, was a massive failure. However, they learned from that experience and eventually created the highly successful iPad. Here are some steps to follow to review a failure and extract lessons learned: 1. **Acknowledge the Failure:** The first step is to acknowledge that a failure has occurred. Denying it or ignoring it will not serve your innovation journey. 2. **Gather Information:** Collect data and information about what happened. What were the circumstances that led to the failure? What was the expected outcome, and how did the actual result differ? 3. **Analyze the Situation:** Once you have all the facts, begin analyzing. What factors contributed to the failure? Look at the situation from multiple perspectives to gain a comprehensive understanding. 4. **Identify the Learning Points:** What can you learn from this failure? Identify the takeaways that can inform your future actions. 5. **Create an Action Plan:** Develop a plan based on your learnings. This might involve tweaking your strategy, adjusting your processes, or investing additional resources or training. 6. **Implement the Plan:** Put your plan into action. Remember to remain adaptable – the path to innovation often requires revisions and alterations. 7. **Document the Process:** Record your failures and the subsequent learnings. This documentation will serve as a valuable resource in your innovation journey. 8. **Share the Lessons:** Foster a culture of transparency and growth by sharing your failures and learnings with your team. Doing so encourages others to take risks and learn from their mistakes, which fuels a culture of innovation. Remember, failure is not a dead-end but a detour to a different route. By reviewing your failures and capturing the learnings, you can turn setbacks into opportunities for innovation. ## Pivoting a Failure into Innovation When failure occurs, not giving up or abandoning your idea is essential. Instead, look at the problem differently and [find a new solution](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-fresh-eyes/). This process involves a series of steps that, when combined, can lead to groundbreaking innovation. First, there's a need to reassess your vision and **redefine your objectives**. What was the original goal? Is it still relevant, or does the failure open up a new direction that could be more beneficial? Second, **identify the root cause** of the failure and understand its implications. This is where a deep dive into the details is crucial. In doing so, you might uncover [overlooked opportunities](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-overlooked-secret-to-innovation/) or hidden insights. Third, **brainstorm new solutions**. Use the knowledge from the failure to think of innovative approaches or strategies that could work better. Fourth, **prototype and test these new ideas**. Not every new idea will be successful, but through prototyping and testing, you'll get closer to finding a solution that works. Fifth, **iterate on the process**. Innovation is rarely a one-off event. It's a continuous learning process, designing, testing, and refining. By following these steps, you can make the most out of failure and use it as a springboard to drive innovation. It's essential to stay open-minded and be willing to take risks to foster meaningful change and unlock new opportunities. ## When Failure Leads to Success The concept of 'when failure leads to success' revolves around the idea that our mistakes and setbacks can allow us to learn, adapt, and improve. This concept highlights the importance of resilience, adaptability, and a growth mindset. It encourages us to view failure not as an outcome but as a feedback mechanism, a source of learning, and a guidepost directing us toward a potentially more promising and innovative path. Moreover, many successful people and organizations have their share of failures. They have missed the mark, stumbled, and fallen, but what sets them apart from their competitor is their ability to pick themselves up, learn from their mistakes, and turn their failures into stepping stones for success. Embracing this perspective can transform how we approach challenges, handle setbacks, and pursue innovation. Here are some real-life examples where failures ultimately led to breakthrough successes. Consider the case of Dyson. James Dyson, the company's founder, went through 5,126 failed prototypes over 15 years before perfecting his revolutionary vacuum cleaner. His ability to learn from each failure and persist with his vision led to an innovative product that disrupted the industry. Another excellent example of this is the Post-it note. The inventor tried to create a super-strong adhesive but ended up with a weak, reusable adhesive. Rather than viewing this as a failure, he saw the potential for a new product that generates 50 billion Post-it Notes annually. ## Innovation Culture and Failure Creating a strong innovation culture is crucial in today's ever-evolving business landscape. Often, companies that embrace an innovation culture are the ones that can adapt and thrive amidst changes and challenges. Innovation culture is an environment that fosters creative thinking, encourages experimentation, and values learning from failure. It is a place where ideas, no matter how outlandish they may seem, are welcome and discussed, where creativity is encouraged and expected, and where people do not fear failure but see it as an integral part of the learning process. Companies fostering a solid innovation culture empower employees to take calculated risks and challenge the status quo. They are not afraid to voice their ideas, to showcase their creativity, and to test their hypotheses – even if these may lead to failures. This is because they know that failures are not the end but are stepping stones to success in an innovation culture. Innovation culture also fosters resilience. Companies with a strong culture of innovation are better equipped to bounce back from setbacks. They can turn their failures into innovations. ## Actionable Steps for Developing an Innovation Culture Creating a [strong innovation culture](https://theinnovators.network/leadership-build-the-culture-you-deserve/?ref=philmckinney.com) is not a one-time event but an ongoing process. Here are some actionable steps that organizations can take to foster such a culture: 1. Communicate the company's **vision and mission**. Ensure everyone understands the organization's direction and how their contributions will help achieve this goal. 2. **Create an environment** that stimulates creativity and encourages experimentation. Ensure employees can access the right tools, resources, and training to develop innovative ideas and solutions. 3. **Promote collaboration** and teamwork. Encourage employees to collaborate, share their knowledge and experience, discuss ideas, and respectfully challenge one another. 4. **Celebrate successes** \- big and small. Acknowledge the efforts of employees who have contributed to the team's success and recognize their achievements. 5. **Embrace failure**. Create an environment where employees are not afraid to take risks and try new things, even if they may lead to failure. Encourage people to learn from their mistakes and use them as stepping stones to success. 6. Encourage **open communication** and feedback. Create an atmosphere where employees feel comfortable giving and receiving constructive feedback and openly expressing their ideas without fear of judgment or criticism. ## Conclusion Innovation is often born out of failure, a concept vividly illustrated by innovations we use daily. Embracing an innovation culture in an organization is crucial to fostering an environment where employees feel empowered to take risks, voice their ideas, and learn from failures, knowing that these are not endpoints but stepping stones to success. To learn about how failing can lead to innovation, listen to this week's show: **[How Failures Lead to Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FFailure%5FLeads%5Fto%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Surprising Effects of Gratitude URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-surprising-effects-of-gratitude/ Last updated: 2023-11-24T18:49:43.000Z Have you ever sat down and really thought about all the things you're grateful for? In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to take things for granted and forget to be grateful for what we have. Gratitude is not just a warm and fuzzy feeling but a powerful emotion that can transform our outlook on life and our relationships. ## The Power of Gratitude Gratitude is being thankful and ready to show appreciation for and return kindness. It's a mindset that can transform our lives. Studies have shown that practicing gratitude regularly can boost our mood, improve physical health, and increase overall happiness. Gratitude helps us focus on the positive aspects of our lives and can foster resilience during challenging times. It also helps create a strong sense of community and belonging. When we practice gratitude, it can become easier to cope with stress and adversity. We're more likely to make changes to better our lives without focusing on what is wrong or missing. Gratitude also allows us to appreciate the beauty in life and cultivate meaningful relationships with those around us. Expressing gratitude also plays an important role in strengthening interpersonal connections. Showing appreciation for others can increase feelings of trust and intimacy in relationships. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed that expressing gratitude can lead to more positive feelings and deeper social connections. By expressing gratitude, we acknowledge the contributions of others and strengthen our bonds. > "Did you know that a moment of gratitude can turn an entire day around, making the ordinary extraordinary?" ## Gratitude as a Tool for Personal Growth Gratitude is a powerful tool for [personal growth](https://www.philmckinney.com/embrace-the-hard-the-secret-to-a-fulfilling-life/), as it encourages a shift in perspective from scarcity to abundance. When we acknowledge what we already have, we invite more positivity into our lives. This shift in focus nurtures self-compassion and forgiveness, reducing the stress and anxiety that often accompanies striving for more. Adopting an attitude of gratitude provides us with a greater understanding of our own lives, encouraging us to value and appreciate our personal journey. By acknowledging the good around us, we cultivate a sense of self-awareness and develop a deeper understanding of ourselves. This leads to growth in self-acceptance and, ultimately, personal growth. Furthermore, gratitude opens up the door to humility. Recognizing the people and experiences that have contributed to our achievements encourages us to remain humble despite our successes. Humility promotes further growth as it allows for the acceptance of feedback and facilitates continuous learning. ## Gratitude in the Workplace [Gratitude in the workplace](https://www.philmckinney.com/gratitude-as-a-business-strategy/) goes beyond a simple 'thank you'... It's about creating an environment where everyone feels valued, and contributions are recognized. Regular expressions of gratitude have been found to create a more supportive and cooperative work atmosphere. Positive recognition nurtures a culture of respect, where everyone feels a sense of belonging and is motivated to contribute their best. ### Gratitude and Employee Motivation The impact of gratitude on employee motivation cannot be overstated. When employees feel appreciated for their work, they are more likely to put in extra effort and show increased loyalty towards the organization. The power of gratitude lies in boosting morale, increasing job satisfaction, and reducing turnover rates. Employees who feel valued stay longer and perform better. ### Gratitude and Teamwork Gratitude can also significantly improve teamwork. When team members appreciate each other's efforts, they are more likely to collaborate effectively. It fosters mutual respect and brings about a positive change in team dynamics, driving the team towards success. Expressing gratitude also reduces conflicts, as team members feel acknowledged and valued for their contributions. ### Gratitude as a Leadership Quality For leaders, expressing gratitude can be a powerful tool to strengthen relationships with team members. Leaders who acknowledge the hard work of their team members and show appreciation create a trust-based environment that encourages open communication and constructive feedback. This fosters innovation and encourages employees to take calculated risks, knowing their efforts will be recognized. ### Implementing Gratitude in the Workplace Integrating gratitude into the workplace can be done in various ways. Regular appreciation meetings, providing platforms for peer-to-peer recognition, and personal thank-you notes are just a few ways to acknowledge and appreciate the hard work of your team. It's crucial, though, that the expressions of gratitude are genuine and specific to foster a genuinely grateful work environment. Gratitude has more power than we often recognize, especially professionally. By consciously incorporating gratitude into our daily work lives, we can foster a workplace culture that is supportive, inclusive, and [high-performing](https://www.philmckinney.com/great-leaders-keep-cool/). ## Conclusion Gratitude is a powerful emotion that can transform our lives and relationships. It fosters a positive mindset, strengthens interpersonal connections, contributes to personal growth, and creates a positive work environment. By incorporating gratitude into our daily routines, we can experience greater happiness, fulfillment, and success. So, take a moment to think about all the things you're thankful for and express your appreciation to those around you—you might be surprised by its positive effects on your life! ### How To Monetize Your Innovation Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-monetize-your-innovation-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:43.000Z Steve Jobs once said, "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." But can it distinguish between a successful business and a failure? The answer is yes. In this age of cut-throat competition, innovation is key to your success and survival in the market. However, the million-dollar question is how to [monetize your innovation skills](https://theinnovators.network/how-to-monetize-your-ideas/?ref=philmckinney.com) to turn them into personal and professional success. We understand that turning your passion for innovation into a business can be challenging, but it's not impossible. I will share my lessons learned and insights on identifying and monetizing your innovation skills without sacrificing the soul of your creativity. > "Innovation isn't just a spark of genius, it's the audacious courage to set the world ablaze with an idea that was once just a whisper in your mind." ## Ways To Monetize Your Innovation Skills It's important to understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to monetizing your innovation skills. There are myriad ways to turn your creativity into a profitable venture, and the best method depends on your strengths, your market, your innovation reputation, and what you're passionate about. Let's explore some of these diverse strategies to help you identify the path that best suits your innovative spirit. ## As An Employee One of the most direct ways to monetize your innovation skills is to become employed in a role that values and rewards innovation. This could be in a tech startup, a research and development department of a large corporation, or any company that prioritizes ingenuity. As an employee, you can negotiate a salary that reflects your creative potential and ability to drive the company forward. The additional benefit is that if the company is known for innovation, you can establish your credentials and credibility faster than on your own. While I was innovating products throughout my career, my work as the Chief Technology Officer at HP helped me build my profile as an innovation expert. My work at HP gave me a source of funding and resources to nurture my ideas and bring them to life. The result was ten years of creating new and innovative products that are still in use worldwide. ## As A Consultant Another lucrative avenue is to offer your services as an innovation consultant. This involves helping organizations identify areas where they could innovate and provide solutions. As a consultant, you can charge a fee for your services, and there is potential for substantial earnings, especially as you gain experience and recognition in the field. The challenge in today's environment is that innovation consultants have flooded the market. Therefore, distinguishing yourself as an innovation consultant requires a unique blend of skills, experience, and marketing strategies. One key aspect of standing out is demonstrating subject matter expertise. This doesn't mean knowing everything but specializing in a specific industry or innovation methodology. Becoming an expert in a particular niche can set you apart from the generalists. Next, your track record matters. People want to hire consultants with proven results. Showcase your past successes with case studies, testimonials, and references. Each successful project enhances your credibility and attracts more clients. Last, consider writing and publishing thought leadership articles on innovation-focused sites like[ The Innovators Network](https://theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com). By sharing your insights and perspectives on industry trends and developments, you can establish yourself as an authority in your field. This boosts your visibility and builds trust with your potential clients. ## Joining An Innovation Agency Joining an innovation agency is another potential opportunity. These agencies focus on providing innovative solutions for their clients, often through creative problem-solving, [design thinking](https://theinnovators.network/innovating-with-design-thinking/?ref=philmckinney.com), and technology. Working in such an environment allows you to collaborate with other innovative minds, and your earnings will typically come as a salary or project-based compensation. In my case, I founded one of the first innovation agencies -[ Techtrend Group](https://techtrend.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Techtrend is a full-service innovation agency that supports its clients in creating innovations, technologies, and award-winning products that their customers will love. They are behind the innovations that half-billion people are using today. Techtrend is a "collective" team of experienced innovators who have helped create some of the most successful innovations in the market today. Interesting side note. HP was a customer of Techtrend Group. HP recruited me to become their Chief Technology Officer through that work and the resulting products. I am now the non-executive Chairman of[ Techtrend Group](https://techtrend.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and still do a few projects for clients to keep my innovative edge. ## Starting Your Own Business Starting your own business is another way to monetize your innovation skills. This could be a product-based business, where you create an innovative product that solves a problem or meets a need, or a [service-based business](https://www.philmckinney.com/emerging-solutions-service-innovation-s14-ep2/), where you provide innovative services to clients. This path requires significant effort and risk but can also lead to exceptional rewards if your business succeeds. I started 12 businesses around an innovative idea that either failed or was sold to survive. None of these amounted to anything significant. However, my biggest success was my 13th venture. This one worked out well and transformed me financially. It was a wireless communication company called Teligent. I was part of the team that founded the company in 1996\. We took it public in 1998. The keyword, if you take this path, is perseverance. You will kiss a lot of frogs before you find the prince. ## Innovation Coaching and Mentoring Becoming an [innovation coach or mentor](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-mentor-vs-innovation-coach-which-do-you-need/) is another effective way to monetize your innovation skills. This role involves guiding individuals or organizations to foster a culture of innovation, teaching them practical strategies to generate innovative ideas and navigate the implementation process. As an innovation coach or mentor, you can earn through session fees or long-term contracts with your clients. The advantage of this approach is its flexibility, allowing you to work with a range of clients from different industries and backgrounds. Your credibility as a coach or mentor will be directly linked to your track record and the success of your innovative projects. Therefore, building a portfolio of successful innovation projects can help attract clients. Offering your expertise to budding innovators or established organizations seeking a fresh perspective could be a rewarding and lucrative way to leverage your innovation skills. Remember, mentoring or coaching is not just about imparting knowledge. It's also about motivating and inspiring others to think differently, take risks, and embrace change - all key ingredients in the recipe for innovation. I've taken on a few innovation coaching and mentoring clients. The biggest challenge is ensuring the other party is committed to the work involved to take their innovation skills and abilities to the next level. Most times, people are not committed. They want access to the Rolodex. Thus, I never do coaching and mentoring for free. I charge my total rate — but then donate the fees to charity. One client that worked out well was in Europe. We met weekly for an hour to discuss their innovation efforts, work on skills, etc. Between the weekly calls, I would expand their innovation pipeline with ideas I would develop. Once a year, I flew in for an entire week of working with their leadership, including attending a special session of the Board. This work went on for years. ## Serving on an Innovation Advisory Board Joining an Innovation Advisory Board for a company is a strategic move that can monetize your innovation skills while providing significant value to the organization. As an advisory board member, your primary role would be to guide the company's innovation strategy, drawing from your wealth of experience. You would offer insights into emerging trends, identify opportunities for innovative advancements, and help the company navigate the complexities of the ever-evolving business landscape. Your compensation for this role can come in various forms, ranging from fees to equity in the company or a combination of both. If you choose the fee-based compensation, you can negotiate a fixed retainer for your services or opt for a per-meeting fee, depending on the time commitment and the level of input required. Alternatively, if you believe in the company's potential for growth and success, taking an equity stake as part of your compensation can be a lucrative option. This gives you a share in the potential future profits of the company, aligning your interests with the long-term success of the company. Sometimes, a mix of fees and equity can be negotiated, ensuring a regular income and allowing you to participate in the company's future earnings. This hybrid approach can offer an optimal balance between immediate financial rewards and future growth potential. > "Innovation is not just the birthplace of brilliant ideas; it's a daring voyage where the unknown often leads to extraordinary financial windfalls." It's worth noting that serving on an Innovation Advisory Board monetizes your innovation skills, enhances your professional network, builds your reputation, and exposes you to new ideas and perspectives. Combining these benefits makes this option a compelling consideration for any seasoned innovator. An example of this working out quite well was when I joined the Innovation Advisory Board for a small startup in Silicon Valley. I worked with their founder and his team on the core idea of the product, which was in a space I had deep experience in. The relationship was an "equity" only structure, given I knew the founder well. Over the years, I forgot about the deal. One day, I got a call from a stockbroker for the company asking me what I wanted to do with my shares. What shares? It seems the company was going public. I sold the shares, and the proceeds paid for my horse farm in Virginia. ## Licensing Your Ideas Lastly, if you have an innovative idea but don't want to start a business, you could consider [licensing your idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/stephen-key-of-inventrighttv-on-licensing-inventions/) to a company. This would involve selling the rights to your idea in exchange for royalties, providing a potential income stream without the responsibilities associated with running a business. This option requires diligent research and negotiation but can be a lucrative path for the right idea. While this can sound enticing, breaking into the licensing approach can be difficult. After all, you are essentially selling an intangible product—your innovative idea—and convincing someone to buy it is no small feat. Therefore, engaging a lawyer or licensing specialist is wise to help navigate the process and ensure that your intellectual property is adequately protected. Be careful, as several licensing specialists are less than reputable. Look for people with a proven track record of success and can show previous licensing deals they've secured. Talk to the innovators who have used them. All of my attempts at licensing have failed. ## Steps To Making A Living in Innovation No matter the path you choose, there are some steps you need to take before starting down the road of monetizing your innovation skills. ### Identify your innovation skills: The first step to monetizing your innovation skills is to identify them. Take a moment to think about what you're good at and what makes you stand out. It could be a particular skill set or a unique approach to problem-solving. Once you know what sets you apart, you can start thinking of ways to monetize it. For example, if you're skilled at brainstorming and problem-solving, you can offer consultancy services to clients struggling with a particular issue. Similarly, you can monetize your innovation by designing products if you're creative. The key is recognizing your skill set and leveraging it in the marketplace. ### Build your brand: Once you've identified your innovation skills, building your brand is time. Your brand is the way people perceive you and your work. It's what sets you apart from the competition. To build your brand, define your mission and vision and create a personal logo and tagline representing you and your brand. It would help if you also had a solid online presence to reach potential clients. Set up a website and social media accounts and build a following. Share your work and engage with your audience regularly. The more you can showcase your expertise in your area of innovation, the more clients will be drawn to you. ### Market your skills: Once you've built your brand, you need to market your skills. This involves identifying your target audience and creating a marketing strategy that speaks to them. Use your website and social media accounts to showcase your past work and your unique approach to innovation. This approach even applies to employment opportunities. ### Network: Networking is also critical when monetizing your innovation skills. Attend industry conferences and events where innovators gather to share ideas and find work. Connect with people online by joining [innovation-related communities](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-communities/) and groups. You can even use social media to reach potential clients and employers directly. ### Stay ahead of the curve: Finally, staying ahead of the curve is important to make a living as an innovative person. Keep an eye out for new trends and technologies, and be willing to adapt your skills to meet the changing needs of your clients. Attend industry events, subscribe to relevant publications, and continue to educate yourself about your area of innovation. The more you can stay ahead of the curve, the more you can stand out in the marketplace. ## Conclusion Innovation is crucial for success in today's market, but knowing how to monetize your skills is essential. Warning. Making a living as an innovative person is not a sprint but a marathon. It takes hard work, dedication, and patience to build a monetization approach that stands the test of time. If you're willing to put in the effort, innovation can be a lucrative and fulfilling career path. To learn about monetizing your innovation skills, listen to this week's show: *[*How To Monetize Your Innovation Skills:* A Comprehensive Guide to a Profitable Career](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FMonetize%5FYour%5FInnovation%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer: Unleashing Creative Prototyping Potential URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/glowforge-plus-3d-laser-printer-unleashing-creative-prototyping-potential/ Last updated: 2023-08-27T16:42:16.000Z In the fast-paced ideation and rapid prototyping world, having a reliable and efficient tool is paramount. Enter the Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer, a game-changer in laser printing. As an avid proponent of creative exploration, I recently purchased this printer for my grandson (rationalization 😉 for the spouse) so that I could test its capabilities for prototyping ideas that emerge from brainstorming sessions. ### First Impressions and Setup Upon receiving the Glowforge Plus, its sleek design and robust build immediately captivated me. It exuded an air of professionalism and quality. Priced reasonably compared to other laser printers in its class, the Glowforge Plus offers many features that make it an attractive option for both beginners and seasoned professionals alike. Setting up the printer was a breeze, thanks to the intuitive instructions. The process was clear, concise, and hassle-free. Within minutes, my grandson had the Glowforge Plus up and running, ready to bring my ideas to life. ### Ease of Use and Reliability One of the standout qualities of the Glowforge Plus is its user-friendly nature. With its straightforward interface and well-designed software, navigating projects and settings was a seamless experience. Even for my 11-year-old grandson, it was easy to understand and operate. Reliability is critical in any printing device, and the Glowforge Plus did not disappoint. The printer maintained consistent performance without significant hiccups throughout numerous ideation sessions and prototyping. It handled various projects effortlessly, from intricate designs to larger-scale creations, proving its dependability in delivering accurate and precise results. ### Cutting-Edge Laser Power and Material Versatility An integral aspect of any laser printer is the power of its laser, and the Glowforge Plus excels in this department. The laser demonstrated impressive cutting capabilities, effortlessly slicing through various materials, including wood, leather, and acrylic. Whether it was delicate engravings or intricate cuts, the Glowforge Plus handled every task with finesse. My grandson experimented extensively with different materials, pushing the limits of the printer's capabilities. From intricate wooden ornaments to personalized acrylic keychains, the Glowforge Plus has proved its versatility repeatedly. It adapted to each material effortlessly, consistently producing high-quality results that exceeded our expectations. ### Conclusion In the realm of rapid prototyping, the Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer emerges as a standout option for creative individuals seeking a reliable and efficient tool. From its user-friendly interface to its powerful laser and material versatility, this printer offers a comprehensive package that caters to the needs of both beginners and professionals. The Glowforge Plus has consistently delivered on its promises, surpassing expectations at every turn. The ease of use, combined with its reliable performance and accurate results, make it an ideal choice for anyone looking to bring their ideas to life. So, if you find yourself seeking a laser printer for rapid prototyping and creative exploration, the Glowforge Plus is certainly worthy of consideration. Embrace the power of precision and unlock your full creative potential with this exceptional device. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/08/glowforge-laser-printer-2048x2048.jpg) #### Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer Introducing the Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer, a game-changer in creative prototyping. With its sleek design and robust build, this printer offers a comprehensive package of features that cater to beginners and professionals alike. From setup to operation, the Glowforge Plus excels in simplicity and user-friendliness. Its reliable performance ensures consistent and accurate results, while its powerful laser effortlessly cuts through materials like wood, leather, and acrylic with finesse. Let your imagination soar as you explore the endless possibilities this printer brings to your creative endeavors. Whether you're an entrepreneur bringing ideas to life or a hobbyist seeking to unleash your artistic vision, the Glowforge Plus empowers you to turn dreams into reality. Experience the power of precision and limitless creativity with the Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer. [Complete Description on Innovation.Tools](https://innovation.tools/products/glowforge-plus-3d-laser-printer?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Visionary Thinking: How Leaders Shape the Future URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/visionary-thinking-how-leaders-shape-the-future/ Last updated: 2023-11-24T18:52:33.000Z Leadership is at the center of every successful organization. Leaders who can think beyond today and set a vision for their organization are more successful in shaping its future. Visionary thinking involves thinking beyond the present and asking yourself what the future could look like. It is the foundation on which a leader builds a strategy for achieving the organization's desired future state. As a leader, I've witnessed the transformative power of visionary thinking. A unique sense of fulfillment and inspiration comes from envisioning a brighter future and charting the course toward it. Not only does it empower you as a leader, but it also ignites passion and drive within your team. The catalyst sparks innovation, fosters resilience, and propels the organization forward. How can you harness the power of visionary thinking to steer your organization into the future? > "Despite the immense power of innovation to reshape our world, astonishingly, less than one in three businesses globally have a visionary leader steering their journey towards the future." ## Visionary Thinking: What is it and Why is it Important for Leaders? Simply put, visionary thinking is the ability to see the big picture and the potential for what could be. A visionary leader is forward-thinking, constantly seeking new possibilities, and focused on creating a better future. Visionary thinking is breaking down long-standing norms that have always dictated how the industry functions and what companies are expected to be like in the coming years. Forward-thinking leaders passionate about their visions can inspire their teams to follow them and help them gain greater insights into the organization's future. ## Visionary Thinking vs. Traditional Leadership Approaches Traditional leadership approaches are focused on maintaining the status quo, maximizing profits in the short term, and minimizing risks. Visionary thinking is focused on anticipating and acting on opportunities for change, growth, and innovation. Visionary thinking looks beyond the current situation for a more desirable future state. While traditional leadership approaches often earn an appropriate and significant profit, visionary thinking leads to more sustainable growth and long-term profitability. ## Visionary Thinking: A Driver of Innovation and Growth Innovation and growth are the key components of any successful organization. Visionary thinking drives both by providing a clear direction, a purpose for working together, and a sense of urgency. Visionary leaders are not afraid to take risks and always look for new ways of doing things. They develop new business models and promote innovative ideas that have the potential to revolutionize their organization's industries. ## Key Characteristics and Skills of Visionary Leaders Visionary leaders possess distinct characteristics and skills that sets them apart and enable them to drive their organizations toward a successful future. 1. **Strategic Thinkers:** Visionary leaders are strategic thinkers. They understand the bigger picture and can identify opportunities, threats, and trends that may impact their organization's future. They can connect the dots, see patterns and relationships others may miss, and use this insight to inform their long-term strategies. 2. **Inspirational Communicators:** Visionary leaders are also exceptional communicators. They can articulate visions that inspire others and mobilize them toward a common goal. Their communication is about sharing information and instilling hope, enthusiasm, and commitment in their teams. 3. **Risk Takers:** Visionary leaders are willing to take calculated risks. They understand that progress and innovation often require stepping out of their comfort zones and facing uncertainty. They are not afraid to make tough decisions, even if they may be unpopular in the short term. 4. **Adaptable and Resilient:** The ability to adapt and bounce back from setbacks is critical in an ever-changing business landscape. Visionary leaders are resilient and flexible. They can adjust their strategies based on changing circumstances and can guide their teams through periods of uncertainty and change. 5. **Empathetic and People-Centered:** Lastly, visionary leaders have a strong sense of empathy. They understand the needs, aspirations, and perspectives of their team members. They value their people as their most important asset and strive to create a supportive work environment that fosters growth and innovation. ## Examples of Visionary Leaders These individuals have leveraged their foresight, passion, and strategic thinking to imagine a new future for their organizations and inspire others to help bring these visions to life. Their stories provide valuable insights into the practical application of visionary leadership. 1. **Steve Jobs** (Apple Inc.): Steve Jobs is one of the most iconic visionary leaders. His passion for innovation and design led to the creation of groundbreaking products like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Despite setbacks, he persisted with his vision, ultimately revolutionizing the tech industry and how we communicate and interact with technology today. 2. **Elon Musk** (Tesla, SpaceX): Elon Musk, founder of multiple groundbreaking companies such as Tesla and SpaceX, is another example of a visionary leader. He has consistently challenged the status quo across various industries, pushing for electric vehicles and space travel, demonstrating the power of visionary thinking in reshaping industries and the world as we know it. 3. **Indra Nooyi** (PepsiCo): Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, is a visionary leader known for her strategic and forward-thinking approach. She transformed PepsiCo by shifting the company's focus from traditional sugary beverages to healthier alternatives, demonstrating a clear vision of future trends in the food and beverage industry. 4. **Sir Richard Branson** (Virgin Group): Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, exemplifies visionary thinking with his diverse ventures, from airlines to space travel. His ability to see potential in varied sectors and his willingness to take risks have positioned Virgin Group as a leader in multiple industries. Their ability to see beyond the present, take risks, and inspire their teams have made them successful leaders, reshaping the world as we know it. ## Conclusion In conclusion, visionary thinking is an integral part of leadership and a powerful tool that can help leaders shape their organization's futures. Visionary thinking helps organizations get ahead of the competition and helps leaders expect the changes in the marketplace to achieve sustainable growth. To cultivate their visionary thinking abilities, leaders must continuously challenge themselves to think more strategically, seek feedback, and stay updated on the latest industry trends. By doing this, they can build a better future for their organization and leave a lasting legacy. ### Understanding the Innovation Economy and Its Impact on Our World URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-the-innovation-economy-and-its-impact-on-our-world/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:43.000Z As an innovator, you must understand the innovation economy and how your creative work will affect you personally and professionally. The innovation economy, often characterized by rapid [technological advancements](https://theinnovators.network/are-you-future-proof-preparing-for-technological-disruptions/?ref=philmckinney.com) and digitalization, is emerging as a powerful global force. It represents a shift from traditional industries to more knowledge-based ones, where ideas, innovation, and intellectual capital drive economic growth. ### Unleash your creativity, for it is the brush that paints the picture of our future. The significance of the innovation economy is paramount in today's world. It fosters creativity and entrepreneurship, propels job creation, and is a potent weapon against economic stagnation. As we navigate through the 21st century, understanding the mechanics of the innovation economy becomes increasingly crucial, as it has the potential to redefine our societal structures and shape our future. ## Redefinition of Value in the Innovation Economy The innovation economy has radically redefined value, moving beyond traditional metrics. Previously, tangible assets like real estate, machinery, and raw materials were the primary indicators of a company's worth. Today, intangible assets such as ideas, innovation, and intellectual capital form the cornerstone of economic value. For instance, consider how companies like Uber and Airbnb have revolutionized their respective industries. Uber, owning no cars, became the world's largest taxi service, while Airbnb, owning no real estate, transformed into the biggest accommodation provider. These companies underscore the power of innovative ideas, turning conventional business models on their heads and redefining value in service, convenience, and user experience. This seismic shift represents the crux of the innovation economy, where value is derived from what we can see or touch but also from the novelty and utility of ideas. ## Innovation Economic Definition The key difference between innovation and traditional economies lies in their value drivers. Traditional economies focus primarily on producing goods and providing services, with value driven by physical assets and manual labor. This model often relies heavily on established procedures and practices, with less emphasis on novel ideas or strategies. Traditional economies are slower to adapt to change and are characterized by steady, [incremental growth](https://theinnovators.network/revolutionary-ripples-how-small-innovations-can-create-a-big-impact/?ref=philmckinney.com). Contrastingly, the innovation economy is dynamic, adaptable, and agile. It prioritizes knowledge, creativity, and intellectual capital above physical assets. It's characterized by rapid technological advancements and the continuous evolution of ideas. Growth in an innovation economy is exponential rather than linear, with new markets and industries emerging at an increasing pace. In an innovation economy, the flow of information is critical. Thanks to the digital revolution, ideas and information can be shared instantly across the globe, leading to faster innovation cycles. In this context, technology is not merely a tool but a fundamental driver of economic value. To realize the impact, the innovation economy places immense importance on entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs, with their inherent risk-taking ability and penchant for [disruptive ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/become-that-visionary-leader-by-embracing-risk/), are at the heart of this new economy, often leading the way in creating new industries and reshaping existing ones. ## Innovation Economy is Changing the World The innovation economy is driving monumental changes across the globe, reshaping industries, altering labor markets, and revolutionizing our daily lives. One of the most vivid examples is the transformation within the retail industry. Traditional brick-and-mortar stores faced disruption with e-commerce giants such as Amazon and Alibaba. They harnessed digital technology, big data, and customer insights to create personalized shopping experiences, making shopping more convenient and efficient. Another industry that's been dramatically altered by innovation is transportation. Tesla, with its electric vehicles, is not just an automotive company; it's a vanguard in the energy industry. By marrying technology with sustainable energy, Tesla is redefining what it means to be a car company, disrupting the auto industry. Healthcare, too, is experiencing a significant overhaul. Digital health technologies, like telemedicine and AI-driven diagnostics, are making healthcare more accessible and affordable, marking a shift from disease-centered models to patient-centered ones. Innovation is also facilitating change in the way we work. The gig economy, enabled by platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, is challenging traditional employment, offering flexibility and creating a diverse pool of talent accessible anywhere in the world. These transformations underscore the power and reach of the innovation economy. ## Challenges of Innovation However, the innovation economy is not without its challenges. One of the foremost obstacles individuals and organizations face today is the rapid pace of technological change. As new technology develops quickly, keeping up with the latest advancements and integrating them effectively into business operations can be daunting. Another challenge is the scarcity of a skilled workforce equipped to handle the complexities of an innovation economy. The innovation economy necessitates skills that differ from traditional sectors, leading to a 'skills gap' that can dampen innovation and growth. Organizations also grapple with the inherent risks associated with innovation. Venturing into unknown territories and investing in novel ideas can lead to unforeseen complications and financial losses, making many wary of embracing an innovation-centric approach. So, how can these challenges be addressed? The key lies in building a robust culture of innovation. Encouraging continual learning and upskilling can help individuals adapt to fast-paced technological changes. Businesses should recruit those with innovation skills across their entire organization workforce. To manage the risks associated with innovation, organizations must develop a balanced innovation portfolio — investing in incremental and disruptive innovations. They must also foster an environment that encourages experimentation and does not punish failures. Lastly, government policies can be crucial in supporting the innovation economy. ## Role of Government in the Innovation Economy Governments play a critical role in shaping and supporting the innovation economy, particularly by fostering an environment conducive to research and development (R&D), entrepreneurship, and ease of business. Governments worldwide recognize the significance of R&D as a catalyst for innovation. To stimulate R&D activities, they should provide tax incentives, grants, and subsidies to firms and institutions investing in research. Policymakers also should aid in establishing research institutions and foster partnerships between academia and industry to advance scientific research and its application. Promoting entrepreneurship is another crucial area of focus for [governments in the innovation economy](https://www.philmckinney.com/government-funding-innovation/). Policymakers should craft strategies to develop a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, from providing funding opportunities and startup incubators to implementing regulatory reforms that reduce bureaucratic red tape. By easing regulatory burdens, governments can encourage the formation of new businesses and expedite their growth. Furthermore, governments can facilitate the ease of doing business by simplifying administrative procedures, improving transparency, and strengthening legal and property rights. They can also invest in digital infrastructure to enable seamless online transactions, fostering a business environment that encourages domestic and foreign investment. In essence, the government's role in the innovation economy is to create an enabling environment that promotes the generation of new ideas, their transformation into marketable products, and the diffusion of these innovations across the economy. ## Economic Growth and Prosperity The innovation economy is indeed reshaping economic growth and prosperity on a global scale. The rise of tech giants like Apple and Google, unicorns like Uber and Airbnb, and thousands of startups worldwide display the economic potential fueled by innovation. By developing groundbreaking technologies and services, these companies generate jobs, increase productivity, and drive economic growth. An innovative economy also democratizes wealth creation. In an innovation-based world, anyone with a [transformative idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/small-business-ideas-that-went-big/) can launch a startup, disrupt an industry, and prosper. Think Silicon Valley, Shenzhen, or Bangalore, where countless entrepreneurs have turned their ideas into successful businesses. ### Innovation is not merely the creation of the new, but the courage to step beyond the known into the realm of the unknown. Moreover, the innovation economy is fueling digital transformation, making economies more accessible to everyone. For instance, financial technology, or FinTech, is making financial services accessible to those previously unbanked, stimulating economic activities in underserved areas. On a broader scale, the innovation economy helps countries transition from a dependence on finite resources, such as oil, copper, and lithium, to infinite resources, like human creativity and information. This transition offers a path to global prosperity, as physical limits do not constrain the number of great ideas. The benefits of the innovation economy, however, are not without challenges. Income inequality, job displacement because of automation, and privacy concerns are some issues that countries need to address. The innovation economy's full potential can only be realized when these challenges are effectively managed. ## Redefining Economic Decision-Making The innovation economy is significantly influencing economic decision-making processes. Data is the new oil in this era, serving as a valuable resource for making informed decisions. With the rise of technologies such as big data and AI, businesses, and governments have access to a wealth of data that can be harnessed for strategic decision-making. For instance, predictive analytics can provide insights into future market trends, enabling businesses to make proactive decisions and stay competitive. Moreover, the speed of innovation is prompting companies to be more agile in their decision-making. The traditional long-term planning approach is being replaced with a more flexible approach that allows for quick adjustments in response to dynamic market conditions. Simultaneously, governments are already leveraging innovation to make smarter policy decisions supporting economic growth. For example, they are using digital tools to analyze societal trends and citizens’ needs to inform policy-making. ## Benefits of the Innovation Economy The innovation economy extends its benefits across individuals, organizations, and society. For **individuals**, it offers exciting career opportunities in emerging fields and promises a higher quality of life through technological advancements. Education, healthcare, and daily routines are transformed by the novelty of apps and innovative technologies, enriching individual experiences and opportunities. **Organizations** stand to gain significantly too. The innovation economy encourages a culture of constant evolution, pushing enterprises to adapt, rethink their strategies, and stay competitive. It enables businesses to increase their operational efficiency through automation and data-driven decision-making, leading to higher productivity and profitability. From a **societal** perspective, the innovation economy has the potential to drive economic growth and prosperity. It democratizes wealth creation, allows for efficient resource allocation, and fosters a more [inclusive economy](https://www.philmckinney.com/tom-deri-on-hiring-and-managing-a-nontraditional-workforce/). The innovation economy can play a pivotal role in creating a more equitable society by catalyzing job creation and promoting sustainable growth. ## Conclusion The innovation economy holds immense potential for individuals, organizations, and society. Key to unlocking this potential is fostering a mindset that embraces collaboration, creativity, and continuous learning. By understanding the innovation economy and its implications, we can create a more prosperous world for everyone driven by human creativity and innovative ideas. The way forward is to embrace the intrinsic power of the innovation economy. The future is ripe with opportunity, and it belongs to those who are ready to shape it. To learn about understanding the innovation economy, listen to this week's show: **[Understanding the Innovation Economy and Its Impact on Our World](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Understanding%5Fthe%5FInnovation%5FEconomy.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Moleskine PRO Notebook: Your Ultimate Tool for Success? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/moleskine-pro-notebook-your-ultimate-tool-for-success/ Last updated: 2023-08-20T15:35:08.000Z Have you ever held a tool in your hands that instantly sparks creativity, a tool so simple yet so transformative? That's the experience with the Moleskine PRO Notebook. It's not just a notebook, it's a 5-star companion for your thoughts and ideas. The first thing you notice when you pick up the Moleskine PRO is its quality. The cover is sturdy, designed to withstand the rigors of daily use. Inside, the pages are thick and smooth, inviting you to write. And the binding? It opens flat, allowing you to use every inch of the page. But what sets this notebook apart is its layout. The pages are structured in a way that makes it easy to jot down ideas, brainstorm, or reflect on your day. It's like having an assistant who understands exactly how your mind works. And let's not forget the pocket at the back. It's perfect for keeping those little pieces of inspiration you stumble upon throughout your day. Have you ever thought about how much more productive you could be if you had a tool that's designed to capture and organize your thoughts? This is what the Moleskine PRO offers. It's more than a notebook, it's a tool for success. So, why should you choose the Moleskine PRO Notebook? Because it's designed with the user in mind. Because it's built to last. But most importantly, because it transforms the act of writing into a joy. It's a 5 out of 5 stars product, no doubt about it. In conclusion, if you're looking for a notebook that's as serious about your ideas as you are, look no further than the Moleskine PRO Notebook. It's not just a notebook, it's your next step towards success. [Full Product Description at Innovation.Tools](https://innovation.tools/products/b-moleskine-pro-notebook-b-hard-cover-large-5-x-8-25?ref=philmckinney.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/08/moleskine-professional-notebook-cover.jpg) #### Moleskine PRO Notebook Imagine a notebook that can elevate your productivity, organize your thoughts, and help you navigate complex projects. Sounds too good to be true? Meet the Moleskine PRO Notebook. This isn't your regular notebook. It’s a productivity powerhouse designed for the modern professional. Picture this: 240 pages of thick, premium paper encased in a sturdy hardcover. Durable? Absolutely. Portable? You bet. But here's where it gets interesting. The Moleskine PRO doesn't just offer blank pages. Instead, it provides a unique graphic layout designed to guide your thoughts and streamline your note-taking. It's like having a personal assistant for your ideas, helping you sort, categorize, and prioritize them with ease. And what about those random bits of inspiration you encounter throughout the day? That pocket at the back has got you covered. So, ready to take your productivity to the next level? The Moleskine PRO Notebook is waiting. Isn't it time you discovered its potential? [Order via Amazon](https://amzn.to/3LRY3lo?ref=philmckinney.com) ### How to Spot Your Innovation Blind Spot URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-spot-your-innovation-blind-spot/ Last updated: 2023-11-24T18:53:27.000Z We all have [blind spots](https://www.philmckinney.com/road-closed-by-bad-planning/) in different areas of our lives. For example, while driving, there are areas around your car that you cannot see, whether it's on the sides or behind the car. The same applies to innovation. We all have areas where we are unaware, uninformed, prejudiced, or unappreciative of certain things, and this makes it difficult to recognize an innovation. This is referred to as an innovation blind spot. ## What is an Innovation Blind Spot? An innovation blind spot is a situation where we fail to recognize innovations that would otherwise be viable or highly successful. This occurs because of our inability to see past our biases or lack of knowledge in a particular field. The result is that we miss out on the opportunity to innovate in that area, losing out to competitors who were more receptive to that innovation. ## What Causes an Innovation Blind Spot? There are several underlying actors that contribute to the creation of innovation blind spots. One of these is **organizational culture**. If an organization values tradition over innovation, or if it encourages conformity and discourages taking risks, it's likely that innovation blind spots will develop. A culture that doesn't reward or recognize creative thinking can stifle innovation and make it difficult to see outside the established norms. Another significant factor is the **fear of failure**. The process of innovation inherently involves taking risks, and the fear of failure can create a significant blind spot. This fear can prevent individuals and organizations from pursuing innovative ideas, even when they show great potential. **Cognitive biases** also play a considerable role in creating innovation blind spots. Confirmation bias, for example, can lead us to favor information that confirms our existing beliefs or ideas, leading us to overlook or ignore potentially innovative ideas that challenge our current view. Lastly, an organization's lack of **thinking style and experience diversity** can also lead to innovation blind spots. When a team is composed of individuals with similar backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking, it can result in a narrow perspective that overlooks innovative ideas or solutions that may be apparent to others with different experiences or viewpoints. > "Even the brightest stars were once lost in the cosmos, just as the greatest innovations were once unseen in the blind spots of the unimaginative." ## Why Are Innovations Hard to Recognize in Your Blind Spot? Innovations are hard to recognize when they are in our blind spots because we are not actively looking for them. It is akin to not seeing something outside the range of our vision. Innovations that are not in our purview are simply not on our radar, and we do not direct our attention to them. This means we do not see the opportunities in front of us, so we cannot capitalize on them. Even if we are aware of the potential innovation, it's difficult to recognize because our current knowledge and experience may not provide us with the context or perspective to identify it. This means that even though an innovative idea is presented to us, we might not fully appreciate its value or understand how it can benefit our organization. ## How To Avoid Being Surprised By Your Innovation Blind Spot First and foremost, **avoid cognitive biases** by opening up your mind to new ideas and concepts. Be curious and invest in learning about new industries, trends, and technologies. Additionally, be aware of your own biases and prejudices when making decisions, so you can correct yourself before making the wrong decisions. Cultivate a culture of innovation that encourages all employees to think outside the box and develop new ideas. Secondly, **fostering diversity** within your team is essential in avoiding innovation blind spots. By incorporating a wide array of backgrounds, experiences, and [thinking styles](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-your-team-diverse-enough-to-create-killer-innovations/) in your team, you ensure a rich tapestry of ideas and perspectives that can spark innovation. Encourage collaboration and open discussions, where every voice is heard and every idea is given due consideration. Thirdly, **adopt a** [**risk-taking mindset**](https://theinnovators.network/become-that-visionary-leader-by-embracing-risk/?ref=philmckinney.com). Accept that failure is a part of the innovation process. Instead of fearing it, view it as a learning opportunity, a stepping stone towards success. This approach can help you venture into unexplored territories and discover hidden innovation gems. Lastly, **stay informed** about new trends and advancements in your industry. Regularly attending webinars, reading relevant publications, and engaging in industry forums can help you stay at the forefront of innovation. This proactive approach gives you a better chance of [spotting potential innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovate-with-fresh-eyes/) in your blind spot before it becomes a missed opportunity. ## Examples of Innovations That Were in Innovation Blind Spots Some examples of innovations that were once in blind spots include the iPhone and the iPad. Many in the industry were skeptical of their potential success at the time of their release, while others did not even consider mobile phones or tablets worth pursuing. However, Apple saw an opportunity for innovation in these areas and capitalized on them to create two of the most successful products in history. By recognizing their blind spots and investing in innovations that others overlooked, Apple gained a significant competitive advantage. Another example is the development of driverless cars. Before Google developed its own self-driving car in 2007, most people, including established auto manufacturers, did not even contemplate the possibility. It was a far-fetched idea that posed too many technical and legal challenges to pursue. However, with technological advancements and innovation, autonomous vehicles have now become a reality. ## Conclusion Innovation is the lifeblood of any business, and it is essential to remain agile and adaptable to change. To achieve this, it is crucial to identify and prevent innovation blind spots through learning, open-mindedness, experimentation, and [collaboration](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-new-dawn-for-leadership-embracing-change-in-the-21st-century/). By doing so, you will be better positioned to spot emerging trends and opportunities in your industry and take advantage of them to drive your business forward. The key is always to be curious and never stop learning. ### Revolutionary Ripples - How Small Innovations Can Create a Big Impact URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/revolutionary-ripples-how-small-innovations-can-create-a-big-impact/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:06.000Z The world we inhabit is constantly changing. From the technological advances of interconnectivity to the global movements that bring about social change, nothing seems [stagnant](https://www.philmckinney.com/prepare-unexpected-jolts/) for long. But often, it's not the sweeping revolutions that move us forward - it's the small, everyday changes that can create a ripple effect and have a big impact on our lives. ## The Myth of Big Innovations The prevailing belief is that only grand, monumental innovations can orchestrate significant change. This mindset, however, can be misleading. It often overlooks the transformative power of small innovations - the subtle yet impactful adjustments that often lay the foundation for large-scale change. Consider the evolution of the smartphone, which wasn't born out of a sudden, revolutionary idea. It was the product of numerous small innovations stacked over time - a gradual progression from landline phones to mobile phones and internet-enabled devices. Each seemingly insignificant incremental step was a critical component of the transformative technology we now cannot imagine living without. Consequently, we need to debunk the myth that only monumental disruptive innovations create a significant impact. The reality is that small, incremental innovations hold tremendous potential and often serve as the building blocks of the larger, more revolutionary changes we celebrate. ## Surprising Examples of Small Innovations with Major Impact Let's look at several examples highlighting the tremendous potential of small innovations with outsized impacts. ### The Mouse Wheel This seemingly insignificant feature now seen on almost every mouse was not originally part of the design. It was only introduced in 1995 by the Microsoft IntelliMouse. Before the advent of the mouse wheel, users had to drag the scrollbar to navigate through the content, which was often cumbersome and time-consuming. The introduction of the mouse wheel brought about a significant shift in how users interacted with their computers. It allowed quick and seamless scrolling through documents and web pages, significantly improving navigation efficiency. This small, incremental innovation also enhanced productivity and enriched the overall user experience, contributing to the broader goal of making technology more intuitive and user-friendly. Today, it's hard to imagine a mouse without a scroll wheel. ### QR Codes The QR Code, or Quick Response Code, is a two-dimensional barcode initially created by the automotive industry in Japan in 1994\. It was originally developed by Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota, to track car parts during manufacturing. The QR Code improved on the traditional barcode, capable of storing significantly larger information and being read from any angle. Its initial application was limited to the auto manufacturing process, but its potential for broader use was quickly recognized. In the years that followed, with the advancement of smartphones equipped with cameras, the QR Code was used in various public and commercial applications. Its first use outside the automotive industry was marketing, as companies used QR Codes for promotional purposes. It went on to facilitate a wide range of use cases, from contactless payments to ticket validations and quick website access. The QR Code made life easier and more efficient in countless ways. ### Contactless Payments Contactless payments took shape in the late 1990s and were born out of the desire for faster and more convenient methods. The first hint of this technology was when Mobil introduced the Speedpass in 1997, a keychain device that allowed customers to pay at gas stations by simply waving the device near the pump. However, it wasn't until 2007 that the first contactless credit cards started appearing, with Mastercard's PayPass and Visa's payWave leading the charge. These credit cards were embedded with a chip and an antenna allowing data transfer via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Customers could now pay for their transactions by simply tapping their card against the payment terminal, eliminating the need for swiping the card or entering a PIN. The innovation didn't stop there. With the advent of smartphones and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, the stage was set for the next evolution in contactless payments: mobile wallets. In 2011, Google launched Google Wallet, the first mobile wallet in the United States. It enabled users to store their phone card information and make payments by tapping their device against a payment terminal. Today, contactless payments have become the norm in many parts of the world, with several other players like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay joining the fray. What started as a simple idea to make payments faster and more convenient has transformed how we transact, impacting millions of consumers and businesses worldwide. I ### LED Lighting LED lighting, an innovation that revolutionized the world of artificial illumination, has humble origins in the early 20th century. The principle theory behind LEDs, or Light Emitting Diodes, was discovered in 1907 by British experimenter H. J. Round. However, it wasn't until the 1960s that practical applications of LEDs were first explored. Nick Holonyak Jr., an engineer at General Electric, is credited with inventing the first practical visible-spectrum LED in 1962. The earliest LEDs only emitted a low-intensity red light, which found its use in calculators and watches. Over the next few decades, the technology gradually improved, with the development of new materials allowing for LED lights of different colors, including the white light we see today. However, these early white LEDs were expensive and inefficient, limiting their usage to specific applications. The first practical LED display was developed at HP Labs in 1968\. Howard Borden and Gerald Pighini led its development. The LED displays used integrated LED circuit technology and was the first intelligent LED display. It was a revolution in digital display technology, becoming the basis for later LED displays. The real breakthrough in LED technology came in the mid-1990s when a team of researchers led by Shuji Nakamura, then working at Nichia in Japan, developed the high-brightness blue LED. This game-changer; made it possible to create white light by combining blue light with phosphor, which improved efficiency and reduced the cost of LED lighting. The transformation from traditional incandescent bulbs to LEDs has resulted in substantial energy savings and a reduced carbon footprint worldwide. According to the US Department of Energy, LED lights use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. Today, LED lighting is everywhere, from our homes and offices to our streets and vehicles. ### 3D Printing The roots of 3D Printing, or additive manufacturing, can be traced back to the 1980s. Chuck Hull, an engineer, and physicist, invented the first 3D printing process known as "stereolithography" in 1984 based on the inspiration from traditional Printing and applying its concepts to 3D objects. Hull's invention allowed for the creation of 3D objects by successively layering thin sheets of ultraviolet photo-curable material one on top of the other. This process marked a significant shift from traditional manufacturing methods, which were largely subtractive, involving cutting or drilling parts from larger materials. Hull's company, 3D Systems, commercialized the first 3D printer 1987\. However, the technology was expensive and primarily used for industrial prototyping. It wasn't until the 21st century, with technological advances and lower-cost 3D printers, that the process became more accessible to a broader market. The subsequent significant development in 3D Printing came in 2009 when the UK's RepRap project, a university-based initiative, created the first self-replicating 3D printer. This printer could print its parts, dramatically reducing the cost and increasing the accessibility of 3D printing technology. Today, 3D Printing's influence can be seen across various industries. From automotive and aerospace, where it's used for creating prototypes and complex parts, to the medical field, where it's used for producing custom prosthetics and even human tissues, 3D Printing continues to push the boundaries of innovation. Its potential in transforming production processes and customizing products to individual needs is only beginning to be realized, marking a [new era in manufacturing and design.](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-design-thinking/) ### HDMI Cables High-Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI, is a technology that has dramatically simplified and improved how we connect our audio and video devices. The development of HDMI can be traced back to 2002, when seven prominent electronics manufacturers, including Sony, Philips, and Toshiba, collaborated to create a single cable that could transmit uncompressed audio and video signals. This was a significant departure from the multitude of cables that were previously required for this purpose, such as composite, S-video, and VGA cables. The simplicity and effectiveness of HDMI were apparent, and it quickly gained acceptance in the consumer electronics industry. In addition to simplifying the setup process, HDMI cables offered significant improvements in audio and video quality. They could transmit high-definition (HD) and later ultra-high-definition (UHD) signals, offering a far superior viewing experience to standard-definition signals. In the years following its introduction, HDMI standards have continued to evolve, with new versions offering improved functionality, higher speeds, and better signal quality. Today, HDMI is the de facto standard for connecting high-definition devices, from televisions and projectors to gaming consoles and computers. Its widespread adoption is a testament to its success in simplifying our digital lives and delivering high-quality audio and video experiences. ### Slinky The Slinky, a beloved children's toy and a marvel of physics, has an interesting origin story that dates back to the 1940s. It was invented by naval engineer Richard James, who accidentally discovered the toy. James knocked over a sample coil while working on a project to develop springs for stabilizing sensitive equipment aboard ships. To his amazement, the coil "walked" down the stack of books, onto the tabletop, and then onto the floor, where it re-coiled itself. James saw potential in this, and in 1945, he and his wife Betty launched James Industries, producing the first Slinkys. What started as a simple toy has found unexpected applications in diverse fields. In science classrooms worldwide, Slinkys demonstrate wave properties, harmonic motion, and energy propagation. The toy's ability to 'walk' down steps demonstrates essential physics principles, particularly converting potential energy into kinetic energy. Scientists have even used Slinkys in seismology to model P and S waves during earthquakes. Moreover, in music, the Slinky has been used as an improvised musical instrument, and its unique sound is used in the production of various songs and soundtracks. The Slinky's journey from [accidental discovery](https://theinnovators.network/are-innovations-invented-or-discovered/?ref=philmckinney.com) to a household name demonstrates the fascinating interplay between simple concepts and far-reaching applications. Its popularity as a toy and a teaching tool continues to endure, proving that sometimes, the simplest ideas can have the most profound impacts. ## Lessons Learned from These Innovations The innovations detailed above provide valuable lessons applicable to multiple fields: 1. **Embrace Serendipity:** As seen in the creation of the Slinky, sometimes a chance observation can lead to a groundbreaking invention. Keeping an open mind and seeing the potential in unexpected occurrences is essential. 2. **Collaboration is Key:** The development of HDMI was a collaborative effort by several electronics manufacturers. This underscores the importance of [collaboration in driving innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-through-collaboration/). 3. **Simplicity Sells:** Both the Slinky and HDMI cables highlight how [simplicity](https://theinnovators.network/the-power-of-simplicity-by-jack-trout/?ref=philmckinney.com) can drive user adoption. The Slinky's simple physics and HDMI's single-cable solution both won over consumers with their straightforward, easy-to-understand design. 4. **Evolution is Essential:** Like 3D printing technology and HDMI standards, successful inventions often need to evolve to meet changing consumer demands and technological advancements. 5. **Cross-Disciplinary Influence:** The Slinky, originally a toy, found applications in education, seismology, and music. This demonstrates that innovations can have far-reaching impacts across various disciplines, often beyond their intended use. 6. **Enhance User Experience**: Contactless payments and the mouse wheel highlight the importance of user experience when developing new technologies or improving existing ones. A positive user experience can lead to rapid adoption and customer satisfaction. 7. **Understand User Needs**: The success of the mouse wheel underscores the importance of understanding user needs and behaviors. By addressing a specific user need (easy navigation), the mouse wheel significantly improved the functionality of the computer mouse. 8. **Seamless Integration**: As demonstrated by contactless payments, seamless integration of technology into everyday routines can lead to widespread adoption. This requires a deep understanding of the context in which the technology will be used and designing solutions that fit naturally into that context. ## How To Identify Small Innovations Identifying potential small innovations in everyday life can be achieved through various strategies: **Mindful Observation:** Pay attention to your daily routines and those of others. Look for inefficiencies, inconveniences, and pain points. These are opportunities for improvement and innovation. **Welcome Feedback:** Feedback, whether from colleagues, friends, or family, can help identify gaps or areas for improvement that you may have overlooked. **Staying Updated:** Follow trends and advancements in technology, science, and other fields of interest. These can inspire new ideas or enhancements to existing objects or processes. **Experimentation:** Don't be afraid to experiment. Some of the most impactful innovations arise from trials and iterations. **Cross-Pollination of Ideas:** Apply solutions or concepts from one field to another. This can lead to innovative solutions that might not have been apparent within the original context. Remember, it's not always about creating something entirely new. Often, the most influential innovations are those that improve or refine [existing processes](https://www.philmckinney.com/theres-no-such-thing-as-a-new-idea-and-thats-ok/) or tools, making life easier, more efficient, or more enjoyable. ## Conclusion Small innovations' profound impact often extends far beyond their original purpose or field. From the accidental invention of the Slinky to the intentional design of HDMI cables and contactless payments, these examples demonstrate how simple ideas can transform into groundbreaking innovations. So, look around you, engage with your world, and don't stop experimenting with ideas, no matter how small or simple they may seem. Remember, even the most straightforward idea has the potential to create a ripple effect, leading to significant improvements and far-reaching impacts. So, keep innovating, keep improving, and remember - no idea is too small to make a big difference! To learn about creating revolutionary ripples, listen to this week's show: **[Revolutionary Ripples - How Small Innovations Can Create a Big Impact](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Revolutionary%5FRipples%5F-%5FHow%5FSmall%5FInnovations%5FCan%5FCreate%5Fa%5FBig%5FImpact.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation in the Age of AI: How Innovators Stay Relevant URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-the-age-of-ai-how-innovators-stay-relevant/ Last updated: 2023-11-20T20:56:31.000Z Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way since its inception, and today it is no longer just a buzzword but an integral part of our daily lives. Innovators know that in the era of AI, they must not only stay relevant but also pass the test of time. Failure to do so could mean being left behind or becoming obsolete. The challenge thus is [how innovators evolve and maintain relevancy](https://www.philmckinney.com/six-practices-of-successful-innovators/). What are the challenges that innovators face in the rapid advancement of AI? What are the best ways that innovators can stay relevant in the age of AI? How do they remain effective in their respective fields? ## How Should Innovators Evolve To stay ahead in the continually evolving landscape of AI, innovators must adapt their skills and strategies. This requires a multi-pronged approach that involves keeping up-to-date with the latest technological advancements, honing soft skills, and nurturing creativity. The key actions that innovators need to undertake to ensure they remain relevant in the age of AI are: ### Embrace AI The importance of embracing AI as innovators cannot be overstated. AI offers a wealth of opportunities for innovation. It can automate tedious tasks, freeing up time for innovators to focus on creative and strategic aspects of their work. Furthermore, AI can provide valuable insights through data analysis, pinpointing trends and patterns that humans might miss. This allows innovators to make data-driven decisions, enhancing the effectiveness and success of their innovations. In competition, those innovators who utilize AI will have a distinct advantage over those who do not. AI can accelerate innovation, enabling faster development and the iteration of ideas. This speed can be crucial in today’s fast-paced market, where being first-to-market can provide a significant competitive edge. AI is continuously evolving and improving. Innovators who embrace AI early will be better positioned to navigate these changes and leverage new capabilities as they emerge. Thus, embracing AI is not just about capitalizing on the possibilities of the present but also about preparing for future opportunities. > "AI is expected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, a figure that could skyrocket if innovators embrace its potential." ### Investing in AI Expertise In the age of AI, expertise in artificial intelligence is not just a valuable asset—it's a necessity. Having AI experts on an innovation team can be a game-changer. They are able to understand the intricate workings of AI technologies, identify potential applications in their field, and tailor these technologies to suit their specific needs. This allows them to unleash the full potential of AI and facilitate the creation of truly innovative solutions. AI expertise can help innovators stay ahead of AI-related [trends and developments](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-can-i-take-advantage-of-emerging-trends-and-fads/). AI is a rapidly evolving field, with new techniques and methodologies emerging regularly. By staying abreast of these advancements, AI experts can ensure their innovations are always at the cutting edge. This can significantly enhance their products' or solutions' competitiveness and market relevance. Innovators with AI expertise are better positioned to anticipate and address AI's ethical and societal implications. This is becoming increasingly important as AI becomes more pervasive. By considering these issues in designing and implementing their innovations, they can foster trust and acceptance among end-users and contribute to the responsible and ethical use of AI. Thus, investing in AI expertise is not just about harnessing the power of AI today—it's also about being prepared for the future. As AI continues to evolve and its impact grows, the importance of AI expertise will only increase. Innovators who recognize this and invest in AI expertise today will be better equipped to navigate the AI-driven future of tomorrow. ### Embrace Counterintuitive Thinking Innovators who avoid thinking counterintuitively and remain comfortable in how they work will fail in innovating in the age of AI. [Innovators who think critically and creatively](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-is-not-for-the-fuzzy-minded/) while integrating AI technologies can achieve unimaginable success. By questioning conventional wisdom and exploring uncharted territory, innovators can uncover novel applications and the untapped potential of AI. This requires a shift in mindset. Traditional problem-solving methods may not always yield the best solutions when it comes to AI. Instead, innovators need to challenge norms, question assumptions, and be open to unexpected outcomes. Counterintuitive thinking encourages innovators to look beyond AI's immediate, practical applications and envision far-reaching possibilities. For instance, rather than only focusing on how AI can automate existing processes, innovators might imagine how AI could transform entire industries. ### Continuous Expansion of AI Skill Innovation is a continuous and dynamic process that must be nurtured. To continually learn and sharpen AI skills, innovators must adopt a mindset of lifelong learning, recognizing that the journey of acquiring knowledge in such a rapidly advancing field is ongoing. They must actively seek new learning opportunities through formal education, online courses, workshops, or industry events. These provide avenues for gaining in-depth knowledge about the latest AI techniques, algorithms, trends, and use cases. Furthermore, innovators should develop hands-on experience by working on practical AI projects. This enables them to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world contexts, fostering a deeper understanding of how AI works and how it can be effectively integrated into innovative solutions. ## Conclusion Artificial Intelligence continues to reshape our world, and with that comes new challenges for innovators. However, these challenges are not insurmountable. Overcoming challenges allows innovators to create groundbreaking solutions that can positively impact our lives. With a combination of ambition and [ingenuity](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ingenuity-solves-problems/), innovators can realize the potential of AI and take us to bold new frontiers. --- By the way, the image for this blog post was generated with AI. ### Thinkpak: More Than Just a Brainstorming Too URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/thinkpak-more-than-just-a-brainstorming-too/ Last updated: 2023-08-13T16:47:41.000Z Are you finding it challenging to generate fresh, innovative ideas? Are your brainstorming sessions falling flat? Or perhaps you're merely looking for a creative spark to ignite your problem-solving skills? Enter Thinkpak: A Brainstorming Card Deck. This ingenious tool supercharges your creative process and takes your idea generation to the next level. With 56 uniquely designed cards, each one packed with thought-provoking prompts and questions, Thinkpak is not just a card deck; it's a veritable treasure trove of inspiration. Every card is meticulously crafted to stimulate your brain and encourage out-of-the-box thinking. The deck covers various categories and topics, ensuring that no matter the problem, there's a card to kick-start your creative juices. But what exactly makes Thinkpak so special? Why not stick to old-fashioned brainstorming methods? Well, let me ask you this: How many times have you found yourself stuck in a creativity rut, circling the same tired ideas over and over again? With Thinkpak, those days are long gone. This deck offers a fresh perspective on brainstorming. It encourages divergent thinking, pushing you to explore countless possibilities before zeroing in on the best solution. It's not just about generating a multitude of ideas; it's about generating a multitude of quality ideas. Moreover, Thinkpak is an excellent tool for team building. It fosters open communication, promotes active participation, and creates a fun, engaging atmosphere. After all, who said brainstorming has to be boring? In essence, Thinkpak: A Brainstorming Card Deck is more than just a tool; it's a catalyst for creativity, a facilitator for innovation, and a game-changer for problem-solving. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a creative professional, or simply someone eager to enhance your thinking skills, this deck is your ticket to a world of endless possibilities. Check out more tools and resources at [Innovation.Tools](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/08/thinkpak-card-deck-2048x2048.jpg) #### **Thinkpak: A Brainstorming Card Deck** Discover the key to unlocking your creative potential with Thinkpak: A Brainstorming Card Deck. Say goodbye to tired, circular brainstorming sessions and tap into a reservoir of original, quality ideas. Designed with ingenuity, Thinkpak offers 56 unique prompts to stimulate your thought process and inspire innovation. Ditch the traditional brainstorming methods and embrace this game-changer for problem-solving. Perfect for entrepreneurs, creative professionals, or anyone looking to enhance their thinking skills, Thinkpak is your ticket to a world of endless possibilities. [Order via Innovation.Tools](https://innovation.tools/products/thinkpak-a-brainstorming-card-deck?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Groupthink is a Leader's Worst Enemy URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/groupthink-is-a-leaders-worst-enemy/ Last updated: 2023-08-10T14:12:48.000Z I've recently received calls and emails from several C-level executives and innovation/R&D leaders asking for the same advice. The problem? They fear their departments—and even the larger organization — are [falling prey to groupthink](https://www.philmckinney.com/if-you-want-to-innovate-then-dont-go-with-the-herd-groupthink-leads-to-bad-decisions/). Groupthink is defined as “the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility.” It's the tendency for teams and organizations to become overly confident in their decisions and perspectives, leading them to reject alternative ideas that might improve their strategies. What is it that has everyone concerned? The world is facing significant challenges. In the current economic climate, many leaders are retreating from their R&D and innovation efforts and "playing it safe." Groupthink is becoming more prevalent, with leaders adopting a safety-in-numbers mentality and opting to stay under the radar. However, it is crucial for leaders to embrace the exact opposite mindset. > "Groupthink is the silent killer of innovation, rendering even the most promising teams stagnant in a sea of conformity." Leaders who want to be successful must think for themselves and not just follow the herd. Why do leaders fall into the trap of groupthink? How can leaders recognize when they are falling into it? What steps they can take to avoid it? ## Why Do Leaders Groupthink? One reason is that it is easier to follow than to lead. It takes courage to go against the crowd and even more courage to lead. Unfortunately, many [leaders are unwilling to take risks](https://www.philmckinney.com/great-leaders-keep-cool/) and make hard decisions. This is especially true in a time of great uncertainty. Leaders tend to fear large-scale change and risk rather than embracing it. They would rather stay in their comfort zone than venture into uncharted territory. But leaders who rely on the status quo are bound to be left behind by their more innovative competitors. ## When Are Leaders Falling into Groupthink? One sign is when everyone within a group is in agreement. This conformity can lead to overconfidence and poor decision-making. Groupthink is also present when decisions are made without considering all the options or without looking at things critically. Groupthink can be especially dangerous when the stakes are high, as it can lead to catastrophic outcomes. It is, therefore, important for leaders to be aware of these signs and to reign in their tendencies toward groupthink. Another sign is when people are more concerned with maintaining relationships than making sound decisions. Leaders must know how their relationships and biases can affect their decision-making. They must be aware of their group's power dynamics and ensure that all voices are heard. ## Steps To Avoid Groupthink It is important for leaders to encourage dissenting opinions and views within their team. By doing so, they can create an environment that fosters creativity and innovation. Leaders can also consider consulting with external experts and stakeholders who can provide fresh perspectives and new ideas. Leaders should also set realistic goals and timelines and ensure that decisions are based on hard data, not just speculation. Leaders must also ensure that they have an open culture that encourages critical thinking and discourages conformity. Team members should be encouraged to challenge assumptions, ask questions, and provide constructive feedback. Leaders must be receptive to their team's input and have the courage to make tough decisions. It is also crucial for leaders to have a diverse team, which can help avoid the pitfalls of groupthink. Finally, leaders should have regular “check-ins” with their teams to ensure that everyone is still on the same page. It is also important for leaders to set aside time for reflection and make sure they are taking a step back from their team's day-to-day operations. ## Examples of Avoiding Groupthink During the Great Recession in 2008, an [analysis conducted by EY](https://www.ey.com/en%5Fus/strategy-transactions/how-tech-companies-can-best-position-themselves-for-top-quartile-performance?ref=philmckinney.com) on nearly 300 publicly listed technology companies revealed an interesting trend. The top quartile performers, who demonstrated exceptional performance, [continued to invest in research and development](https://www.philmckinney.com/rd-productivity/) (R&D), even through mergers and acquisitions (M&A), during the recession. This strategic approach allowed them to emerge from the recession and accelerate their growth swiftly. On the other hand, the bottom-quartile tech performers were more inclined to reduce R&D expenses and other capital investments, making them significantly less likely to recover as successfully. This highlights the importance of avoiding groupthink influenced from both inside and outside an organization during challenging economic times. ## Conclusion Leaders who want to be successful must think for themselves and not just follow the herd. Leaders can avoid groupthink and make sound decisions by [encouraging dissenting opinions](https://www.philmckinney.com/disagree-at-your-own-risk/) and critical thinking, consulting with external experts, and having a team with diverse experiences. Leaders must be fearless when it comes to making decisions. Leaders must recognize that every decision carries risk, but they should also seize opportunities and innovate when appropriate - or else their competitors will leave them behind. This requires courage and determination - but if leaders will take risks, they will reap great rewards. ### Embrace the Hard: The Secret to a Fulfilling Life URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/embrace-the-hard-the-secret-to-a-fulfilling-life/ Last updated: 2023-08-08T15:32:16.000Z We all want an easy life. We want to coast by without obstacles, challenges, or pain. However, the truth is that easy does not equal happiness or success. It is not natural to avoid the hard. Whether it is a tough workout, a daunting work project, or facing personal demons, [hard brings opportunities](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-recipe-for-innovation-success/) to grow and learn. It promises to prepare us for the future that we want and to allow us to reach our potential. What are the benefits of embracing the hard? ## Hard Teaches Resilience First, we should embrace the hard because it teaches us resilience. Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties, and it is the foundation of a successful life. We build mental strength, determination, and adaptability by facing the hard and persevering through it. We learn to cultivate a positive mindset and to believe in ourselves, even when challenges arise. Without resilience, it is easy to fall into despair, give up on our dreams, and settle for less than we deserve. ## Hard Helps Solve Hard Problems The second reason we should embrace the hard is that it helps us solve big problems. [Big problems require big solutions](https://www.philmckinney.com/killer-innovation/), and big solutions require hard work. When we tackle complex challenges, we engage our creativity, analytical skills, and collaboration. We develop new perspectives and insights and discover innovative ways to overcome obstacles. We become problem solvers, leaders, and change-makers by embracing the hard. We also create a sense of purpose and impact that can be incredibly rewarding. ## Hard Gives A Sense of Accomplishment The third reason why we should embrace hard is that it gives us a sense of accomplishment. Accomplishment is the feeling of pride and satisfaction that comes from achieving something meaningful. When we avoid the hard, we deprive ourselves of this feeling. We miss out on the opportunity to set a goal, work towards it, and achieve it. Easy may feel good at the moment but does not bring lasting fulfillment. Only hard work can give us the sense of pride and confidence that we need to live our best lives. ## Hard Helps us Learn The fourth reason we should embrace hard is that it helps us learn. Learning is the process of acquiring new knowledge and skills, and it is a lifelong pursuit. When we embrace the hard, we expose ourselves to new experiences and challenges that [teach us valuable lessons](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-job-worth-doing/). We learn about ourselves, about our strengths and weaknesses, and about what we are capable of. We also learn from others, their perspectives, and their feedback. Through learning, we evolve and grow and become better versions of ourselves. ## Hard Leads to Personal Transformation The final reason why we should embrace the hard is that it leads to personal transformation. Personal transformation is the process of becoming the person that we want to be. It involves breaking free from old patterns, habits, and limiting beliefs and embracing new ones. When we choose to embrace the hard, we challenge ourselves to step out of our comfort zones, take risks, and confront our fears. We learn to trust ourselves and our intuition and to follow our passions and purpose. We become authentic and empowered, and we create a truly fulfilling life. > "Despite the illusion of ease, it is the unseen strength summoned in the face of adversity that shapes the world's most awe-inspiring achievements." ## Choosing between the Easy and the Hard Deciding between the easy and hard path is often a struggle. The easy path offers comfort, familiarity, and the [absence of immediate discomfort](https://killerinnovations.com/are-you-an-innovator-or-an-imitator/?ref=philmckinney.com). However, the hard path, while fraught with challenges and uncertainty, offers the prospect of growth, accomplishment, and true satisfaction. The choice can be simplified by asking ourselves some probing questions. Before making a decision, reflect on each path's potential long-term benefits and drawbacks. Will the easy choice lead to complacency, stagnation, and ultimately dissatisfaction? Conversely, could the hard path result in growth, learning, and a sense of true achievement? Next, consider your personal values and life goals. If you aspire to lead, innovate, or make a significant impact, the hard path aligns more with these ambitions. The easy path rarely leads to outstanding achievements or personal transformation. Also, listen to your intuition. Deep inside, you often know which choice will lead to personal fulfillment. While the hard path may be intimidating, if it feels right, it probably is. Finally, remember that embracing the hard is often the choice to embrace life in its most complete sense. It's the choice to grow, learn, and experience the satisfaction of overcoming challenges. So when faced with the choice between the easy and the hard, consider not just the immediate comfort but the long-term gain. ## Conclusion In conclusion, embracing the hard is not easy but worth it. By avoiding the hard, we give up on our potential and miss out on the opportunities that it brings. Hard teaches us resilience, helps us to solve big problems, gives us a sense of accomplishment, helps us to learn, and leads to personal transformation. So, the next time you face a challenge, instead of backing down, embrace the hard and see where it takes you. ### 10 Ways to Find New Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-find-new-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:42.000Z Have you ever found yourself stuck in a creative rut, unable to develop fresh ideas? Or maybe you struggle to find inspiration for a new project or task. It can be frustrating and discouraging, but you're not alone. It's easy to fall into a routine and rely on the same old ways to find ideas, but we limit our creative potential by doing so. In this post, we will explore ten uncommon and non-obvious ways to [spark your creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/) and find new ideas. These techniques can serve as a starting point to get you out of your comfort zone and help you find new ideas. So, grab your pen and paper, and let's dive in! ## Finding New Ideas Let's jump into the diverse methods you can employ to rejuvenate your thought process and stimulate your imagination. These strategies are designed to shake up your usual routines by offering new perspectives. The goal is not only to inspire fresh ideas but also to revolutionize how you approach creativity in your everyday life. ### 1) Mine your old ideas: Mining your [old ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-from-repurposing-s11-ep7/) not only includes flipping through old journal entries or project archives but also involves revisiting past conversations, failed projects, or ideas that sparked your interest but couldn't see the light of day due to various constraints. Sometimes the missing link in those ideas was the lack of a particular skill or resource at that time, which you might have acquired now. Try to view your old ideas with a new lens. Consider the changes in the environment, technology, or even your own perspective that could give these ideas a new life. Has there been a shift in market demands? Have new tools become available that could overcome previous obstacles? How has your own view evolved over time? Moreover, it's essential to remember that creativity is not a linear process. An idea that seemed irrelevant or impossible in the past could perfectly fit into a new context. This practice of revisiting and revamping your old ideas is like a treasure hunt where you're not only searching for gold but also refining it to create something valuable in the present. With this approach, you're not starting from a blank slate, but you're building on a foundation already laid, albeit in the past. So, flip through those old notebooks, revisit those brainstorming sessions, and give your past ideas a chance to infuse new life into your present creativity. ### 2) Think Add-Ons Instead of always striving for brand-new ideas, why not improve on what already exists? Building upon an existing idea is often less daunting than creating something completely new. An "add-on" approach encourages critical evaluation and improvement of established concepts. The beauty of this method lies in its simplicity; just take what's already there and make it better. This could be an existing product, a service, or a process in your daily life or work that you believe could be enhanced. Consider technology upgrades as an example. Each new smartphone or software application version is fundamentally an add-on, a series of improvements and enhancements to an existing product. These updates are based on customer feedback, market trends, and technological advancements, demonstrating that you don’t always need to reinvent the wheel to innovate. This strategy requires an analytical mindset and a focus on problem-solving. Begin by identifying a product, service, or process you believe has room for improvement. Then, brainstorm ways in which it could be enhanced. Remember, even small changes can have a significant impact, leading to a breakthrough idea. ### 3) Think macro: Thinking macro is about shifting your focus from the minute details and considering the overall impact or implications. This approach requires you to constantly question and analyze the broader implications of your idea, its potential evolution, and how it fits into a larger context or ecosystem. For instance, if you were developing a sustainable product, you wouldn't just consider the immediate benefits, such as reducing waste or using recycled materials. You'd need to consider the long-term effects on the environment, and the market shifts towards sustainability, how your product could influence consumer behavior, and how it could drive industry standards towards more eco-friendly practices. This broad, macro view can open up new avenues for creativity. It enables you to identify gaps, challenges, and opportunities on a larger scale, which could lead to bigger and bolder ideas. It encourages you to think beyond the immediate scope of your project and consider how your idea could have a wider-reaching impact or influence. ### 4) Embrace unexpected learning: Embracing unexpected learning is about venturing into the unfamiliar and embracing the lessons that come with it. This approach exposes you to fresh perspectives, different cultures, unique skills, and a wealth of knowledge that may be completely unrelated to your current project or area of expertise. However, it's precisely this novelty that can spark innovative ideas. Take, for instance, the act of learning a new language. It's not just about memorizing vocabulary and grammar rules. It involves understanding the culture, the nuances, and the thought processes of those who speak that language. This new understanding can provide a fresh lens through which to view your projects, perhaps leading to a creative breakthrough. Similarly, reading a book outside your usual genre can expose you to different writing styles, themes, and perspectives that you may have never considered before. These new insights could offer unique angles or solutions to the challenges you're facing in your creative process. Moreover, unexpected learning can come from less formal avenues. Even watching a documentary, attending a local event, or having a conversation with a stranger can offer unexpected insights and inspiration. The key to embracing unexpected learning is to remain open-minded and curious. It's about stepping out of your comfort zone and being receptive to new experiences and knowledge, regardless of how relevant they may seem at first. This mindset can enrich your understanding, broaden your horizons, and, ultimately, fuel your creativity. So, make it a habit to learn something new and unexpected regularly, and watch as your creativity flourishes. ### 5) Reverse brainstorming: Reverse brainstorming is a creative problem-solving technique that encourages you to challenge conventional thinking and approach problems differently. This method is especially useful when traditional brainstorming techniques fail to generate novel solutions or when you are stuck in a rut of typical, predictable thinking patterns. In reverse brainstorming, you first pose the problem in reverse. For instance, if your original problem was, "How can we improve customer service?" you might ask, "How could we make our customer service worse?" This reversal can dislodge habitual thinking, allowing for a more unrestricted flow of ideas. The next step involves listing as many responses as possible, no matter how absurd or improbable they might seem. This phase is about quantity over quality, promoting free thought and encouraging out-of-the-box thinking. It's important that during this phase, judgment is suspended, and every idea is accepted. Finally, you take these "reverse solutions" and flip them back into solutions for the original problem. This might involve directly contradicting the reverse solution or simply using it as a springboard to inspire new, constructive ideas. For example, if one of your "worsening" ideas was "make customers wait a long time to get help," a corresponding solution could be "implement a live chat feature on our website to provide immediate assistance." By flipping the problem on its head, reverse brainstorming can help you uncover unique solutions you might otherwise overlook. This technique broadens your creative thinking and offers a fun and interesting twist to problem-solving sessions. ### 6) Brainwriting: Brainwriting encourages individual ideation and creativity by allowing participants to express their ideas in writing rather than verbalizing them. This method can be particularly advantageous in diverse groups where some individuals may be more reserved or less comfortable sharing ideas out loud. In a brainwriting session, each participant starts with a sheet of paper and writes down their ideas related to the problem or topic. The sheets are passed to the next person, usually a few minutes after a predetermined time. Each participant then reads the ideas on the new sheet they receive and uses them as inspiration to generate more ideas, which they then add to the sheet. This process continues until all participants have had the chance to contribute to each sheet. Brainwriting fosters a non-judgmental environment where all ideas are valued, and there's no fear of instant criticism. This can often result in a wider variety of ideas, as participants are free to jot down even the most outlandish thoughts without fear of immediate critique. It also ensures that everyone's voice is equally heard, regardless of their communication style, personality type, or role in the organization. Moreover, brainwriting can lead to a snowball effect of creativity, as each participant's ideas can inspire and build upon others. This cumulative process can lead to innovative solutions that might not emerge in a traditional brainstorming session. ### 7) Using Metaphors: Metaphors are a powerful tool for enhancing creativity. By likening one thing to another, metaphors allow us to see connections and relationships that we might otherwise miss. Consider, for example, the challenge of improving a company's workflow. Instead of viewing it through the traditional lens of processes and systems, imagine it as a river. The inputs are the river's source, the departments or stages are the various twists and turns, and the output is the sea. This metaphor might prompt questions like: Where is the river flowing smoothly? Where are there blockages or slow points? How can we increase the flow rate? Such a perspective can inspire innovative solutions such as removing unnecessary steps (clearing blockages) or improving communication (enhancing the flow). Using metaphors can also help in communicating complex ideas in a relatable way. For instance, describing a computer's processor as a "brain" can make it more comprehensible to non-tech-savvy individuals. However, while metaphors can open doors to creativity, it's important to use them selectively. Overuse or misuse of metaphors can lead to confusion rather than clarity. Like any other creative tool, their effectiveness lies in their appropriate and thoughtful application. ### 8) Mindfulness: When we practice mindfulness, we tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. This heightened awareness can enhance our understanding, allowing us to see familiar things in a new light, thereby sparking innovative ideas. Often, our minds are cluttered with thoughts and concerns that distract us from the present moment. By practicing mindfulness, we can learn to quiet these distractions and increase our mental clarity, making room for creativity to flourish. Moreover, mindfulness can help us manage stress and improve our overall emotional well-being, creating a healthier mental environment for creativity. It enables us to gain insights into our emotions, helping us understand how they can influence our thinking processes. By recognizing these patterns, we can create mental space for innovative thinking. ### 9) Embracing Limitations: Often, constraints are viewed as obstacles, but in the creative process, they can serve as catalysts for innovation. When faced with restrictions, our brains are compelled to think differently, push boundaries, and devise inventive solutions that wouldn't have come to light in a limitless environment. For instance, consider the scenario of designing a product with a limited budget. This financial constraint might inspire cost-efficient yet high-quality solutions, such as repurposing existing materials, leveraging inexpensive technologies, or simplifying the design for easy manufacturing. The result could be a product that meets budget requirements and offers customers unique value. Similarly, time constraints can compel us to prioritize tasks, streamline processes, and make effective decisions. Imagine launching a marketing campaign with only one week to plan. This tight timeframe pushes you to focus on the most impactful strategies, eliminate unnecessary details, and collaborate efficiently with your team. The result might be a powerful, condensed campaign that resonates with your audience more effectively than a drawn-out, complex strategy would have. Such constraints stimulate our problem-solving skills and encourage us to look at the situation from various angles, often leading to innovative outcomes. Embracing limitations, therefore, is not about compromising on quality or ambition. Instead, it's about harnessing the power of constraints to spur creativity and innovation. ### 10) Free Writing: Free writing is a liberating practice that encourages the spontaneous expression of thoughts without interrupting self-editing. It can be a powerful creative catalyst, allowing ideas to flow uninhibited, frequently leading to unexpected connections and insights. In free writing, you let your thoughts pour out onto the page or screen, disregarding the traditional grammar, punctuation, and spelling rules. The goal is to maintain a steady stream of consciousness, moving your pen or fingers for a set period, usually around 10 to 15 minutes, without any pause. This process can serve as a creative warm-up, clearing the mind of clutter and sparking the imagination. It can help unclog mental blocks and alleviate the pressures of producing perfect, polished content. More importantly, free writing can lead you to explore ideas and concepts you might otherwise overlook, providing a fertile ground for innovation. Bear in mind, though, that this technique is not about producing a ready-to-use piece of writing. Instead, it's about exploration and discovery. Once the session is over, you can review the text for any emerging themes, intriguing ideas, or unique perspectives that could serve as seeds for your creative projects. In essence, free writing invites your thoughts to roam freely. It doesn't matter where they wander or how they're articulated. What matters is the act of writing unrestrainedly, letting ideas merge, collide, and evolve in their own unique way. Incorporating this practice into your creative routine can be a transformative step towards fostering an innovative mindset. ## Conclusion: In pursuit of creativity, these ten strategies form a powerful toolkit to rekindle creativity. These tools invite us to redefine our perceptions, to see not just with our eyes but with our minds, exploring the world in novel ways. They encourage us to delve deep within ourselves, to introspect, to harness the power of constraints, and to let our thoughts flow freely. They remind us of the raw power of our minds and that creativity isn't a finite resource but a renewable reservoir of ideas ready to be tapped into. Incorporating these strategies into your creativity toolbox can help you find new ideas and explore new areas of your imagination. To learn about finding new ideas, listen to this week's show: *[*10 Ways to Find New Ideas*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/10%5Fways%5Fto%5FFind%5Fnew%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Unreasonable Quest for World-Changing Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-unreasonable-quest-for-world-changing-innovation/ Last updated: 2023-08-07T13:07:45.000Z Innovation is about breaking the norm, pushing the limits, and challenging the status quo. It requires a mindset that is not easily swayed by the force of convention but instead focuses on the possibilities that lie beyond them. This is where the unreasonable come in. As Bernard Shaw once said, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” Why is being unreasonable necessary for world-changing innovation? How do you embrace your inner unreasonable to make a difference? ## To Be Unreasonable What does it mean to be unreasonable? Being unreasonable does not mean being irrational, reckless, or impractical. Instead, it means having the courage to question the status quo and challenge the assumptions that limit our progress. It means thinking out of the box and challenging the norms. It means being bold, audacious, and daring to take risks that many are unwilling or too afraid to take. To be unreasonable, you need to have a mindset not bound by the limits of what is deemed possible. You have to be willing to explore beyond what has previously been done and push the envelope on what can be achieved. This requires the courage and determination to step outside your comfort zone and embrace the unknown. > **"Dare to step beyond the ordinary, for it's within the realm of the extraordinary that the seeds of innovation are sown."* ## Balance Between Optimism and Realism Of course, there are times when being too unreasonable can be detrimental. It's essential to find a balance between boundless optimism and grounded realism. Being unreasonable doesn't mean ignoring logic or reality. It means finding the courage to challenge it when necessary. To know where the boundary of unreasonableness lies, you need to be in touch with your intuition, experience, and expertise. You need to be able to differentiate between when your idea is far-fetched or unreasonable and when it’s feasible and worth pursuing. That dance between optimism and realism is a delicate one. On the one hand, optimism fuels the audacious dreams and aspirations that drive innovation. It is the force that propels the unreasonable to aim beyond the known to envision a brighter and more prosperous future. On the other hand, realism acts as the grounding element. It keeps the unreasonable tethered to the present reality, allowing them to make informed decisions based on facts and current circumstances. This does not mean they accept situations as they are, rather they understand the starting point of their journey towards transformation. The balance lies in leveraging optimism to dream and aspire for the extraordinary while using realism to plan and strategize. Too much optimism without a grounding realism can lead to impractical solutions and wasted efforts. Conversely, too much realism without sufficient optimism can stifle creativity and hinder progress. So, the unreasonable innovator is one who dreams with their feet firmly planted on the ground. They envision a better world fuelled by optimism, but they also understand the present challenges, informed by realism. This balance allows them to create solutions that are not only transformative but also achievable. ## How To Be Unreasonable So, how do you embrace your inner unreasonable and go about changing the world? First, you need to ****be passionate** about your cause. Passion is what fuels the drive to pursue your vision and enables you to overcome the obstacles that are bound to arise along the way. Secondly, you need to ****be creative and innovative** in your approach. Find new ways to approach problems and develop solutions that are outside of the box. Thirdly, ****be persistent**. You need to be dogged in your pursuit of success and never give up when faced with failure. Finally, ****be willing to fail**. Being unreasonable means taking risks. Failure is inevitable but also a necessary aspect of growth and progress. Learning from failure is critical to creating innovative products and solutions. ## Conclusion Progress depends on the unreasonable. To achieve world-changing innovation, you need to be willing to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what is deemed possible. Being unreasonable requires passion, creativity, persistence, and the courage to take risks and embrace failure. But it’s important to remember to balance being optimistic and grounded in realism. It’s essential to challenge assumptions that limit progress. Be unreasonable, and make a difference. ### "The Practice: Shipping Creative Work," by Seth Godin: A Book Review URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-practice-shipping-creative-work-by-seth-godin-a-book-review/ Last updated: 2023-08-06T16:11:51.000Z "The Practice: Shipping Creative Work" by Seth Godin is a manifesto for every creative soul seeking to make their mark in the world. It's not just about ideas but about making ideas happen. This book takes you on a journey, challenging the reader to rethink their approach to creativity and innovation. Godin's prose is lucid and accessible, making his insights resonate with a broad audience. His central thesis is that creativity isn't an elusive, divine gift bestowed upon a select few. Instead, it's a practice, a discipline that we can all cultivate through consistent effort and perseverance. The book is brimming with practical wisdom. Godin dispels the myth that creatives are born, not made. He argues that the practice is a choice, a commitment to show up consistently and generously sharing your work with others. It's about pushing through fear, embracing curiosity, and shunning the notion that our work isn't good enough. The Practice is a call to action, urging us to take daily steps toward our creative goals. It's about finding the courage to make and ship creative work, not letting perfectionism become a hurdle. As Godin puts it, "Ship creative work. Not because it's perfect but because it's time. Because there's a community that needs it." However, some readers might find the book disorganized, teetering here and there. But isn't creativity itself a non-linear process? A glorious, messy journey of exploration and discovery? In conclusion, "The Practice: Shipping Creative Work" is more than a book; it's a roadmap to unleashing our creative potential. It's about understanding that creativity is not a sporadic spark but a fire we can fuel and sustain through consistent practice. One can't help but wonder, if we all embraced the lessons from this book, how much more innovative could we be? How much more impactful could our work become? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/07/51Iw3O8M2RL._SX352_BO1-204-203-200_.jpg) #### "The Practice: Shipping Creative Work," by Seth Godin "The Practice: Shipping Creative Work" by Seth Godin is a powerful guide that demystifies the concept of creativity, presenting it as a discipline that can be cultivated through consistency and bravery. The book is a wealth of practical wisdom, urging readers to take daily actions toward their creative goals and not let perfectionism hinder their progress. Godin emphasizes that creativity is not an exclusive gift but a choice and commitment. Despite some readers finding the book slightly disorganized, it's seen as a reflection of the creative process - a nonlinear journey. Overall, the book is viewed as a roadmap to unleashing our creative potential, pushing us to consider how much more innovative and impactful our work could become with consistent practice. [Order From Amazon](https://amzn.to/3Oy7eL6?ref=philmckinney.com) ### The Silent Epidemic: The Growing Problem of Digital Addiction URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-silent-epidemic-the-growing-problem-of-digital-addiction/ Last updated: 2023-08-03T13:03:33.000Z Do you constantly check your phone? Are you anxious and irritable when you're away from your digital devices? Are you too engrossed in the screens of your gadgets? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, you may suffer from digital addiction. In today's world, we depend increasingly on digital devices, but the consequences of this dependence can be dire. ## The Rise of Digital Addiction Digital addiction is a growing trend, and the numbers are staggering. According to a recent survey, people spend 6 hours and 42 minutes online daily on average. The number of internet users has increased by 1.3 billion since 2017—a trend that is expected to continue. Personally, I have seen my friends and family members become increasingly addicted to their digital devices. Their phones are always within arm's reach, and they check their notifications constantly, even during conversations. I am especially concerned about future generations, such as my grandkids, adolescents, and young adults, who are growing up in an environment where digital devices are the norm. In the US alone, over half of teenagers have smartphones and spend 8 hours or more on their phones daily. Even more concerning is the fact that this trend is becoming increasingly common—to where it is now considered socially acceptable behavior. ## ****Understanding Digital Addiction** Digital addiction can be defined as [excessive use of digital devices](https://www.philmckinney.com/im-bored/) to the point where it interferes with daily life. Symptoms of digital addiction can include insomnia, anxiety, depression, and even physical issues like eye strain and carpal tunnel syndrome. Scientific research has shown that digital addiction affects the same parts of the brain as substance abuse, and the withdrawal symptoms can be similar too. Digital addiction does not just manifest as a straightforward dependence on devices — it extends to specific activities on these platforms, such as social media usage, online gaming, and constant streaming of digital content. Each of these can form its own subset of digital addiction, drawing users into a cycle of dependency that is hard to break. When people engage in these activities, their brains release dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and satisfaction. This reward system can create a loop, encouraging repeated behaviors and making it harder for individuals to disengage from the addictive activity. This loop can be compared to other forms of addiction, such as gambling, where the person engages in a behavior that provides a temporary sense of pleasure but ultimately causes harm. Moreover, digital addiction can exacerbate issues of self-esteem and social anxiety. The curated lives displayed on social media platforms can lead to feelings of inadequacy, while the anonymous nature of online interactions can foster a disconnect from real-world social situations. This can cause individuals to find solace in the digital world, further fuelling their dependence. ## The Impact of Digital Addiction The impact of digital addiction is not limited to mental health. Studies have shown that digital addiction can significantly impact physical health, too. This includes eyestrain, headaches, neck pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Digital addiction can hamper social relationships and work productivity. It can lead to reduced face-to-face interactions and lack of concentration. The insidious nature of digital addiction seeps into various facets of life, leaving lasting repercussions. It has been observed that excessive screen time triggers sleep disorders due to the suppression of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles. This can lead to chronic sleep deprivation, adversely affecting mood, [cognitive function](https://killerinnovations.com/brain-health-for-innovation-and-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com), and overall health. The continuous bombardment of information and the need to keep up with the digital world can lead to chronic stress and burnout. This constant state of alertness can induce anxiety disorders and feelings of isolation and loneliness, further escalating into more severe mental health issues like depression. In children and adolescents, digital addiction can hamper their developmental and academic progress. Excessive screen time can interfere with homework, reading, and extracurricular activities. It can also inhibit the development of essential skills, such as [problem-solving](https://killerinnovations.com/brain-on-auto-pilot-how-do-you-stop-your-brain-from-operating-in-auto-pilot-mode/?ref=philmckinney.com), communication, and social interaction. > "In the digital era of endless possibilities, remember, the power to unplug lies within you." ## Addressing the Issue To tackle digital addiction, promoting the balanced use of technology is necessary. We must be mindful of our digital usage and set boundaries. Setting aside time for activities such as exercising, reading a book, or spending time with friends and family is critical to maintaining a healthy relationship with technology. Schools and workplaces must also have policies limiting digital usage and promoting breaks. As a society, we must encourage schools and community centers to offer alternatives to digital activities. Some steps to combat digital addiction: 1. ****Self-Regulation:** Be aware of your current online habits and take steps to control the time spent on the internet. You can use timer apps or your devices' built-in digital wellness features to limit the time spent on certain apps. 2. ****Digital Detox:** Dedicate specific time slots for digital breaks. Start with small durations, like one hour a day, and gradually increase. 3. ****Engage in Physical Activities:** Engage in physical activities such as sports, exercise, or even simple walks. These activities promote health and serve as a great distraction from digital devices. 4. ****Prioritize In-Person Interactions:** Prioritize face-to-face communication over digital communication. Physical and social interactions are more fulfilling and can help reduce dependency on digital platforms. 5. ****Set Tech-Free Zones:** Have designated areas in your home that are free from digital devices. This can include the dining area or the bedroom, encouraging more personal interactions and better sleep hygiene. 6. ****Create Realistic Goals:** Set realistic goals for reducing screen time and try your best to stick to them. Gradual changes are more sustainable than drastic alterations to your routine. 7. ****Professional Help:** If digital addiction seems to be severely affecting your life and self-help strategies aren’t working, it may be time to seek professional help. Some therapists and counselors specialize in dealing with digital addiction. Remember, the goal is not to completely eradicate the use of digital devices but to create a balanced and healthy relationship with technology. ## Conclusion Digital addiction is a silent epidemic that is taking over our lives. It is essential to be aware of the impact of excessive digital usage and take steps to mitigate it. By investing time in relationships, picking up a new hobby, and setting boundaries with technology, we can better balance our digital and non-digital lives. Awareness and intervention by schools, workplaces, and policymakers can also make a difference. Given my career, I know it's strange for me to say this, but let's all take a moment to reflect on our digital habits and take steps to [reclaim our lives](https://www.philmckinney.com/flow-filling-the-well-of-personal-creativity/) from the digital world's grip. This article is to raise the issue of digital addition. It is for informational purposes only and not medical advice. Please check with a professional before taking any action. --- ## Additional Articles/Resources Numerous resources are available for those seeking to delve deeper into understanding digital addiction. These materials offer practical strategies, expert insights, and research-based information on mitigating this modern-day epidemic's impacts. By sharing these resources, I am not endorsing them. It is for informational purposes only and not medical advice. Please check with a professional before taking any action. [They lost their kids to Fortnite - Macleans.caA group of Canadian parents say their kids are so addicted to the video game Fortnite that they’ve stopped eating, sleeping and showering. Now these parents want to hold its tech-giant creator accountable.![](https://macleans.ca/wp-content/themes/macleans.ca/assets/images/favicon.ico)Macleans.caLuc Rinaldi![](https://macleans.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/fortnite_social_1200x629-766x431.jpg)](https://macleans.ca/longforms/fortnite-addiction-video-games-mental-health/?ref=philmckinney.com) [Video games and screen addictionCan screen time or video games become an addiction? Learn how to spot the signs and what you can do.![](https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/Content/HealthSystemInternet/images/global/favicon.png)Mayo Clinic Health SystemEdward Luker, L.P.C.![](https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/-/media/national-files/images/hometown-health/2020/hand-controller-and-video-game-on-screen.jpg)](https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-video-games-and-screens-another-addiction?ref=philmckinney.com) [HomeThe Home page for the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction - The Internet’s leading resource for information on digital and technology addiction.![](https://virtual-addiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/apple-touch-icon-144x144.png)The Center for Internet and Technology AddictionDrDave![](https://virtual-addiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/virtual-addiction-logo.png)](https://virtual-addiction.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### How to Cultivate a Creativity Habit URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-cultivate-a-creativity-habit/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:42.000Z You've probably heard the saying that 'Creativity is a muscle.' Like your biceps or triceps, your creative mind needs regular exercise to stay in shape. What exercises will let you build your creative muscle? How do you turn these creativity exercises into a habit that is a routine part of your daily life? For many of us, developing creativity habits can seem overwhelming. ## Starting Small and Simple Where do you even begin? Research has shown that starting small is the key to creating sustainable habits. Renowned psychologist B.J. Fogg, for example, emphasizes the concept of "Tiny Habits," suggesting that an individual should start with behavior that's easy to do and can be accomplished in less than 30 seconds. This could be as simple as sketching a single line on paper or writing one sentence in a journal. James Clear, author of "Atomic Habits," recommends an approach of 1% improvement each day. Clear suggests that success is the product of daily habits—not a once-in-a-lifetime transformation. So rather than trying to write a novel in a day, aim to write one paragraph. Over time, these small increments can add up to substantial progress. Another best practice is to anchor your new creative habit to an existing routine—this is known as habit stacking. For example, if you already have a routine of having a cup of coffee every morning, add a few minutes of your chosen creative habit to this routine. And finally, make sure to reward yourself. Positive reinforcement is a powerful motivator in habit formation. So after each successful day of practicing your creative habit, allow yourself a small reward. Over time, this creates a positive association with your new habit, making you more likely to stick with it. The goal isn't to do something creative once and forget about it. The goal is to incorporate creativity into your daily life naturally and sustainably. And with these research-backed strategies, that goal is well within reach. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither are habits. It's not about making massive changes overnight but taking small steps consistently. ## Habits to Cultivate Creativity The following are a few habits that can fan the flames of your creativity and help you tap into your innate inventive spirit. This is not an exhaustive list but merely a starting point. As you embark on building creative habits, you may find others that work better for you. Don't feel confined by this list—feel free to add, modify, and explore other practices that spark your creative energies. The most effective habits are the ones that resonate with you and your unique creative process. Here are some habits you might consider: ## Daily Journaling: Daily Journaling can genuinely be a transformative habit. It serves as a personal canvas where you can paint your thoughts, emotions, and ideas freely and without restraint. This practice declutters the mind and fuels creativity by helping you explore different trains of thought and identify patterns over time. Moreover, daily journaling can be adapted according to your preferences. Some individuals prefer traditional narrative journaling, while others might opt for bullet journals, sketching, or digital journaling. The form it takes isn't as important as consistently putting your thoughts on paper. Also, journaling can act as an incubator for your ideas. For instance, you might jot down a passing thought or a spark of an idea in your journal and then revisit it later to develop it further. This practice especially benefits creative people who need an outlet to capture their flowing ideas. The key to journaling is not to censor yourself. This is your private space for exploration, reflection, and creativity. So let your mind wander, let your pen flow, and you might be surprised at the innovation and creativity that emerge from the pages of your journal. ## Mindfulness Practices: [Mindfulness practices](https://theinnovators.network/the-power-of-mindful-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) have gained prominence as powerful tools to nurture creativity. They involve focusing on the present moment, accepting it without judgment, and developing a deeper awareness of your surroundings and internal experiences. This increased sensitivity and openness to the present can spark new insights and ideas, enriching your creative output. Meditation, one of the most common mindfulness practices, can be particularly beneficial. Regular meditation sessions can help reduce stress, improve concentration, and promote mental clarity—all of which create a conducive environment for creativity. Consider starting with just a few minutes of meditation each day, gradually increasing the duration as you become more comfortable. Sit in a quiet, comfortable place, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. When your mind wanders—and it will—gently bring it back to your breath. This practice of returning to the moment can strengthen your ability to focus, a critical skill in creative endeavors. Mindful walking is another mindfulness practice you might try. This involves focusing on the sensation of walking, the feeling of your feet touching the ground, and the rhythm of your footsteps. This practice can be an effective way to clear your head and foster a state of relaxed alertness that can lead to creative breakthroughs. Just like any other habit, mindfulness requires consistency and practice. But with time, you can cultivate a more mindful approach to life that opens up new pathways for creative thinking. ## Curiosity Feeding: Curiosity feeding is about intentionally seeking out new knowledge and experiences. It's a habit that can nurture creativity by broadening your perspective and providing fresh inspiration. Each day, make a conscious effort to learn something new. This can be as simple as reading an interesting article, listening to a podcast, or diving into a new book. You might watch a documentary, learn a new word, or even converse with a stranger. The key is to keep an open mind and embrace the unfamiliar. This can lead you to stumble upon unexpected ideas and connections, fueling your creativity. Engaging with a diverse range of topics also helps to build a rich reservoir of knowledge that can be drawn upon during the creative process. Moreover, curiosity feeding encourages you to ask questions and challenge assumptions—an essential aspect of creative thinking. By nurturing your curiosity, you foster a mindset of continuous learning and exploration conducive to creativity. The aim is not just to amass knowledge but to stimulate thought and inspire innovation. So be curious, be open, and immerse yourself in the joy of discovering [something new](https://theinnovators.network/changing-the-default-the-secret-to-innovation-success/?ref=philmckinney.com) every day. ## Idea Generation: Idea Generation, often known as brainstorming, is about unleashing your mind to explore different possibilities and avenues. It's about breaking free from the constraints of logical thinking and embracing wild and crazy ideas. This practice stimulates your creative muscles and opens up a treasure trove of [potential innovations.](https://www.philmckinney.com/unlocking-your-creative-potential/) Here are a few strategies to make the most of your idea-generation sessions. Firstly, create a **conducive environment**. Choose a quiet, comfortable space where you can think without distractions. Some people find that certain settings, like a park or a café, stimulate their creativity more than others. Experiment and find what works best for you. Secondly, **set a timer**. Giving yourself a specific timeframe, like 15 minutes, can create a sense of urgency that pushes your brain to think more creatively. Thirdly, remember that **there are no bad ideas** during brainstorming. The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, not to judge them. Write down everything that comes to your mind, no matter how absurd or impractical. This encourages free thinking and can often lead you down unexpected paths to brainstorm innovative ideas. Lastly, **do it often**. The more frequently you brainstorm, the more readily your brain can generate new ideas. The purpose of idea generation is not only to come up with solutions to specific problems but also to nurture a mindset of creativity and innovation. ## Creative Exercises: Creative exercises are vital activities that stimulate your brain, encouraging [out-of-the-box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/) and idea generation. They take various forms and can be tailored to individual preferences and interests. One popular creative exercise is solving puzzles. Whether it's a jigsaw, crossword, or Rubik's cube, puzzles force you to think strategically and look for patterns. They challenge your brain to work in ways it normally wouldn't, fostering creativity. Artistic endeavors such as painting, drawing, or sculpting are also great creative exercises. They allow you to express yourself freely and create something unique from your imagination. Even if you don't consider yourself an artist, creating art can stimulate creative thinking. Cooking a new recipe is another form of creative exercise. It's about mixing ingredients in different ways to create unique flavors. Experimenting with cooking methods can also lead to discoveries in the kitchen, like how experimenting with ideas can lead to innovation. Writing exercises, like poetry or storytelling, can also stimulate creativity. They encourage you to play with words, conjuring compelling narratives from your imagination. The goal of these exercises isn't necessarily to create a masterpiece but to spark creativity and have fun in the process. ## Next Steps To Creating Habits The next step is commitment. Commit to doing one of these exercises every day for 30 days. Why 30 days? Because science tells us that's about how long repeated actions become a habit. Some things to keep in mind: 1. **Set Clear Goals:** Begin by setting a clear and achievable goal. It should be something that you can realistically accomplish within the 30-day time frame. For example, if you want to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine, your goal could be to meditate for 10 minutes each day. 2. **Start Small:** It's crucial to start with small, manageable tasks. If your goal is to read a book a week, you might start by reading a few pages each day and gradually increase your reading time. Starting small makes the habit easier to adopt and less overwhelming. 3. **Consistency is Key:** Consistency is the cornerstone of habit formation. Stick to your routine every day for 30 days. If you aim to engage in creative exercises daily, ensure you set aside time each day for this activity, whether in the morning, during lunch breaks, or in the evening. 4. **Be Patient and Persistent:** It takes time to form a habit. You might encounter obstacles or have off days, but it's important not to get disheartened. Persistence is key, and consistently repeating the activity leads to habit formation. Remember, the goal isn't perfection. It's consistency. There will be days when it feels harder to engage your creativity. That's okay. What matters is showing up, day in and day out. 5. **Stay Positive**: Finally, staying positive and maintaining a growth mindset is essential. Each day is an opportunity to learn and grow. Celebrate your successes, even the small ones, and be kind to yourself when you feel discouraged or frustrated. 6. **Tell Someone**: Being held accountable by having someone checking in on you can be motivating. Find an accountability partner who will support and encourage your endeavors. Creating a creative habit isn't easy, but it is achievable with these strategies. With consistency and dedication, it won't be long before you experience the reward of a more creative life. ## Benefits of Cultivating a Creativity Habit People who cultivate a creative habit experience numerous benefits. It opens up new possibilities and expands your horizons, and creativity can also improve [physical and mental well-being](https://www.philmckinney.com/boost-creativity-with-exercise/). Here are some of the most prominent advantages associated with nurturing a creative mindset: 1. **Improved Problem Solving**: Creativity can help you develop more efficient solutions to problems. This is because it encourages [divergent thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-divergent-thinkers-will-always-win/), which involves considering multiple perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. 2. **Heightened Focus and Concentration**: Creative activities are often engaging and stimulating, positively affecting your focus and concentration levels. Working on creative problems or projects can help you stay focused for extended periods. 3. **Higher Levels of Self-Esteem & Confidence**: Taking risks and engaging in creative activities can boost your self-esteem, giving you a sense of accomplishment and pride. This increased confidence can have far-reaching implications, improving personal and professional relationships. 4. **Increased Happiness & Satisfaction**: Research has shown that engaging in creative activities can improve our happiness levels and overall life satisfaction. This is because creativity helps us to express ourselves and get more in touch with our inner selves. ## Wrapping Up: The Power of Cultivating Creativity We can all significantly enhance our creativity through dedication and commitment. We can awaken our inherent creative forces by making creativity exercises a part of our daily routine. It's not about creating masterpieces daily but about sparking creative energy within us. Whether it's solving puzzles, painting, or even experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, these activities stimulate our brains in unique ways, fostering creativity. The journey of cultivating a creative habit doesn't have to be solitary. Sharing this journey with an accountability partner can provide mutual encouragement and motivation. Regardless of the obstacles, be patient and persistent because every step in this journey brings us closer to reaping the numerous benefits of a creative mindset, from improved problem-solving skills and heightened focus to increased self-esteem and happiness. The journey to enhanced creativity might seem long and challenging but worthwhile. So, dare to commit to this transformative journey, for the destination promises an enriched life overflowing with creativity. It's time you unleashed your inner Da Vinci! To learn about cultivating a creativity habit, listen to this week's show: **[How to Cultivate a Creativity Habit](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FCultivate%5Fa%5FCreativity%5FHabit.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### A New Dawn for Leadership: Embracing Change in the 21st Century URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/a-new-dawn-for-leadership-embracing-change-in-the-21st-century/ Last updated: 2023-07-31T14:04:37.000Z In the 21st Century, the leadership landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace. And leaders who are not able to adapt are being left behind. The need for change is more pertinent now than ever before, as traditional leadership models prove insufficient in addressing the complexities of our modern world. ## The Old Guard: Command-and-Control Leadership Historically, leadership has been characterized by a command-and-control approach. Leaders would issue directives from the top, expecting them to be implemented without question. However, this leadership style has shown its limitations in the face of today's global challenges and complexities. The command-and-control leadership model traces its roots back to the industrial revolution when work was mechanistic and process-oriented. This model was inspired by the military paradigm, where hierarchy, authority, and obedience were paramount. Leaders were viewed as superior beings with exclusive access to knowledge and decision-making authority. Workers were expected to follow instructions without questioning, as any divergence from the set path was [disobedience or insubordination](https://www.philmckinney.com/warning-dont-play-follow-the-leader-with-your-career/). The command-and-control model thrived in an era where information was scarce and centralized and where predictability and efficiency were the primary goals. It was all about maintaining the status quo, minimizing risk, and maximizing control. This leadership style resulted in impressive industrial feats and economic growth during the 19th and 20th centuries. However, in the 21st century, with its accelerated pace of change, increased complexity, and demand for innovation, this model is proving increasingly inadequate and outdated. ## A New Dawn: Embracing Change As we enter a new era of leadership, embracing change has become a critical skill. Leaders who can anticipate and navigate change are better positioned to guide their organizations toward success. Take, for example, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. Since taking the helm, Nadella has transformed Microsoft's culture from one that was known for infighting and stagnation to one that values learning and innovation. His leadership has led to a resurgence in Microsoft's performance, demonstrating the power of embracing change. This new breed of leaders understands that change is not episodic but a constant phenomenon. They maintain a future-focused mindset, constantly scanning the horizon for emerging trends, threats, and opportunities. They quickly adapt, realizing that clinging to obsolete practices can lead to stagnation and irrelevance. Moreover, they understand that leading change is not about imposing it from the top but about engaging the organization in the process. They facilitate open communication, encourage feedback, and enable their teams to contribute to and own the change process. They recognize that their team's collective intelligence most often surpasses their own, and they leverage this to co-create solutions and drive organizational change. It is what some are calling *collective leadership*. ## Collective Leadership: The Way Forward The shift towards collective leadership represents a significant departure from traditional leadership models. This approach emphasizes the importance of [collaboration and shared decision-making](https://killerinnovations.com/jim-kalbach-of-mural-on-visual-collaboration/?ref=philmckinney.com). Research has shown that organizations that practice collective decision-making result in better business decisions up to 87% of the time and that the decisions made and executed by these teams delivered 60% better results. Transitioning to a collective leadership model requires a significant paradigm shift. Here are some crucial steps to start the transformation. ### Cultivating a culture of openness and respect: A culture that values openness and respect is the cornerstone of collective leadership. This means creating an environment where all team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and ideas without fear of judgment or retaliation. Encourage open dialogue, active listening, and respectful disagreement. Leaders should also take the initiative to seek out and value everyone's perspectives. ### Decentralizing decision-making: Moving away from top-down decision-making is vital in a collective leadership model. Decentralizing decision-making processes requires involving more team members. This ensures decisions are informed by a broad range of perspectives and insights, resulting in better outcomes. ### Fostering collaboration: Promote collaboration at all levels of your organization. Foster a climate where individuals are encouraged to work together, share information, and support each other's efforts. This helps to break down silos and encourages a more collective approach to problem-solving and decision-making. ### Encouraging continuous learning: Build an environment that promotes continuous learning and skill development. Encourage leaders to foster their own growth mindset and inspire their teams to do the same. This instills a culture of innovation and adaptation leadership traits into the team. > "In the dawn of collective leadership, success is a symphony written not by a solitary maestro, but through the harmonious collaboration of disparate voices." ## Innovation Amidst Global Shifts and Uncertainties In a world marked by global shifts and uncertainties, the ability to innovate has become a key determinant of organizational success. The new collective leadership model, emphasizing flexibility and collaboration, fosters an environment where innovation can thrive. Take the case of Adobe, which, under Shantanu Narayen's leadership, has adopted a [kickbox innovation system](https://killerinnovations.com/grassroots-innovation-kickbox-adobe/?ref=philmckinney.com), empowering all employees to become innovators. This approach has helped Adobe stay ahead of the curve in the competitive tech industry. Collective leadership significantly augments and propels innovative endeavors within organizations. First, it amplifies the diversity of thought. With multiple individuals contributing their unique perspectives, ideas proliferate, and innovation thrives. This variety often leads to unanticipated, creative solutions to complex problems that a single leader might overlook. Second, collective leadership cultivates a sense of ownership and accountability amongst team members. When individuals feel their opinions are valued and they have a stake in the outcome, there is a natural surge in motivation to foster and implement innovative ideas. Lastly, the collaborative nature of collective leadership encourages calculated risk-taking, an essential aspect of innovation. The shared responsibility diffuses the potential negative consequences of risk, making individuals more open to exploring and implementing novel ideas. ## Setting New Standards for Leadership Success This new era of leadership is also redefining what success means. Success in leadership is no longer solely about financial gains or hierarchical ascent. In this rapidly-evolving landscape, the criterion for success has broadened to include: ### Leading Change Effectively Effective leaders are those who can not only [anticipate change](https://killerinnovations.com/a-change-maker-in-the-innovation-game/?ref=philmckinney.com) but also successfully steer their teams through it. These leaders are adept at recognizing the winds of change early and preparing their organizations to meet these shifts head-on. They cultivate a culture where change is not feared but embraced, setting a precedent for continuous evolution and progress. ### Impact From Innovation Leaders in the modern era are gauged by their ability to [drive innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/changing-the-default-the-secret-to-innovation-success/). They foster an environment encouraging creative thinking and problem-solving, resulting in disruptive and impactful solutions. The success of a leader is seen in their ability to convert these innovative ideas into reality, delivering tangible results that propel the organization forward. ### Flexibility The capacity to adapt one's leadership style to the needs of the situation and the team is a crucial success factor. Modern leaders understand that there is no 'one size fits all' approach to leadership. They exhibit versatility in their strategies, adjusting their approach based on the task at hand, the team's dynamics, and the broader context of the market. ### Ensuring Healthy Returns While financial performance remains an important measure, the sustainability of these returns truly defines success. Leaders who can consistently deliver healthy returns while simultaneously ensuring the well-being of their team and their [customers](https://www.philmckinney.com/hidden-buying-criteria/) are the ones who stand out in the modern era. They balance profit and people, setting a new standard for successful leadership. ## Conclusion In conclusion, the 21st century demands a new kind of leadership that embraces change, values collaboration, and fosters innovation. While this shift presents its own set of challenges, the potential rewards are immense. As we look to the future, one thing is clear: those who can successfully navigate this new dawn of leadership will be the ones who shape the course of the 21st century. --- ### Additional Articles/Resources Numerous resources are available for those seeking to delve deeper into understanding collective leadership. These materials offer practical strategies, expert insights, and research-based information. [What Is Collective Leadership?Collective leadership replaces outmoded top-down leadership with a process that empowers the most knowledgeable experts to make decisions.![](https://www.pon.harvard.edu/favicon.ico?v=2)PON - Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law SchoolKatie Shonk![](https://www.pon.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/images/posts/pete-nuij-6Uh-fJizwlw-unsplash-scaled-e1639790165128.jpg)](https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/leadership-skills-daily/what-is-collective-leadership/?ref=philmckinney.com) [Collective leadership as a facilitator of innovation - WRAP: Warwick Research Archive Portal![](https://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/favicon.ico)WRAP: Warwick Research Archive Portal![](https://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/images/logo.png)](https://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/130211/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Crafting Magic with Crayola Model Magic Modeling Clay - An Innovation Tool Review URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/crafting-magic-with-crayola-model-magic-modeling-clay-a-review/ Last updated: 2023-07-30T16:39:10.000Z The Crayola Model Magic Modeling Clay is a versatile and engaging product that caters to all ages, offering a fun, tactile experience. This review delves into the clay's potential for sparking innovation and creativity. Firstly, the clay's lightweight, spongy texture makes it ideal for creating complex sculptures without worrying about weight or balance issues. It's perfect for prototyping designs or even architectural models. For example, I've created a POC for mobile devices that allowed us to test for size, feel, and stability. The Model Magic clay was easy to manipulate into the desired shape for review and prototype testing. The clay retains its shape well, allowing for intricate detailing. In terms of durability and flexibility, Model Magic passes with flying colors. You can easily reshape it after drying or reheat it to alter its texture. However, the Crayola Model Magic Clay may not be the best material for all projects. While it air dries beautifully, it isn't as durable as traditional clay or polymer clay once dry. Therefore, it might not be suitable for creating long-lasting, robust pieces. The clay's porous nature means it doesn't lend itself to being painted as smoothly as other clays. This might not be the best choice if your project requires a polished, paint-finished look. In conclusion, the Crayola Model Magic Modeling Clay's ease of use and flexibility opens up a world of creative possibilities. However, you might need to explore other options for projects requiring durability and a smooth, painted finish. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/07/crayola-model-magic-75-count-box.jpg) #### Crayola Model Magic Modeling Clay The Crayola Model Magic Modeling Clay is a fantastic tool for sparking innovation and creativity. Its lightweight, spongy texture makes it a great choice for prototyping designs or creating proof-of-concept models. Its easy manipulation and soft texture make it a great tool for personal development activities. While it may not be the best choice for creating long-lasting or polished pieces, it's perfect for inspiring innovation and creativity! [More at Innovation.Tools](https://innovation.tools/products/crayola-model-magic?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Closing the Innovation Divide: Breaking Down Barriers for Underdeveloped Economies URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/closing-the-innovation-divide-breaking-down-barriers-for-underdeveloped-economies/ Last updated: 2023-07-27T14:14:53.000Z As someone who values innovation and all its benefits, I sometimes wonder why [underdeveloped economies](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-africa-challenges-opportunities/) don't seem to benefit from this economy as much as they should. Innovation is a win-win model, unlike other parts of the economy that are win-lose, such as natural resources (copper, lithium, coal, oil, etc.). There is no scarcity model to ideas; anyone can invent and create. And innovation is a crucial driving force behind GDP growth. Did you know that leading economists have estimated that 50% of the US GDP is driven by innovation? So, why are certain countries and regions being held back? ## What Is The Innovation Divide? The innovation divide can be compared to the digital divide, which refers to the gap between those with access to technology and those without access. Similarly, the innovation divide refers to the gap between those who can innovate and benefit from it and those who are left behind. This gap favors developed countries and regions, where there is more research and development investment and greater availability of resources, such as capital and talent. > "Innovation is the key to unlocking economic prosperity for all - it has no boundaries and can be a powerful force in bridging the gap between underdeveloped and developed economies." ## Narrowing The Innovation Divide One potential solution is for [underdeveloped economies](https://killerinnovations.com/politics-of-innovation-how-should-politicians-think-about-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) to focus on building up their own innovation ecosystems. This would involve creating an environment that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship and supports new ideas to grow. This could include investments in research and development and financial support for startups and small businesses. By creating this type of environment, underdeveloped economies could attract talent and ideas from other countries and regions, helping to close the innovation gap. Another approach is for developed countries to take a more active role in helping underdeveloped economies build up their innovation ecosystems. This could take the form of partnerships between universities and research centers in developed and underdeveloped economies and mentorship programs for entrepreneurs. Developed countries could also provide financial support and resources to underdeveloped economies to build up their own innovation infrastructure. ## Obstacles to Closing The Innovation Divide One obstacle that often stands in the way of closing the innovation divide is a lack of access to funding and resources, such as talent and experience. Underdeveloped economies may struggle to secure the necessary capital to invest in research and development or support startups and entrepreneurs. This is where organizations such as the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation can play a crucial role by providing financial support and resources to underdeveloped economies. Another obstacle is the [cultural attitudes towards risk-taking and failure](https://www.philmckinney.com/core-attributes-for-an-innovation-culture/). In many developed countries, failure has become accepted as part of the process of innovating - it's seen as an opportunity for learning and growth rather than something shameful or embarrassing. This attitude has allowed entrepreneurs in these countries to take risks without fear of judgment or retribution, leading to more successful innovations overall. In contrast, many developing countries still view failure as something negative, which can discourage people from taking risks or trying new things out of fear of being judged for failing. ## The Impact of Closing The Innovation Divide When the innovation divide is narrowed, developing countries will see GDP growth and economic prosperity for their citizens. This will lead to improved living standards, increased access to education and healthcare, and a better quality of life. Not to mention reducing the risk some people have taken to migrate to countries with more opportunities in search of economic prosperity. This will improve global economic and social stability. ## Conclusion Closing the innovation divide is not an easy task, but it must be undertaken if we want to create the opportunity for global economic prosperity for all. All countries and regions must have access to the benefits that innovation can bring. By working together to close the innovation divide, we can create an environment that provides opportunities for all entrepreneurs and innovators. This will require a commitment from developed and underdeveloped economies, but the benefits will be worth it in the long run. Innovation is not a finite resource; we can tap into its limitless potential by working together. ### Navigating Uncharted Territory with Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/navigating-uncharted-territory-with-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:41.000Z Hello, Innovators! Welcome back to another episode of the Killer Innovations podcast. I am so happy to be back in the studio with you today, and I'm excited to give you an update on the show and myself. A few months ago, in February, I had to undergo open heart surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. The surgery was totally unexpected when we went to Florida for Christmas. I have a rare genetic cardiac condition, so I'm under Mayo's care. During my annual check-up, the test showed some issues, which turned a three-week visit into a four and half month stay. Unfortunately, the nine days I spent in the intensive care unit being intubated caused damage to my vocal cords, preventing me from recording new episodes — that is, until today. The damage to the vocal cords is why my voice may sound different. But the show must go on, and that's where the team that helps me with the show stepped in. While I've been out, Andrew, Kirk, and Ethan have been serving up the [most popular shows](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-creative-qualities/) from our rich 19-year archive. Since I couldn't record, I turned my attention to my writing, posting multiple times weekly to my blog at [philmckinney.com](https://www.philmckinney.com/). If you haven't checked it out lately, I encourage you to hop over. You will notice that all of my writing is now merged onto the Ghost platform that hosts the blog, making it easier for everyone to find the archive of my articles going back to 1996. To get back in front of the microphone, I've been meeting with vocal cord experts, including those specializing in performers and audio professionals. We looked at various options to determine what it would take to get my voice back to its pre-surgery level. The most important was letting the vocal cords rest. In addition, the specialists changed my diet to reduce the acid reflux, which has been scaring the vocal cords. Who knew? Now for some exciting news. I've been cleared to experiment with recording new shows to see how my vocal cords hold up. Andrew, our associate producer, has been investigating and testing [AI tools](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-creativity-and-ai/) that can be trained on my past shows, taking the scripts I write and recording the audio for me. This will allow us to deliver original content without over-stressing my vocal cords. In fact, the introduction you heard today was an actual recording of me from my mobile studio built into my bus parked in Port Angeles, Washington. This main segment you are listening to was recorded using one of the AI tools. Like my challenge to you, the podcast team needs to innovate, even in how we produce the show. What do you think? As for my health, I'm doing great. I've lost 35 pounds—though I wouldn't recommend bypass surgery as a weight loss program. My focus now is on my cardiac rehab and rebuilding my strength and stamina. This summer, I'm working from my bus parked in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, walking on the beach to get my steps in, and loving my Starlink broadband! Regarding the show, our team is working hard to rebuild the queue so we can release new original content on a more regular schedule. If we miss a few weeks, I apologize in advance. So, what is changing — and staying the same with the show? When the show was launched in 2005, the goal was to explore creativity, design, and innovation. Over the years, this podcast has grown to include a mix of interviews, solo episodes, and occasional co-hosts. This focus and format will not change, but the technology behind producing this show will continue to evolve. So, who are our listeners? Well, [Killer Innovations](https://killerinnovations.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) attracts a broad spectrum of people. From tech aficionados to aspiring entrepreneurs, from top brass at leading tech and strategy firms to those just embarking on their career journey. My mission is to satisfy your curiosity about what it takes to be successful as an innovator, inventor, and creator and to equip you with the tools and insights needed to navigate the rapidly [changing landscape](https://www.philmckinney.com/change-caused-by-innovation-2/). What can you expect from future episodes? Not much difference from what we've been doing in the past. We will continue to delve into innovations that are reshaping our lives—but don't stop there. We dig deeper to uncover the stories behind these breakthroughs. How did these innovators turn their [initial ideas into tangible realities](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-are-not-innovations/)? What obstacles did they face and overcome? And crucially, how can you apply these insights to your own path? You may hear more of my experience from a 40-year career in inventing and launching innovations. What topics do you want to hear more about? What topics have you heard enough of? Let us know. Now, how can you help? We need supporters to help us cover our costs to produce the show. For 19 years, I've covered the costs out of my pocket with help from Eric and his team at Zoom, who have been a lead sponsor of the podcast for the last eight years. But our expenses have increased with the team stepping up while I have been out. If you are willing to support the show and the team, please consider becoming a financial supporter. Visit the blog at [philmckinney.com](https://www.philmckinney.com/) and click on 'Membership' at the top. Rest assured, none of the funding will go to me. It will go to the team and associated out-of-pocket costs. We are looking for $10,000 per month. Imagine this: you're sipping your morning coffee, earbuds in, listening to our show. You're learning new things, being entertained, and it feels like you're part of a community. That's the power of our podcast. But did you know it takes more than just a microphone and an interesting topic to keep that podcast coming to your ears week after week? It involves hours of research, editing, and production. Not to mention the cost of hosting and distributing each episode. What if you could help ensure this podcast's continuation while gaining exclusive perks? You can do just that for just $50 per year — about $1 per episode. Your financial support can make a significant difference in maintaining the quality and consistency of our content. Think of it as buying us a cup of coffee once a week as a thank-you for the content we provide. And in return, we'll continue to deliver the engaging and insightful episodes you look forward to every week. We need 2,400 financial sponsors to cover our show expenses. Are you ready to be one of them? Will you help us keep the conversation going? Remember, supporting us isn't just about helping cover costs. It's about investing in something you value and want to see thrive. It's about being [part of a community](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-communities/) that values knowledge, engagement, and entertainment. So, are you ready to step up and become a financial supporter of our podcast? Visit [philmckinney.com](https://www.philmckinney.com/six-practices-of-successful-innovators/) and click 'Membership.' Because every good story deserves to be told... and heard. That's it for today's episode. Thanks for your continued support. Remember, stay curious, stay innovative, and keep [pushing the boundaries](https://www.philmckinney.com/breaking-down-barriers-to-innovation/). To learn how you can help the show, listen to this week's show: **[Navigating Uncharted Territory with Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Navigating%5FUncharted%5FTerritory%5Fwith%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Productivity Hack: How to Escape the Clutches of Parkinson's Law URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/productivity-hack-how-to-escape-the-clutches-of-parkinsons-law/ Last updated: 2023-07-24T18:55:48.000Z In 1955, Cyril Parkinson made a statement that would forever transform how we think about productivity and innovation. Parkinson's Law, as it's called, states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. In other words, the more time we have, the more likely we are to procrastinate and delay our work. For leaders in today's fast-paced environment, Parkinson's Law poses significant challenges if not managed effectively. But what can we do to overcome it? ## About Parkinson's Law The history of Parkinson's Law dates back to the 1950s when a British historian named Cyril Parkinson observed that government bureaucracies grew in size no matter how much work they accomplished. Parkinson surmised that this was due to the natural tendency of people to expand their work to fill the time available for its completion. He wrote an essay to this effect, and Parkinson's Law was born. Parkinson's Law is, in essence, a statement of human behavior and psychology. It suggests that people need a [sense of urgency](https://www.philmckinney.com/incorporating-law-patience-innovation-culture/) and a firm deadline to motivate them to complete work efficiently. ## Actions To Take Leaders can take several actions to avoid Parkinson's Law and, by extension, improve productivity and innovation in their organizations. Below, we'll list some of these actions: **Set firm deadlines**: Parkinson's Law suggests that when people have a lot of time to complete work, they often procrastinate and delay. Setting firm deadlines for projects and tasks can eliminate this tendency, as people will be motivated to complete the work before the deadline. **Break tasks into smaller chunks**: When tasks are too large and seem overwhelming, people are less likely to start them. Breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks can help people get started and remain focused on the work at hand. **Encourage collaboration**: Working with others can help people remain motivated and focused on the work at hand. Collaboration can also help expand ideas and create more innovative solutions. **Focus on results, not process**: People often become bogged down in the process of completing work rather than focusing on results. This can lead to inefficiencies and delays. Leaders should focus on results and encourage their teams to do the same. **Eliminate distractions**: Distractions are often the enemy of productivity. Leaders should take steps to eliminate distractions in the workplace, such as turning off notifications and limiting access to social media. > "Time is not a barrier to progress - by setting firm deadlines and encouraging creative problem-solving within constraints, we can unlock endless possibilities and achieve great things." ## Recognizing Parkinson's Law Parkinson's Law manifests in many real-life situations. For example, when people have a lot of time to complete a task, they often spend more time than necessary on certain aspects of the work. They might obsess over minor details or spend too much time researching instead of synthesizing information and making decisions. By recognizing these tendencies and taking steps to mitigate them, leaders can help their teams avoid Parkinson's Law and remain focused on the most critical aspects of the work. I'm sure that most of us can recognize these tendencies in ourselves. Parkinson's Law does not indicate an ineffective team or poor leadership. It is human nature. What's important is that we recognize it and take action to fight against it. With the right strategies in place, leaders can help their teams remain productive and innovative in this fast-paced world. ## Parkinson's Law and Innovation Parkinson's Law can manifest itself in innovation more readily than in other organizational areas. When a project has been given an unlimited time frame, people will become complacent and fail to take risks. By establishing deadlines, leaders can encourage innovation and new thinking by giving team members [constraints](https://killerinnovations.com/creativity-through-restriction-constraint-based-innovation-s11-ep13/?ref=philmckinney.com) within which to work and be creative. These [innovation constraints](https://www.philmckinney.com/constraint-based-innovation/) could include time limits, budget limits, or a limited number of resources. By implementing these limitations and encouraging creative problem-solving within them, teams can be motivated to find more efficient solutions and push the boundaries of what's possible in their work. I have found that adding what some would consider an extreme time constraint will incentivize people to think differently and creatively to find new solutions and thus avoid the trap of Parkinson's Law. ## Conclusion Parkinson's Law is a pervasive force that can hold leaders and their teams back from achieving their full potential. By recognizing the history and nature of this law, leaders can take steps to avoid its negative impact. Setting firm deadlines, breaking tasks into smaller chunks, encouraging collaboration, focusing on results, and eliminating distractions are all crucial actions that can help avoid Parkinson's Law. In conclusion, as leaders continue to innovate and drive productivity in their organizations, they must be mindful of Parkinson's Law and take proactive steps to avoid its adverse effects. ### The Best of Killer Innovations: A New Way to Power Up URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-a-new-way-to-power-up/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:41.000Z Continuing our Best of Killer Innovation series, we look at David Su’s innovative solution to the problem of disposable and short-lived battery life and his tips for success that helped him start Atmosic. Being connected has become an essential part of our daily lives. [Wireless](https://www.philmckinney.com/video-of-march-on-wireless-panel-at-the-churchill-club/) has made huge strides over the past two decades. IoT is connecting our world in ways we would have never imagined. With the growing demand for constant connectivity, one area that needs fine-tuning is battery life. All these devices we use throughout the day require battery power. Today’s guest saw this as an opportunity. [David Su ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-su-44578566/?ref=philmckinney.com)is CEO of [Atmosic](https://atmosic.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). His company is innovating battery life. Creating technologies to reduce battery usage, Atmosic develops solutions that keep things powered up. ## Stanford to Startup Much of David’s career has been in the wireless space. With a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford, David joined Atheros Communication in 1999 as its fifth employee. David continued with Atheros as it grew and went public. He stayed on when Qualcomm acquired Atheros. After some years, David felt his time at Qualcomm had run its course. He ventured into [new areas](https://www.philmckinney.com/six-practices-of-successful-innovators/). With four former work colleagues, he started a new company. ## Atmosic’s Vision In the wireless world, battery power can be a boon and a bane. Reliance on wireless means dependence on batteries for power. When batteries lose charge, things can come to a standstill. Limited battery life also means a lot of [batteries get thrown out ](https://www.philmckinney.com/on-the-road-thoughts-on-innovation/)– to the tune of three billion per year. Two and a half years ago, David and fellow co-founders started Atmosic with this in mind. David, Masoud Zargari, David Nakahira, Srinivas Pattamatta, and Manolis Terrovitis brainstormed. They sought advice from experts in the field. Their vision began to coalesce – to keep connected devices powered with little to no battery usage. With the vision in place, Dave and his team went to work innovating battery life. They started with battery-powered Bluetooth devices. ## Solving Core Battery Problems The advantages Autmosic’s technologies will offer: - Lowest power usage without compromising quality. - Turns device off when not in use with system level check that transmits only when needed. - RF energy harvesting, enabling the battery to last forever. Long-term vision: - “Battery-free utopia” – ecosystem in enterprise applications. ## Lessons Learned What has David learned along the journey toward innovating battery life? David has some tips for people whether they’re starting a company or pursuing innovation. - Interoperate – work with what is already known and improve it. - [Surround yourself with people ](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-and-benefiting-from-a-coach-and-mentor-s12-ep12/)who are smarter than you and be willing to listen. - Make sure what you are doing is what you truly believe in and are[passionate ](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-and-keeping-innovation-champions/) - Ground what you are doing in reality. By innovating battery life, Atmosic is focusing on a problem that affects us all. Powering down to power up will keep us connected sustainably. To track what Atmosic is doing, visit [www.atmosic.com/](http://www.atmosic.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) For the latest updates, check them out on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Atmosic?ref=philmckinney.com) and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/atmosic-technologies?ref=philmckinney.com). To learn more about powering up, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: A New Way to Power Up](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/A%5FNew%5FWay%5Fto%5FPower%5FUp.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Unleashing Creativity with Tracing Paper: A Hidden Gem in Innovation | Innovation Tool Review URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/unleashing-creativity-with-tracing-paper-a-hidden-gem-in-innovation/ Last updated: 2023-07-16T17:12:04.000Z Welcome to the **Innovation Tool Review** series! Here, I will share my thoughts on the leading innovation tools and their uses to drive creativity and innovativeness for organizations of all sizes. When I embarked on my journey as an architecture student, little did I know that a seemingly ordinary tool would become my secret weapon in the realm of innovation and creativity. That tool is tracing paper. Many might view tracing paper as just a thin, translucent sheet used for copying or transferring drawings. But let me tell you; it's so much more than that. It's a catalyst for ideation, a platform for brainstorming, and a canvas for creativity. Over the years, this humble roll of paper has been my constant companion, accompanying me on travels in my bus, sitting patiently by my desk, and even claiming a spot next to my favorite chair in our living room. I've used tracing paper as scratch paper for spontaneous ideas that strike at the most unexpected moments. Its smooth surface, perfect for quick sketches, has been the birthplace of many product ideas. It has also served as an invaluable tool for creating mind maps, helping me visualize complex concepts and their interconnections. Sketch notes, another approach I've adopted, have been made infinitely easier with tracing paper. I can quickly jot down key points during meetings or presentations, then easily organize and connect these ideas later. So, why is tracing paper such an underutilized tool among innovators? Perhaps because its potential is hidden in plain sight. Many associate it solely with art or drafting, overlooking its versatility and applicability in various fields. But once you discover its potential, you'll wonder how you managed without it. The beauty of tracing paper lies in its simplicity. It doesn't demand high-tech equipment or complicated techniques. You only need a roll of tracing paper, a pen, and your imagination. So, be among the first to uncover this hidden gem. Equip yourself with a roll of tracing paper and let it transform your creative process. Because sometimes, the best tools are the ones we least expect. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/07/tracing-paper-AdobeStock_101394954.jpeg) #### ****Creative Sketch and Tracing Paper for Brainstorming and Ideation** This **Sketch and Tracing Paper** is the ideal canvas for your ideas. Its smooth, white surface allows for crisp, clear lines, perfect for jotting spontaneous ideas, creating rough mind maps, or sketching complex concepts. Whether you're a designer crafting a new product, a writer plotting a novel, or an entrepreneur outlining a business plan, this paper is your essential partner in crime. Order this Sketch and Tracing Paper today and experience a revolution in your creative process. It's a tool, a catalyst for innovation, and a springboard for your imagination. Embrace the freedom to create, innovate, and ideate without limits. [Order Thru Innovation.Tools](https://innovation.tools/products/b-bee-paper-white-sketch-and-tracing-paper-b-roll?ref=philmckinney.com) ### The Connection Between Physicality and Creativity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-connection-between-physicality-and-creativity/ Last updated: 2023-07-15T16:32:31.000Z Many people believe creativity and physicality go hand in hand, as creatives tend to be more hands-on in their approach. However, some may wonder if physicality is essential for creativity to flourish. ## Physicality Critical to Creativity? Physicality is an essential aspect of creativity. When working on an idea, a physical component can add an extra layer of engagement and provide a practical aspect to the creative process. This can help the creator to fully understand their idea and bring it to life in a tangible way. For example, envision an architect sketching out concepts for a new building. While this is a crucial step, there is nothing like putting the pencil down and building a miniature model of the design. This provides more depth and insight into the project and presents an opportunity to address potential issues that may have been overlooked in 2D plans. However, as new technologies are developed, the definition of physicality needs to be revisited. It is not uncommon for artists and designers to create entire projects using only digital software. With the advancement of technology, ideas can now be brought to life through these mediums alone. While this may seem like a step away from physicality, it is important to note that programs such as 3D modeling and animation still represent a form of physicality. The creator still conceptualizes and brings their ideas into existence using different tools. ## Teaching Physicality Teaching physicality to kids can be done in several ways, depending on their interests. There are many other hobbies and sports that can promote physicality, such as dance, athletics, and gardening. Encouraging children to pursue these activities can help them develop the skills and confidence to engage in hands-on creativity. Additionally, introducing basic building activities such as LEGOs and model kits can help stimulate the imagination and inspire innovative concepts. Schools play an integral role in exposing kids to hands-on creativity, as they provide essential resources and instruction. With access to shop classes and art programs, students can learn various crafting techniques that will help them bring their ideas to life. They can gain skills such as woodworking and metalworking, which can be used for larger projects like furniture-making and sculpture. Additionally, art classes can provide students with a creative outlet for exploring their ideas in two-dimensional form. These classes are essential to proper education as they help kids develop problem-solving skills and become more familiar with physicality. ## Maker Spaces Unfortunately, many schools have removed shop and art classes from their curriculum, which may be seen as a reflection of society’s diminishing view of the importance of physicality. Without these classes, it can be difficult for kids to receive exposure to building and creating with their hands. This is where programs such as Maker Spaces come into play. These community workshop spaces provide access to materials and resources for tinkering and experimenting. Providing these spaces gives kids more opportunities to learn about and engage in physicality, which is essential to their growth as creative individuals. Something as simple as the [Home Depot DIY Workshop for kids](https://www.homedepot.com/workshops/?ref=philmckinney.com) on the first Saturday of every month can expose kids to doing something with their hands. I've taken my grandkids, and they are now comfortable enough to do most of the building, hammering, etc., on their own. This workshop costs nothing and is a great way to expose them to building and physicality. ## Research in the Importance of Physicality Consider the act of moving your body. You may not immediately associate it with sparking creativity, but research suggests otherwise. A [study published in Psychological Science](https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/full-frontal-psychology/the-physical-act-of-creativity.html?ref=philmckinney.com) reveals that actual physical acts can trigger abstract processes in our brains, helping us overcome mental rigidity and generate new ideas. You might wonder: why is this the case? As it turns out, certain cognitive functions are muted or suspended when we [engage in physical activity](https://scienceplay.com/en/2023/02/14/does-exercise-make-it-more-creative/?ref=philmckinney.com). This allows our brain to form connections in ways it typically wouldn't, leading to innovative thinking. But it's not just any movement that can stimulate creativity. The quality of these movements matters too. [According to Nature](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68632-9?ref=philmckinney.com), the fluidity and originality of our ideas are positively associated with the realization of body movements. So, a graceful dance routine or a mindful yoga session could be just as beneficial for your creativity as a brisk walk or run. According to a popular post on LinkedIn, engaging in [creative activities can boost our immune system](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-creativity-positive-effect-your-brain-health-marobella?ref=philmckinney.com). So, not only does physicality fuel creativity, but being creative can also positively affect our physical health. ## Conclusion Physicality undoubtedly play an essential role in creativity. With the advancement of technology, there are more ways than ever to bring ideas to life. However, physicality can provide a deeper understanding and engagement with the creative process. Teaching kids these skills and providing opportunities to engage in physical activities is crucial for their development as well-rounded creative individuals. The removal of shop and art classes from schools is taking away the opportunity for kids to experience the physicality part of creativity. Programs like Maker Spaces are stepping in to fill the gap, providing resources and workshops for children to learn and experiment with hands-on creativity. ### Are You Future-Proof? Preparing for Technological Disruptions URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-future-proof-preparing-for-technological-disruptions/ Last updated: 2023-07-11T23:03:20.000Z Have you ever stopped to wonder how ready you are for the inevitable future of technological advancements? We live in unprecedented technological advances, and with these advances come disruptions that can significantly impact our lives and businesses. Technology is profoundly changing how we work and live, from automated manufacturing to artificial intelligence. As such, we need to be aware of how these changes will affect us so that we can prepare for them accordingly. ## **Understanding Technological Disruptions** Technological disruptions refer to unexpected shifts in technology that can disrupt industries, businesses, and life as we know it. These disruptions can offer exciting opportunities but often entail considerable risks for those unprepared or equipped to handle them. Examples of technological disruptions abound - from the rise of ride-sharing platforms such as Uber and Lyft to online streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. These disruptions have had a major impact on how people get around, consume entertainment content, and even shop for goods or groceries. The Internet and smartphones were among the most significant technological disruptions of modern times. Before the internet, information was primarily disseminated through print media, broadcast television, and radio. With the rise of the internet, people could access an unprecedented amount of information quickly and easily. This hugely impacted many industries, such as the newspaper and publishing industries, which saw a drastic decline in readership. The internet also created entirely new industries, such as e-commerce and online advertising, while giving rise to an entire culture of digital content creators. ## **The Impact of Not Preparing for Disruptions**. [Ignoring technological trends](https://techtrend.com/how-to-predict-the-new-technology-trends/?ref=philmckinney.com) can seriously affect individuals, businesses, and industries. For individuals, it can mean missing out on opportunities to utilize new technologies in their job search or career development. Businesses that fail to keep up with trends may be unable to compete with more agile competitors and could suffer a significant economic loss. For industries, failing to keep up with disruptions could mean becoming obsolete and unable to serve their customers adequately. One example of a company or industry that failed to adapt and suffered as a result is Blockbuster Video. In the late 1990s, Blockbuster led movie rentals and had over 9,000 stores worldwide. However, as the internet and streaming services like Netflix emerged, Blockbuster failed to keep up with technological advancements and could not keep up with the competition. They eventually declared bankruptcy in 2010 after losing over $900 million in revenue between 2000 and 2004 because of the shift in consumer tastes away from physical media. What would happen if you or your business stayed stagnant while the world continued to progress technologically? ## **How to Prepare for Future Technological Disruptions** Creating a culture of innovation and creativity is essential for businesses to remain competitive in today's fast-paced technological landscape. Innovation can help organizations keep up with the rapid technological changes, while creativity allows an organization to identify opportunities and think differently to develop novel solutions to complex problems. Staying abreast of technological trends is critical for businesses to remain competitive and prepare for the future. Various strategies, such as continuous learning, networking, and experimentation, can ensure businesses stay ahead of the curve. Continuous learning involves regularly investing time and resources to learn about new technologies and explore potential applications. Networking with colleagues in similar industries is also essential, as it can provide invaluable insights into new trends and developments that could benefit businesses. Finally, experimentation can help organizations test out emerging technologies to see how they can improve their products or services. By [employing these strategies](https://techtrend.com/how-to-develop-an-innovation-strategy/?ref=philmckinney.com), businesses can ensure they remain at the cutting edge of technological progress. What steps are you taking to stay updated with the latest technological trends?" ## **Embracing the Future** Preparing for technological disruptions is essential for businesses to remain competitive and successful long term. While being prepared will allow organizations to minimize potential losses resulting from disruptions, disruptions are growth opportunities. With the proper preparation, businesses can [take advantage of new trends and technologies](https://techtrend.com/what-trends-are-driving-technologys-future/?ref=philmckinney.com) to create innovative solutions that meet customer needs and give them a competitive edge. By embracing the potential of technological change, organizations can benefit from greater success. What strategies are you implementing to prepare for technological disruptions? How can you ensure that your business is ready for the future? Are you ready to embrace and shape the future rather than be shaped by it? --- This post originally appeared as an article on Techtrend Group LLC's blog. You can [find the original article here](https://techtrend.com/are-you-future-proof-preparing-for-technological-disruptions/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Innovations in Customer Support URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-innovations-in-customer-support/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:41.000Z Continuing our Best of Killer Innovation series, we examine how one creator, Rama Sreenivasan of Blitzz, looked outside the box and created solutions to the hindrances he faced on his innovative journey. When you're in the middle of an important project and equipment fails, you want it fixed fast. In this week's show, I talk with Blitzz Co-founder Rama Sreenivasan. His company is solving the inefficiencies of [tech support](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-cutting-edge-technology-makes-the-familiar-better/). Blitzz's customer support innovation integrates AI, AR, and live video to solve problems faster. ## Winding Journeys Connected Rama's path has taken some unexpected twists, from a chemical engineer working on medical devices to starting a SaaS company. But at the heart of it, he is a problem solver. The source of his inspiration: his dad, who he likes to call "MacGyver." Rama founded Blitzz together with co-founder Keyur Patel two years ago. They most recently participated in CableLabs [Filterator](https://www.philmckinney.com/accessible-innovation/). This accelerator program helps startups develop a product-market fit for the cable industry. A System That Assesses Without the Hassle When instruments stop working, it's time to bring in a helpful live assistant. Blitz's customer support innovation allows a better perspective of and feel for the problem. Through live video chat, companies can avoid spending on onsite technician visits. [Customer support](https://www.philmckinney.com/big-mistake-failing-support-innovation-proper-resources/) is not only heightened but it is also trained to see around the inconspicuous. Innovation in repair operations contributes to cuts in labor fees and time processing. What prompted Rama to create Blitzz's innovative approach? During his PH. D and Post-Doctoral work, frustration with equipment breakdown mid-experiment was the impetus. The long wait to get repairs done seemed a waste. Rama felt there had to be a better way. ## AR Perception In any given company, [customer support](https://www.philmckinney.com/real-innovation-artificial-intelligence/)could always be better. That's why the addition of AR technology adds to the customer experience. Questions can be answered faster and more efficiently. One no longer has to worry about the hassle of scheduling an in-person visit. AR perception captures it all. This [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-change-maker-in-the-innovation-game/) allows one on one human interaction on a more convenient level. ## AI Intelligence Equipment can malfunction and run the risk of being unreliable. AI [customer support ](https://www.philmckinney.com/using-resources-power-innovation-success-stories/)can redirect the customer to questions and answers that may be a better fit. This AI customer support innovation becomes its teacher. The AI brings the ability to learn from the information it processes. ## Lessons Learned Rama highly recommends entrepreneurs go through an accelerator. He learned critical elements of the startup process through that experience. He also credits passion for driving the startup process. Connecting with mentors can help fan the flames of that passion. If you'd like to track the latest with Blitzz, visit the website: [https://blitzz.co/](https://blitzz.co/?ref=philmckinney.com) or check out Blitzz on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/blitzz?ref=philmckinney.com) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect%5Fafter%5Flogin=%2Fblitzz%5Fco&ref=philmckinney.com). We love your feedback. Tell us what you'd like to hear on Killer Innovations. [Get in touch ](mailto:Phil@killerinnovations.com%20%3cPhil@killerinnovations.com%3e;)and let me know. To learn more about innovations in customer support, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Innovations in Customer Support](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovations%5Fin%5FCustomer%5FSupport.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Leading vs. Managing: What Every Leader Should Know URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/leading-vs-managing-what-every-leader-should-know/ Last updated: 2023-07-06T17:51:54.000Z In today's fast-paced business environment, leaders are often mistaken for managers. While both roles require the ability to motivate and coordinate teams, there's a significant difference between the two. Simply put, managers focus on tasks and processes that get things done, while leaders prioritize inspiring and guiding their teams to achieve the organization's vision. ## Managing Teams Managing is often associated with micromanaging, providing detailed instructions, and ensuring every little task is executed as planned. A manager's primary goal is to ensure everything is done efficiently and within deadlines. While this is an important goal, managing doesn't leverage the capabilities of the team members. Instead, managers get robot-like performance, where team members just do what they're told without offering their own insights or ideas. ## Leading Teams Leaders, on the other hand, must inspire and motivate their teams to push past boundaries. They must create an environment of trust and shared values that encourage open communication and collaboration between team members. This allows them to tap into the creative potential of each individual, which can lead to innovative solutions and new ideas. Leaders are also responsible for setting clear objectives and providing guidance by helping the team stay focused on vision. ## Struggle Is Part of the Journey Leading is difficult. The key skills for a leader is learning to delegate. It's about identifying and assigning the right responsibilities to the right people while allowing them to make decisions. Delegating allows leaders to focus on their highest priorities and lets their team members grow and develop new skills. When delegating, it's important to set expectations and goals clearly and provide the necessary resources and support. Delegating by itself is not sufficient. It's important for a leader to let go of control and let the team struggle. It's human nature to want to help, but jumping in and doing everything for them will not build trust or respect. Instead, it can create a culture of resentment and dependency. Leaders should give their team room to learn from their mistakes and develop a sense of ownership and accountability. Building trust is the foundation of strong leadership, and it's critical for effective organizations. Trusting your team means you're confident in their abilities, decisions, and judgment. When you allow your team to work autonomously, you send a clear message that you believe in them. It also fosters a sense of community and a shared sense of identity. ## Leading By Walking Around Leaders should be visible and engaging with their teams. Walking around the office, chatting with team members, and being available for feedback and suggestions can make a massive difference in building a positive culture of trust. Leaders should also be receptive to constructive feedback and make changes as needed to improve their leadership style. ## Conclusion Every team needs a leader, not someone who micro-manages their work but someone who inspires and motivates them to strive for greatness. By understanding the difference between leading and managing, new leaders can create a culture of trust, collaboration, and accountability. It's essential to keep in mind that every individual on the team has a unique set of skills and talents that can contribute to the organization's success. Leaders should nurture and leverage those strengths to achieve the organization's goals. Letting go of control, trusting your team, delegating decisions, and being visible are the hallmarks of an exceptional leader. Most consider themselves leaders when they are managers who don't truly let go. Take the leap from being a manager to being a leader. Your career depends on it ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Creating a Disruptive Ideation Workshop URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-creating-a-disruptive-ideation-workshop/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:40.000Z You can learn, practice, and perfect the skill of innovation. To keep the innovation funnel flowing, generating quality ideas is essential. On this week’s Best of Killer Innovation Series, we ask, how do you boost innovation in a team lacking confidence? One practical approach is organizing a disruptive ideation workshop. Let's explore how to create a successful one. ## Condensed Boot Camp I run an intensive four-day Innovation Boot Camp course a few times yearly. Students often request a condensed one-day version for their teams. In response, I developed the Disruptive Ideation Workshop, which focused on a disruptive approach to generate more and better ideas using the FIRE method. The workshop aims to teach the skill, apply it, and create a pipeline of ideas for the organization. Recently, we tested the workshop with 25 senior leaders with no innovation background. The results surpassed expectations, leading us to name it the "Disruptive Ideation Workshop." ## Overview of the Disruptive Ideation Workshop Disruptive ideation means causing innovation through unconventional approaches. The workshop has two main objectives: 1. Teach a disruptive approach to ideation, significantly increasing the quantity and quality of generated ideas. 2. Apply the learned skills to the organization's real-world problem, resulting in a ranked set of disruptive ideas. The course comprises two sections: Foundation and Skills and Application/Practice. ## Foundation Section: 1. Debunk myths and mysteries surrounding innovation. 2. Develop essential innovation skills, such as overcoming self-doubt, fostering imagination, and seeing with fresh eyes. 3. Address innovation anti-bodies, such as ego, risk aversion, and resistance to change. 4. Introduce the FIRE framework: 1. Focus: Define the problem statement clearly for relevant idea generation. 2. Ideation: Use powerful questions to generate a multitude of high-quality ideas. 3. Ranking: Group and identify top ideas from the pool. 4. Execution: Refine and expand on selected ideas. We emphasize the Ideation component. ## Skills and Application/Practice Section: Students apply the elements of the FIRE framework to an accurate problem statement. Skills taught include: 1. FOCUS: Clearly defining the problem as a well-defined statement is crucial. 2. IDEATION: Use questions to generate more and better ideas, building upon individual contributions. 3. RANKING: Group and select top ideas from the pool. 4. EXECUTION: Expand on chosen ideas with depth and thought. We emphasize "Adapt and Adopt," allowing students to apply the learned skills effectively within their organizations. ## Lessons from the Disruptive Ideation Workshop Insights from conducting the workshop include: 1. The one-day format allows focused time away from daily responsibilities. 2. Crafting a solid problem statement is critical, so allocate sufficient time. 3. Limit workshop size to a manageable number of students, ideally no more than 20. 4. Establish the following steps to sustain momentum post-workshop. Foster a community among participants to maintain a vibrant learning atmosphere. To learn more about disruptive innovation workshops, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Creating a Disruptive Ideation Workshop](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Creating%5Fa%5FDisruptive%5FInnovation%5FWorkshop.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### "Measure What Matters" by John Doerr | A Book Review URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/measure-what-matters-by-john-doerr-a-book-review/ Last updated: 2023-07-02T16:24:16.000Z As an avid reader, I have delved into countless business and leadership books, each with its own unique perspectives and insights. One book I read when it first came out was "Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs" by John Doerr. In this compelling piece, Doerr argues for using Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) as a tool for business success. The book is studded with nuggets of wisdom on how to implement OKRs to accomplish ambitious goals effectively. The anecdotes from Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation are fascinating, providing real-world examples of how these successful entities leverage OKRs to achieve their objectives. These stories offer a practical guide for any organization or individual wanting to harness the power of OKRs. > "Using Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) as a tool for business success is like trying to hit a moving target. It requires agility, constant adjustments, and a passion for the goal - but it can also lead to incredible results." However, the book isn't without its blemishes. At times, it seemed like Doerr glossed over the challenges of implementing OKRs. There was a noticeable lack of emphasis on the potential pitfalls or missteps organizations can encounter when they misuse this tool. We learn as much from our failures as from our successes. Furthermore, the book could have been more critical about the potential for OKRs to be used rigidly or prescriptively. Too often, these kinds of tools can be implemented that stifle creativity and innovation. Let's not forget that tools like OKRs are tools. They're not silver bullets. Their effectiveness ultimately depends on how they're wielded. A tool is only as good as the person using it. Despite its weaknesses, I still think "Measure What Matters" is worth the read. Doerr's case studies are informative and inspiring. The book provides valuable advice on how to make OKRs work effectively in different contexts. As a tool for business success, OKRs have immense potential—but only if used wisely and with the right intentions. There are literally hundreds of books and articles on OKRs. I recommend reading "Measure What Matters" as a first step in understanding how to do that. Doerr's book provides a valuable exploration of OKRs and their role in driving business success and innovation. It's a worthy read for anyone interested in setting meaningful, measurable goals and aligning efforts across an organization. In conclusion, "Measure What Matters" measures up to 4 out of 5 stars. It serves as a potent reminder that what gets measured truly does matter in the pursuit of innovation. But in the end, it's the people, their passion, and their commitment to the goals that make the real difference. Wouldn't you agree? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/07/measure-what-matters-cover-1.jpg) #### Measure what Matters by John Doerr In "Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs," John Doerr makes a compelling case for using Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) as a tool for business success. Through real-world examples of how these successful entities leverage OKRs to achieve their objectives, Doerr provides valuable advice on how organizations can harness the power of this tool. However, some weaknesses in his book should be considered before implementing OKRs within any organization or individual's strategy. [Order from Amazon](https://amzn.to/46taDBV?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Unlocking Innovation Through Unlimited Vacations URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/unlocking-innovation-through-unlimited-vacations/ Last updated: 2023-06-30T19:20:14.000Z Taking a vacation has always been a luxury, something I rarely took as I felt it would slow me down and put me behind in my work. However, as I've grown older (wiser) and taken on more responsibilities in my career, I realize vacations are essential to keeping me creative, motivated, and focused. The result was I changed my reluctance towards a vacation to taking extended vacations for personal creativity and innovation. I started taking time off for as long or as short a period as needed to refresh my mind, allowing it to clear out any clutter and stress so that I could be open to new ideas and approaches to my work. The impact was immediate and profound. I didn't want to stop there. When I became CEO of an organization whose sole purpose is to invent and innovate, we implemented unlimited vacations for everyone. > "Unlimited vacation isn't just an employee perk — it's a business strategy." ## My Personal Story For the first 30-plus years of my career, I was that person who always checked email, was on their phone, and was always on the go. There was never a time when I wasn't connected to work. As I took on a more significant role as an innovation leader, I realized how vacations could benefit my creative output. The human body and creativity cannot operate continuously. We need to rest and give time for the human body to recover before the next task. The same applies to our creativity and ability to innovate. Without it, our creative output suffers significantly. Taking a vacation helps us reset and gives us the mental and physical space to develop fresh ideas. Only when we step away from our work can we gain a broader perspective and find inspiration in new experiences. ## Unlimited Vacation People were skeptical when we implemented our unlimited vacation policy five years ago. They felt that more time away from work would mean less productivity, but what we found was quite the opposite. There was also a fear that taking time away would impact their opportunities for career advancement. Not true. Our organization's creativity and innovative thinking flourished by allowing our team to take a break when they wanted or needed to. We saw an increase in morale as people could spend quality time with family and recharge outside of the office environment. The result was a more productive workforce that could better develop creative solutions and new ideas. It also established an environment of trust and open communication, ultimately leading to higher productivity and job satisfaction. ## Keys to Implementing Unlimited Vacations When we implemented unlimited vacations, we implemented team-based OKRs (objectives and key results). This aligns with the team's commitment to what they are expected to achieve. This gives the leaders an easy way to communicate vision and plans — and measure performance without micromanaging teams. This created a culture of trust that allows team members to take time off when they need it and come back refreshed and ready to innovate. We want them to feel comfortable taking the time off they need without worrying about repercussions or missing out on any opportunities. This requires everyone to be transparent with their teams about their vacation plans and alignment on deliverables. We also ask that each team member communicate their expectations and deadlines with their colleagues while they are away. While someone is away, others take over their deliverables. Going on a vacation and returning to a stack of work is not a vacation. ## Fully Disconnect When you take a vacation, you're expected to disconnect entirely. This means no email, no Slack, and no Zoom. When you're on vacation, focus on being in the moment and enjoying your time off. Disconnecting fully gives you the space to recharge and helps you avoid burnout. If I find someone on vacation checking their email, slack, or sneaking on to the Zoom calls, I will have IT disconnect their accounts until they are back. And yes, I've done it. This policy has resulted in more "thank you" notes from spouses than anything I've ever done. ## Impact of Unlimited Vacations The impact of unlimited vacations on our organization has been immense. Our team members feel more relaxed and focused when returning from their vacations. They are excited to return to work, with most coming back with ideas for new projects they come up with while sitting with the kids at the pool or on a sunset walk on the beach with their significant other. This has translated into a more productive and engaged workforce committed to the company's mission. We are seeing increased creativity, innovation, and team collaboration. This has increased the size and quality of our innovation pipeline, expanding our organization's role in creating innovations for our stakeholders. ## Conclusion At the end of the day, unlimited vacation isn't just an employee perk — it's a business strategy. It paved the way for a work-life balance culture, encouraging employees to take a break from work and focus on their personal lives. I have personally experienced how taking vacations has positively impacted my creative output and refreshed my perspective. So, as I head out on my summer vacation to the northwest with my grandkids, I urge you to prioritize your time off and return to work with renewed energy and maybe some innovative ideas. ### The Best of Killer Innovations: The Art of Innovation Leadership URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-the-art-of-innovation-leadership/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:40.000Z On this week’s Best of Killer Innovation Series, we analyze qualities that promote strong innovation leadership and will help any organization become a trailblazer in the game. What are the unique skill sets needed for innovation leadership? We all have a list of what good leadership skills are but what are the unique ones you need to be a true innovation leader? Today on Killer Innovations, I will discuss what I have found to be the skills needed for successful innovation leadership. ## Innovation Leadership Skills These leadership skills apply to all organizations, whether you are a small organization or a large organization. 1. **Integrity** 1. You need to trust the people you are working with. 2. You need to know they are looking out for what is in the best interests of the team and organization. 2. **Vision and** [**Strategy**](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-do-87-percent-of-companies-fail-to-execute-their-strategy-s11-ep34/)**.** 1. Team members are looking to the leaders to communicate what the vision and strategy are. 2. You need to look long-range beyond where the team is and roll that back in so they can see what your vision is. 3. You need to be able to tell the story, make the pitch, and share your dream with others. 4. Communication is critical to successful[ innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/succeed-leading-innovation/) leadership, 5. If you are going to be a leader, you need to be able to interact and build relationships and truly have an interest in other people’s lives. 6. Know what is going on in your team members’ lives so you can help them eliminate distractions and get their heads in the game. 7. You have got to persuade people to leave what they are doing now and join your team. 8. You must be able to convince them that what are doing is something worth their time. 3. **Adaptability and**[ **Flexibility**](https://www.philmckinney.com/succeed-leading-innovation/)**.** 1. As a leader you cannot be rigid, you must be adaptable and flexible with your team and organization. 2. Can you operate as a leader of a team? 3. You need diversity in your team to be successful. 4. [**Coach**](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-laws-of-innovation-and-benefitting-from-coaching-insights/) **and develop.** 1. Find young and upcoming people and coach and develop them. 5. **Decision-Making.** 1. You must be comfortable making the final decision. 2. Realize that sometimes the decision you make is going to fail. 6. **Planning and organizing.** 1. If you are not good at planning and organizing, then hire people to do it for your team. ## Basic Skill You Need These are the basic skills you need to be a successful innovation leader. So, what skills do you need to do differently to truly be an innovation leader? 1. **Innovation leadership involves taking risks.** 1. You must be comfortable that some of the decisions you make are going to fail. 2. Some of your decisions are going to be flipped. 2. **You need to keep looking for new opportunities and threats.** 1. Look for threats to your organization, industry, or geography. 3. **Innovation is about change.** 1. Stability is the death of innovation. 2. Foster a culture where change is expected. 4. **Do not rest on the traditional management techniques.** 1. Every situation is different. 2. You need to invent the way you manage and do leadership. 5. **Be an optimist.** 1. Innovation is about being an optimist. 2. You need to convince and convey an optimistic view of the future. 6. **Innovators cut through the crap.** 1. Innovation leaders need to cut through the crap and get to the core. 2. You need to step in and stop the corporate game-playing. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is [feedback@philmckinney.com](mailto:feedback@philmckinney.com) or you can go to [Philmckinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. ## Thinking Beyond the Obvious The challenges on the creativity innovation side do not change based on [scale](https://www.philmckinney.com/smart-ideation-to-scale-your-business/). It is the same whether you have a five-person team or a fifty-person team. The challenge is operating and innovating at the same level. A lot of companies get in a rut because they are doing what they have always done. So, how do you push yourself and people to go beyond the obvious and do the next thing? 1. **Break the rules.** 1. Corporate antibodies will come after new ideas; you need to recognize that these antibodies exist. 2. Sometimes you are the corporate [antibody](https://www.philmckinney.com/fighting-the-corporate-antibodies/). 2. **You must think differently.** 1. You must unlearn what you have been taught when it comes to conforming. 2. Make sure that you challenge yourself to go beyond the obvious answer to questions. 3. **It is all about asking.** 1. How do you ask questions that will make you think about something you have not considered before? 2. How do you ask those [killer questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-unleash-your-creativity-today/)? 3. Better questions get you better answers. To learn more about innovation leadership, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: The Art of Innovation Leadership](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FArt%5Fof%5FInnovation%5FLeadership.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Balancing Professional Goals with Personal Values: My Process of Prioritization URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/balancing-professional-goals-with-personal-values-my-process-of-prioritization/ Last updated: 2023-06-26T12:36:28.000Z As individuals, we are saddled with numerous responsibilities and goals. These may include professional goals, personal ambitions, financial aspirations, family obligations, and personal growth and development aspirations. While each of these is crucial in its own right, everything needs to be balanced. Balancing professional goals with personal values is a complex never-ending process; without the proper prioritization, everything can quickly go awry. > "Life is a never ending balancing act between professional success and personal values." My personal process of prioritization was one that I developed over time and which I have found to be incredibly helpful in managing the demands on my time and focus. Most importantly, it has allowed me to stay true to my personal values while still achieving professional success. While my process of prioritization works for me, it may not be the right approach for everyone. ## Five F’s I use a prioritization process called the Five F's, comprising Faith, Family, Friends, Fitness, and Finances, which are crucial aspects of my life. Aligning these priorities in the correct order allows me to find a balance between my professional goals and personal values. Unfortunately, like many others, sometimes I got my priorities out of order, resulting in chaos. The process is simple. ### Step 1: Faith This step focuses on your faith and considering how your decisions align with your values, regardless of your belief system. Faith is what helps define our individual understanding of right and wrong. When considering an action, I ask myself if it aligns with or goes against my faith and if it will lead to guilt or regret. Life is far too short to have it full of regrets. Having faith as the first step in my prioritization process helps me to stay true to my values and to act with integrity regardless of the outcome. As the Bible says, "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul?" (Matthew 16:26). ### Step 2: Family Family is everything, and my loved ones are the most important people in my life. When making any decision, I consider whether it benefits my family, hurts their interests, or pulls me away from them. My wife, children, and grandchildren’s happiness and well-being drive me to work hard, achieve my goals, and provide the best for them. I believe a balance between professional goals and family values is essential, and nothing can replace the time and effort we put into our families. When I look back on my past, my one big regret was not prioritizing family in the early days of my career. I missed too much time with them. Don't make the same mistake I did. ### Step 3: Friends Friends play an essential role in our lives, providing support, advice, and friendship. However, their role in my decision-making process comes third in my prioritization. I recognize friendships may come and go, but the bonds with family are longer-lasting. Nonetheless, I must always ensure that my professional goals do not jeopardize my friendships or vice versa. As I get older and look back on my life, it is surprising how friends played a crucial role in family and faith. I’m fortunate to have strong friends who will call me out when I’ve messed up my priorities. That accountability has been crucial for my maintaining balance and my career success. Find those friends—and be that friend to others. ### Step 4: Fitness Given my recent health challenges (triple bypass in February), I got the wake-up call to prioritize my physical health. Given what I went through, I now recognize that investing in it can only reap benefits. Because of cardiac rehab, I have changed my habits — regular exercise, good nutrition, and sleep habits. They are essential to staying healthy and productive. It has been a harsh lesson to learn, but I’m grateful for it. I now believe that investing time and effort in fitness activities helps reduces stress and energizes me to achieve my professional goals. Keeping fit nourishes your mind and balances your overall well-being, making you a better employee, partner, and individual. Not to mention helping me to achieve one critical personal goal — seeing my grandkids get married. ### Step 5: Finances While finances are crucial for a comfortable life, I remind myself that it should never be the driving force of my decision-making. I have sometimes prioritized my finances over everything else, and the results have been disastrous. My financial priorities now follow my faith, family, friends, and fitness. Finding the right balance between short-term gains and long-term benefits helps me manage my finances better and focus on my other priorities with a clear mind. The other secret I’ve learned about finances is that when I align my priorities, the finances take care of themselves. ## Conclusion Balancing professional goals with personal values is challenging, but my Five F's prioritization model continues to help me focus on the things that matter the most. These steps enable me to approach every decision with a clear mind, a balanced perspective, and a sense of purpose. However, these prioritizations may not be valid for everyone, and creating a personalized process that aligns with your life goals is essential. If you prioritize your values consistently, you will stay focused, remain true to your values, and successfully achieve your professional goals. ### The Power of Simplicity by Jack Trout URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-power-of-simplicity-by-jack-trout/ Last updated: 2023-06-25T16:11:35.000Z In today's world, it's challenging to keep things simple. We are constantly bombarded with information and technology that can make our lives more complicated than ever before. In his book, *The Power of Simplicity: A Management Guide to Cutting Through the Nonsense and Doing Things Right*, Jack Trout offers an insightful look into how simplicity can help us manage our lives and businesses better. > "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - Jack Trout This is one of those books that, while I read it originally back in 1999, I keep rereading as a reminder of how important it is to strip away all the clutter and complexities of life. The ability to slide back into old habits is as easy as it is to slide into a hot bath. Trout's book helps us resist that temptation and keep things simple. The book starts off by exploring why simplicity is essential in today's world. Trout explains that complexity leads to confusion and chaos, while simplicity leads to clarity and focus. He argues that the key to success is balancing complexity and simplicity; too much of either will lead to failure. He then goes on to discuss how managers can use simplicity as a tool for making better decisions, improving communication, and streamlining processes. Trout provides numerous examples of his own experiences and those of other successful companies that have used the power of simplicity to their advantage. He also shares valuable insights into how simplifying processes can lead to improved efficiency and productivity in the workplace. Additionally, he outlines strategies for avoiding over-complication when dealing with complex problems or situations. The book also includes valuable tips on applying simplicity principles in everyday life, such as avoiding multitasking, focusing on one task at a time, eliminating distractions, and staying organized. Trout emphasizes these strategies are not only beneficial for business but also for personal growth and development. Overall, The Power of Simplicity is an informative read that gives readers valuable insights into using simplicity to manage their lives more effectively. It offers practical advice on simplifying processes without sacrificing quality or efficiency. Following Trout's advice, readers can make better decisions faster and become more productive in their professional and personal lives. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/06/the-power-of-simplicity.jpg) #### The Power of Simplicity by Jack Trout In The Power of Simplicity, author Jack Trout offers insight into how simplicity can improve our lives and businesses. He explains that complexity leads to confusion, while simplicity leads to clarity and focus. He outlines strategies for utilizing simplicity to make better decisions, improve communication, streamline processes, and avoid over-complication when dealing with complex problems or situations. Trout provides tips on applying simplicity principles in everyday life, such as avoiding multitasking and staying organized. The Power of Simplicity is an informative read providing valuable insights into simplicity. [Order From Amazon](https://amzn.to/44fJSPA?ref=philmckinney.com) ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Creative Inspiration— From Personal to Professional URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-creative-inspiration-from-personal-to-professional/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:39.000Z Continuing our Best of Killer Innovations Series, we touch on creativity. Below are some ways to get inspired into incorporating creativity into your personal life to benefit your professional success. What's your creative inspiration? Everyone is creative. Yet some people seem more creative than others. What do those people have that others might lack? What's the secret to creativity? This week we talk about finding creative inspiration outside of work. I'll share my thoughts on what makes people creative. We'll also hear Kym McNicholas interview Tania Katan. Tania has just come out with a book called *Creative Trespassing: How to Put the Spark and Joy into Your Work and Life*. ## Finding Inspiration Humans use creativity every day to [solve complex issues. ](https://philmckinney.com/leaders-innovation-theyre-creating-cultures-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com)Some people are more creative than others in problem-solving. How do these people manage to stay ahead of everyone else creatively? First, these people are inspired. Find something piques your interest and drives you to go above and beyond, experiment, and learn. You can find creative inspiration even at work. If you are passionate about your work, you are feeding your [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-unleash-your-creativity-today/). ## Practicing Creativity Another common denominator of creative people is that they practice creativity. People do not just wake up already skilled at something. They have to practice it until they have mastered it. We can define practice as two things: - To do repeated exercises for proficiency - To pursue a profession actively There is a myth that you can't practice creativity and innovation. You can practice and become proficient. There are many ways to exercise your creative abilities. There are exercises for the daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly [practice of creative skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-creative-thinking-based-on-nature-or-nurture/). ## Talking Creative Inspiration with Tania Katan Tania Katan shares with Kym McNicholas how people's creativity in their personal life can enhance their work. Her book, *Creative Trespassing: How to Put the Spark and Joy Back into Your Work and Life*, examines the impact of bringing personal creative exercise into the workplace. Tania wrote this book because she saw a disconnect between people's creativity and what they did at their jobs during the day. Tania says that if you are looking for innovation, you must bring your creativity to your job. We can solve problems with innovation by getting our creativity to work. Throughout the book, there are exercises called "Productive Disruptions." These are creativity breaks. Stanford's study was called the "Walking Creativity Study." This proved that [people who went for walks](https://www.philmckinney.com/brain-health-for-innovation-and-creativity/) experiencing creative blocks experienced 60 percent higher creativity afterward. Scientific studies have proven that disruptions and breaks help improve creativity. Many people don't enhance creativity because they don't have the right experience or training. We must break through that barrier and ask "what if" questions. Stop trying to solve problems the same way and push creativity. Some of the most significant takeaways from the book are: - Our job does not have to be uniquely creative for us actually to be creative. - We need to feel free at the workplace to create a creative revolution inside our bodies, minds, and cubicles. One of the biggest roadblocks to creativity is the [fear](https://www.philmckinney.com/overcome-impostor-syndrome-be-more-creative/) of thinking and doing things differently. The best way to get through that obstacle is to face it. To learn more about creative inspiration, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Creative Inspiration— From Personal to Professional](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Creative%5FInspiration%5Ffrom%5FPersonal%5Fto%5FProfessional.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Are You Suffering From Future Shock? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/suffering-from-future-shock/ Last updated: 2023-06-19T14:11:39.000Z Have you ever felt like the world is changing too fast, and you just can't catch up? You might be experiencing future shock. Coined by [Alvin Toffler in his book](https://amzn.to/42G8LT7?ref=philmckinney.com) of the same name, future shock refers to disorientation and anxiety caused by too much change in a short period of time. With technology advancing faster than we can adapt, it's no surprise that many of us feel overwhelmed. ## Characteristics of Future Shock Future shock isn't just about technology. It can apply to any significant change in society, such as changes in politics, culture, and even architecture. The characteristic symptoms of future shock include anxiety, disorientation, and confusion. When we go through a time of rapid change, we feel like we are out of control. We struggle to keep up and feel a sense of loss since the old ways of doing things no longer work. We all have a nostalgic tendency for the good old times, as evidenced by the numerous tik tok videos of boomers showing off rotary dial phones, writing cursive, and other throwbacks to a simpler time. Unfortunately, this longing for the past causes us to feel like we're stuck and can’t keep up with the present. ## Examples of Future Shock One of the most vivid examples of future shock is the industrial revolution, which changed how people worked and lived. Many people were uprooted from their rural communities and thrust into the city, where they had to adjust to new ways of living and working. This change occurred over a relatively short period of time, causing a great deal of disorientation and anxiety among the population. Another example of future shock is the digital revolution, which has brought about significant changes in the way we communicate, access information, and interact with each other. The rise of social media, smartphones, and the Internet has changed our lives in ways we could never have anticipated. Many struggle with addiction to our screens and the constant need to stay connected. ## Consequences of Future Shock The consequences of future shock can be severe. When we feel like we're out of control, we can become anxious, depressed, and even ill. We may lose our sense of identity and become disoriented. We may lose our connection to the past and the values that have held us together. The pace of change can be overwhelming, and we may feel like we're drowning. Future shock is not psychosomatic. It is real. We need to be aware of it and learn how to manage it in order to stay healthy, connected, and productive. ## How To Deal With Future Shock It is crucial to take a step back and assess the situation to deal with future shock. We must find ways to manage our stress and anxiety to better cope with the rapid changes. By recognizing our feelings of being overwhelmed and confused, we can learn how to take control of our lives and not let future shock consume us. We also need to accept the changes around us and seek out opportunities that come with them. It is essential to recognize that the world will never be static; change is inevitable and sometimes necessary for growth. We will learn how to adapt and thrive in a rapidly-evolving world by [embracing these changes](https://www.philmckinney.com/change-caused-by-innovation/). ## Conclusion Future shock is a natural phenomenon that affects many of us today. With the pace of change only accelerating, it's essential that we find ways to manage our anxiety and disorientation. By embracing change, staying connected to our values, and finding ways to adapt, we can overcome the challenges of future shock. Ultimately, the [future is in our hands](https://www.philmckinney.com/hindsight-is-not-20-20-the-hindsight-fallacy/), and we must shape it in healthy and sustainable ways for ourselves and society. ### Book Review: Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/book-review-creativity-inc-expanded-edition/ Last updated: 2023-06-18T17:33:28.000Z "Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition)" by Ed Catmull, Pixar's co-founder and longtime president, and Amy Wallace is a must-read for anyone interested in the creative process and leadership. The book's newly released expanded version features a new introduction, two entirely new chapters, four new chapter postscripts, and changes and updates throughout. The book offers valuable insight into overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration. It explores how to pursue excellence continuously, day in and day out. Ed Catmull teaches readers about the creative process and how it applies to everyone - not just creatives. In this newly updated version of the book, Catmull and Wallace dive deeper into Pixar’s creative process, share personal anecdotes, and provide a detailed look at how Pixar's approach to creativity has developed over time. This book is filled with inspiring stories from Pixar's history and practical advice on creating a culture of creativity within any organization or team. Readers will walk away with invaluable lessons on fostering innovation, collaboration, trust, communication, risk-taking, failure, and resilience - all essential elements of success in any field. Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition) is an excellent read for anyone looking to unlock their creative potential or build innovative teams within their organization. It provides readers with valuable insights into the creative process and how to overcome obstacles along the way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/06/creativity-inc-expanded-edition.jpg) #### Creativity, Inc. The Expanded Edition Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace’s “Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition)” is an essential read for anyone looking to unlock their creative potential. The newly expanded version contains inspiring stories from Pixar's history, practical advice, and detailed looks at how Pixar's creative process has evolved over time; readers will walk away with invaluable lessons on fostering innovation in any organization or team. [Order from Amazon](https://amzn.to/42MxfdF?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Ethics: The Missing Link to a Better Society URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ethics-the-missing-link-to-a-better-society/ Last updated: 2023-06-17T14:51:50.000Z Imagine a world where companies dominate the headlines, hailed as groundbreaking innovators in their respective fields. Now, picture the collective frustration when the veil of success is lifted, revealing unethical practices and leadership at the helm. That was the [reality for Theranos and FTX](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-hero-worship-ftx-theranos-and-the-media/). How can we trust the business world when more and more leaders seem to have left their moral compasses behind? This glaring issue calls for a deep discussion on ethics in business, where we explore the consequences of pursuing success without integrity. It is time to redefine how we measure success. > "Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do, and what is the right thing to do." \~ Potter Stewart Ethics is the fundamental principle that governs human behavior and how we interact with each other. Ethics is about knowing the difference between right and wrong and making the right choices, even if it means going against the norm. If being ethical is good, why aren’t we seeing more of it? Why does ethics seem to be missing from entire sectors of our society? ## Unethical Behavior People seem more motivated to follow short-term profits than long-term success. Companies often prioritize the bottom line over their employees, customers, and stakeholders. Often, unethical behavior is seen as just another business tactic with no consequences. But it has consequences. Just ask Elizabeth Holmes, who is now serving an 11-year sentence for her role in Theranos. What leads people to be unethical? By being surrounded by people who engage in such behavior. We can see this in many workplaces, where there is a culture of [bending the rules to gain an advantage](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-one-thing-that-will-kill-an-innovation-and-what-you-can-do-to-avoid-it/) or pursue success at any cost. This environment can lead someone to believe such practices are acceptable or normal. Greed, jealousy, and selfishness can also lead people to unethical behavior. It is easier to make unethical decisions when you are only looking out for yourself. ## Universal Principals of Ethics Does everyone have the same understanding of ethics? Cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and value systems shape their understanding of ethics differently. Definitions of what is right and wrong can vary. However, the universal principles of ethics remain the same - act with integrity, be honest, and treat others with respect. The universal principles of ethics are based on the most basic concept: - **Act with Integrity**: Acting with integrity involves making ethical decisions even when it is difficult. It means courageously standing up for what you believe is right and not taking unethical shortcuts. - **Be Honest**: Being honest refers to the act of openly and truthfully communicating one's thoughts, feelings, and intentions. It involves being truthful in both verbal and non-verbal communication. Honesty is essential in sustaining a healthy society, as it helps build trust between people. It is about being truthful and accountable for your actions. - **Treat others with respect**: Respect can be seen as a core value when it comes to ethical behavior. Respect does not mean agreeing with someone; it means recognizing their right to have an opinion, even if it differs from yours. Respect also involves treating everyone equally and with dignity, regardless of race, gender, age, background, education, citizenship, or other factors. ## Traits of Unethical Behavior Unethical behavior can take many forms, but they all share specific characteristics. One of the most common traits of unethical behavior is a **disregard for the feelings or rights of others**. This can manifest as a lack of respect for others’ opinions or beliefs, taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable position, or deliberately ignoring established rules and regulations. Another trait of unethical behavior is **dishonesty**. This may be as subtle as omitting information or withholding the truth, or it can be outright lying. Unethical people often try to take advantage of situations by manipulating facts and distorting reality to get what they want. Finally, unethical behavior typically involves a **lack of accountability**. Unethical people often try to avoid responsibility by blaming others or shifting blame onto someone else. They may also engage in activities that put their own interests ahead of those of the group and fail to take responsibility for their actions. ## Too Accepting of Unethical Behavior Unfortunately, society has become too [accepting of unethical behavior](https://theinnovators.network/irresponsible-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). We celebrate people who break the rules; some even become role models for the younger generation. We often hear stories of CEOs who acted unethically but still found success with no consequences. This sends the public a message that ethics are unimportant, creating an environment where people think they can get away with anything. This must change if we hope to build a better society. We must shift our focus from short-term, superficial success to long-term success grounded in ethical practices. We need to create a culture where people understand the importance of ethics and where everyone is [held accountable for their actions](https://killerinnovations.com/the-ethical-boundaries-of-technology/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Ethical Role Model It is up to each one of us to be an ethical role model and lead by example. We must show that success can be achieved without sacrificing our morals and values. It’s time to redefine what success means, and ethics must be central to this discussion. The future of our society depends on it. We must all do our part in promoting and modeling ethical behavior to ensure we build a society based on integrity, honesty, and respect. ## Conclusion Ethics is the cornerstone of any viable society or organization, and it starts with teaching and modeling ethical behavior from a young age. It is a shared responsibility, not just that of the parents, to instill good values in the younger generation. We all have a duty to lead by example and set the standard for ethical behavior. It is the responsibility of all of us to create a society that values ethical behavior and holds people accountable for their unethical actions. If we do that, we can create a better world for ourselves and our kids. ### Giving and Receiving Intense Criticism and Feedback URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/giving-receiving-intense-criticism-feedback/ Last updated: 2023-06-14T14:26:37.000Z Criticism has always been associated with failure and rejection. However, for successful innovators, criticism is the key to their success. Subjecting one's ideas to intense criticism may seem counterintuitive, but it is essential in creating innovative solutions. And as innovators, inventors, leaders, and executives, we all know that ideas are crucial for any breakthrough. So, if we want to turn our ideas into innovations, we need to learn to embrace intense criticism. ## Why Is Intense Criticism Important? So why is constructive intense criticism a critical part of the innovation process? ### 1 - Helps Refine the Idea Every great idea begins a little rough around the edges and needs some polishing. Criticism can help shape and distill these ideas. For example, when Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, it was met with skepticism and criticism from those who believed the device was just a fancy phone. But Jobs welcomed the criticism and used it to refine the iPhone further. Today, the iPhone is one of the most successful gadgets ever invented. ### 2 - Vital Source of Feedback It provides an outside perspective on our ideas and exposes us to alternative viewpoints. This feedback helps us identify the weaknesses in our ideas, and we can improve on them. Even expert innovators like Thomas Edison valued criticism because it helped him discover new insights he would not have discovered on his own. ### 3 - Promotes Collaboration When different perspectives come together, they create a synergy that allows ideas to grow beyond what individual minds can achieve. It also helps us to identify potential pitfalls that one person on the team may miss. By working collaboratively, we can develop more robust and versatile solutions. ### 4 - Encourages Thinking Creatively The criticism often challenges us to think outside of our comfort zone and explore new solutions. It forces us to consider new ideas and perspectives that may have never crossed our minds. By exploring different perspectives, we can develop cutting-edge solutions that were not possible before. > "Subject your ideas to the most intense critical analysis possible." \~Jordan Peterson ## Giving Intense Criticism and Feedback Giving constructive criticism and feedback on someone’s idea can be difficult. It requires tact, diplomacy, and an open mind. The goal is to provide meaningful guidance that will help the individual refine their ideas without making them feel attacked or discouraged. When giving intense criticism and feedback, it is important to focus on the positive aspects of the idea before pointing out any flaws. This helps create an environment where people are more likely to listen and accept your input. Additionally, avoiding being overly critical or judgmental in your comments is essential, as this can lead to defensiveness from the person receiving the critique. Instead, try offering suggestions for improvement while also emphasizing what makes the idea unique or valuable. For example, you could say, “I think this concept has potential, but I have some ideas about how you could improve it,” instead of simply stating, “This isn't good enough." Providing specific examples when delivering intense criticism and feedback is essential to avoid confusion about what needs improving. Be sure to tell why something should change and how it should be changed. Offer concrete solutions rather than vague statements. Finally, it is essential to remain professional and respectful when giving intense criticism and feedback, as this will make the suggestions more likely to be accepted and implemented. ## Conclusion Intense criticism is never easy to receive, but it is essential for success in innovation. It strengthens our ideas, provides feedback, promotes collaboration, and forces us to think creatively. As innovators, we cannot afford to shy away from criticism. We can learn to embrace it by understanding that it is essential to create groundbreaking solutions. So, let us all welcome intense criticism, knowing it is the key to unlocking our full creative potential. ### The Best of Killer Innovations: How to Survive Changing Cycles and Accurately Forecast URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-how-to-survive-changing-cycles-and-accurately-forecast/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:39.000Z Looking at our Best of Killer Innovations Series, we examine the dynamic nature of innovation and how to manage changing cycles best so that you and your ventures can succeed. Today's latest innovation can quickly be replaced with the next best thing tomorrow. Whether you're a newcomer to innovation or a seasoned innovator, there's something every innovator should know. How to forecast and survive [cycles of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-law-patience-innovation-cycle/). This week Ray Zinn, longest serving CEO of a publicly traded company in Silicon Valley, shares his insights—Ray's astute ability to [forecast](https://www.philmckinney.com/listening-skill-and-rules-of-future-forecasting/) what was coming enabled his company to survive the innovation cycles. ## Sage Advice: Don't Work for Someone Else In 1974, Ray's boss conveyed a bit of advice. Don't work for someone else. This advice set Ray on the entrepreneurial path. He started his own company. With $300,000 of self-funding, he started doing test services. It was challenging to start a company that was profitable from day one. Ray and his business partner managed it. By 1985, their company, Micrel Inc., hired engineers and started designing their products. Eventually, Samsung selected Micrel technology for their first cell phones. With blue chip clients, numerous inventions, and patents in wireless radio and other areas, Micrel went public in 1994\. Micrel was profitable every year through 2001\. Although Ray had to rebuild the whole company, it remained profitable. ## Forecasting Innovation Cycles How do you lead companies through the high rate of innovation change? Ray was able to accomplish this. Ray learned the cycles of innovation so he could forecast them. You have to know the cycles to[ predict ](https://www.philmckinney.com/technology-megatrends/)them for your company. How do you do this? Your [customers](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-customers-a-source-of-ideas-for-innovation/) are your best lead. The key to surviving these cycles is understanding them. [Cycles ](https://philmckinney.com/innovation-adoption/?ref=philmckinney.com)last at the most five years. You must anticipate what is going to be the following [winning product](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-ask-questions-to-find-new-ideas/). ## Getting Your Board Right What were the insights Ray wished he had early on? Be careful about your Board. He elaborated on his biggest mistake – not being more selective about his [Board of Director](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-the-role-of-the-ceo-board-and-the-innovation-advisory-board/) participation. Having a viable, helpful, and contributable Board is critical. You want members who roll up their sleeves and add value where needed. You don't need board members to pick you apart and create tension. Ray believes that Boards must focus less on what investors or shareholders want. They must emphasize what is best for the company and adds sustainable value. Boards should not be too independent. Independence leads to disconnect and a lack of understanding of a company's intricacies and operations. With his wealth of experience in the heart of the world's startup capital, Ray wanted to give back. He created the *Zinn Starter*, a seed investment firm akin to *Shark Tank* for universities. Almost every university in this country has an entrepreneur program. The Zinn Starter consists of students taking their business ideas before a Board. If the Board approves the concept, the student can start a company while still a student. Zinn Starter is limited to fully enrolled university students. It is part of the entrepreneur program for six universities. The program has been running for two years, with over five thousand students participating. Ray has also written a book called *Tough Things First*. Used by many universities as a textbook, it covers his time with his company in Silicon Valley. You can track Ray at [http://toughthingsfirst.com/](http://toughthingsfirst.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Visit his website to hear weekly podcasts and tips for entrepreneurs. To learn more about surviving changes, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: How to Survive Changing Cycles and Accurately Forecast](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FSurvive%5FChanging%5FCycles%5Fand%5FAccurately%5FForecast.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### A Book for Innovators and Entrepreneurs URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-built-this-guy-raz/ Last updated: 2023-06-11T17:05:44.000Z *If you are a regular reader (or a* [*subscriber to the newsletter*](https://www.philmckinney.com/corporate-antibodies-dangerous-to-your-ideas/#/portal/signup)*), you know I rarely do product, book, or tool recommendations. This is that rare exception. And depending on your feedback, I may do more in the future.* Last week, I came across a book that was recommended to me by Audible. Have you ever had one of those books that is a true page-turner? It is Guy Raz's "How I Built This." Once I started listening, I couldn't stop. I found myself sitting in parking lots listening until the end of the chapter. ## *"How I Built This"* by Guy Raz Guy's book is an inspiring look into the lives of some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs and innovators. Through interviews with these innovators, Guy Raz provides insight into their journeys and reveals the secrets to their success. The book begins with a brief introduction to Guy Raz himself, as well as his own entrepreneurial journey. It then dives into entrepreneurship and innovation and how it has changed. To expand on the concepts, he shares the stories of each entrepreneur, exploring their journey from idea to success. Raz does an excellent job of capturing each entrepreneur's story while providing practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. He highlights key moments in each person's journey that helped them succeed and offers valuable lessons that can apply to any business venture. For example, he emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision for your company or product; understanding your customer base; building relationships with partners; taking risks; staying focused on your goals; and learning from failure. His insights are invaluable for anyone looking to take an idea and start their business or take their existing venture to the next level. Overall, "How I Built This" inspires aspiring entrepreneurs or innovators. The stories provide valuable lessons that can be applied in any business setting while also giving readers a glimpse into what it takes to build something from nothing. Whether you're just starting out or have been in business for years, this book will help you better understand what it takes to succeed in today's competitive market. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/06/how-i-built-this-1.jpg) #### *How I Built This* by Guy Raz "How I Built This" by Guy Raz is an inspiring book for innovators and entrepreneurs. Through interviews with some of the world's most successful business leaders, Guy Raz provides readers with a unique insight into how these iconic brands were built. [Order Today on Amazon](https://amzn.to/3P6Onro?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Does Serendipity Disappear With Hybrid and Remote Work? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/does-serendipity-disappear-with-hybrid-and-remote-work/ Last updated: 2023-06-09T16:50:07.000Z Serendipity has always been a contributing element in discoveries and breakthroughs. Whether accidentally stumbling upon a new idea during a brainstorming session or running into a colleague in the hallway and sparking an insightful conversation, [serendipity relies on the chance](https://www.philmckinney.com/dont-hang-your-innovation-programs-on-the-false-hope-of-serendipity/) interactions in our lives. Does it only occur in face-to-face interactions? ## Background on Serendipity The word serendipity was first coined in 1754 by English writer and politician Horace Walpole. He was inspired by a Persian fairy tale called "The Three Princes of Serendip," in which the protagonists made serendipitous discoveries by chance, using their wit, knowledge, and intuition. Serendipity depends on chance, knowledge, and wisdom in making successful discoveries. But can serendipity still occur in today's hybrid and remote work environments, where most interactions happen virtually? Can we create a digital environment that nurtures serendipitous discoveries? To answer those questions, we must first understand the role of face-to-face interactions in chance discoveries. ## In Real Life (IRL) Serendipity Studies have shown that unplanned face-to-face IRL interactions between colleagues have been the environment that leads to new ideas, innovations, and problem-solving. Why is that the case? When in person, it's easy to pick up on subtle cues such as body language and eye contact, which can often spark new ideas or reveal something that wasn't previously obvious. Additionally, IRL interaction fosters trust between peers and creates a safe environment for experimentation and [collaboration without judgment](https://www.philmckinney.com/stop-the-negativity-become-an-anti-critic/). Some examples of environments and events where serendipity thrives include a casual conversation between colleagues during a coffee break, which could lead to an unexpected breakthrough. Or someone walking down the hall might overhear an interesting conversation and gain insight into a problem they've been struggling with. Even something as simple as bumping into each other in the hallway or sharing ideas over lunch can spark creative solutions that may have never come up otherwise. These seemingly small moments create opportunities for serendipitous discoveries to occur when we least expect them. ## Digital Serendipity With most interactions happening remotely today, can we create serendipity virtually? The answer is yes. It all starts with communication tools, such as videoconferencing and instant messaging, to create a digital space where serendipity can occur. People can engage in meaningful conversations and share ideas more efficiently than ever using these tools. Technology can also facilitate “happy accidents” — moments when the combination of two or more different pieces of information creates a new insight or discovery. How? ## My Personal Experience Being an innovation guy, COVID pushed me to re-think [my dogmatic view that serendipity](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-5-most-common-myths-of-creativity/) required face-to-face accidental meetings of the minds. As I started working remotely and collaborating with colleagues virtually, I was amazed at how effective online interaction can be in creating an environment for digital serendipity. I believe that the key to successful virtual collaboration is not just the tools but an innovation culture that encourages exploration and experimentation without fear of failure. So how do I create the right environment for digital serendipity? **Tools**: Create a digital environment that fosters serendipitous discoveries. I use Zoom with its virtual whiteboards, chat, and real-time document sharing, allowing teams to collaborate and share ideas virtually. I've lost count of how many online brainstorming sessions I've facilitated over Zoom. [The right tool](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-5-most-common-myths-of-creativity/) allows space for creative collaboration that can create room for successful discoveries by drawing from everyone's unique insights, no matter where they live. **Coffee Break**: Within the first week of the COVID shutdown, I scheduled "Friday Coffee Breaks." This allowed everyone in our organization to get together with *no agenda* other than to hang out. This allowed people from different departments to cross-pollinate. Topics have ranged from pets to families to sharing articles of interest. The serendipity that has resulted is extraordinary. This session became so popular that more attended Coffee Break than the monthly All Hands. They are still going on. **Mixers**: Bring together people who rarely work together from across the organization. This is *not* a brainstorming session. These are sessions that come together regularly to talk. No agenda. Just let the conversation happen based on whatever topic is of interest. The key is mixing the right people. In my case, since I've become CEO, I've consciously wanted to stay connected to the technology we work on. To facilitate this, I've created a mixer of our Distinguished Technologists and Fellows (our top technical talent based on our Technical Career Path) from across the organization that meets every six weeks for 2 to 3 hours. It is just me and this technical leadership. No other executives, managers, etc. Just me and them. These are our brightest technologists and scientists, who each bring an area of deep expertise. Most do not work with each other. It is in these sessions where the magic happens. No agenda. Open conversation about what they are curious about, something they've read, the roadblocks they have encountered, or raw ideas they are kicking around. ## Digital Tools Versus Face-To-Face The effectiveness of serendipitous discoveries made using digital tools can vary depending on the context, but overall, they can be just as effective as in-person. With the right tools, culture, and settings, virtual environments can create an environment for chance discoveries that can be even more productive than those discovered from face-to-face interactions. While face-to-face (IRL) serendipity seems to happen through the office layout and environment, serendipity in hybrid and remote work environments requires effort. It will not happen on its own. You must create open digital spaces for interaction that will spark that next great idea. It needs to be actively done and part of everyone's responsibility. In my experience, top organizations use both. Bring your hybrid, remote, and office teams together regularly. Use these events to build the team's trust with each other. And between these face-to-face engagements, create open digital spaces that encourage accidental, spontaneous serendipity. Get the best of both worlds. ## Serendipity Fueled Innovations We have benefited from innovations from serendipity created from random and chance encounters. For example: One of the most well-known innovations from serendipity is the discovery of the DNA double helix. In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick worked together in a Cambridge lab, trying to solve the riddle of how genetic information is encoded within DNA molecules. By chance, one of their colleagues, Maurice Wilkins, showed Watson and Crick an X-Ray diffraction image of DNA which inspired them to construct an exploratory 3D model of DNA. After months of trial and error, they finally stumbled upon the double helix structure - a breakthrough discovery that revolutionized the scientific understanding of genetics. Another example of serendipity is the discovery of penicillin. In 1928, Alexander Fleming was working in his lab studying Staphylococcus bacteria when he noticed some areas on a culture plate where the bacteria weren't growing. Upon further investigation, Fleming found that these spots had been contaminated with Penicillium notatum mold, killing the bacteria. Where did it come from? The source of the fungal contaminant was from colleague Charles J. La Touche's lab, which was directly below Fleming's. This accidental contamination and discovery later became the basis for one of the most famous antibiotics in history. I would encourage you to challenge the skeptics of virtual serendipity and create game-changing examples that I can add to this post. ## Conclusion Serendipity relies on chance and wisdom to accidentally find what is of value, and we now have the tools and technology to facilitate precisely that. Creating a digital environment that enables collaboration, communication, and spontaneous engagement can spark moments of creative genius. No matter what activities you introduce to your team, it's essential to remain grounded in the underlying principles of serendipity - chance, knowledge, and curiosity. Entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders need to be open to taking a chance and giving their teams the infrastructure, encouragement, and support they need to own it in full force. After all, the power of serendipity only grows when we use it to fuel our creative fires. ### Dark Innovation: Why Stealth is the Way to Go URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/dark-innovation-why-stealth-is-the-way-to-go/ Last updated: 2023-06-07T14:40:28.000Z Innovation is the lifeblood of any organization—be it a startup or a seasoned corporation. But with innovation comes risk, and with risk comes resistance. [Innovation antibodies](https://www.philmckinney.com/corporate-antibodies-dangerous-to-your-ideas/) can be that internal or external roadblocks that see their role to protect the organization from risk. What they end up doing is meddling and stifling progress. To counter these threats, a novel approach has emerged: dark innovation. By "going dark" — keeping a project or initiative under wraps (in stealth mode) — a team can progress without the risk of interference. ## Personal Example of a Dark Innovation Project Over my career, I've created [several dark innovation projects](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-reasons-why-you-should-break-the-rules-and-go-stealth-for-your-next-innovation/) leading to commercial products and services. Eventually, my partner in crime at HP, Henry Sang, and I created a secret "dark lab" that was off the books. I provided the executive air cover and the dark funding while Henry put it together and mentored the projects. It was so secret HP facilities, and the real-estate team didn't know we were operating a large warehouse lab, not to mention the HP executive team was completely unaware of the program. Wired Magazine described it as ... > *HIDDEN SOMEWHERE IN the 178 square miles that make up the City of San Jose, California, there's a nondescript warehouse with black plastic taped over most of the windows. If you manage to sneak a peek inside the front door, you won't see much — a few odds and ends, props for a school play. But if you step inside on the right day, you might see an IndyCar driver. Or the Vice Premier of Taiwan. Or the cinematographer who's developing 3D movie technology with director James Cameron.* This secret lab was an ultra-secret facility where innovators from around HP could collaborate on cutting-edge projects without worrying about prying eyes or interference from management. We created prototypes, explored new ideas, and even launched a few products with no one knowing about them until we were ready to go public. You can read the details in the *Wired* magazine article.[1](https://www.wired.com/2011/11/hp-secret-lab/?ref=philmckinney.com) [HP Reveals Top Secret 3D Lab Inside ‘Area 17’The lab is called Area 17, and it’s where Hewlett Packard has been working on an ambitious plan to change the way we watch everything from an Earth, Wind and Fire concert to a corporate training video to a map on the wall of a Pentagon war room.![](https://www.wired.com/verso/static/wired/assets/favicon.ico)WIREDCondé Nast![](https://media.wired.com/photos/5932787458b0d64bb35d2001/191:100/w_1280,c_limit/cameras.jpg)](https://www.wired.com/2011/11/hp-secret-lab/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## Benefits of Dark Innovation What are the benefits of dark innovation, and why should it be considered in every organization’s toolkit of innovation? ### Dark Innovation Safeguards Ideas Innovation is difficult enough when everyone is working towards a common goal. But things get complicated when innovation antibodies or competitors come into the picture. Dark innovation enables teams to safeguard their work from prying eyes and keep it confidential until it reaches maturity. This approach can help minimize the risk of ideas being stolen, diluted, or blocked entirely. ### Dark Funding Keeps Innovation Hidden When trying to fund a high-risk project, dark funding can provide the necessary resources while keeping the project under wraps. This can be executed through various means, including having multiple teams or organizations contribute a portion of the funds. By keeping these amounts small, they stay out of the limelight. ### Stealth Allows for Iteration Innovation is an iterative process that often requires multiple iterations to reach a successful outcome. With dark innovation, teams can experiment and iterate without fear of the project being derailed or influenced by feedback from outsiders. This allows for a more focused and streamlined approach. ### Dark Innovation Encourages Bolder Ideas Innovation antibodies often come from people or institutions lacking the mental or emotional fortitude to deal with innovation risk. This can mean that teams are hesitant to take on bold new ideas for fear of backlash. Dark innovation enables teams to explore high-risk ideas without interference, leading to bolder, more innovative solutions. ### Dark Innovation Enhances Competitive Advantage By working in secret, teams can create a competitive advantage by keeping their innovation hidden from competitors. Innovation is a critical differentiator in many industries, and by staying hidden, a team can gain a significant competitive advantage. ## Warning If you are the one sponsoring and overseeing the dark innovation work, you need to be prepared to take responsibility for any fallout. Some leaders and organizations dislike being kept in the dark. The impact could be in terms of reputational damage, a loss of trust, or other issues. It's also essential to respect ethical boundaries when working on dark projects. You do not have permission to take shortcuts just because you are off the radar screen. ## Conclusion Dark innovation is a powerful technique that any organization can utilize. By keeping projects under wraps, teams can safeguard their ideas, secure funding, iterate more freely, and explore bolder, high-risk ideas. As innovation becomes increasingly essential for businesses to stay ahead, dark innovation must become an integral part of organizational agendas. Embracing the approach now and adding it to the innovation tool kit will ensure that organizations are ready to take full advantage of it when the time comes. ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Escaping a Creative Rut - Generating New Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-escaping-a-creative-rut-generating-new-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:19.000Z Diving into our Best of Killer Innovation series, we address a common hindrance to innovation: a drought of new ideas. To fix this problem, I’ve developed a simple list of ways to get the creative flow of thoughts circulating back into your organization. When generating ideas, the default answer is to host a brainstorming session. Are there other ways to create new ideas that are not dependent on traditional brainstorming? Today on Killer Innovations, I will share the five I use with you. ## Mind Mapping and Wishing Mind mapping is a fairly common term nowadays; many types of software provide templates for [mind mapping](https://www.philmckinney.com/creating-white-space-innovations-using-innovation-maps-to-create-white-space-innovations/). Traditionally they are used to organize your data, but it is also a great way to generate new ideas. - Develop your [problem statement](https://www.philmckinney.com/four-steps-to-better-brainstorm-problem-statements/). - Write the problem statement in the center of your idea (whiteboards work great). - Expand on this problem statement by surrounding it with terms that better describe your needs. - Now add a second layer to each of your needs describing how you might be able to solve these individual challenges. - Keep adding to your mind map using the steps above until you have sufficiently broken down your problem into manageable parts. It is a fantastic ideation technique that encourages creative answers. Another great way to generate new ideas is by wishing. Wishing encourages your team to let their imaginations run wild. Assuming you have a well-researched and understood problem statement, ask each participant to dream up the most unattainable solutions related to the problem statement. Create a list of a few dozen wishes and go through the wishes by considering and discussing the ideas in detail. Ask yourself: - What makes them so impossible? - How can that idea be scaled down? - Which features of that wish could we integrate into this other approach? You might be surprised to discover practical, real-world solutions among the team’s wildest wishes. ## Six Thinking Hats [Six Thinking Hats ](https://www.amazon.com/Six-Thinking-Hats-Edward-Bono/dp/0316178314/ref=sr%5F1%5F1?keywords=Six+thinking+hats&qid=1561980170&s=gateway&sr=8-1&ref=philmckinney.com)by Dr. Edward de Bono unleashed a new approach to generating ideas by breaking down the ideas into six areas of thought. It helps participants put themselves into the shoes of another. The six hats are: - Logic- the facts. - Optimism- the value and the benefits. - Devil’s Advocate- the difficulties and dangers. - Emotion- Feelings and intuitions. - Creativity- Possibilities and new ideas. - Management- Ensuring the observance of the hat rules. So, how do you use the tool? Have each member put on one of these different “hats” for the discussion. Make sure everyone has their say, and rotate the hats to others for extended sessions. Hence, everyone can see the problem and ideas from various perspectives. ## Brain-Writing and Forced Combinations One challenge for generating ideas is getting everything rattling around in your head out. In this exercise, each participant takes a piece of paper and writes rough ideas for solving the problem statement. Each person passes on each piece of paper, reads it silently, and adds their ideas to the page. This process is repeated until everyone has had an opportunity to contribute to each piece of paper. Once participants have retrieved their original paper, they read and organize the ideas. Then each participant shares the notes and ideas on their piece of paper. The significant advantage of brain-writing is that it ensures everybody has an opportunity to share their ideas and reinforces the idea of “building on the ideas of others.” Lastly, the final way to generate ideas is one I have used with my product teams. The premise is to look at non-logical combinations to create entirely new ideas. This exercise involves combining ideas that serve different needs or interests to form a new concept. How does this work? - Bring a bag of random items to your [ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/ready-thrive-innovation-economy/). - Draw up two lists side-by-side of the items in the bag. - Request a team member to choose two or more items and explore ways they can combine them. - On the list, draw a line for each combination shared with a brief description of the ideas that resulted. - Put the items back in the bag. - The following person selects two or more items and repeats the process. This technique can produce some silly results, but it is ultimately a helpful way of getting your team out of a creative rut. To learn more about generating new ideas, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Escaping a Creative Rut - Generating New Ideas](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Escaping%5Fa%5FCreative%5FRut%5FGenerating%5FNew%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Leadership: Build the Culture You Deserve URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/build-the-culture-you-deserve/ Last updated: 2023-06-04T18:55:56.000Z A leader's responsibility is to elevate a team’s success, and building a positive company culture is foundational for that success. Culture can make or break a company; maintaining a strong culture requires continuous effort, commitment, and action. However, without a well-designed strong culture, teams and organizations will end up with an “accidental culture.” ## Strong Culture Attributes A strong [company culture](https://www.philmckinney.com/tag/innovation-culture/) has several critical attributes, including open communication, trust, transparency, accountability, and teamwork. 1. **Open Communication**: Creating an environment that encourages open dialogue and allows ideas to be shared freely. 2. **Trust & Transparency**: Leadership shows trust by communicating business decisions with employees and being honest about the organization's successes and failures. 3. **Accountability**: Setting clear goals for team members to ensure everyone knows their responsibilities and is held accountable for their performance against those objectives. 4. **Teamwork & Collaboration**: [Fostering teamwork](https://killerinnovations.com/get-along-with-others/?ref=philmckinney.com) across all levels of the organization through collaboration, cooperation, respect, supportiveness, communication, and problem-solving skills ## Accidental Culture Traits Accidental cultures result from team members bringing traits and values from their previous workplaces. The result is an assortment of good and bad components, with no clear vision of how they fit together. Accidental culture can be toxic as it promotes distrust, poor communication, and a lack of accountability. In such cultures, employees operate for their personal gain rather than for the benefit of the team or organization. The traits that reveal an accidental culture include: 1. **Distrust**: Lack of faith in one another or misguided perceptions of team members' motivations and intentions. 2. **Poor Communication**: Poor communication between individuals, teams, and departments can lead to confusion and unclear expectations or objectives. 3. **Lack of Accountability**: Failure to set clear goals and hold employees responsible for their performance against those objectives. 4. **Low Morale & Job Satisfaction**: An environment with low morale can lead to a lack of motivation, job dissatisfaction, complacency, absenteeism, and poor productivity. 5. **High Employee Turnover Rate**: A high employee turnover rate results from an unhappy workplace culture where people feel unappreciated or disengaged from the company’s mission. 6. **Toxic Work Environment**: Negative attitudes among staff that lead to gossiping, backstabbing behavior, and blame-shifting for mistakes or failures rather than constructive problem-solving approaches. 7. **Bullying & Harassment Negativity**: Perpetuating a toxic work environment through [bullying behavior](https://www.philmckinney.com/if-people-would-behave-decently-the-world-would-be-decent/) creates an unhealthy atmosphere leading to overall unhappiness among employees ## Examples Examples of accidental cultures include Uber, Wells Fargo, and Enron. Uber’s accidental culture was known for the toxicity of the founder Travis Kalanick. Wells Fargo, on the other hand, lacked transparency and accountability in its banking practices which resulted in significant fines. Enron is a classic example of wrongdoing and a lack of ethics, resulting in the company’s downfall. Accidental cultures can lead to disastrous consequences, both financially and on the team’s morale. In contrast, strong company culture can be seen in organizations such as Google, Patagonia, & Zappos. Google has a unique approach to its culture that includes ego-free teamwork and a belief in the power of data. Patagonia maintains a culture that centers on environmentalism and activism, valuing its employees' well-being and designing workspaces to reflect those values. Zappos, similarly to Google, believes in nurturing teamwork and transparency, focusing on solid customer service, and a culture of appreciation and valuing customers and employees. > **Leaders get the culture they deserve based on their actions.** ## Modeling The Culture You Want Creating a good culture is not posters and a PowerPoint presented at an all-employee meeting. It requires hard work, commitment, and leadership. The consequences when attempting to form a good culture but falling short can be costly, with the risk of inadvertently creating an accidental culture that could harm team morale and an organization’s success. Leaders must model the culture they want to create and consistently reinforce it with all their actions. Building and maintaining a strong culture is a never-ending process that requires dedication and a willingness to learn, adapt, and grow. ## Conclusion Leaders must decide the culture they want to foster and then actively model the behaviors and principles. Building a great culture takes hard work, but it is ultimately worth it for the success of teams and organizations. A strong culture is like a living, breathing organism; it must be nurtured and strengthened to remain healthy and effective. Neglecting the effort it takes for a strong culture will result in an accidental culture, leading to [disastrous consequences](https://killerinnovations.com/breaking-down-barriers-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Improving Your Match Quality: How to Differentiate Yourself and Thrive URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/improving-your-match-quality-how-to-differentiate-yourself-and-thrive/ Last updated: 2023-05-31T14:10:28.000Z Have you ever found yourself in a job you thought you wanted, only to realize it wasn't the right fit for you? Or maybe you've been in a job for years but still don't feel entirely satisfied with your career? The concept of match quality might be the missing piece to your career puzzle. As I look back on my career, the importance of match quality on my career satisfaction and success cannot be understated. I now realize that when the match quality was low, I was never completely satisfied with my job; I felt like something was missing. On the other hand, when my match quality was high, I felt fulfilled in my role and saw results such as increased innovation impact along with team and company success. My advice, no matter the stage of your career, is to look at your match quality and find ways to improve it so that you differentiate yourself and can thrive. ## Match Quality The concept of “match quality” was first introduced by economists in the 1960s. It measures how well an employee's skills, experience, and interests match their job requirements. > **"Match quality is the key to unlocking a successful career."** A good match quality between a person and their job leads to higher satisfaction, engagement, and overall career success. The opposite is also true: if there's poor match quality; it leads to dissatisfaction, lack of motivation, and low career success. ## Evaluating Your Match Quality One way to identify if you have good match quality is to reflect on your values and personality traits. For instance, your match quality may be low if you value autonomy and creativity but work in a rigid, micromanaged environment. Your match quality is likely high if you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and work in a startup that embodies those characteristics. Another aspect to consider is the level of skill match. This refers to how well your skills and expertise align with the job requirements. Your skill match might be low if you constantly struggle to perform the required tasks or feel underutilized. Conversely, if you're constantly learning and challenged in your job, you probably have a high-skill match. Match quality is a two-way street. While individuals need to find the right fit for their profession, it's equally crucial for employers to find the right fit for their company's culture and values. Employers focusing on matching the right people to the right jobs have higher retention rates, more engaged employees, and a better organizational culture. ## Improving Your Match Quality If you find that your match quality is not ideal, don't worry. Here are some tips for improving it: 1\. **Develop expertise** in a specific area or skill set. Expertise is invaluable because it gives you leverage and the ability to be more creative in problem-solving, which employers value highly. Take the time to build up your skills in a particular area to stand out from the competition. 2\. **Stay current** with industry trends and innovation developments. It's critical to stay on top of what's happening in the workplace and understand how it might affect your role or influence decisions in your organization. Monitoring emerging trends can help you stay ahead of the curve. 3\. Focus on **improving your relationship** with colleagues and management. A strong relationship gives you an edge in understanding how best to approach challenges or opportunities within the organization. It also encourages open dialogue among team members, facilitates collaboration, and helps improve trust. 4\. **Network** and make connections with people in your industry. Networking allows you to build strong relationships with people with the same interests and can provide valuable insight into potential opportunities, new trends, or even advice. Take advantage of conferences, seminars, online forums, or any other relevant events where you can meet like-minded people. 5\. **Improve your communication skills**. Communication is key in any workplace. Whether it's a presentation to management, an internal email, or even a casual conversation with colleagues, effective communication can help you stand out and differentiate yourself from the competition. Match quality isn't easy - it requires effort and dedication. But if you take the time to focus on improving your match quality, you will see results in terms of career satisfaction and success. ## Conclusion The importance of match quality in one’s career is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. If you have the wrong pieces, the picture doesn’t come out right, and it becomes difficult to complete the task. The match quality is high if employers and employees can properly align their values, skill sets, and personalities. This makes for a rewarding job experience with greater success for both parties. ### The Best of Killer Innovations: The Ubiquitous Nature of Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-the-ubiquitous-nature-of-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:39.000Z Continuing our Best of Killer Innovations series, we look at one manufacturer's innovative use of resources. This company's story is a testament to how innovation can unexpectedly occur anywhere, with any resource, and at any moment. Innovations' ubiquitous nature is evident in every corner of our rapidly evolving world. We firmly believe in the limitless potential of innovation, as anyone can ignite it, and it can ignite in any realm imaginable. [Silicon Valley](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-secret-to-silicon-valleys-success/) and other recognized innovation hubs do not have a lock on innovation or a secret sauce that cannot be modeled or improved upon. It takes a willingness to put aside time, use your resources, explore the unknown, and expand your [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/improve-creative-thinking/) (we all have it) beyond where you are today to see the [non-obvious](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-does-innovation-culture-going-beyond-the-obvious-testing-ideas-and-storytelling-have-in-common/). When you do, you will be like our [Kentucky guests](https://www.facebook.com/fingourmetfoods/), revolutionizing in a non-traditional innovation hub and creating a [non-high-tech innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/killer-idea-simple-invention-solves-annoying-problem-in-the-game-of-golf/). As part of our Innovation Across America tours, we ventured across the country in our new mobile studio to Paducah, Kentucky. During the tour, we actively sought individuals pushing the boundaries and innovating "Beyond the Obvious." In our show this week, we had the opportunity to interview the founders of [Fin Gourmet Foods](https://fingourmetmarketplace.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Started in 2010, Fin Gourmet is a Kentucky Proud Producer™ of wild-caught Asian Carp products. So why Asian Carp? It has the highest source of healthy, clean protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, on par with wild-caught salmon. Nowhere else in the world but the USA are Asian Carp wild-caught, and those from western KY are of the best quality. But more importantly, this [innovation story](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-importance-of-stories-and-storytelling-to-innovation/) is unique. Fin's mission and vision are that the Asian Carp provide economic opportunities for[ communities](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-communities/), fostering job creation and revitalizing the inland fishing industry. ## Defining and Tackling a Problem Statement The team at Fin Gourmet [defined the problems and challenges ](https://www.philmckinney.com/four-steps-to-better-brainstorm-problem-statements/)they encountered and engaged in [disruptive ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-create-a-disruptive-ideation-workshop/). As an integral part of their innovation process, they considered some basic assumptions of innovation to create value, including: - [**Turn other people's trash into a product**](http://beyondtheobvious.com/finding-ways-offer-underused-resources/?ref=philmckinney.com)**:**Fin took the Asian Carp, an invasive species taking over the Mississippi and Ohio river systems, and he innovated a way to turn it into an excellent food source. - **Give opportunities to people overlooked:**In addition to locating in a rural part of the country, Fin works with local halfway houses to offer jobs to former prison inmates and others down on their luck. Training, teaching, and building a [culture](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-culture-mean-matter/) that values and leverages the abilities of all. - **Breathe life back into an industry overlooked by others**: Fin pays a premium price for what many consider "trash" to help local independent fishing families to transition to this new species of fish and the [economy](https://www.philmckinney.com/ready-thrive-innovation-economy/) it can support. ## What is the Non-Obvious Innovation at Fin? Fin has two patented innovative processing techniques: 1. Debone Asian Carp fillets. 2. Make all-natural surimi (Japanese fish paste) from the Carp without water or chemicals. With their innovative model, process, and approach, Fin Gourmet is making a significant impact locally and globally with their products and story. The Fin founders and fishermen like Ronny Hopkins better manage the Asian Carp so that our rivers/lakes/estuaries are better protected while employing people who need second chances from incarceration, drug court, domestic violence, and more. The ubiquitous nature of innovation is a remarkable phenomenon that defies the limitations of time, place, and resources. It serves as a testament to the infinite wellspring of human creativity and our unwavering commitment to progress. Whether it emerges from the humblest of workshops or arises amidst the chaos of our lives, innovation has the extraordinary power to reshape our world. It reminds us that brilliance can sprout from the most unexpected sources, and no idea should ever be underestimated or dismissed. Let us wholeheartedly embrace the limitless possibilities and foster a culture that not only recognizes but also nurtures the ubiquitous nature of innovation. Together, through our collective efforts, we pave the way for a future that is brighter, more awe-inspiring, and brimming with endless possibilities. To learn more about the ubiquitous nature of innovation, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: The Ubiquitous Nature of Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FCan%5FHappen%5FAnytime%5FAnywhere%5Fto%5FAnyone.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### There Is No Such Thing As A New Idea, And That's Ok. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/theres-no-such-thing-as-a-new-idea-and-thats-ok/ Last updated: 2023-05-28T17:46:39.000Z As innovators, we push ourselves in the hunt for new innovative ideas that will change the world. We strive for that original idea and the praise that comes with it. Just like the innovators before us who came up with what many consider an original idea and were celebrated as pioneers and trailblazers. But what if I told you there is no such thing as a new idea? Would you believe me? I am not saying that all the good ideas have been used up, and nothing new and original is left. What I am saying is we need to adjust our definition of the term "new idea." ## Changing The Definition When most people hear that something is a new idea, they assume that the idea is fully original, never conceived or thought of before. That is not the case. All ideas are inspired by ideas from the past. Everything we know has been inspired by something else. We just haven't realized it yet. For instance, the Harry Potter storyline is not a new idea. It's Star Wars set with wizards with what some point out as "funny looking lightsabers." Sorry for the spoiler if you are a Harry Potter fan. The new definition we need to understand is that new ideas are the result of uniquely combining what has come before to create a new idea. Ideas are inspired by other ideas, which is why our brains are wired to connect the dots between different concepts. It is how we solve problems, innovate, and create new solutions. It's not about starting from scratch; it is about picking up threads from the past and weaving them together in a new form. 💡 "**No idea can truly be considered new.**" ## Examples of New Ideas Examples of new ideas inspired by the past abound throughout history, from the invention of the automobile to the creation of modern technology. Here is a list of some examples of how people have taken past ideas and combined them into something entirely new. - Picasso's famous painting, "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon", is often regarded as a revolutionary artwork that broke away from existing conventions. The painting was inspired by African tribal masks and Cubist techniques, combining elements of both to create something new. This dynamic mix of two distinct art forms created an entirely original image. - The popular film series "The Fast and the Furious" was inspired by the classic 1961 song "(Ghost) Riders In The Sky: A Cowboy Legend". - Rock and roll music is often seen as an entirely original genre, but it is actually a combination of two pre-existing genres: blues and country. - The modern credit card was created by combining two existing ideas: the use of plastic for payments and the concept of revolving accounts with a given credit limit. - Disney's animated movie Frozen was based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story of "The Snow Queen," which had been adapted into many forms over time before it became a full-length feature film from Disney. ## Finding Inspiration in New Combinations Innovation is not about creating something entirely new but finding fresh connections between different concepts. This approach of connecting ideas allows us to create something fresh that builds on inspirations from the past. So don't get discouraged when you can't come up with something totally original; instead, look for creative ways to combine existing ideas in innovative and exciting ways. It is a new idea as long as it has not been done before. ## Conclusion The quest for a new, groundbreaking idea is futile because there is no such thing as a new idea. All ideas are inspired by what has come before us, and it's ok that they are. Rather than searching for something entirely new, we should look for inspiration from the past by connecting previously unrelated concepts to create something novel and groundbreaking. So, the next time you're working on a new project or idea, remember it's not about starting from scratch. It's about finding fresh connections between ideas and building on what already exists. There's no need to put pressure on yourself to create something entirely new because that's an impossible task. Instead, focus on finding the best combination of concepts to create an innovative solution. ### Changing The Default: The Secret to Innovation Success URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/changing-the-default-the-secret-to-innovation-success/ Last updated: 2023-05-25T19:19:01.000Z We live in a world designed to be convenient and easy for us. This convenience has led us to [rely on defaults](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-does-your-brain-work-on-innovation/), taking the path of least resistance and not bothering to question the answers others have chosen for us. However, is this the best approach? Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist, and professor at the Wharton School of Business, has found that our reliance on defaults can have a profound impact on our creativity. He used the example of web browsers to illustrate his point: when given a choice between two different browsers, most people take the default option without considering any other possibilities. This lack of exploration prevents us from finding solutions outside of what is already known or accepted—and consequently limits our ability to be creative. In this way, we become stuck in a cycle where we always accept whatever is presented as “the right answer” without ever questioning it or exploring alternate options. Alternatively, people who refuse to take the default are more innovative, creative, and successful. What are you to do? Look for ways to hack your defaults, or sometimes called "[assumptions](https://www.philmckinney.com/question-your-assumptions/)." By thinking differently and questioning your defaults, you can open up fresh paths to creativity and innovation that doesn't follow the crowd—but make it instead. ## 5 Defaults To Hack It is hard to change our ingrained defaults. However, there are five that deserve a hard look and some consideration of hacking: ### Change Your Workspace: Whether you work in an office or have an office in your house, there's a strong possibility that your workspace reflects the same office set-up you've been accustomed to for years. This means everything is in the same place, and the setup is like what you're used to. But what if you changed things up? Moving your desk to face a different direction or rearranging your workspace can have a substantial impact on your creativity. New surroundings can create an exciting and energizing atmosphere, which can help you come up with fresh ideas. ### Switch up Your Daily Commute: Do you always follow the same route to work or when you are running errands? For most of us, the answer is yes. However, taking the same path daily can become predictable and dull, stunting your thinking. Changing your daily commute can give you a fresh perspective on the world. Consider walking or biking to work or taking a different mode of transportation than usual. A new journey and surroundings can inspire new ideas. ### Shake Up Your Routine: If you've been doing the same morning routine for the past few years, try something new, say two new things or a change every day. Creative individuals vary their daily routines; this can help your brain get out of autopilot mode, which is more likely to generate innovative ideas. Start small. This can be as simple as preparing a different breakfast or taking a new exercise class. In this way, you are changing your default humdrum to something that will give your day-to-day life a little color and variety. ### Experiment With New Technology: Many of us are guilty of using the same software, apps, and programs daily. While this is convenient, it's not very imaginative. Experimenting with new technologies and tools will inspire new ideas. Instead of sticking with the usual program, learn how to use a new one. Or try a different camera and see which would give you brighter and better output. Discovering new options to develop more skills and get out of your creative rut is essential. ### Challenge What You Believe: Finally, it's essential to challenge your beliefs. We all have default positions on nearly every topic imaginable. However, it's essential to remember that these positions are merely defaults, which you can change. Question the things that you believe and challenge them. A willingness to change will bring new insights and creativity into your life. ## Examples of Changing The Defaults History has repeatedly shown that changing the defaults leads to more creativity and innovation. For example: ### Nikola Tesla One example of an inventor who credited changing the default for their success is Nikola Tesla. Born in what is now Serbia, he studied electrical engineering and went to work for Thomas Edison in New York City. Initially, Edison's philosophy was that direct current (DC) was the way to go for electricity; thus, DC became the default. Tesla disagreed, believing alternating current (AC) was the way of the future. He spent years challenging Edison's ideas and eventually convinced him that AC electricity was superior to power transmission. His efforts paid off, and Tesla became one of the most famous inventors in history. ### Elon Musk Another example of an inventor who credited the effort to change the default for their success is Elon Musk. Musk is a serial entrepreneur and innovator whose success has been largely attributed to his willingness to think differently and challenge traditional defaults to reach his goals. For example, with Tesla Motors, he believed they could make electric vehicles stylish, luxurious, and at a lower cost. This was a radical departure from the traditional defaults in the automotive industry, but it has since revolutionized how people think about cars, specifically electric vehicles. ## Conclusion Taking the default is comfortable and efficient but not conducive to success and creativity. Sometimes, these defaults turn into [bad habits](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-bad-habits-that-impact-your-creativity/). Challenging the default and trying something new is essential. Changing your life's defaults, whether in terms of technology, routine, beliefs, or anything else, can help you become more innovative and successful. Changing the default settings can make all the difference. ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Essential KPIs URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-essential-kpis/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:38.000Z Resuming our Best of Killer Innovation Series, we hone in on six categories of essential KPIs that will help you successfully predict and keep track of crucial details that will allow you to run your organization smoothly. This episode addresses questions from listeners on innovation KPIs. After clocking 12,000 miles in the mobile Innovators Studio, I'm back in Colorado. On the road, I talked with [interesting innovators ](https://www.philmckinney.com/in-real-time-live-streaming-innovation/)and [analyst](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-standouts-ces-2018/)s. Taking a break from interviews, I'd like to answer your questions on measuring [innovation success](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-attitude-innovation-success/). There are hundreds of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to [measure innovation success](https://www.philmckinney.com/6-ways-to-measure-innovation-success-that-every-company-should-put-in-place/#more-7788). *What are the right innovation KPIs to use?* *What KPIs will give insight into the innovation process?* KPIs should be unique to your organization. Think through what KPIs will measure and how that can guide innovations and your organization. ## KPI Building Blocks I've broken innovation KPIs into categories, like building blocks. Build up the blocks to get a complete perspective on your innovation effort. Six categories for Innovation KPIs: ### Idea [process](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-steps-implementing-killer-innovation-process/#more-15097) /managing the idea funnel - What's done to get ideas, put them in a funnel, review, manage and analyze them? - Raw ideas - Raw ideas validated - Ideas prototyped - Age of ideas ### Idea commercialization - Innovation idea brought to market. - Innovations that became a product - Innovations that make a profit - Are early customers willing to pay a margin premium? - Innovations purchased - resources in the organization aligning to make the product a reality? ### [Financial impact](https://www.philmckinney.com/can-you-measure-the-impact-from-innovation/#more-2994) - Tough to measure – long lag from the time of investment to product launch in the market - Revenue from new innovations - Profit from innovations - Revenue protected by patents - Revenue from patent licensing ### Customer impact - Customer success compared from old products to new innovation - What has the latest product allowed customers to achieve? - How many customers have shifted to new ones? - Market share trend for innovation – grabbing from competitors? ### Organizational impact - New products/services have an impact - Can pull organization into the [new category of focus](https://www.philmckinney.com/refocusing-innovation-future-s13-ep53/) - The ratio of sales from old versus new – sales ramping up for further/declining for old? - The ratio of profit from old versus new - Investments – Is investment shifting from old to new? - Rate of return on innovation investment - Has it driven *brand awareness*? ### Pure Innovation KPIs - Catch-all - Staff trained for innovation - Use of formal [creativity tool](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) - Implementation and use of Idea Management System - Structured problem-solving tools - Committed resources to innovation - Patents/year ## Guidance 1. Pick three to five essential KPIs from each category that work for your organization. 2. Ensure you can measure them. 3. Validate KPIs that *drive the correct behavior*and *achieve the desired outcome*. 4. Test/adjust KPIs as needed. 5. Share with the community. We'd love your feedback. What do you think about the five-minute focus in the last segment of today's show? Like what you hear? Leave us a comment or review where you listen to the show. We post on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Follow us on your favorite social media site. To learn more about KPIs, listen to this week's show: *[*The Best of Killer Innovations: Essential KPIs*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Essential%5FKPIs.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The First Mover Myth: Why Being an Improver is Actually Better URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-first-mover-myth-why-being-an-improver-is-actually-better/ Last updated: 2023-05-22T14:02:27.000Z There’s a commonly held belief that being a first mover is the key to success in innovation. While it’s true that pioneering a new product or service can garner interest and excitement, statistics show it doesn’t lead to success. The alternative is to be the improver who takes the best of what early movers have already created and significantly improves upon it. While “first movers” have a 47% failure rate, “improvers” have only an 8% failure rate. So, why aren’t more innovators and entrepreneurs focused on playing the “improver” role? ### What is the First Mover Myth? The First-Mover Myth is the belief that there is an advantage to being the first company to market a new product or service. This myth is based on the assumption that a company that gets there first will corner the market and dominate its competitors. However, history has shown that being a first mover rarely leads to success. Many first movers have failed despite having an initial head start. Despite the odds, a few star companies that succeeded as first-movers gave false credit to the myth that has been repeated by the media, venture capitalists, MBA programs, and entrepreneurs. ### Why do first movers have a high failure rate? First movers have a high failure rate because they have to bear all the costs of bringing a new product to the market. These costs include research and development, testing, marketing, and more. Meanwhile, competitors can sit back and learn from the first mover's successes and mistakes before releasing their version, which will be better. A significant contributor to their high failure rate is that they often cannot accurately anticipate customer needs since they are creating a new product category. They may assume customers want features that aren't useful or overlook essential components of the product. First movers most likely lack the resources and capital to support iterating their product to close the customer need gap. ### What is an Improver? An improver is a competitor that enters a market after the first movers with better quality, cost, and functionality based on the first mover's experience. Improvers can take advantage of the lessons learned by early movers and often offer significant improvements or differentiators to existing offerings. ### Examples of First Mover Failures: Some of the biggest failures from being a first mover include AOL, Betamax, Google Wave, and Apple’s Lisa computer. These companies were the first mover in their respective markets but failed because of high costs or lack of customer acceptance. Each bore the full cost of creating a new product category based on an idea that had never been tested in the market. In contrast, the improvers in each category — Yahoo, VHS, Gmail, and Apple’s Macintosh computer — saw success by capitalizing on lessons learned from the first movers and providing better value to customers. ### Examples of Successful Improvers: Some of the most successful companies in the world are improvers, including Google, Facebook, and Apple. Google search improved existing search engines, while Facebook improved on the social networking sites that preceded it. Apple’s iPhone was not the first smartphone on the market. Still, it quickly became the best, thanks to its combination of superior hardware, user-friendly interface, and easy-to-use app ecosystem. ### Why are so many still focused on the First Mover Myth? Many entrepreneurs still believe in the First Mover Myth because they are drawn to the idea of being the first to bring something new to the world. Innovators want to be remembered for creating something that many will use. It is understandable why being a first-mover is so attractive — being the first has a certain glamour. However, it is important to heed the lessons of history, and not the myth, and realize that being an improver is a better path to success. ### Isn't Being An Improver Unethical? No, being an improver is not unethical. It would be unethical if an improver stole trade secrets or violated patents to create a competitive product, but this is not the same as improving on a product or service. Improvers should focus on improving within the bounds of acceptable competition and creativity. An improver takes advantage of the lessons learned by the first mover to offer a better version of the product or service. Not create a duplicate of the product using stolen intellectual property. The improver's success relies on its ability to innovate and create a better product or service, offering customers more value. Hence, it is ethical for an improver to capitalize on the lessons learned by the first movers to create a better version of the original idea. ### Conclusion Many entrepreneurs believe they must be the first to market their new idea to be successful. However, statistics prove otherwise. First movers have a high failure rate, while improvers and late entrants have a much better chance of succeeding. By entering a market later with a superior product, businesses can use the lessons learned by the first movers to their advantage. It's time for entrepreneurs to leave the First Mover Myth behind and start focusing on becoming the next great improver instead. ### The Best of Killer Innovations: 7 Rules to Live By URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-7-rules-to-live-by/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:15.000Z Sometimes, life surprises us with moments of reflection. I remember vividly having a captivating conversation with a taxi driver. While stuck in traffic on my way to the airport after hosting a South by Southwest meet-up on neural diversity hiring, he curiously asked about the key to my success. His question inspired me to jot down my 7 rules to live by. Continuing with the Best of [Killer Innovations](https://www.facebook.com/killerinnovations), I share them with you in the hope that they'll assist you in achieving personal and professional triumphs. ## My 7 Rules to Live By ### Stay connected to the people who matter most. Keep in touch personally, not just electronically. Nurture deep relationships with loved ones. ### Listen more, talk less. Be genuinely interested in others, actively listen, and ask questions—end conversations by offering help. ### Make commitments you're genuinely committed to. Don't make false promises. If you can't deliver, be honest and find alternative solutions. ### Don't get caught up in credit. Credit will find its rightful owner. Embrace teamwork and acknowledge others' contributions. ### Acknowledge and encourage others. Success is a result of collective effort. Express gratitude and provide words of encouragement. ### Handle criticism with compassion. Pause before responding. Count to ten or wait a day. Choose compassion over rudeness. Seek advice before reacting. ### Set priorities based on the "5 Fs." Faith, Family, Friends, Fitness, and Finance. Filter demands based on these priorities. Now that you have my 7 rules to live by, create your own set to achieve personal and professional success. Before you start, let me just tell you one thing: success is personal, so your set of rules should be, too. Think about what matters to you, what [principles](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-my-innovation-library/) guide you, what values you hold dear. Create a set of rules that aligns with them. And don't forget to make them actionable, measurable, and realistic. Remember, these rules to live by are not a one-time thing. They're a continuous practice that helps you grow, learn, and become a better version of yourself. To learn more about rules to live by, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: 7 Rules to Live By](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Seven%5FRules%5Fto%5FLive%5FBy.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Punctuality Paradox: The Ethics of Time URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-punctuality-paradox-the-ethics-of-time/ Last updated: 2023-05-09T23:56:26.000Z > "Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend," said Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher. Many say time is money, but I think it's more precious than mere money. It's a resource that cannot be bought or saved. Each day grants us a grand total of 1440 precious minutes. After accounting for the recommended amount of sleep, we're left with a total of 960 minutes to use as we wish. I am resolute in [maximizing my time](https://www.philmckinney.com/not-enough-time-to-be-creative-prioritize/), even if others choose to fritter theirs away. However, it's not just about them squandering their own time. Some view it as their duty to squander the time of others. A perfect example is the time wasted in most meetings. ## Meetings! Despite my efforts to remain patient, nothing quite frustrates me more than a meeting that starts late or drags on for too long. Why do we insist on scheduling every meeting for an entire hour, when 20 or 30 minutes would suffice? The individuals who schedule meetings often fail to realize the significance of everyone's precious time. To ensure productive meetings that [respect everyone's time](https://www.philmckinney.com/build-culture-innovation/), each participant must appreciate the significance of punctuality and become familiar with the agenda and objectives beforehand. So, what is the value of the time wasted in a meeting? As an experiment, our Chief People Officer computed the worth of an hour meeting for the executive team in terms of an hourly rate. When she disclosed the number to the entire team, it left everyone astounded. It introduced a new vocabulary for meetings. Teams started questioning the value of discussing an agenda item in terms of the cost of convening a meeting. If we decided not to convene the meeting, we would delegate the decision to a smaller group. This way, we can ensure the most efficient handling of the matter. ## Punctuality Punctuality is a predictor of future success as it demonstrates reliability and accountability. However, for many, it remains a challenge. A range of factors can impact one's punctuality. While some elements, like traffic or bad weather conditions, are beyond your control, others are internal, such as mismanaging time or a lack of motivation. Punctuality affects us more than we may realize. From missed opportunities to falling short of goals, tardiness has significant consequences. It's crucial to appreciate the value of time in every aspect of our lives. I'm very focused on punctuality. I understand that life can get in the way of being on time, and I will always try to be understanding if someone is late for a meeting or event. When something holds great importance to me, I dedicate myself to being punctual, whether it be an appointment or a project deadline. My punctuality obsession often leaves me with high expectations for others, which can create pressure and the feeling of being overwhelmed. My wife reminds me that I need to chill when it comes to my laser-focused on being punctual. She has taught me to remain flexible in cases where there's nothing else I can do. In those scenarios, it's better not to stress about things I cannot control. ## Ethical Time: Life and Death Is time management the difference between life and death? I can't recall the title or the author, but I remember reading a sci-fi story years ago where time is more than just a measure of hours and minutes. It carries a much greater significance: if you are late for something, the time you were late will be taken off your life expectancy and added to those who were on time. Time is of the essence in this world, and being punctual can sometimes be a matter of life and death. It profoundly alters your perception of time, offering a new perspective on the value of time. ## Punctuality Applied Since taking on the [CEO](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovative-ceo-how-to-lead-innovation-from-the-top/) position in June 2012, I have made it a habit to call each Board member two weeks before each upcoming board meeting. The aim is to review the agenda, get alignment on any issues, and address questions they may have. Their time is extremely valuable. Numerous individuals on my board manage multi-billion dollar enterprises while juggling countless responsibilities. One of the ways in which I showcase my appreciation for the invaluable contributions made by my board members is by respecting their schedules and being punctual on calls. This helps create a strong culture of respect, reliability, and trust, essential for any successful partnership. I arrange these discussions well in advance and always assume responsibility for initiating the call. I make sure to call at the exact scheduled time, ensuring prompt and punctual communication. Initially, their reaction was one of surprise. By consistently doing this over the past decade, I have shown them my unwavering commitment to respecting their time. Without fail, their office always grants me the opportunity whenever I request just 15 minutes. Why? My punctuality reassures them that their time is valued and respected. They entrust it to me, and I live up to that trust, ending the discussion on time. ## My 3 Tips for Time Management None of the following time management tips are revolutionary or groundbreaking. At times, we tend to overlook their significance in our daily lives. That's why it's important to remind ourselves of these simple strategies for getting things done and being productive with our time. ### 1\. Focus On The Right Tasks: One of the most effective techniques for managing time is to focus on the right tasks and get the others off your plate. This involves identifying and focusing on the most urgent tasks that are also critical. How? The [Eisenhower Matrix](https://www.philmckinney.com/selective-neglect-what-do-you-not-do/) enables you to focus on what truly matters and selectively neglect tasks that can be delegated or ignored altogether. It helps you avoid getting bogged down in less significant to-dos to make the most of your time and achieve more. ### 2\. Learn to Delegate Work: Delegation is a required skill for effective time management. Many people feel they need to do everything themselves to ensure it will be done properly, but this can be a mistake. Delegating tasks to others is an effective way to create breathing space for focusing on more important tasks. This can also help build teamwork and improve productivity. ### 3\. Take Time to Recharge: Taking breaks and making time for oneself is crucial to enhance overall productivity and well-being. Though it may seem counterintuitive, taking breaks can enhance efficiency and focus while reducing stress and preventing burnout. Taking extended time (vacations) away from work for rest and relaxation is crucial for our creativity and productivity. By doing this, you can return to work with newfound focus, heightened concentration, and more abundant energy. ## Conclusion We must use time wisely as it's a finite resource, critical in making the most of our lives. It is crucial to be mindful of how we spend our precious time and prioritize tasks wisely to ensure our efforts are centered on what truly matters. Sometimes, we may need to make tough decisions about letting go of certain activities. Yet, these choices will ultimately help us choose the path that leads to achieving our goals and success. So let me ask you this: How are you going to make the most of your precious time? ### The Best of Killer Innovations: The Art of Making Ideas Reality URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-the-art-of-making-ideas-reality/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:15.000Z Picking up with our Best of Killer Innovation Series, we delve deeper into the art of making ideas reality by following a proper execution plan. In this episode, we wrap up a series of shows we did on the innovation framework known as FIRE. We will discuss the part of the innovation framework known as execution. Execution is composed of making your best ideas into something tangible. ## Execution I have used the FIRE (Focus, Ideation, Ranking, Execution) framework for over 20 years, and thousands of organizations use it. - *Focus* is defining where your problem area is. - [*Ideation*](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/) is the process of creating ideas to address your problem areas. The process consists of individual and team ideation, which, when combined, generates 30% more ideas than when done individually. - [*Ranking*](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-select-the-best-ideas/) is where you prioritize your ideas. This process is through dot/wow voting and criteria ranking. - *Execution,* the last element of the FIRE framework, is how one turns ideas into innovation—done through two phases: testing and validation and launching the MVP (Minimum viable product). Execution is not easy. 92% of CEOs say innovation is critical to their organization, but only 35% have confidence in executing these ideas. ## What to Expect In my opinion, innovation consists of ideas made real. I constantly repeat one quote: "Ideas without execution are a hobby, and I'm not in the hobby business." At this point, you've ranked your ideas, but need to figure out how to make these ideas a real innovation. Going into this, you won't know all of the answers. Expect a very messy process because there might not be a clear path from point A to point B. It would help if you were adaptable and ready to learn things. It would be best if you innovated around the idea frequently. Be okay with an unexpected outcome, as the process is an experiment. Innovation projects have to be measured differently than a typical product development project. One of the measurements of success is learning throughout the process. Stay away from [innovation antibodies](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/). Innovation causes conflict, prompting these antibodies to come out. These include ego response (stepping on someone's toes), fatigue (people who have tried and failed at it before), no risk response (CFO or legal counsel), and comfort response (we don't need to change). ## Steps of Execution The first step to making an idea real is creating the pitch. The pitch is your way of telling the story around your idea, also known as [strategic storytelling](https://www.philmckinney.com/better-ways-to-co-innovation-and-strategic-storytelling/). The key is to tell your idea's story so that others see what life will be like when your idea is delivered. The second step is to create the funnel. There are four funnel gates: *market validation, customer validation, limited launch, and global launch*. The key here is to convey that not all ideas will go forward. - *Market validation* is where you ask if the problem exists. One way to do this is through gorilla idea validation. Talk to people you don't know to get brutally honest feedback rather than people you know who might tell you what you want to hear. - *Customer validation* is where you see if your idea solves the customer's problem. **I use the Michelle test**. I would take a product we built at HP, bring it home, and leave it on the counter for my wife. She would take it out of the box and use it, giving it her honest evaluation. Because my wife is not a technology person, I would receive some solid feedback from a different perspective. - A *limited launch* is where you launch in a limited space. I use the buy test to build and advertise a product, putting it into retail stores like a launch. When people try to buy it, you give it to them for free in return for their feedback. - *Global launch* is where you put your pedal to the metal and push the product out. At this point, you've gone through all of the steps and should have confidence in your product's success. ## Making Ideas: Reality This week's show focused on taking all of your ideas and making them a reality. Many innovators have great ideas but struggle to find funding. There could be an issue with their [pitch](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-parts-to-an-innovation-pitch-for-your-idea-s11-ep50/). Learn and readjust the pitch and understand all the elements that go into it. When Steve Jobs and Apple worked on the iPhone, the product was ready three years before the launch. They knew they needed to wait for a faster processor and another generation of touch screens. They had the discipline and patience to stay, which paid off in the long run. I used the lean canvas to help my team stay on track and focused. The innovation lean canvas is in place of a typical plan. It is an overview of the critical areas at a glance, which frequently updates as the product evolves. Check out the Disruptive Ideation Workshop[ here ](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)to teach your team the FIRE framework. If you are interested in learning more about execution or want information from previous shows, check out all the free downloadable material I put together [here](https://killerinnovations.com/download-free-innovation-toolkit-resources/?ref=philmckinney.com). To learn more about the art of making ideas reality, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: The Art of Making Ideas Reality](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FArt%5Fof%5FMaking%5FIdeas%5FReality.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### New Media Gallery URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/new-media-galary/ Last updated: 2023-05-22T14:03:20.000Z New Media Gallery was an innovative, interactive experience that used the latest technology to allow visitors to step into a multidimensional social network, demonstrating new media’s powerful impact on our world. The gallery blended the latest in digital technology with the Newseum’s multimedia expertise to place visitors at the center of the news revolution. Its mission was to illustrate how technology can help create fresh forms of communication and information sharing, which was reshaping our news media and society. The gallery featured five groundbreaking interactive experiences and a multiscreen video presentation that illustrated the evolution and progression of global media. Live Twitter feeds filled touch-screen monitors and connect visitors with trending news stories. As visitors entered the gallery, they were directed to the “Check-In” area, where they could post photos of themselves to screens in the gallery and comment on events of the day. At two 11-foot-wide interactive touch walls, visitors were encouraged to explore dozens of important news events and viral videos, including the first Twitter reports of the 2008 China earthquake and the Facebook posts that fueled the Egyptian revolution in 2011. In the “Choose the News” area, visitors could flip through the latest news stories, build custom news pages, and then publish them to a large video wall. The “Game Zone” features motion-tracking technology that allows visitors to use hand gestures to test their knowledge of social media. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/05/newseum-new-media-galary-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/05/newseum-new-media-galary-3.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/2023/05/newseum-new-media-galary-1.jpg) ## Current Status: The Newseum closed its doors in Washington, DC December 31, 2019. ## The Technology How do we make any surface a display?” The Photon Engine, a massive back-lit screen showing real-time feeds of user input, and [VantagePoint](https://techtrend.com/portfolio/smart-wall/?ref=philmckinney.com), an equally hulking tableau of touch-screens make up the centerpiece of the Newseum New Media Gallery. The Photon Engine takes the information entered by a large group of users and presents the results on a customized screen presented by a row of LED projectors. For the Newseum’s purposes, the user input is a choice of leading news stories that visitors can curate to their personal whims. A Congressional scandal here, the latest developments from Syria there, mix in a tawdry celebrity scoop for good measure and submit—it’s not at all dissimilar from a personalized Google News page, just matched against other visitors’ news habits. ### My Experience with Innovation Influencing URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-influencer/ Last updated: 2023-05-22T14:03:46.000Z Innovation influencer marketing is a new and exciting way to get your company's customers and investors on board. It’s all about connecting with people passionate about innovation and helping them spread the word about your organization and brand. The history of influencer marketing dates back to the early days of traditional advertising. In fact, famous authors and journalists who could influence the public created some of the first recorded examples of influence marketing. Recently, the term “influencer marketing” has become popular thanks to the rise of social media. With platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, it’s easier than ever for influencers with social media presence to connect with their audience and promote an organization and its products or services. In today’s world of social media, an entire influencer marketing industry has emerged. **Several things make innovation influencer marketing important to any organization's strategy.** First, it’s all about connecting with genuinely passionate people about innovation. These influencers are the people who will be most interested in learning about your brand and spreading the word to their friends and followers. People who are passionate about innovation are the perfect target audience for brands looking to promote new products and services. These people are influential within their community of followers. As a result, they can amplify the message about you and your products or services. Second, innovation influencer marketing is always forward-looking. You’re not just relying on influencers to talk about your brand—you’re also working with them to create new and exciting content that will excite people about your company. This can be anything from developing new product concepts to creating informative blog posts and social media content. Third, innovation influencer marketing is flexible and can be customized to fit your needs. You can work with multiple influencers or focus on one, and you can adjust your strategy as your company grows and changes. ## My Experience: reMarkable In 2013, the reMarkable team embarked on a mission to create a device that would provide a pure, paper-like experience that was connected and limitless. The first real digital paper tablet. Designed for reading, writing, and sketching. And to be an elegant tool for thinking in the digital age for those who love the inspiration and clarity they get when working on paper. The result was reMarkable. I was one of the early customers of the reMarkable 2 and talked publically about how I used the reMarkable to replace my idea notebooks. reMarkable heard about my comments and reached out to gauge my interested in being a paid innovation influencer. Since I was already a product user (+3 years), I said yes. The result is a series of ads that have been running across social media platforms. ## reMarkable Ad #1 reMarkable Ad #1 with Phil McKinney - Medium Length ## reMarkable Ad #2 ## reMarkable Ad #3 ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Six Vital Innovation Skills URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-six-vital-innovation-skills/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:15.000Z Returning to our Best of Killer Innovations series, we kick this week off with a look back at vital innovation skills. This foundation can help beginner and seasoned innovators stay ahead in an evolving world. What innovation skills are needed to create new ideas and products successfully? Many people often find themselves void of creativity in the innovation world. This stems from a deeper issue. We dive into more detail to discover what innovation skills separate those with limited success from those with continual success. The skill sets that can allow you to be successful no matter your organization type, size, or geographical location all have the same foundational elements. ## Self-Confidence in Creativity The number one skill set I have discussed is self-confidence in your creativity. We were all born highly creative. From an early age, the education system drives creativity out of us. Grade school through college teach children conformity, instilling the belief that acting the same is crucial to relevance. Then, in our professional careers, we are expected to think differently, be more creative, and generate solutions despite sixteen or more years of being drilled in conformity. It's no myth that CEOs recruit creativity. Creativity drives innovation. It's a catalyst for growth in a business. If you are not exercising your creativity and unlocking its potential, you could become irrelevant because of conformity. ## Bravery Another essential skill set is bravery. The opposite of innovation bravery is conformity. You need to go out and apply your creativity. Share your thoughts and ideas. Take some risks. Try something you haven't done before. The fear and feeling of failure a detrimental mind block because it holds us back and kills our bravery. You have to get over the fear of failure to be brave. Step out, get permission, or permit to go, and fail. Go out, experiment, test the limits, [break the norm, and be brave](https://philmckinney.com/be-willing-to-be-weird/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Seeing with Fresh Eyes One vital skill set that gets harder to use as you get more experienced and set in your ways is your perspective. Seeing with fresh eyes and having a beginner's mind will guide you to develop breakout products and services. Don't let your area of expertise cloud your vision but come into every new project with an attitude of openness. Every year of experience in your area of expertise can enable you to become more and more closed off to different approaches or new opportunities if you are not careful. By adopting an open-minded approach, you can avoid getting caught up in a limiting cycle of repetitive groupthink. ## Ability to Craft & Ask Great Questions How does one get creative thoughts and ideas flowing? The answer is by asking questions. Questions hold great power. They get people thinking. There are simple 'yes' or 'no' questions, leading questions, and questions you craft to discover. The power of creating and collecting your questions is critical in the innovation world. It will help you develop new ideas and eliminate problems. Coming in as a new leader, I crafted four questions to gain a unique insight. Creating these questions is vital to deriving input from your team, vendors, partners, leaders, and potential beneficiaries of your idea. Continually developing different ways of asking a question can generate unique discoveries. For instance, if I ask you, "What is half of thirteen?" and you respond, "Six and a half," I would give you an 'A' on a math test, but in innovation, I would give you a 'C.' Why? The reason is that you stopped at the first obvious answer. What if I craft the question slightly differently and ask how many ways you can convey half of thirteen? There are more ways than one, and how creative you can get would surprise you. To help, I've crafted a card deck that asks questions from various angles to challenge you to think differently. Learning how to reword questions and uniquely ask them will give you a skill that generates new insights. The power of questions is critical in the innovation game. Begin creating, crafting, and collecting your questions today. ## Dealing with Innovation Antibodies One skill we need, but tend to overlook, is the ability to deal with [innovation antibodies](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/). When operating in the world of innovation, opposition often occurs. People may feel threatened by your idea for one reason or another. These people act as innovation antibodies, attacking your idea. How do you deal with this issue? No matter where you are in innovation, you will encounter different responses and have to learn to work through them. Here are the types of responses you will need to work through: - **Ego Response**– The jealousy of your idea comes from an authority position. Share some of the idea/give credit to get around these people - **Fatigue Response**– "I've tried that before." Treat them as an adviser to help your idea - **No-Risk Response** – "That's too risky." Empathize with them and take risks seriously - **Comfort Response** –"We don't need change. We're doing good." Show them that things will not be good forever Have you dealt with an innovation antibody in your organization? What category would you put them in? Do others call you an innovation antibody? If so, what type are you? ## Innovation Attitude An essential skill set vital to success is an innovation attitude permeating your culture. I use the following easy-to-remember acronym CARE to keep an innovative outlook. - **C – Candor** – freely share your creative thoughts and ideas with others. Be respectful but be honest and encourage openness among yourselves and others. Invite them to act as an innovation antibody, even on your ideas. If you don't share your thoughts and ideas, they don't become genuine innovations—they have zero value. - **A – Action** – Act on ideas that will impact your organization. Take charge to enable progress and lean in. Provide solutions to issues both big and small regardless of if it is your idea. Don't let good ideas become stale simply because it wasn't your idea. Instead, please take action to drive them forward. - **R – Risk** – Understand the uncertainty and risk of trying new ideas. Take calculated risks or act on perceived threats. Get rid of perceived risks—many are not real risks. Learn from experiments and calculated risks. Understand how to manage risks and push forward. - **E – Empowe**r – Trust yourself and others to make a difference. Feel like you are empowered and have permission. Empower others and encourage leaders to empower—enable permission. Let's connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/be-willing-to-be-weird/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a message there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network ](https://theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com)or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea? Check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don't forget to join our [Innovators Community ](https://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com)to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about the ingredients for innovation success, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Six Vital Innovation Skills](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Six%5FVital%5FInnovation%5FSkills.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Key Ingredients for Innovation Success URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-key-ingredients-for-innovation-success/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:14.000Z Resuming our Best of Killer Innovation series, we look at key ingredients to build innovation success for organizations. ## The Innovation Success Formula Innovation is about translating ideas into products, services, and solutions. Ideas without execution are a hobby. Is your organization in the *business* of Innovation? This episode boils it down to a simple equation. Ideas + Innovation Culture = Innovation Success. The process starts with ideas and the management of them. But ideas won't develop and thrive without the right culture. Core Attributes are about setting the basis for Innovation Culture. When you set up a good system of gathering ideas and lay a foundation for an innovation culture, innovation success ensues. ## Creating Order from the Brainstorm of Ideas The process starts with ideas coming from many sources. Then comes the question of how to [manage your ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/). How do you log, track and rank them? Where are your ideas today in the innovation lifecycle? What about all the [brainstorming ](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-run-a-next-generation-brainstorming-session-s11-ep47/)sessions over the last few years… could you quickly put your hand on the list of those ideas? Ideas have value over time. ## The Idea Management System, Step By Step If you believe ideas are the economy's currency, you need to manage ideas as a valued asset for innovation success. Treat ideas as valuable asset. What's needed in an idea management system? ### Idea capture and tracking - It is an easy way to put ideas in the system, track them over time, evaluate them, and link them to other ideas that could grow into something significant. - Done by people on the innovation team but also open to other people in the organization who can submit an idea easily – have one place to look for all assets ### Idea evaluation – some form of an idea evaluation tool that allows management to assess and look at ideas more closely - Does everyone in the organization look at it and vote - Use a ranking process like [F-Focus, I-Ideation, R-Ranking, E-Execution](https://beyondtheobvious.com/innovation-gap-innovation-delay/?ref=philmckinney.com) - Crowdsource feedback ### The system must allow for Ad Hoc [Team Collaboration](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-through-collaboration/) - As people submit an idea, people can search the system to see if someone has a similar idea across the organization – can team up, combine efforts and areas of expertise - Social hub of Innovation within an [org](https://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com)anization - Get better ideas – cross-organizational efforts – collaborations that generate exciting ideas ### Supports whatever your organization's process is for Innovation - The tool needs to match today's and even tomorrow's process - Track ideas through the gating process your organization uses - Follows phases of Innovation used A lot of tools out there that force you to follow their process – be careful – you need a tool that follows your process. ### Needs to support pausing ideas - The difference between a good idea and a great idea is not about the idea. It's about the timing. - Market, customer, organization, and government regulations are not ready for many reasons. - The key is you always need the ability to pause the idea – capture it so that you can pause and pull out an idea later when the timing is right ### Ability to issue challenges - Don't run an idea management system like an electronic suggestion box – ideas will become incremental - For breakthrough ideas, issue challenges: carefully worded questions, problems, and areas of interest put out to the general population with some form of incentive for spending time thinking about ideas/approaches that will answer or solve that in the form of ideas - Well-constructed challenges ([problem statement](https://www.philmckinney.com/four-steps-to-better-brainstorm-problem-statements/)) generate a wealth of good ideas - Gets org thinking – signaling where the org is going, what the direction of org is ## My Experience With These Tools Without a system or tool, you are lost - You have to treat them as a valuable asset Don't restrict access to the tool - Open it up to 100 percent of your organization - You have to trust your employees Promote your tool - Get people to engage on the tool providing their feedback - This becomes the mechanism by which ideas are trained and tracked - Promote constantly and consistently Close the loop with the idea submitters - If someone submits an idea, they need to hear back - Give them feedback Think about applying some form of gamification - Make it fun - Please give them a point or scoring system ## Core Attributes When I took over a new role as CEO, I set out a hundred-day plan looking at the organization and figuring out what made it tick. I spent a significant amount of time doing one on one interviews with all the key stakeholders. I asked them four questions: - What should we preserve? - What should we stop doing? - What is it that you most hope I do? - What do you expect I do not do? Ninety-five percent of employees feared that the new CEO would not change anything. They understood that some things needed to be changed for the company to flourish. I realized that I had to build the core attributes from scratch. So, how do you do that? The key is to help everyone understand why [core attributes ](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-using-influence-for-success/)are so important. What is it the team wants the organization to become? Core attributes articulate what you stand for. The ones we came up with are: - We need to be passionate - We think big and bold - We are fast and agile - We are a team - We unlock individual potential - We lead by example - We are resourceful Once you have captured this, you are ready to start the process. Having the list is the beginning of the process. The senior executives must own this; the senior executives must always control this. We must manage the process to get everyone on board with the[ innovation culture](https://philmckinney.com/the-ceo-innovation-dilemma-creating-an-innovation-culture-that-works/?ref=philmckinney.com). It communicates the process and displays the core attributes. Instead of telling people these are the core attributes, we published them and invited people to come in as part of group sessions. ## Core Attributes Impact Innovation Success We collected a list of core attributes employees liked and helped brainstorm recommendations for the executive team about how we could live it. We have included core attributes in our performance management. Employees are assessed on those core attributes at the end of the year. The impact on the organization was beyond anything I expected. It is not a static and never-ending process but develops a practical framework for an innovation culture that drives success. To learn more about the ingredients for innovation success, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Key Ingredients for Innovation Success](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Key%5FIngredients%5Ffor%5FInnovation%5FSuccess.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Finding Creative Inspiration URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-finding-creative-inspiration/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:14.000Z Continuing our Best of Killer Innovations series, we focus on finding creative inspiration and incorporating creativity into all aspects of life. Creativity is a state of mind that can be achieved with practice, enabling you to stand out as an innovator. Everyone is creative. Yet some people seem more creative than others. What do those people have that others might lack? What's the secret to creativity? This week we talk about finding creative inspiration outside of work. I'll share my thoughts on what makes people creative. We'll also hear Kym McNicholas interview Tania Katan. Tania has just come out with a book called *Creative Trespassing: How to Put the Spark and Joy into Your Work and Life*. ## Finding Inspiration Humans use creativity every day to [solve complex issues](https://philmckinney.com/leaders-innovation-theyre-creating-cultures-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com). Some people are more creative than others in problem-solving. How do these people manage to stay ahead of everyone else creatively? First, these people are inspired. Find something piques your interest and drives you to go above and beyond, experiment, and learn. You can find creative inspiration even at work. If you are passionate about your work, you are feeding your [creativity](https://philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-unleash-your-creativity-today/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Practicing Creativity Another common denominator of creative people is that they practice creativity. People do not just wake up already skilled at something. They have to practice it until they have mastered it. Practice can be defined as two things: - To do repeated exercises for proficiency - To pursue a profession actively There is a myth that you can't practice creativity and innovation. You can practice and become proficient. There are many ways to exercise your creative abilities. There are exercises for the daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly [practice of creative skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-creative-thinking-based-on-nature-or-nurture/). ## Talking Creative Inspiration with Tania Katan Tania Katan shares with Kym McNicholas how people's creativity in their personal life can enhance their work. Her book, *Creative Trespassing: How to Put the Spark and Joy Back into Your Work and Life*, examines the impact of bringing personal creative exercise into the workplace. Tania wrote this book because she saw a disconnect between people's creativity and what they did at their jobs during the day. Tania says that if you are looking for innovation, you must bring your creativity to your job. We could solve problems with innovation if we put our creativity to work. The book contains exercises called "Productive Disruptions" throughout. These are creativity breaks. Stanford's study was called the "Walking Creativity Study." This proved that[ people who went for walks](https://www.philmckinney.com/brain-health-for-innovation-and-creativity/) experiencing creative blocks experienced 60 percent higher creativity afterward. Disruptions and breaks are scientifically proven to help improve creativity. Many people don't enhance creativity because they don't have the right experience or training. We must break through that barrier and ask "what if" questions. Stop trying to solve problems the same way and try creativity. Some of the most significant takeaways from the book are: - Our job does not have to be uniquely creative for us actually to be creative. - We must feel free at the workplace to create a creative revolution inside our bodies, minds, and cubicles. One of the biggest roadblocks to creativity is the [fear](https://www.philmckinney.com/overcome-impostor-syndrome-be-more-creative/) of thinking and doing things differently. The best way to get through that obstacle is to face it. To learn more about finding creative inspiration, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Finding Creative Inspiration](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Finding%5FCreative%5FInspiration.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Dealing with FOBO (Fear of A Better Option) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-dealing-with-fobo-fear-of-a-better-option/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:13.000Z Picking up our Best of Killer Innovations series, we examine in detail FOBO and how to overcome mental barriers that can hinder innovation. The fear of a better option (FOBO) can paralyze decision-making. It is also the [enemy of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/being-content-is-the-enemy-of-innovation/). In this episode, I share four ways to deal with FOBO. ## FOBO versus FOMO What is it that causes that hesitation at decision time? Patrick McGinnis calls it FOBO: the[ Fear ](https://www.philmckinney.com/getting-comfortable-taking-innovation-risks-getting-over-your-fear-of-something-going-wrong/)of a Better Option. Patrick describes it as “paralyzed at the prospect of actually committing to something, out of fear that we might choose something that was not the perfect option.” The result is that you get stuck in analysis paralysis and never decide. The sister term to FOBO is FOMO, the Fear of Missing Out. If you miss out, you will not have that one magic piece of data that will give you perfect information. So, our fear of missing out feeds our fear of a better option. The result is saying “yes” to everything. I used to say “yes” to every request to speak or teach, no matter the impact on myself or my family. When you combine FOBO with FOMO, you can be afraid of doing anything. That is FODA, the paralysis that turns into a fear of doing anything. What I had to learn was to say “no.” Breakthrough came when a newspaper article about me forced me to go public with a secret that fed my [imposter syndrome](https://www.philmckinney.com/an-innovator-with-impostor-syndrome/). I deal with FOMO by creating criteria for myself that help me prioritize the requests for my time and attention. ## FOBO in Innovation For innovation, deciding to move forward on an idea to commit to [resources](https://philmckinney.com/implement-law-resources-organization/?ref=philmckinney.com), such as people and money, is ripe for FOBO. A leader has hesitated to give a team the green light on a project because they are not yet convinced it is the best/perfect idea. No idea is a perfect idea. FOBO could mask a more general fear of failure. But not deciding means zero chance of an [innovative idea](https://philmckinney.com/200-years-of-great-ideas-and-hard-work-led-to-the-overnight-success-of-your-smartphone-2/?ref=philmckinney.com). The primary objective is to innovate and to do that. It would be best if you tried your ideas. Come to terms with the fact that most of your ideas will fail. FOBO, fearing a better option, is the enemy of innovation. It is the tool [antibodies](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/) will use to brush off your ideas. ## FODA (the Fear of Doing Anything) When you combine FOBO and FOMO, you can find yourself paralyzed, not wanting to commit to anything. This is FODA, the Fear of Doing Anything. It would be best if you learned to be decisive. Here are four ways to deal with FOBO and not get caught in the trap of FODA: - The Ask and Watch method. Patrick McGinnis says to whittle your decision to two options. Assign each item to either the left or right side of your watch. Look down and see where the second hand is at the moment. Taking the final decision when you have two good options out of your control releases you from doubt. - Criteria method. Create a clear criterion that works for you. Mine are the Five F’s: Faith, Family, Friends, Fitness, and Finances. Score requests on your time against your list of criteria. - The Innovation = [Ranking method](https://www.philmckinney.com/ranking-your-ideas-how-to-make-sure-you-are-working-on-the-best-ideas/). With innovation, use your funnel and ranking process to create a list of “next best ideas.” These are the ideas based on their ranking score from the [FIRE framework](https://killerinnovations.com/?s=fire+framework&submit=Search&ref=philmckinney.com). With the ranked lists of your ideas, force a decision that says something like each quarter, and we will fund the idea with the highest score. - The Trust but Verify method. Apply the old Ronald Reagan maxim, “Trust your decision but verify.” If the decision is not delivering the result you expected, then adjust. These four ways to deal with FOBO will help you be aware of your FODA and change. We will never have perfect information and, therefore, will never make the ideal decision. So, make your decision and move on. To learn more about the fear of a better option, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Dealing with FOBO (Fear of A Better Option)](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Dealing%5Fwith%5FFOBO.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Best of Killer Innovations: My Innovation Library URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-my-innovation-library/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:13.000Z Returning to our best of Killer Innovations series, we dive into the importance of reading for the innovator and some stimulating books to stir up your creativity. Building a library of inspiration in your innovation studio ensures you have a ready source of ideas. This inspiration library can come in the form of a collection of innovative books. I am a visual learner, so reading books is where I often find [my inspiration](https://www.philmckinney.com/creative-inspiration-outside-of-work/). I will walk you through some essential books and explain why I value them. ## My Design Innovation Books The first book is "*Frank Lloyd Wright: A Visual Encyclopedia*." I grew up in Chicago, where the author started and became famous. Personally, this book reminds me to create my style. Frank Lloyd Wright separated himself from others. He developed his [style ](https://philmckinney.com/i-have-a-question/?ref=philmckinney.com)and put a different spin on the design of his buildings. The next book is called "*A Pattern Language*" by a professor at UC Berkeley, Christopher Alexander. Used by the original Sims game developers, the author breaks down patterns found by building houses, cities, and other buildings. While you can't apply what is in this book and apply it directly to a product or service, the book teaches an important idea. You can generate a [certain feeling or experience ](https://www.philmckinney.com/donald-rattner-on-design-of-a-place-and-its-effect-on-creativity/)through your patterns and designs. "*Designing Interactions*" by Bill Moggridge is the third innovation book in my library of inspiration. The author focuses on designing experiences and offers important insights into the origins of Google and others. The fourth book on my list touches on what to do with design, where problems can occur, and how to avoid them. It is "*The Universal Principles of Design*" by William Lidwell. ## My Creative Innovation Books The fifth book is "*Thinker Toys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques*" by Michael Michalko. In my opinion, this is a book that every innovator should have. The book brings together tools, approaches, [ways to brainstorm](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/), uses of SCAMPER, etc., that are very useful for innovators. Pretty much anything that Michael puts out, I buy. Another book is "Six Thinking Hats" by Dr. Edward de Bono." His TV show on PBS introduced me to the innovation and creativity space when I was a kid. Over six or seven shows, Dr. de Bono, taught viewers about unleashing their [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/will-ai-replace-human-creativity/), which sparked something inside me. The book is a great reminder to [change your perspective ](https://www.philmckinney.com/being-content-is-the-enemy-of-innovation/)and keep a fresh mind and is a great piece to have in your library of inspiration. ## Fun Books I Keep Now I will share with you some fun books I keep that make me laugh. The first is "*The World's Worst Inventions: The Craziest Gadgets and Machines Ever Made*" by Jack Watkins. This book discusses some inventions that have been deemed stupid by many. Ironically, some of these inventions have gone on to be successful after this book was published. The next book is "*Fail Harder: Ridiculous Illustrations of Epic Fails*" by Failblog.org Community. This book humorously discusses human failings and reminds us of our human nature. To learn more about creating your inspiration library, listen to this week's show: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: My Innovation Library](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/My%5FInnovation%5FLibrary.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation Hero Worship: FTX, Theranos, and the Media URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-hero-worship-ftx-theranos-and-the-media/ Last updated: 2023-04-19T22:04:47.000Z It is hard to miss the headlines where some innovator has raised significant money, been on the cover of major publications, lauded for their success by leading journalists, and celebrated as a genius. All to have it come crumbling down because everyone got pulled into the hype, and no one bothered to think critically about the business. For example, yesterday's (11/11/2022) headline in the **Wall Street Journal* is the [bankruptcy of crypto exchange FTX](https://www.wsj.com/articles/ftx-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-11668176869?mod=hp%5Flead%5Fpos1&ref=philmckinney.com), the resignation of their CEO, and the scrambling to find the funds they were holding on behalf of their clients. Turns out that no one was watching the store. The market excitement of anything and everything crypto, the endorsement from actors and athletes, high-profile venture capitalists' backing, and the CEO's hero worship led to people blindly trusting FTX. This isn't an isolated event. History is littered with tales of innovation hero worship, and the downfall that all too commonly follows. We love stories where someone overcomes great odds to achieve something special. We're especially passionate about stories where the protagonist creates an innovation that others say will change the world. Innovators often play up to this hero worship. They want to be seen as special and different because that is how they will get attention and funding. If they can convince people they are changing the world; they are more likely to get the support they need. The problem is that this innovation hero worship can blind us to the reality of the situation. We become so caught up in the story that we forget to question whether or not the innovation is actually viable or even a benefit to society. We fail to see the warning signs that should make us pause and think twice. ## **What has fed this phenomenon?** First, there is the increasing importance of technology and innovation in our economy. As the economy has become more globalized and more knowledge-based, the role of innovators and entrepreneurs has become increasingly important. Second, there is a growing belief that these figures represent a new breed of leader who is more visionary and more risk-taking than traditional leaders. This is appealing to a generation that is coming of age in a time of great uncertainty and change. Third, there is the fact that these heroes are often seen as self-made men or women who have achieved success through their own hard work and determination. This is in contrast to traditional leaders who are often seen as being born into privilege or as being handed their success on a silver platter. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, there is a simple fact that these figures are often successful and wealthy. In a world where materialism is increasingly valued, it is not surprising that the media would be drawn to those who have achieved great wealth and success. ## **What about the media?** I would argue that the media is complicit in this hero worship. They are drawn to write stories of innovation and success and are often quick to anoint those who achieve it with the title of “genius.” Somewhere along the way, journalists have lost objectivity and skepticism of those seen as innovators. They are more likely to promote their work without hesitation. The thing is when objectivity goes out the window, so does accuracy. And when accuracy goes out the window, so does the public’s trust. Some recent examples of this lack of accuracy include the [hagiographies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiography?ref=philmckinney.com) (biography of saints) of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk. All three men have been praised to the point of worship in the popular media. Jobs has been hailed as a visionary and a genius, while Gates has been lauded as a brilliant thinker and a master strategist. Musk, meanwhile, has been held up as an example of what can be achieved through hard work and determination. The reality, of course, is that all three of these men are flawed human beings. Jobs was notoriously difficult to work with and was responsible for some significant screw-ups during his time at Apple. Gates has been criticized for his business practices and his role in the antitrust case against Microsoft. And Musk has been accused of being a tough boss and of making some questionable business decisions. The problem is not that these men are flawed. The problem is that the media presents them as perfect human beings who can do no wrong. This is not only misleading, but it’s also dangerous. It’s dangerous because it creates false idols. It’s dangerous because it encourages people to worship these figures instead of thinking critically about them. And it’s dangerous because it gives these figures a level of power and influence that is disproportionate to their actual merits. The solution is not to stop writing about successful innovators altogether. The solution is to be more accurate and objective in our coverage of them. We need to remember that these figures are human beings, not gods. And we need to be careful not to put them on a pedestal they can never live up to. ## **An example? Theranos.** One example of the dangers of hero worship is the story of Theranos. Theranos was a startup that claimed to have developed a new way of blood testing that was cheaper, faster, and more accurate than existing methods. Elizabeth Holmes, who was hailed as a genius and a visionary, founded the company after dropping out of Stanford University. In the summer of 2014, [Fortune ](https://fortune.com/2014/06/12/theranos-blood-holmes/?ref=philmckinney.com)and [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2014/07/02/bloody-amazing/?sh=24019cb07226&ref=philmckinney.com) put Elizabeth on the front cover of their magazines. This was her media coming out party. Following those cover stories, all the other media companies jumped on the bandwagon and wrote articles about Holmes and her “revolutionary” technology. She was interviewed on television and featured on the cover of even more magazines. They held her up as an example of what young entrepreneurs could and should achieve. Yet none of the media showed any trait of objectivity or skepticism. Hero worship comes from momentum and that is what happened here. No one wanted to be the first to say that maybe, just maybe, this technology wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Journalists exhibited [groupthink](https://killerinnovations.com/groupthink-kills-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) once the original cover articles were published. This led to a cascade of articles that were all based on the same flawed premise: that Theranos’ technology was revolutionary and amazing, with no evidence to support those claims. It turns out that the [technology didn’t work](https://theinnovators.network/how-to-distinguish-good-science-from-bad-science/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## **Blame the media?** Some would argue that the pressure put on Elizabeth by the media, fed through their innovation hero worship of her, created the environment for a first-time CEO to take actions that ultimately led to the failure of Theranos. Should the media shoulder some of the blame? I leave that to you to decide. However, [I do not think the media is innocent](https://theinnovators.network/the-failure-of-innovation-journalism/?ref=philmckinney.com), and the media's lack of objectivity and skepticism harmed investors and patients. Are there brave journalists? With Theranos, it took a few whistleblowers willing to talk and one reporter from the Wall Street Journal to stand up and challenge the Theranos narrative. The article written by John Carreyrou (10/16/2015) about [the problems with Theranos](https://www.wsj.com/articles/theranos-has-struggled-with-blood-tests-1444881901?ref=philmckinney.com) took months of investigation to write. It showed that the technology didn’t work and that the company had been lying to investors and patients. This article was not well received by Elizabeth Holmes or her supporters. She tried to silence Carreyrou and threatened to sue the Wall Street Journal. Many in the media came to Elizabeth’s defense and accused Carreyrou of not understanding the technology. Despite the threats and pushback, Carreyrou continued his investigation and published more articles that showed Theranos was a fraud. His work ultimately led to the downfall of the company and criminal charges against its founder. Carreyrou is a perfect example of what journalists should aspire to be: objective, skeptical and fearless. He didn’t let the hero worship of Elizabeth Holmes impede his reporting. And as a result, he helped expose fraud and protect potential investors and patients from harm. ## **So what’s the answer?** How can we encourage a more critical and objective view of innovators and their ideas? One way is to support media outlets and [innovation-focused journalists](https://theinnovators.network/the-failure-of-innovation-journalism/?ref=philmckinney.com) that will take a more critical look at the innovations and people behind them. There are several online and print publications that are doing just that. Another way is to encourage more open and honest dialogue about these figures. We need to have a more nuanced and realistic view of who they are and what they’ve accomplished. We also need to take a skeptical and critical view of their innovations. Just because someone is considered an “expert” or an “innovator” doesn’t mean that we should automatically believe everything they say. We should ask hard questions and demand evidence. We should be willing to challenge the idea by [fact-checking the claims](https://killerinnovations.com/4-ways-to-sniff-out-a-bogus-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). And finally, we need to stop worshiping. They’re just human beings, after all. And like all human beings, they have their flaws and shortcomings. When we see them as fallible and imperfect, we can see them for who they really are. And that’s when we can have a more objective and critical view of them and the innovations they are bringing to the world. ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Innovation Coaching Versus Innovation Mentoring URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-innovation-coaching-versus-innovation-mentoring/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:13.000Z Resuming our best of Killer Innovation series, we take a deeper look at the contrasting characteristics of coaching and mentoring. The topic is one that I have touched on over the years in various ways. People reach out to me all the time, asking about this. Coaching, as well as mentoring, often get placed [in the same category](https://www.philmckinney.com/valuable-secrets-from-innovation-coaches-and-mentors-s11-ep52/). In reality, they are different. We will discuss the differences between innovation coaching and mentoring and run through some application scenarios. ## Innovation Coaching Many people often find themselves confused when it comes to coaching and mentoring. They don’t understand that innovation coaching and innovation mentoring are different. Coaching is the most common activity when it comes to innovation. In general, coaching and mentoring are two of the top five most popular jobs out there. Innovation coaching is kind of like a sports coach. In baseball, a pitching coach trains pitchers to improve their craft. Pitching coaching is just like innovation coaching, as it seeks to [help one improve in a specific area ](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-laws-of-innovation-and-benefitting-from-coaching-insights/)based on an assessment. It tends to be limited in duration. Also, it only works best with measurable and tangible improvement opportunities. A good innovation coach will offer clear direction for improvement based on assessing one’s needs. Coaching can be on the individual level, team level, or for an entire organization. An innovation coach should be able to evaluate and tell you what area you need to improve. They should plan to improve and be more successful in a specific area. ## Innovation Mentoring Mentoring is a less specific and tangible area that looks at the big picture, such as your career. An innovation mentor is a trusted advisor that crosses personal and professional lines and might be with you for many years. They help craft broader goals and the skills and experiences to achieve them. When looking for an [innovation mentor,](https://www.philmckinney.com/no-entrepreneur-is-an-island-mentoring-networking-sharing-s13-ep52/) choose someone you can learn from. You want one that has achieved innovation success in their career. Usually focused on the individual, I have also done long-term mentoring for innovation teams. Mentoring sessions are less formal than coaching sessions and are on an as-needed basis. Fees for mentoring most likely come from the individual. A successful mentoring role should last many years and stay constant, no matter if your organization changes. No fees may be required in rare cases if you become close to the mentor. Don’t expect mentoring to be free just because some mentors might typically do it out of the kindness of the heart. Remember, mentoring relationships require time and transparency to be successful. A mentor can’t do their job if you are not honest with them, and vice versa. ## Coaching vs. Mentoring One of the best ways to show the differences between an innovation coach and a mentor is to run through some scenarios. First scenario: Your team is struggling to create a pitch for an idea to secure funding from your organization. You must determine the best way to structure your pitch to secure funding*. Is innovation coaching or mentoring the best way to aid you?* You could hire an innovation coach in this situation because it is a specific issue you are trying to resolve. You want to find a coach with an excellent track record of helping teams craft pitches. Pay the coach for their work rather than saying you’ll pay them upon success. Second scenario: Your CEO has asked you to develop innovation leaders within your existing staff. *Would this be innovation coaching or mentoring?* With a longer-term goal that is not tangible, so in this case, it would be innovation mentoring in a team setting. Third scenario: Your team is running up against internal and external [innovation antibodies ](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/)(naysayers), and you need help crafting a strategy to win the organization’s support. You need help with a specific issue within your organization, so this is an innovation coaching opportunity. You need a strategy coach to help deal with the antibodies and win your organization’s support. Fourth scenario: You have decided to improve your innovation abilities and skills to be more successful. This scenario is a textbook case of innovation mentoring. Here you need help establishing your long-range career to succeed in innovation. ## Summary Today, we talked about the differences between innovation coaching and innovation mentoring. As we discussed, there is a difference between coaching and mentoring. Coaching is about solving communication skills, deliverables, executive presence, etc. Mentoring comes with long-term career advice. [My first mentor ](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-built-my-innovation-self-confidence/)was my boss at Deltek, Bob Davis. Bob hired me and put me into the first management role of my career. He knew I could be a great software engineer, but as my mentor, he told me I had broader skills than that. I had to put in much extra work to develop myself under Bob’s mentorship. He put me on a career rotation, placing me in finance, marketing, advertising, sales, and IT, which helped me grow. Bob helped me think through my long-term goals and what opportunities I should seek. Today, I do innovation coaching and mentoring and have done small companies up to Fortune 10\. I’ve coached and mentored CEOs, CTOs, and CIOs, some lasting up to seven years. Check out the [Disruptive Ideation Workshop](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), a long-term investment for your or your team’s success. To know more about coaching and mentoring, listen to: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Innovation Coaching Versus Innovation Mentoring](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FCoaching%5FVersus%5FInnovation%5FMentoring.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Successful Failures URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-successful-failures/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:12.000Z Continuing our best of [Killer Innovations](https://www.facebook.com/killerinnovations) series, we explore the hidden benefits of successful failures. For [innovation leaders](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-characteristics-of-successful-innovation-leaders/), it is vital to learn how to turn failures into successes. Innovation is all about seeing opportunities others don't see and seizing them. Successful failures lead to triumphant innovations. ## The Importance of Failure The [experimentation phase ](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/)is within the innovation process often full of failures. These failures are not always negative. When things are unplanned, failures allow us to see what needs change. Successful innovations require risk and a capacity for productive failures, which reveal something new about the problem you are trying to solve. To experience productive failure, you have to fail successfully. Three characteristics help you figure out if your failures are successful. ## Three Characteristics of Successful Failures 1. **Effort:** [Firm commitment](https://www.philmckinney.com/creating-time-for-innovation/) is a must for innovators, even when others give up hope. Ask yourself, "Did you give your project your 100% best effort?" 2. **Perspective:** Reflect on what happened during each failure, learn from it, and apply what you learned to future innovations. Ask yourself, "what does the experience teach you about [what works and what doesn't](https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/)?" 3. **Inspiration:** Experiment failure might lead to lessons about the nature of the problem, inspiring better solutions. They can also teach us something about how we think. Through failures, you can learn how to [solve problems better](https://www.philmckinney.com/kevin-spencer-on-disability-innovation-through-magic-tricks/). Ask, "Does this new understanding [inspire](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-inspiration-is-everywhere/) a new understanding that wasn't there before?" To know more about successful failures, listen to: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Successful Failures](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FBest%5Fof%5FKiller%5FInnovations%5FSuccessful%5FFailures.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Best of Killer Innovations: Creative Qualities URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-creative-qualities/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:12.000Z We kick off a new series where we will be looking at the best of past Killer Innovation shows. This episode is about creative qualities. Creative people often have a sense of limitless creative[ freedom and experimentation.](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/) Creative genius is a natural part of who creatives are. If you are not naturally creative, you can [learn and develop your creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/unlocking-your-creative-potential/) by applying creative qualities. ## 12 Qualities of a Creative Person 1. **Curious**: Creative people are always asking questions/looking for new ideas. They're not content with the status quo. 2. **Creative Confidence:** Creative confidence is when you know what you are about to do/say/or create is original. Creative, confident people are not afraid to fail because they know it's part of the process. 3. **Thick Skin:** Creative people must have thick skin, take criticism, reject rejection, stay persistent, and [be unafraid of failure.](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-characteristics-of-successful-failures/) 4. **Independent Rebellious Streak:** Creatives can't be afraid to blaze their trail and stand up for their ideas. They must find the right balance between their independent, rebellious streak and supporting the team's mission. 5. **Flexibility:** Creative people need to be [flexible](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-essential-ingredients-of-agile-innovation/). If not, they might overlook new ideas, or you might be unable to adapt to changes a new idea would impose. 6. **Playful:**Playing with ideas can help break through mental blocks by [going outside the box ](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think/)to create new solutions or inventive ways of looking at old ones. 7. **Thorough:** Creative people are more comprehensive than most because they never stop at the first idea. They always look around at what else they can do. 8. **Ambitious:** Creatives are ambitiously striving to push the boundaries of what is possible. They crave feedback from others to improve and desire to create something new and unique. 9. **Energetic:** Creative people constantly move, inspiring others with their creativity and energy. 10. **Naïve:**Creative people are often naïve about their limitations but can be more creative than others because of this naivete. It's important to balance creativity and practicality. 11. **Dreamer:**Creative people are sometimes called "dreamers" because they [imagine new possibilities](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/). 12. **Persistence:** Creatives persist in their efforts over time despite any obstacles. Creative solutions result from patience and tenacity. To know more about creative qualities, listen to: **[The Best of Killer Innovations: Creative Qualities](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FBest%5Fof%5FKiller%5FInnovations%5FCreative%5FQualities.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Become That Visionary Leader by Embracing Risk URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/become-that-visionary-leader-by-embracing-risk/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:11.000Z Are you ready to take your [leadership skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-and-going-beyond-the-obvious/) to the next level? Visionary leaders possess unique characteristics that set them apart from other leaders. They have the confidence to make tough decisions and the creativity to develop innovative solutions. It is their willingness to embrace risks that truly sets visionary leaders apart. ## Qualities of Visionary Leaders Their ambition, creativity, and courage set visionary leaders apart from other leaders. They are naturally inquisitive, asking questions and looking for innovative solutions. Their entrepreneurial spirit drives them to take risks and embrace change. Let's take a deeper look at these qualities. Their **courage** is key, as they must make decisions even when uncertainty or risk is involved. Visionary leaders are not afraid to take risks, knowing that without risk, there is little chance of success. As such, they accept responsibility for their decisions and embrace failure as a learning experience. They believe that setting one's mind to something can accomplish anything, no matter how difficult it may seem. Visionary leaders push themselves further than anyone else to reach new heights, creating opportunities for others. Besides being ambitious and having an eye for potential opportunities, visionary leaders possess **strong communication skills and empathy** toward those around them. They understand everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, making them open-minded about strategies and solutions put forth by team members, which helps build trust between all involved. Lastly, visionary leaders **know when it's time to move on** from a specific project or task to progress further, which shows great awareness of internal and external circumstances. ## Embracing Risk Visionary leaders exhibit their willingness to take risks. They understand that to achieve success and reach new heights, one must be willing to [step out of their comfort zone](https://www.philmckinney.com/getting-comfortable-being-uncomfortable/) and try something new. Risk-taking behavior for visionary leaders can manifest in a variety of ways. For example, they may take calculated risks to capitalize on opportunities leading to more significant rewards. They may also be willing to try innovative solutions or methods that no one else has tried before, as this kind of experimentation has the potential for breakthroughs. These risk-takers often go against popular opinion or convention to pursue their ideas and dreams. Visionary leaders recognize that sometimes taking the path less traveled is necessary, and they have the courage and conviction to act ‌even when faced with criticism or doubt from others. Visionary leaders understand that failure is an essential part of the learning process. They don't allow fear of failure or uncertainty to deter them from trying something new - instead, they embrace it as a source of knowledge and growth. They learn from each situation and use it as a stepping stone toward future success. ## The Benefits of Risk Taking risks as a leader is an essential part of developing into a successful visionary leader. To be deemed successful, one must think ahead and anticipate the possible consequences of taking certain risks. For example, if you risk investing in emerging technology that could become popular, you would gain from being ahead of the curve and having the opportunity to capitalize on its success before anyone else. Learning to identify potential opportunities for growth and success requires understanding risk-taking principles. This involves learning how to [manage and minimize risks](https://philmckinney.com/the-innovation-arms-race/?ref=philmckinney.com) when necessary. Knowing when it is wise to take a risk and when it is better not to can be critical for staying competitive in the marketplace. Taking unnecessary risks can lead to severe setbacks or failures, so it's essential to understand what could go wrong with any decision before making it. Leaders who can identify potential risks and opportunities, while still willing to take necessary ones, will come out ahead in the long run. Effective risk management helps leaders make informed decisions that optimize their time and resources and identify opportunities with high potential returns versus those with low potential returns. This allows them to focus on more productive endeavors than simply following trends or relying on guesswork alone. While some may naturally thrive on taking significant risks without considering the consequences, this is rarely effective in the long term. Leaders must always use their knowledge of risk-taking principles and their understanding of their current situation to make informed decisions that will benefit them both now and in the future. By learning how to manage and assess potential risks associated with any decision, leaders can help ensure that they stay competitively viable while being able to capitalize on potential opportunities quickly before anyone else has the chance to! ## How To Take Risks To start taking risks and reap the rewards, one must first understand how to identify potential opportunities for growth and success while managing and minimizing risk when necessary. With this understanding of both sides of risk-taking, leaders can make informed decisions that will allow them to seize opportunities while mitigating competitive threats. ## Calculate Risk When embracing risk as a leader, the most important thing is to be mindful and ensure that any risks taken are calculated. This means not taking unnecessary risks where the potential upside does not outweigh the downside. To take responsible risks as a leader, taking an inventory of yourself and your organization is crucial. Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to determine which risks are worth considering and which to avoid. What are the potential rewards and risks associated with this decision? - What is the most likely outcome of taking this risk? - Are there any alternative options that might be less risky? - How can we protect ourselves against potential losses if things don't go as planned? - Is my organization prepared to handle a negative outcome from taking this risk? - How do I measure the success or failure of this risk taken? ## Decision-Making Process Including Risk Next, become aware of your decision-making process and how risk factors into it. Figure out what type of knowledge or information you need to make informed decisions about when it is appropriate to take certain risks. Consider investing in data analysis tools or hiring experts who can help you make better-informed decisions regarding risk-taking. Additionally, adopt a learning culture by encouraging others to share their successes and failures when discussing potential opportunities or threats. - How can we [analyze data](https://philmckinney.com/should-you-use-a-data-driven-approach-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) to make a more informed decision regarding risk? - What tools can help us assess the potential risks of specific actions? - Are there any experts we could consult better to understand the implications of our decisions on risk? - What have been other successful and unsuccessful experiences regarding managing risk in similar cases? - How can we create an environment encourages open communication among stakeholders to make more informed decisions? ## Assessing Risk Success and Failure In addition to understanding when it is wise to take certain risks, leaders should also create processes for assessing each risk's potential success and failure before committing any resources to pursue them. Prioritize thoroughly evaluating new ideas rather than blindly investing resources into unproven concepts that could potentially fail with disastrous results if you do not take proper measures beforehand. - What are the potential issues that could arise from this risk? - What resources will be needed to make sure this risk is successful? - How likely is it that this risk will generate a positive return on our investment? - Do we have enough resources and personnel to successfully execute the plan for taking on this risk? - What are some alternative strategies or solutions if things don't go as planned? ## Have Contingency Plans Leaders should also ensure they have contingency plans for different scenarios resulting from taking on a given risk. This will help reduce uncertainty while allowing them to pursue more daring endeavors without fear of total failure if something inevitably goes wrong during implementation. - What are the possible risks associated with this decision? - How can we mitigate each of these risks? - What impact will the execution of the mitigation plan have? - Are there any potential long-term consequences of taking this risk? - Have all stakeholders been consulted about the potential impacts of taking this risk and the mitigation plans? - Who would manage and mitigate adverse effects if something went wrong? ## Avoid Analysis Paralysis Ultimately, visionary leaders take risks and are comfortable with some uncertainty. They take on calculated risks based on thorough research and analysis. Still, they don't let their team fall into "analysis paralysis," where they never actually act on anything due to [fear of failure](https://philmckinney.com/is-fear-of-failure-killing-your-creativity-and-hindering-your-success/?ref=philmckinney.com). As a leader, it is crucial to make timely decisions that will accelerate progress for the organization. - How can leaders ensure their decision-making process leads to action instead of stagnation? - What is knowable, and what is unknown about this risk? - Are we prepared for unexpected outcomes of taking on this risk? - Are there any external factors that may affect our decision to take this risk? - How can this decision provide a lasting benefit to our organization, customers, and team members? ## Example of a Visionary Leader One example of a visionary leader who took outsized risks is Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors. Musk has disrupted the aerospace and automotive industries with his bold strategies for ushering in a new era of innovation. In 2002, Musk founded SpaceX intending to reduce space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars. No other private company had ever succeeded in reaching orbit, making this an incredibly risky endeavor. Despite this, he invested $100 million of his own money into the venture and tirelessly worked to develop reliable, reusable rocket technology that could revolutionize space exploration. After several failed attempts to reach orbit, SpaceX eventually succeeded in 2008 when its Falcon 1 rocket became the first privately funded liquid-fueled vehicle to do so. Since then, SpaceX has achieved multiple firsts. These include sending cargo vehicles to resupply the International Space Station (ISS). They have also launched the world's most powerful operational rocket (Falcon Heavy). Additionally, SpaceX became the first commercial entity to fly astronauts to the ISS with its Crew Dragon spacecraft. Finally, they produced highly reusable technology, such as its Starship vehicle, which could send people to Mars in the coming years. Through his achievements at SpaceX, [Elon Musk stands out as a visionary leader](https://www.philmckinney.com/12-tips-on-innovation-from-elon-musks-twitter-feed-s11-ep6/) through taking outsized risks that have pushed humanity forward. ## Conclusion Today's ambitious leaders face a challenge - take innovation risk despite uncertainty and doubt, or play it safe? It may seem like uncharted terrain at times, but taking risks has the potential for game-changing success. However, navigating risks requires careful planning to ensure informed decisions. It's vital to assess a situation by looking at the entire picture and considering all factors, from financial costs to potential outcomes. A successful risk-taker must be willing to take calculated risks, challenge assumptions, and understand that failure is part of any innovation journey. Ultimately, taking innovation risks can lead to rewards far more incredible than playing it safe. To know more about becoming a visionary leader, listen to: **[Become That Visionary Leader by Embracing Risk](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Become%5FThat%5FVisionary%5FLeader%5Fby%5FEmbracing%5FRisk.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Breaking Down Barriers to Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/breaking-down-barriers-to-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:11.000Z Breaking down barriers to innovation is vital for fostering creativity and advancing progress. Innovative thinking is needed to develop new ideas, products, and services that can help improve our world. As such, it is essential to understand why breaking down barriers to innovation is important and how to do so. ## What is a Barrier To Innovation? A barrier is anything that stands in the way of achieving an innovative goal or idea. These [barriers](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-barriers-to-innovation/) can come in many forms, such as physical objects, regulations, policies, cultural norms, lack of resources, and even beliefs. Some barriers are real, some are perceptions, and some are self-imposed. Understanding the difference between a real barrier and a perceived one is essential, as this will help us determine how best to tackle it. ## How To Overcome Barriers To Innovation? Breaking down innovation barriers is crucial in fostering creativity and progress. By recognizing the different types of barriers and developing strategies for overcoming them, organizations can create an environment where innovative thinking is encouraged and celebrated. Ultimately, breaking down these barriers will open up opportunities for growth and success. ## Types of Barriers Breaking down barriers to innovate is essential for turning creative ideas into reality. Physical objects, regulations, and policies are the most common barriers hindering the process. For example, a **lack of resources** or equipment could limit production capabilities, thus making it difficult to bring an innovative product or service to the market. Similarly, **specific regulations and policies** may restrict certain areas of innovation due to safety concerns or industry standards. **Cultural norms and beliefs** can also be significant barriers to innovation. Some cultures may resist change more than others, indicating that they may perceive revolutionary ideas as too risky or inappropriate in those contexts. Furthermore, beliefs such as **fear of failure** can lead people away from taking risks and trying out new concepts. The **lack of time and motivation** can also be a considerable barrier to innovating. Ideas often require extensive research and development before they come to fruition, which can take days or even months, depending on complexity. Ideas may languish without the necessary motivation for this process instead of being taken further. Finally, **financial constraints** often stand in the way of executing innovative ideas. Entrepreneurs may require external funding to implement innovative ideas due to significant capital investments. Developing complex products requires a significant investment that entrepreneurs may not have access to. This can prevent individuals from implementing innovative ideas without additional help. Many barriers can negatively impact innovation efforts if not appropriately addressed. Finding ways around these issues is crucial for turning creative ideas into tangible results - whether products or services - so individuals and businesses must try to break down those barriers when possible to foster progress and advancement within their respective fields. ## Overcoming Barriers to Innovate To overcome barriers, you must first identify them and develop strategies for removing them. This can involve developing processes or tools that make it easier to work around obstacles, creating an environment where creative solutions are embraced, and investing in resources that can help reduce the time spent tackling these issues. Let's examine the barriers grouped into real, perceived, or self-imposed. ## Real Barriers To Innovation Real barriers to innovation are those that exist in the physical world. These can include a lack of resources or equipment, regulations and policies that restrict certain areas of innovation due to safety concerns or industry standards, and [financial constraints.](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-innovate-under-financial-constraints/) For example, a lack of resources or equipment could limit production capabilities, thus making it difficult to bring an innovative product or service to the market. Similarly, specific regulations and policies may restrict certain areas of innovation due to safety concerns or industry standards. Across the world, cultures differ - with that difference comes a range of attitudes to change. Some may embrace it wholeheartedly, while others prefer slower transitions to preserve existing practices. So when revolutionary ideas come into play, these societies face a vital dilemma: take risks or stay safe? We should all be aware of it, as one size rarely fits all! Furthermore, financial constraints can often stand in the way of executing innovative ideas. One of the best ways to overcome real barriers to innovation is through process improvement. This can involve implementing new technologies or procedures that streamline operations and creating systems that make it easier for teams to work around obstacles. For example, automation and robotics can replace manual labor, reducing the time needed to complete tasks. Investing in resources and technologies can also give teams the tools required for their innovative endeavors. Companies commonly use a stage-gate funding model to address financial constraints, where they fund ideas at each stage of development. It can help ensure that the organization uses resources only when it has a high degree of certainty that the idea or product will be successful. ## Perceived Barriers to Innovation Perceptions-based barriers refer to how people view a situation which can influence how they tackle it. These most commonly come from long-held beliefs, assumptions, and norms. For example, many people think that innovation is only for technology-based companies when it's essential for any business looking to stay competitive and grow its customer base. Another common barrier is leaders acting as innovation antibodies. People in an organization must be open-minded about the potential of a new idea or concept; if everyone has a set way of looking at something, there may be little room for creative thinking. To overcome perceived barriers to innovation, one must challenge the traditional ways of doing things. This means questioning the status quo and challenging long-held "rules" or assumptions. Allowing the team to go outside the box and consider alternative solutions is an excellent way to open up creative thinking. An organization can foster an innovative mindset by creating an environment where failure is not seen as a negative but as an opportunity to learn and improve. ## Self-imposed Barriers to Innovation Finally, self-imposed barriers are those explicitly related to individual attitudes toward innovating. Their apprehension may hinder people unwilling to take risks when trying new creative solutions. SImposter syndrome affects some individuals who feel unqualified, preventing action even if they have ideas worth pursuing. Understanding mental roadblocks is crucial to breaking [self-imposed barriers](https://www.philmckinney.com/6-limiting-beliefs-killing-your-creativity/) for innovative solutions to be found and developed successfully. Beliefs such as [fear of failure](https://philmckinney.com/is-fear-of-failure-killing-your-creativity-and-hindering-your-success/?ref=philmckinney.com) can lead people away from taking risks and trying out new concepts. Individuals may not continue working on their idea if they lack incentives or motivation, which can ultimately hinder progress despite the shortage of time. To break down these barriers effectively, individuals must address these psychological factors. People must overcome their fear of failure and find motivation to innovate. Organizations can actively support their employees by providing resources and guidance to ensure success. This creates an environment where ideas are given a fair chance to succeed. However, some of this responsibility also lies on the individual. Incentives like rewards or recognition can motivate individuals and create an innovative culture. This can facilitate risk-taking and provide reasons to persist despite failure and experimentation. Organizations can implement such incentives to promote innovation within their workforce. These measures can help break down barriers to innovation success. ## Conclusion In conclusion, barriers to innovation can prevent individuals and organizations from reaching their potential. It is essential to acknowledge the existence of these barriers and create strategies to overcome them. Breaking down barriers to innovation can lead to significant potential benefits. Firstly, if a business can innovate effectively, it can set itself apart from the competition, build its brand and create a solid customer base. This could lead to increased revenue, market share, and overall success of the organization. In addition, innovation can lead to new products and services that benefit society. Lastly, fostering an [innovative culture](https://philmckinney.com/leaders-innovation-theyre-creating-cultures-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com) within organizations can help create a more positive work environment for employees, allowing them to feel empowered and valued. Ultimately, breaking down barriers to innovation is essential to business success and social progress. Identifying where the barriers lie and [finding effective strategies](https://philmckinney.com/effectiveness/?ref=philmckinney.com) to break them down is vital to unlocking a world of potential. To know more about breaking down barriers to innovation, listen to: *[*Breaking Down Barriers to Innovation*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Breaking%5FDown%5FBarriers%5Fto%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Unlocking Your Creative Potential URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/unlocking-your-creative-potential/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:11.000Z Creativity is a powerful tool, and many underestimate our creative potential. Creative potential is your ability to generate new ideas and connect seemingly unrelated concepts to create something unique or solve problems innovatively. It goes beyond simply having an open mind; it is about actively forming connections that lead to discoveries, inventions, and insights. Many people are unaware of their creative potential and overlook its importance when attempting to reach their personal and professional goals. Tapping into your full creative power requires more than just a few random ideas - you must learn how to channel your inner creativity into meaningful projects. By learning to recognize existing patterns in your environment, develop creative strategies for problem-solving, and think outside the box, you can unlock your creative potential and achieve tremendous success in all areas of life. ## What is Creative Thinking? As we just discussed, creative potential generates new ideas and connects seemingly unrelated concepts. [Creative thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/different-thinking-styles-improve-your-creativity/) is the **process of using this potential** to gain insight into how we can solve problems in innovative ways. Several elements comprise the fundamentals of creative thinking – [divergent thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-divergent-thinkers-will-always-win/), convergent thinking, synthesis, and analysis. Divergent thinking is separating complex problems into smaller pieces and producing multiple solutions. Convergent thinking is the opposite – collecting information from various sources, analyzing them, and combining them to form one solution. Synthesis requires creative thinkers to combine different elements in an organized manner to create something new. Analysis requires creative thinkers to evaluate ideas objectively by considering their strengths and weaknesses so that only the best solution is implemented. Overall, it takes practice and experimentation for someone to develop successful creative skills - creativity isn't just about having an out-of-the-box idea. Learning to think creatively can help individuals create new solutions for everyday challenges or seek previously uncharted opportunities for growth and development. It provides a framework for approaching complex tasks in novel ways using logic combined with imagination and curiosity to gain unexpected insights through seemingly simple problems. ## Example of Unlocking Creative Potential One example of creatives leveraging their creative potential for [unexpected success](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-be-a-random-success-at-innovation/) is the story of Shonda Rhimes, the creator and showrunner of popular television series such as Grey's Anatomy and Scandal. Rhimes has achieved unprecedented success in the entertainment industry by consistently pushing boundaries and taking risks with her writing. She has been recognized for her innovative approach to storytelling, using complex plot lines and dynamic characters that draw viewers in like never before. Rhimes was born in Chicago, Illinois, where she began writing stories at a young age. She eventually went on to study screenwriting at Dartmouth College, but after graduation, she found it difficult to find work in Hollywood, but she kept at it. In 2005, Rhimes' hard work paid off when ABC greenlit her first show—Grey's Anatomy—which became an instant hit. The show blended medical drama with romance and created a loyal fan base that continues today - it has become one of the longest-running medical dramas in history. From there, Rhimes created other hugely successful shows, including Private Practice and Scandal, which earned critical acclaim for their unique storylines. Rhimes credits much of her success to tapping into her creative potential by staying true to herself as a writer - something that pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable television content at the time - while also remaining open-minded enough to take risks with story ideas and character arcs. Her creative vision has earned her numerous awards throughout the years - proving that through creativity, anything is possible! ## Explore Your Creative Potential Exploring potential requires exercising your creativity by brainstorming, visualizing ideas, and experimenting with different approaches. It also involves challenging yourself to think critically and question fundamental assumptions. Additionally, it helps to take breaks from the task at hand to allow your mind to wander freely so that new connections can be made between seemingly unrelated topics or problems. Finally, it is essential to document any insights you have while working on creative tasks; this will help you track progress over time and provide valuable reference points for what inspires your creative spark. One exercise you can add to your daily routine that will exercise your [creative muscle](https://philmckinney.com/9-daily-exercises-that-i-do-to-keep-my-creativity-in-top-form/?ref=philmckinney.com) is to set aside time in your day for free writing, where you let your thoughts flow without worrying about structure or grammar. This free writing allows you to explore your subconscious, see what ideas flow, and develop new solutions to problems. You can also try taking a break from your routine and trying something new, like writing, cooking, or painting. This helps foster creativity by having you explore different mediums to express yourself. Spending time away from the monotony of everyday life gives you room for creative thought and exploration. Finally, take time each day to reflect on what inspires you and log these thoughts. ## Build Your Support Network Building a supportive network can be a critical factor in the success of unlocking your creative potential. The support of others who share your vision and enthusiasm can help provide you with additional resources and motivation. Here are some tips that may help you build such a network: 1. **Start local**: Look to your immediate circle of family, friends, co-workers, or members of your local community who may have similar interests or values to yours. You can also reach out to professionals or organizations related to the topic of your project — they may offer valuable advice and referrals or open up opportunities for collaboration. 2. **Network online**: Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are great places to find people with similar interests. It's also important to join relevant discussion forums, industry websites, blogs, and other digital resources related to whatever you're working on so you can stay informed about developments in the field and get feedback from others familiar with the subject matter. 3. **Participate in events**: Trade shows, conferences, networking events, and seminars are excellent ways to meet potential connections—not just from within your profession, but from outside it too! Attending these events can allow you to connect with professionals in person and through follow-up conversations afterward. By creating an extensive network within which you can exchange ideas freely, brainstorm collectively, and gain new perspectives on issues that arise during any project development process—you will formulate strategies far more effectively than if working alone—ultimately leading to better outcomes for all involved! ## Discovering Areas for Creative Potential To discover areas for growth and development in creativity, it is essential to recognize the need for personal assessment. Self-reflection can be a powerful tool in uncovering areas of strength and weakness that can help improve your creative potential. **Look at your mindset** when approaching a creative challenge or task. Ask yourself questions such as: - Am I embracing the opportunity to explore new ways of problem-solving? - Am I open to making mistakes and learning from them? - Do I find motivation from challenging myself to [think differently](https://philmckinney.com/are-you-unconventional-enough-in-your-thinking/?ref=philmckinney.com)? This self-evaluation will help identify limitations or blind spots that may be holding you back from reaching your full creative potential. **Seek feedback** from people around you who may have insight into your strengths and weaknesses regarding creativity. This could include mentors, peers, acquaintances, family members, etc., who know what kind of work you do and understand the creative challenges you regularly face. Their perspective on how well you manage these tasks and approach different projects can provide valuable input into areas where you could improve further. **Online resources** are available that offer tips on how to leverage your creative potential. These can range from [books about creativity techniques,](https://philmckinney.com/8-books-that-inspired-the-most-ideas-this-year/?ref=philmckinney.com) podcasts about design thinking strategies, articles about innovation best practices, and specific tools like mind-mapping software used for visualizing ideas — all of which can help spur new approaches towards tackling problems more innovatively. **Staying abreast of new developments** in your field or industry is also essential if you want to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to being creative and finding solutions no one has thought up before. Whether it's reading up on current trends or attending industry events like exhibitions and talks, knowing what's happening will allow you to spot opportunities or inspire fresh insights that help propel your work forward. ## Project Diversity Increases Creative Potential One of the best ways to increase creative potential is to work on diverse projects. Working on different projects can open up new opportunities and provide fresh ideas and inspiration. Here are some tips that can help enhance creativity when tackling various tasks: **Experiment with unfamiliar methods and techniques**. Trying something new or outside what's already comfortable can lead to innovative solutions and unexpected results. This could involve experimenting with different software and tools and exploring various creative disciplines such as photography, video editing, animation, etc., if they're outside your usual expertise. **Set challenging goals** for yourself to stay motivated when facing complex problems. A clear plan can motivate you to push through roadblocks and strengthen problem-solving skills. **Collaborate with other creatives** for feedback and advice. By discussing ideas with colleagues or mentors who are experienced in similar fields or have tackled similar challenges, you'll gain insight into how they solved their problems and benefit from their advice on how you could tackle yours. **Look for sources of inspiration** through books, movies, music, art exhibitions. Even conversations with friends can lead to new possibilities that have not been considered before. Reading industry news will inform you of the latest trends. They ensure you don't fall behind while looking for creative solutions to your problems. **Take on complex projects** requiring you to step out of your comfort zone and think beyond what's expected. Doing this regularly over time will build muscle memory (intuition). Muscle memory enables more efficient problem-solving in the future when faced with challenging tasks. ## Conclusion One last piece of advice I would give is … practice! Like any other skill, unlocking your creative potential requires consistent effort and practice to achieve sustained improvement. It is important to remember that creativity involves more than just generating new ideas. An idea from concept to reality includes organizing tasks, setting goals, and adapting quickly as needed when dealing with unexpected obstacles. > An idea without execution is a hobby. And innovators are not in the hobby business. With dedication and focus, anyone can unleash their creative potential. By following these tips consistently over time, you will see an improvement in your level of creativity! To know more about unlocking one's creative potential, listen to: *[*Unlocking Your Creative Potential*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Unlocking%5FYour%5FCreative%5FPotential.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Power of Mindful Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-power-of-mindful-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:22.000Z Mindful innovation is a way to approach problem-solving from a different perspective. Instead of just looking for quick ideas or relying on existing approaches, mindful innovation calls us to slow down and take the time to deeply understand the problem before attempting to solve it. It also encourages us to be open-minded and seek new perspectives and insights while considering our ideas' impact. Mindful innovation is a powerful tool for creating positive change in the world. ## Benefits of Mindful Innovation We can create more sustainable and successful solutions by taking a [mindful approach to innovation](https://philmckinney.com/how-to-use-first-principles-thinking-to-innovate/?ref=philmckinney.com). We can consider the effects our solutions will have on society in the long term and come up with creative ways to address these issues. Additionally, this type of innovation allows us to work collaboratively and draw on the combined expertise of multiple disciplines. Finally, mindful innovation encourages us to develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and our motivations, which can be invaluable to innovating. ## What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is being present with an open, accepting attitude and without judgment. It involves being aware of one's thoughts and feelings from a place of non-judgmental observation. Mindful awareness allows us to be more conscious of our internal experience and external environment. Through mindful awareness, we can observe our thought processes and be attentive to the emotions that arise, allowing us to respond more mindfully to our challenges. Mindfulness helps us become attuned to how we feel in the present moment and how our current thoughts may influence those feelings. Focusing on the present moment instead of worrying about the past or future can cultivate an inner sense of peace and contentment. Mindful living encourages us to take a step back from stressful situations to observe them objectively rather than getting caught up in them emotionally or cognitively. This gives us space to make choices that come from clarity rather than fear or anger. Mindfulness doesn't just help slow down racing thoughts; it also helps strengthen attention span by re-training your brain's focus abilities over time through regular practice, which has been found helpful for combating stress, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, mindfulness practice has been linked to improved immune system functioning and physical health, such as lower blood pressure and better sleep quality. Regular practice cultivates mindfulness, a powerful tool for improving mental and emotional well-being. By being mindful of our thoughts and feelings in the present moment, we can become more aware of how our thoughts and actions affect our well-being and make decisions that come from a place of clarity and compassion. ## How Does Mindfulness Relate to Innovation? Mindfulness and innovation are closely related concepts. Mindfulness encourages us to be present at the moment and open to new perspectives, which makes it a [valuable tool for innovators](https://philmckinney.com/six-practices-of-successful-innovators/?ref=philmckinney.com) who need to look at problems from different angles and come up with creative solutions. Mindful innovation also allows us to take the time to understand a problem before attempting to solve it, which can help us create more sustainable and successful solutions. Mindfulness encourages us to observe our thoughts and feelings rather than get caught up in them. This helps us think objectively about a problem instead of being influenced by our emotions or biases. We can develop more creative solutions by taking a step back from the situation and slowing down. Mindfulness also allows us to focus on the present moment and not be overwhelmed by the future or bogged down in the past. This helps us remain focused on our current tasks, allowing us to [brainstorm](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-steps-to-brainstorming-ideas-on-demand/) more effectively and work more efficiently. Additionally, mindful innovation encourages us to consider the effects our solutions will have on society in the long term, giving us greater insight into potential consequences that may arise from our decisions. ## Benefits of Mindful Innovation Mindful innovation can bring a variety of benefits to the table. ### Enhancing Creativity & Problem-Solving Abilities: Mindful innovation sharpens the ability to think outside the box, enabling a more creative and innovative approach to problem-solving. This can lead to solutions that are both effective and efficient. ### Improving Decision-Making: Mindful innovation encourages an individual or team to slow down and evaluate all possible options before making any decisions. This decision-making method equips individuals to make sound decisions that result in successful outcomes. ### Enhancing Self-Awareness & Focus: Mindful innovation encourages individuals and teams to be more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to understand better how they interact with their creativity. This helps them stay focused on their tasks while also allowing them to avoid distractions. ### Reducing Stress & Anxiety: Mindful innovation has been proven to[ reduce stress and anxiety](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-avoid-innovation-burnout/). By taking a mindful approach, individuals can learn to manage their emotions more effectively, leading to greater mental clarity and creative productivity. ### Increasing Openness & Acceptance: Mindful innovation encourages an open and accepting attitude toward new ideas or practices. This enables individuals to be more willing to accept change, which can often lead to faster results in the workplace. ### Amplifying Leadership Skills & Responsibility: Mindful innovation also enhances [leadership skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-leadership-behaviors-for-innovation-leaders/) and responsibility. By taking a mindful approach, leaders can better understand their team's dynamics and provide direction that is best suited to achieve success. ## Mindful Innovation and Society Mindful innovation has numerous benefits when it comes to addressing both positive and negative innovation impacts on society. Not only does it help maximize success through creative thinking and exploration, and it also helps minimize risks associated with implementing innovative solutions by being aware of potential pitfalls beforehand and taking steps accordingly. Thus by embracing its power of creativity and exploration, teams can be sure they're doing everything they can not only achieve their goals but also create positive change within society at large. Mindful innovation encourages organizations to think beyond themselves; instead of simply focusing on short-term profits, companies should also consider how their products and services can improve people's lives and have a positive effect on society in the long run. This helps create a more socially responsible approach to decision-making and innovation, ensuring that any changes are beneficial for the organization and the wider society. Mindful innovation emphasizes values-based thinking within teams, ensuring that innovative concepts or solutions align with the company's core values and beliefs. This ensures creativity and integrity when it comes to making the idea real. When an organization fully embraces mindful innovation, it bridges the gap between technological advancement and humanitarian needs by encouraging organizations to take a more holistic view of innovation which takes into account all stakeholders involved – including consumers, employees, partners, and investors – rather than simply focusing solely on profits or market share. By doing so, companies can ensure they are introducing solutions that will benefit the organization and society. As such, organizations should embrace their power of creativity and integration to ensure they are developing solutions that can benefit everyone involved. Mindful innovation is the key to a brighter future for all. ## Practicing Mindful Innovation Practicing mindful innovation is essential for today's rapidly changing business environment. ### Cultivating A Growth Mindset: The first step in practicing mindful innovation is cultivating a growth mindset. This involves the willingness and ability to adapt and accept new ideas, perspectives, and methods. It also consists of openness to explore solutions that can lead to better outcomes. ### Standing Out: Taking a mindful approach to problem-solving allows individuals and teams to stand out from the competition by presenting creative solutions that are both effective and efficient. By doing so, they can set themselves apart from their peers and demonstrate their leadership capabilities. ### Encouraging Innovation & Creativity: Mindful innovation encourages taking the time for exploration and experimentation to[ foster creativity](https://philmckinney.com/leaders-innovation-theyre-creating-cultures-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com) and generate innovative ideas. This can result in more successful strategies for success and help drive. ### Regularly Reflecting And Adapting: Taking a mindful approach also involves regularly reflecting on past successes and failures to learn from them. This encourages individuals and teams to adapt their strategies for success as the environment changes to remain competitive. ### Identifying Opportunities For Change: Finally, identifying opportunities for change is another way to use mindful innovation. By taking a mindful approach, individuals and teams can gain insight into how the innovation environment is shifting and capitalize on any new trends or developments that may present themselves. This helps to ensure that strategies remain relevant and successful in the long term. ## The Path to Mindful Innovation In mindful innovation, individuals tend to ideas like gardeners, with thoughtful planning and maintenance. It requires proactive problem-solving and leadership to stay ahead of competition. Mindful innovation presents creative solutions that are effective and efficient, while staying abreast of new trends. It's an invaluable tool for maximizing success in today's fast-paced business environment. Teams can embrace creativity and exploration, set themselves apart from peers and learn from successes and failures. Those who fully commit to mindful innovation will reap its rewards come harvest time. To know more about mindful innovations, listen to: **[The Power of Mindful Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FPower%5Fof%5FMindful%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Proven Strategies To Scaling Innovations URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/proven-strategies-to-scaling-innovations/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:10.000Z In today’s world, [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/you-need-an-innovation-strategy/) is a fundamental component of successful business strategies. It allows organizations to stay ahead of the competition, develop new products and services, and create value for customers. However, scaling up innovative ideas can be challenging because of the [complexity of the process](https://philmckinney.com/understanding-law-process-impact-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) and its associated risks. Taking an idea or concept and expanding upon it to make a greater impact requires focus and effective scaling strategies. ## Why Is Scaling Important? In today's world, it is not enough to have a great idea or concept. To make it successful, organizations must [scale their ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/smart-ideation-to-scale-your-business/) as they enter the market. This could be — reaching a larger audience or market, increasing operational efficiency, generating more revenue, or enhancing customer experience. If they don't scale, the niche status of the innovative idea will prevent it from having the impact needed to be considered a success. This lack of scaling will open the door to your competition to step in with their idea and quickly dominate the market. ## Common Barriers to Scaling Innovation One of the major barriers that can stop organizations from scaling up their innovations is a **lack of resources**. For instance, many companies may not have the capital to invest in new technologies or hire additional personnel for research and development. Organizations may **lack access to talent** or have difficulty finding qualified workers with the skills necessary to implement innovative ideas. Organizations may face structural issues that inhibit innovation, such as bureaucracy, rigid hierarchies, and bureaucratic decision-making processes. These organizational structures often impede creativity and responsiveness, making it difficult for companies to scale new products and services. Many organizations are **unable to respond rapidly** enough to changing customer needs or industry trends, and it may leave them behind in terms of competitiveness. Another barrier to scaling up innovations is **cultural resistance**. Organizations must create an environment where employees feel comfortable taking risks and innovating without fear of failure or repercussions. This includes fostering a culture of collaboration and transparency so that all stakeholders know the potential benefits and risks involved in scaling up an idea. Without this type of supportive atmosphere, innovative ideas will likely never be given the chance they deserve to reach their full potential. ## Examples of Successful Scaling One example of an industry that has successfully scaled up its innovations is the **technology sector**. Companies such as Microsoft, Apple, and Google have created products and services that have revolutionized how people interact with technology. These companies are continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation and developing new products and services to stay ahead of the competition. Through their investments in research and development (R&D) they can develop products and services that meet customer needs faster than their rivals. The **entertainment industry** is another example of a business sector that has embraced innovative strategies to remain competitive in today's market. Streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video constantly innovate to provide customers with improved experiences and better value for money. These companies rely heavily on cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), to strategically analyze customer data to create tailored content recommendations for each user. In the **automotive industry**, manufacturers like Tesla are pioneering a new era of sustainable transportation by embracing innovative ideas for electric vehicles (EVs). Tesla has invested billions into R&D over the past decade to continuously improve its EVs’ performance, safety features, range capabilities, charging infrastructure, and overall driving experience. This company has also been very aggressive with its expansion plans around the world while introducing new features like Autopilot self-driving options into its cars. **Healthcare organizations** like Epic Systems have invested significantly into scaling up their innovations to improve patient care outcomes while reducing costs. Epic Systems has developed advanced software solutions to streamline medical records management, track patient health status more accurately, enhance communication between clinicians and patients, automate administrative tasks related to healthcare organizations' operations, etc. All these technological advancements were made possible through Epic System’s large investments in R&D, which enabled them to make huge strides in improving patient care outcomes while keeping operating costs under control. ## Strategies for Successful Scaling Organizations can use several strategies to scale up their innovative ideas successfully. **Developing partnerships** with other companies is one such strategy that can help organizations grow and reach greater heights. By collaborating with other companies, organizations can leverage each other’s expertise and resources to develop creative solutions and bring them to market faster. For example, Apple partnered with IBM in 2014 to create enterprise mobility solutions, which allowed businesses to access corporate data on mobile devices securely. This partnership enabled both companies to benefit from each other’s strengths while ensuring the success of their joint projects. Another strategy organizations can use when scaling up their innovative ideas is **open innovation**. Open innovation involves leveraging external sources of ideas, such as customers and research institutions, to innovate quickly and cost-effectively. Organizations that implement open innovation have increased chances of success because they can tap into a larger pool of creativity than if they had tried to innovate solely in-house. Organizations can also use **experimentation** as part of their scaling strategy by testing novel concepts with prototypes or running pilot programs for new products or services. Experiments allow organizations to examine the viability of an idea before investing heavily in it, which might save them time and resources if the experiment reveals flaws in their approach. Finally, organizations need to ensure that they have **proper processes and systems** in place when scaling up innovative ideas so that they don’t experience any hiccups along the way. This includes embedding strong project management practices across teams, setting clear expectations around timelines and deliverables, developing robust communication protocols between stakeholders within and outside the organization, etc. These processes will help organizations maintain control over projects while mitigating potential risks associated with scaling up innovations. ## Using Emerging Technologies to Scale Innovation In recent years, emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), have revolutionized how businesses operate and scale their innovations. AI-powered solutions can automate processes and tasks to increase efficiency and reduce costs. AI can also generate insights from data for informed decisions about product development, marketing campaigns, and customer service improvement, among others. However, organizations must ensure that they have the right infrastructure before attempting to leverage these cutting-edge technologies so that they don’t experience any hiccups. This includes having a strong IT team to maintain and manage the systems, adequate data security measures, and robust processes for handling customer data that comply with relevant regulations. By investing in the right infrastructure and using emerging technologies, organizations can gain a [competitive edge](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-hyper-adoption-of-innovation-a-competitive-advantage/) when scaling up innovations. This will enable them to stay ahead of the competition while providing better products and services to their customers. ## What Happens Once You Start Scaling? When scaling up innovations, organizations may face several challenges, especially introducing new and potentially [disruptive technologies](https://philmckinney.com/disruptive-innovation-the-theory-behind-how-it-works-and-its-impact-on-society/?ref=philmckinney.com) into their products and services. A key challenge for organizations looking to scale up innovations is the **lack of an established framework** for developing, testing, and launching successful products. Without a well-defined process for innovation, there is a risk of wasting resources on initiatives that do not achieve desired outcomes or meet customer needs. Organizations must ensure they have the right processes to guide their decision-making and manage projects from conception to execution. Organizations must also be prepared to **manage customer expectations**. As innovations are implemented, customers may expect features or functionality that could require substantial investments in time and money. In these cases, organizations must explain why certain decisions were made and what benefits customers can expect from the new product or service. Moreover, organizations must **be agile** when responding to changing market demands or customer preferences. Customer needs are constantly changing because of factors such as lifestyle changes or [economic conditions,](https://philmckinney.com/continue-innovating-during-an-economic-downturn/?ref=philmckinney.com) so companies must continually adjust their offerings accordingly while maintaining high levels of quality control. Companies should also monitor reviews and feedback from customers as this can provide invaluable insights on how best to improve products or services over time. Finally, organizations must **develop strategies** for ensuring long-term success when scaling up innovations. This includes creating robust systems for tracking progress and performance over time so that any issues can be identified early and addressed quickly before they become major problems. This investment in advanced analytics solutions can help generate actionable insights regarding user behavior patterns, which can inform marketing efforts and product development strategies. Overall, scaling up innovations requires careful planning and implementation if it is going to succeed in today’s competitive environment. ## Example of Successful Scale-Up: Amazon When reviewing successful scale-ups, one case that stands out is that of Amazon. Amazon began as an online bookstore in 1994 and has since grown to become one of the largest companies in the world, with a market capitalization of more than $1 trillion. Amazon has been able to scale up its innovations through several strategies successfully. First, they have invested heavily in their IT infrastructure and data security measures to ensure that their systems are running smoothly and securely at all times. They also developed robust processes for managing customer data, including encryption algorithms and two-factor authentication, which help protect user privacy while ensuring compliance with relevant regulations. Second, Amazon has been agile when responding to changing market demands or customer preferences. Through its advanced analytics solutions, the company can identify trends in customer behavior patterns, which can inform product development strategies and marketing efforts. Third, Amazon has invested heavily in research and development (R&D) initiatives which have helped them stay ahead of the competition by creating innovative products such as Alexa or AWS. By staying ahead of technological advances, Amazon can maintain its competitive advantage while providing customers with cutting-edge products and services. Finally, Amazon has used strategic acquisitions ("innovation by acquisition") to gain access to new markets or technologies, which have enabled them to expand their reach worldwide while still staying true to their core mission: “to be Earth’s most customer-centric company.” This includes the acquisition of Whole Foods Market chain stores throughout North America as well as investments in healthcare technology firms such as PillPack Pharmacy Services, which could help revolutionize the way medication is delivered and processed on a global scale. Through these strategies and tactics, Amazon has been able to successfully scale up its innovations over time while staying ahead of the competition by leveraging new technologies such as AI or cloud computing services for maximum benefit. As a result, they have become one of the world’s leading e-commerce businesses. ## Conclusion Innovation scaling is a complex and multifaceted process. It requires strategic planning, vision, and commitment from businesses to ensure success. Businesses need to assess the risks associated with scaling an innovation before taking any major steps. They must also consider their current business environment, resources, capabilities, and customer base to determine which strategies are best suited for achieving the desired results. By understanding how various aspects of innovation scaling tie together, businesses can ensure that they are future-proofing themselves and setting themselves up for long-term success. Ultimately, if approached strategically, innovation scaling can help propel organizations forward while providing them with a competitive edge in their respective markets. To know more about creating strategies to scale innovations, listen to: **[Proven Strategies To Scaling Innovations.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Proven%5FStrategies%5FTo%5FScaling%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Is Intuition Required for Innovation? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/is-intuition-required-for-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:10.000Z ## Introduction to Intuitive Thinking Intuitive thinking sometimes referred to as 'thinking on autopilot,' is based on prior experience and mental shortcuts. It involves using heuristics and pattern recognition to make decisions quickly and efficiently. Intuitive thinking is essential because it allows us to make decisions without pausing for conscious analysis or deliberation. This helps us react swiftly when we don't have enough information or time – which is common in innovation. One can argue that intuitive thinking is essential to everyday life. It allows us to save energy and make decisions more quickly than if we were attempting to analyze every single detail of a situation. It also allows us to see/intuit things that are not obvious such as solutions to problems others do not see. Furthermore, intuition often helps us make better decisions than conscious thought processes alone. Studies show that we can trust our instincts in specific scenarios, such as predicting the outcome of sporting events or guessing the answer to a problem before checking the answer key. Intuitive thinking has drawbacks, however, as it relies upon past experiences, which may not always lead us in the right direction. Personal [biases](https://philmckinney.com/cognitive-bias-and-innovation-how-can-we-combat-instinct/?ref=philmckinney.com) and assumptions may influence and cloud our judgment. As such, we must take time out from relying on intuition periodically and instead use conscious thought processes more deliberately when making decisions. ## Example of Intuitive Thinking An example of a person using intuitive thinking to innovate can be seen in the story of Henry Ford and his development of the Model T automobile. Ford had a vision of making an affordable car that could be used by families, and he knew that he needed an innovative solution. He began experimenting with different designs and materials until he eventually settled on mass-producing vehicles. However, it was not just the technical specifications that made this decision successful; Ford also relied on his intuition to ensure that what he was trying to achieve would be successful. He believed that people were looking for something new, reliable, and affordable, and he took a chance to create his product line – one that would revolutionize transportation as we know it today. Ford trusted his gut instinct and went against industrial trends at the time, believing in himself and his vision despite the risks involved. His intuition guided him toward making the right decisions, such as choosing assembly lines over hand-building cars or inventing new tools like wheel molds instead of relying solely on manual labor. Ultimately, these decisions ushered in a new era for car manufacturing – one where efficient production could result in cost savings for consumers without sacrificing quality or reliability. By trusting his intuition, Henry Ford created an innovative solution to a problem that had existed for years: how to make transportation more accessible and affordable without compromising quality or reliability. It was only after years of trial-and-error [experimentation](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/) coupled with intuitive thinking that Ford succeeded with his Model T automobile design – leading to one of the greatest inventions of all time. ## History of Intuition Intuitive thinking has been a part of human decision-making for centuries. It is the ability to make decisions based on instinct, insight, or gut feeling rather than relying solely on conscious thought processes, facts, and figures. While intuitive thinking has long been viewed as an innate trait that some people possess while others do not, recent research suggests otherwise; anyone can cultivate intuition through practice and experience. The concept of intuitive thinking dates back to ancient Greece when philosophers such as Plato argued that all knowledge was already present within the soul and could be accessed if one were willing to trust their instincts. This idea spread throughout Europe during the Renaissance and gained popularity among scientists who saw its potential applications in fields like medicine. In more modern times, intuitive thinking has become increasingly accepted by academics and business leaders alike due to its efficiency in helping us make quick decisions without being overwhelmed by too much information or analysis paralysis. As a result, many organizations have begun utilizing data visualization tools that allow them to analyze large datasets better while allowing room for intuitive thought processes when necessary. Our brain programming allows for rational thought and intuitive insight, essential in decision-making processes like identifying growth opportunities or creating something new from scratch. While rational thought enables us to analyze data objectively, intuitive thinking gives us access to subconscious information, which may provide more creative answers than traditional methods alone. Ultimately, this shows that with proper training and practice, anyone can develop their own unique decision-making style, which includes both conscious analytical and intuitive thinking. Combining the two makes it possible to make better decisions more quickly and efficiently than ever before. ## Types of Intuition Three primary types of intuition exist: cognitive, emotional, and spiritual. **Cognitive intuition** is the ability to draw on experiences and use them to identify patterns or trends to make more informed decisions. It involves making connections between facts, experiences, and observations quickly and accurately without spending time analyzing the data in detail. **Emotional intuition** involves interpreting people's feelings and intentions and responding accordingly. Instinct, gut feeling, or intuition about how someone might behave in a specific situation forms the basis of it. By understanding the emotional state of our customers, partners, or stakeholders, we can come up with more meaningful and impactful ideas. This type of intuition also helps us understand what our competitors may be doing, allowing us to stay ahead of the game and create something unique. **Spiritual intuition** taps into our inner wisdom, connecting with a higher power or source of knowledge. It is about trusting our instincts and being open to [new possibilities and ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/), even if they may seem far-fetched or unlikely to succeed at first glance. By connecting with a greater power, we can look beyond what is known and explore uncharted areas of thought to create something truly innovative. ## Developing Your Intuition Developing intuition is essential in improving decision-making, problem-solving, and overall well-being. We can take several steps to nurture our intuitive skills, such as calming the mind, focusing on one goal at a time, trusting our gut feeling, and seeking expert advice. **Calming the mind** is critical to developing intuition. We must clear away distractions and noise to listen more closely to our inner voice. Meditation and mindfulness exercises are great ways of achieving this, as they help us become aware of our thoughts and feelings without judgment or attachment. Taking time each day for introspection will help us gain greater insight into ourselves and our environment. **Focusing on one goal** at a time also helps in harnessing intuition. When faced with tough decisions or looming tasks, it helps to narrow down our options and[ prioritize](https://philmckinney.com/not-enough-time-to-be-creative-prioritize/?ref=philmckinney.com) what needs to be done first. Making lists or breaking down complex tasks into smaller achievable goals helps us keep track of progress and focus on the task at hand. **Trusting your gut instinct** can also be beneficial when trying to make sense of information or finding creative solutions to problems quickly. Intuition typically works faster than conscious thought, so learning when and how to [trust our gut feelings](https://philmckinney.com/should-you-trust-your-gut/?ref=philmckinney.com) can help us make decisions more efficiently and accurately. **Seeking advice from experts** is another excellent way of boosting our intuitive powers. When faced with complex problems that require specialized knowledge or experience, talking to someone who has been through similar situations can give us valuable guidance about what might work best for us in any given case. They may also be able to provide insight into how others have approached similar dilemmas in the past, which could provide valuable lessons for us going forward. Developing intuition takes practice, but it can be conducive when making difficult decisions or solving complex problems quickly and accurately. Achieving a state of calmness, clarity, focus, and trust in oneself is vital to honing this skill set over time. ## When Should You Follow Your Intuition? Using intuition to make decisions versus more structured approaches has benefits and drawbacks. Intuition can be used in decisions when the situation is complex, abstract, or uncertain, when the decision-maker needs a "sixth sense" to interpret specific cues, or when speed is of the essence. Intuitive decision-making allows us to draw on our experience and knowledge, subconsciously process data, and act quickly in response to changing conditions. However, there are also situations where more structured approaches are more beneficial. If a decision involves complex information that needs to be understood in detail, a methodical approach will likely result in a better outcome than relying on intuition alone. For example, if you need to choose between two investments with complicated financial models attached, it would be wiser to take your time and analyze the underlying data rather than rely on instinctive feelings about which option is best. Structured approaches are also helpful when dealing with highly predictable tasks such as budgeting or task management—following a set plan makes it easier to stay on track. Although intuition can help us make snap decisions in difficult situations, it pays off to reflect before committing ourselves. It's important to remember that intuition is not infallible. Sometimes we lack enough information or experience with the problem at hand for our intuitions to be accurate. ## Conclusion Intuition allows us to use our experience, knowledge, and gut feelings to make snap judgments in difficult situations. The more experiences you have, the better your intuition will likely be, and vice versa. It also helps to learn from those with more experience than yourself by either working with them or having them [mentor](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-and-benefiting-from-a-coach-and-mentor-s12-ep12/) you. However, intuitive thinking should always be supplemented with an objective analysis of facts and evidence before deciding. A balance between these two styles allows us to maximize our chances of success by combining instinctive reactions with rational thought processes. Ultimately, the key to successfully using intuitive thinking is to remain aware of our biases and limitations. By taking a mindful approach to decision-making – considering multiple perspectives, sources of feedback, and potential risks – we can ensure that our decisions are based on sound evidence rather than relying solely on our intuition. Doing so can help us avoid misguided decisions and maximize the potential for successful innovation. To know more about hiring a nontraditional workforce, listen to: **[Is Intuition Required for Innovation?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Is%5FIntuition%5FRequired%5FFor%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Tom D’Eri on Hiring and Managing a Nontraditional Workforce URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/tom-deri-on-hiring-and-managing-a-nontraditional-workforce/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:09.000Z Tom D'Eri, Co-Founder and COO of Rising Tide Car Wash, joins us to discuss the gap neurodivergent individuals face while entering the workforce and how to bridge that gap by changing hiring methods and implementing strategic operations that are inclusive to those with different skill sets. Prospective job seekers with [autism](https://www.philmckinney.com/greg-shepard-with-boss-capital-partners-on-autism-neurodiversity-and-entrepreneurship/) face a massive disparity in the job market. Unemployment rates of this group of individuals are between 60-80 percent. Taking that percentage of people out of the workforce when only 16 percent of autistic people face a significant intellectual disability is holding many businesses back and harming the economy. Tom D'Eri started Rising Tide Car Wash to help his brother with autism find employment rather than be a statistic in a rigid workforce not designed for those facing mental disabilities. So many [neurodivergent individuals](https://philmckinney.com/neurodiversity-and-innovation-the-benefits-of-hiring-employees-who-break-the-mold/?ref=philmckinney.com) are capable and have much to offer employers. A change in how businesses look at people and how teams function must take place for the future of the workforce to become more inclusive, diverse, and ultimately successful. ## Barriers One significant [barrier](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-barrier-to-innovation/) neurodivergent people face is the traditional hiring process. Most businesses are not designed to accurately assess the capabilities of individuals with autism during the hiring process. They don't see past external dissimilarities and can often overlook great talent simply by not realizing that the thought process of a neurodivergent person, though different, is not a handicap but can be an asset to a business. Employers need to reassess their methods to support neurodiversity better. Ensuring these individuals have the tools to be successful in the workplace will further ensure the business's success. ## Benefits of Creating a Diverse Team To better support a nontraditional workforce, Tom believes you do not have to do anything structurally different; you need to do things better. Better communication, clear feedback, and managers who care enough about your employees to make a safe and trusting environment will help a nontraditional workplace thrive. Tom mentions how people with autism are extreme users of organizational systems, which is extremely beneficial to a team because it creates better management skills and processes and provides more communication clarity. Those who are neurodivergent[ think differently](https://philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/?ref=philmckinney.com). People with different thinking styles can help drive a good [innovation strategy](https://www.philmckinney.com/you-need-an-innovation-strategy/) by bringing a different perspective. Tom believes having diversity of thought on your team is one of the most impactful ways diversity can influence an organization. Not being afraid to try [unconventional approaches](https://philmckinney.com/are-you-unconventional-enough-in-your-thinking/?ref=philmckinney.com) to problem-solving will push teams in new directions and promote learning and innovation. Tom's groundbreaking book, *The Power of Potential*, focuses on how the unemployment of neurodivergent people is an issue that can be solved. There is a need for talent, and there are people who supply that talent in the neurodivergent community. By expanding past traditional systems that aren't built for the neurodivergent community and creating more inclusive and innovative business operations, businesses can unlock vast untapped potential and benefit the lives of those involved. ## About our Guest: Tom D'Eri Tom D'Eri is the Co-Founder and COO of Rising Tide Car Wash, an organization that employs over 90 individuals with autism in a successful car wash business. His entrepreneurial success has led him to be listed on Forbes's 30 under 30 list, and most recently, he has authored a book, *The Power of Potential*, on the benefits of a nontraditional workforce. Check out Tom D'Eri's Linkedin [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/derithom/?ref=philmckinney.com) and learn more about him and his work on his website [here](https://www.risingtidecarwash.com/power-of-potential?ref=philmckinney.com). For further information on his book, click [here](https://www.amazon.com/Power-Potential-Nontraditional-Workforce-Business/dp/1400228859/ref=asc%5Fdf%5F1400228859/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about hiring a nontraditional workforce, listen to: **[Tom D’Eri on Hiring and Managing a Nontraditional Workforce](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Tom%5FDEri%5Fon%5FHiring%5Fand%5FManaging%5Fa%5FNontraditional%5FWorkforce.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Jim Kalbach of Mural on Visual Collaboration URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/jim-kalbach-of-mural-on-visual-collaboration/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:09.000Z Jim Kalbach, Head of Customer Experience at Mural, joins us to discuss innovation efforts in the world of visual collaboration. Remote work was at nearly one hundred percent during the pandemic, creating a need for effective digital whiteboards. Not only did people need a working space, but also a space for visual collaboration to take place. Since the pandemic, new modes outside of remote work have arisen, such as in-person, asynchronous, synchronous, and hybrid. The challenge has been finding a happy medium these different modes can meet in. Jim Kalbach believes shifting the focus from getting teams remote to ensuring teams can work fluidly throughout these different modes will ensure that teams can [collaborate to come up with innovative ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-through-collaboration/). ## Experimentation and Understanding Having an experimental mindset is key while concepts are developing. It can be a challenge while experimenting with new techniques and tools, but a willingness to [experiment](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/) and try different things, along with having [patience](https://philmckinney.com/?s=proper+mindset&submit=Search&ref=philmckinney.com) when concepts don’t work out, is crucial in improving visual collaboration. As modes for digital whiteboards change, Jim says the key to understanding the new way how things work is having the proper mindset. You have to come in with the mindset that things start and end digitally. Understanding a digitally defined workplace is important because even if you are in person, other parts of your team could be remote. Therefore, it is vital to understand the platforms other team members are using so that things run smoothly. ## Intentional Collaboration Making team collaboration intentional is vital in ensuring your team is productive, [creative](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-and-the-creative-mindset/), and innovative. Coming at situations with collaborative intelligence will ensure your teams have all they need to[ thrive](https://philmckinney.com/ready-thrive-innovation-economy/?ref=philmckinney.com). Having a methodology that your team follows, facilitating a culture of transparent communication, and understanding that there is room for learning will help teams [effectively](https://philmckinney.com/effectiveness/?ref=philmckinney.com) collaborate while using digital whiteboards. ## About the Author: Jim Kalbach Jim Kalbach is the Chief Evangelist at Mural, a collaborative intelligence company that offers a shared workspace for training on the LUMA System, the practical way to collaborate that anyone can learn and apply. Jim is an expert in the areas of experience design, visual methods, strategy, and remote facilitation. He is a world-renowned speaker, and author of the following books: the *JTBD Playbook*, *Mapping Experiences* and *Designing Web Navigation.* To know more about visual collaboration, listen to: **[Jim Kalbach of Mural on Visual Collaboration](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Jim%5FKalbach%5Fof%5FMural%5Fon%5FVisual%5FCollaboration.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Business Model Innovation - Why Agility Matters URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/business-model-innovation-why-agility-matters/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:06.000Z There's no question that business model innovation is a hot topic in today's business world. After all, who wouldn't want to be the next Uber or Airbnb? But what does it take to create a new and successful business model? It turns out that business model innovation is not just about having a great idea but about execution and timing. It's also about being willing to [take risks](https://www.philmckinney.com/getting-comfortable-taking-innovation-risks-getting-over-your-fear-of-something-going-wrong/) and [experiment](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/). And, of course, it helps if you have a bit of luck. So, what does it take to create a new and successful business model? Let's take a closer look. ## What is a Business Model? First, let's define what we mean by a business model. A [business model](https://philmckinney.com/dont-be-chicken-go-ahead-and-experiment-with-your-business-model-whats-the-worst-that-can-happen/?ref=philmckinney.com) is a way a company creates value for itself and its customers. It includes the company's value proposition (the unique selling point that differentiates it from competitors), the channels through which it reaches customers, the relationships it builds with them, the revenue streams it generates, and the costs it incurs. In other words, a business model is a company's framework to generate revenue and profits. To be successful, a business model must be viable, scalable, and sustainable. A viable business model can generate enough revenue to cover its costs and make a profit. A scalable business model can grow to meet demand. And a sustainable business model can be sustained over the long term. ## Why Do Business Models Need Innovation? There are several reasons businesses need to innovate their models. First, the market is constantly [changing](https://philmckinney.com/continue-innovating-during-an-economic-downturn/?ref=philmckinney.com), so companies must evolve. Second, technology is constantly changing and evolving, which means that the way businesses operate also needs to change. And third, customers are constantly changing and evolving, so companies need to find new and innovative ways to meet their needs. One will become irrelevant if a company doesn't innovate its business model. Its products and services will no longer be in demand, and it can no longer generate profits. So, it's essential for businesses to continuously experiment with new models to stay ahead of the competition. ## How to Innovate a Business Model So how can a company go about innovating its business model? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as every company and industry is different. However, there are some general steps that companies can take to get started: ### 1\. Define your value proposition. What makes your company unique? What do you offer that nobody else does? Figure out your unique selling point and focus on developing products and services that capitalize on that advantage. ### 2\. Identify your channels of distribution. How do you reach your customers? Are there any new or innovative ways you can reach them? Can you use digital channels to reach a wider audience? ### 3\. Build relationships with customers. How can you create loyalty among your customers? Can you create a community around your product or service? Can you find ways to delight your customers? ### 4\. Generate revenue streams. What are the different ways you can make money from your products or services? Can you find new ways to[ monetize](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-monetize-your-ideas/) them? ### 5\. Cut costs. How can you reduce the costs of running your business? Can you find ways to [automate or streamline processes](https://www.philmckinney.com/collin-howlett-of-vecima-on-the-pace-and-sources-of-innovation/)? Can you outsource tasks or functions that are not core to your business? ## How Do You Test The New Business Model? Once a company has developed a new business model, it's crucial to test it to see if it's viable, scalable, and sustainable. There are several ways to do this: ### 1\. Pilot the new model in a small market. Testing a new business model in a small market can help you determine if it's viable and scalable. This will help you determine if the new business model is feasible and if it has the potential to be scaled up. ### 2\. Experiment with different pricing models. One way to test a new business model is to experiment with different pricing models. This will help you determine which pricing structures generate the most revenue. You can also try different promotional strategies to determine the most [effective](https://philmckinney.com/effectiveness/?ref=philmckinney.com) ones. And you can experiment with different combinations of pricing and delivery methods (e.g., free shipping) to see which ones are most popular with customers. ### 3\. Use beta testers. Beta testers can be invaluable resources in testing a new business model. They can provide feedback on how well the new model works and offer suggestions for improvement. To find beta testers, you can put out a call for volunteers on social media or your company website. You can also reach out to customers who have previously expressed an interest in your product or service. Make sure to ask beta testers to provide feedback on various aspects, such as the overall feasibility of the model, the customer experience, and the impact on revenue. And be prepared to make changes based on their feedback. ### 4\. Get feedback from stakeholders. When testing a new business model, getting stakeholders' feedback is essential. This includes employees, outside partners, and other key stakeholders. Employees can offer valuable insights into how well the new model works and how it can be improved. They may also suggest how the new model can be adapted to meet the company's needs better. Outside partners can provide feedback on how the new model affects their business and whether they see the potential for collaboration. They may also have ideas for marketing the new product or service. Other stakeholders may have insights into how well the new model works and what changes (if any) need to be made. Gathering feedback from all these stakeholders will help you ensure that the new business model is successful. ### 5\. Monitor results closely. When testing a new business model, it's important to track key metrics, such as sales, profits, customer satisfaction, and engagement. This will help you determine if the new model is successful, needs to be adapted, or should be scrapped altogether. ## Barriers to Innovating the Business Model When it comes to innovating a business model, organizations face several common barriers. These include: ### 1\. Lack of resources. Developing a new business model can be costly and time-consuming, and companies may not have the financial, human, or technological resources to invest in creating a new model. This can be a significant obstacle for companies that want to stay competitive and keep up with the latest trends in their industry. Without the necessary resources, it can be challenging to come up with a new business model that's viable and scalable. ### 2\. Resistance to change. An organization's resistance to change can be a significant barrier to business model innovation. This is because the new model may be very different from the old one and may not fit with the company's existing structure or culture. If there is resistance to change from within the company, it can lead to conflict and delays in implementing the new model. It can also hamper the company's ability to take full advantage of the new business model's potential. Organizations must embrace change to innovate their business model successfully. This includes being open to new ideas and willing to make changes. ### 3\. Fear of failure. Many companies are reluctant to experiment with new models because they fear failing. They see it as a risk and are unwilling to take that risk. This fear can keep companies from exploring new opportunities and reaching their full potential. There are a few ways to overcome this fear. First, companies must understand that failure is a natural part of innovation. Second, they need to create a culture of experimentation where it's okay to fail. And third, they need to have a clear plan for how they will learn from their failures. ### 4\. Lack of creativity/innovation. Some companies may not have the creativity or innovation skills to develop a new business model. This can make it difficult for them to create innovative solutions that will help them stay competitive in today's market. Without creativity and innovation, companies may be limited in developing new and innovative ideas. If a company lacks creativity and innovation, it may need to invest in training or hiring new employees who have these skills. It's also crucial for companies to create an environment that encourages creativity and innovation. This includes open communication, inspiring new ideas, and allowing employees to experiment. One option is to consider securing the services of an [Innovation Agency](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://techtrend.com/what-you-need-to-know-before-working-with-an-innovation-agency/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1673117289729122%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1kmL9wijtd63UjYRZyHVWq&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1673117289742587&usg=AOvVaw3TjGAP5lt7ACt5TWslg4Gm) that can bring innovation skills and expertise to your efforts. ### 5\. Complexity/overwhelming choice. Complexity and overwhelming choice can be a barrier to innovating the business model because it can be difficult for companies to stand out from the competition. To successfully innovate their business model, companies need to create a unique offering that is different from what their competitors offer. However, with so many choices available to consumers, it can be difficult for companies to stand out and attract customers with their new business model. Another challenge that companies face is that the market is constantly changing. What may be popular today may not be popular tomorrow. So, to keep up with the latest trends and stay competitive, companies must continually innovate their business model. This can be daunting, especially if the company lacks creativity or innovation skills. ## Examples of Business Model Innovation There are a few ways to innovate your business model. You can either pivot your existing model or create a new model altogether. Pivoting your model means changing your current model to make it more effective. On the other hand, a new model is an entirely new way of doing business and may not have anything in common with your current model. Several factors contribute to the success or failure of innovating your business model. Below are a few examples of successful and unsuccessful business model innovations. ## Successful Business Model Innovation ### 1\. Apple Apple is a prime example of a company that has successfully innovated its business model. They've been so successful that they've created an entire industry around themselves. One reason for their success is that they've always been willing to experiment and take risks. For example, when they first introduced the iPhone, many skeptics didn't think it would be successful. However, Apple overcame these challenges and became one of the world's most popular smartphones. ### 2\. Amazon Another successful company that has innovated its business model is Amazon. They were one of the first companies to introduce online retailing and change how consumers buy products. They've also successfully diversified their business into other areas, such as cloud computing and streaming media. Amazon has stayed competitive by continually innovating its business model and exploring new opportunities. ### 3\. Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines is another company that has successfully innovated its business model. When they first started, they faced many challenges, such as high operating costs and competition from other airlines. However, they overcame these challenges by introducing low-cost fares and becoming the first "no-frills" airline. This allowed them to compete with the more prominent airlines and eventually became one of the largest airlines in the United States. ## Unsuccessful Business Model Innovation ### 1\. Blockbuster Blockbuster is a perfect example of a company that failed to innovate its business model when it needed to most. Many don't know that Blockbuster was one of the first video streaming services. It launched in January 2002, but with limited consumer broadband, the market for this business model innovation was way too small to be sustainable, and they gave up on the service soon after its launch. When Netflix introduced online streaming, Blockbuster didn't react quickly enough, given its earlier attempt, and ended up going out of business altogether. ### 2\. BlackBerry Another company that failed to innovate its business model is BlackBerry. When they first introduced the BlackBerry smartphone, it was a revolutionary product that changed how people communicate. However, they failed to keep up with the competition and eventually lost market share to companies like Apple and Samsung. BlackBerry could not adjust its business model quickly enough to keep up with the changing market, so it went out of business. ### 3\. Toys "R" Us Toys "R" Us is another example of a company that failed to innovate its business model. They were the go-to store for toys and children's products when they first started. However, they could not keep up with the times and eventually lost market share to online retailers like Amazon. Toys "R" Us could not adapt its business model to the changing market, resulting in bankruptcy. ## Surviving and Thriving Business model innovation is a critical component of success for any organization. However, it's not always easy to achieve success. A company must be willing to experiment and take risks to succeed. They must also be able to adapt quickly to changing market conditions. While most organizations think they have the innovation skills and resources in the heat of competitive battle, some organizations cannot maintain the pace of change required to survive and succeed. This is often because they lack the[ agility](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-essential-ingredients-of-agile-innovation/) to pivot their business model in response to market changes quickly. As a result, these companies find themselves at a significant disadvantage and eventually go out of business. To avoid this fate, companies must continually invest in innovation and ensure they have the necessary resources and capabilities to succeed. Companies can survive and thrive in today's competitive marketplace by constantly pushing themselves to be better. To know more about business model innovation and agility, listen to: [**Business Model Innovation - Why Agility Matters.**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Business%5FModel%5FInnovation%5F-%5FWhy%5FAgility%5FMatters.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Sandra Howe on Innovation Timing and Collaboration URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/sandra-howe-on-innovation-timing-and-collaboration/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:09.000Z Sandra Howe, an award-winning technology expert, joins us to discuss the effectiveness of pairing good timing with collaboration. The need for innovators willing to work with each other rather than against is progressing. Thanks to the swiftly changing technology market. The necessity for [broadband internet](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-media-and-entertainment-with-craig-leddy-of-interactive-tv-works/) is ever-increasing, especially in recent years, due to people’s increased need for it during and since the [COVID-19](https://www.philmckinney.com/game-changing-esport-innovations-during-covid-19/) pandemic. Due to the elasticity of the industry, Sandra stresses the importance of having a hub of innovators to discuss key aspects of [leadership](https://philmckinney.com/developing-leadership-skills-for-innovation-the-questions-strong-leaders-ask/?ref=philmckinney.com), standards, and new technologies. ## Experimentation and Adaptability The difference between a good idea and a great idea is rarely the idea but rather the timing. Companies often choose the wrong [time](https://www.philmckinney.com/get-innovation-timing-right/) to release new products or services. Poor timing can be detrimental to a good idea. Paired with having the right timing is engaging in effective collaboration. Having a good team or partnership to discuss and adequately vet an idea or product through trials and [experimentation](https://philmckinney.com/dont-be-chicken-go-ahead-and-experiment-with-your-business-model-whats-the-worst-that-can-happen/?ref=philmckinney.com) is vital. Using these trials to learn what adjustments need to be made or how consumers react is critical for success. Sandy says that the best way to prepare for the [unexpected](https://www.philmckinney.com/black-swan-innovation/) is to perform trials, listen to consumers, and make the necessary adjustments based on the findings. Being persistent and taking the time to listen goes a long way. Being able to adapt quickly is critical in the changing market. With the [constantly changing market](https://philmckinney.com/continue-innovating-during-an-economic-downturn/?ref=philmckinney.com), it is incredibly challenging for companies to stay ahead of the curve. Sandra advises innovators to keep things simple, listen to consumers, and be willing to adjust to their demands. ## About our Guest: Sandra Howe Sandra Howe currently serves as an Independent Director on the Minim board of directors, as well as the Chair of The WICT Network Global Board, the board of directors for NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, and the board of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) Foundation as an advisor on the investment committee. Sandra is also a former Technetix EVP. Sandy graduated from Pennsylvania State University and has received numerous industry awards: Cable TV Pioneers, Multichannel News’ Wonder Woman, CableFAX’s Top Women in Technology, The WICT Network Carolinas Carol A. Hevey Leadership Award, and NAMIC Carolinas EPIC in Technology. To know more about innovation timing and collaboration, listen to: **[Sandra Howe on Innovation Timing and Collaboration](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Sandra%5FHowe%5Fon%5FInnovation%5FTiming%5Fand%5FCollaboration.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Most Downloaded Show of 2022 - Innovation Benchmarking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/most-downloaded-show-of-2022-innovation-benchmarking/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:50.000Z [Benchmarking](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-escape-the-innovation-benchmark-trap/) is the comparing of your organization to others to measure your performance and possibly identify areas for improvement. It has been common practice since the early 1900s. Frederick Taylor, an American mechanical engineer, is credited with coining the term “benchmarking” in his book, *The Principles of Scientific Management*. Benchmarking enables continuous learning and improvement by identifying those that are having an impact and change and following them. These learnings and improvements can nurture the innovation success of your organization. Benchmarking helps you understand how you compare to others in your industry, making it easier to identify the best practices. For example, benchmarking enables you to identify the companies that use the best technology, the fastest production time, or the lowest costs. Whatever the measurement of success you define in your benchmarking activities, a benchmarking study can help an organization's managers make strategic decisions. It may also provide some insights into where to allocate your corporate resources. A common part of the data that gets collected in benchmarking is headcount. All kinds of weird metrics come out of this, such as dollars per revenue. While this is all good, there are also some challenges that we're going to discuss. In general, benchmarking could prove useful in business units where benchmarking data reveals which competitors are performing better than others. However, before benchmarking, you must first conduct research to know who to benchmark against. You want to benchmark peers that are similar to you. You don't want something unrelated, such as comparing a software company to a steel manufacturer. You want something similar. Similar peers could be in the same industry, have similar sizes, or they could be selling and servicing in a consistent geographic area. It can be tempting to say we want to be more like Silicon Valley. If a restaurant in Milwaukee benchmarked itself against the leading companies in Silicon Valley such as Apple, Google, or HP, that comparison would be meaningless. ## Benchmarking Failures Benchmarking has been around for quite some time, and it has some strong benefits, but there are bad that can come from benchmarking as well. The key here is that benchmarking can have negative consequences if done wrong. For example, if you benchmark against peers who are poorly chosen, it is not going to work. This can lead to bad decision-making and can destroy organizations. Therefore, it is important to handpick your benchmark peers to get accurate insights. For example, in the late 90s and early 2000s, MCI WorldCom, a major telecom company in the United States, was reporting results far better than any of its peers. AT&T and others attempted to benchmark themselves to find out how MCI could have a such standout performance. This resulted in the industry changing its strategies and its investment models to chase the MCI WorldCom results. While their [competitors tried to play catch up](https://philmckinney.com/the-innovation-arms-race/?ref=philmckinney.com), MCI WorldCom continued to report surprising results. That is until authorities revealed that MCI WorldCom was practicing fraudulent accounting practices. They overshowed the revenue streams, and they misallocated expenses to make their results look good. People had made decisions based on a benchmark against somebody who looked like they were performing outstandingly. To compete with how MCI was performing, they changed how they operated. MCI WorldCom eventually went bankrupt, but AT&T survived unscathed. They had size, scale, and all the capabilities. However, others in the industry got trapped in the benchmark. They made [bad decisions](https://philmckinney.com/if-you-want-to-innovate-then-dont-go-with-the-herd-groupthink-leads-to-bad-decisions/?ref=philmckinney.com), just like a company that I was at called Teligent. I was one of the original five founders of Teligent, and we got wrapped up in it. We were a competitive local exchange carrier, or what was called a CLEC at the time. We looked at MCI’s results and wondered how they were able to deliver those kinds of results. We made decisions to try to drive a performance level the same as MCI WorldCom. Eventually, Teligent ended up in bankruptcy, but I was long gone at this point. Because Wall Street was pounding on every telecom company in the industry to reach those same-level results, fast-paced innovation was essential. People made bad decisions because of a bad benchmark, and that bad benchmark was a result of fraud. ## The Benchmark Trap As a leader, whatever your role may be, odds are one of the big four consulting firms have either approached you, your CEO, or your board of directors to do an innovation benchmark on your organization. If not, count yourself lucky. If you have done an innovation benchmark, you know the nightmare this can cause for your organization. These engagements are all about comparing how an organization's innovations compare to each other’s innovation processes, approach, culture, etc. But why has this become such a hot consulting offer? Leaders in most organizations are feeling very uncertain about innovation. This may be due to their lack of ability to [come up with new ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/), or because of their historical inability to implement new ideas successfully. An organization may be able to come up with an idea, but most organizations historically struggle with making those ideas real. How big of a problem is this and what are the consultants zeroing in on? There was a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit that found that only 38% of executives said their organization was, “very good at turning innovative ideas into commercial success”. When these kinds of studies come out, consultants are all over it. They quickly create a consulting service to ‘fix the problem’. The problem is that only 38% of executives feel very good about their ability to turn innovative ideas into commercial success. When leaders benchmark their innovative approach to others, they're trying to benchmark themselves out of uncertainty and into comfort. They're uncertain because they aren't doing very well. They want to see how other people do it which causes them to try to copy the 38% to be successful. This is part of what I refer to as the benchmark trap. A single organization’s benchmarking engagement does not stand on its own because you don't benchmark against yourself. If you benchmark your organization's ability to turn out new ideas into commercial success, you are also benchmarking the quality of your peers who have been benchmarked before. You have to have somebody to benchmark against. This is the service that consultants sell. If you’re company A, and consultants have done a benchmark for Company B or Company C, they’ll do a comparison so you can determine how well you stack up. Leaders are looking for ways to stack themselves up, so they feel comfortable. However, when you benchmark yourself against competitors or industry best practices, the results will be that you become exactly like them in terms of innovation performance. When you benchmark, you're either trying to compare yourself or you're adopting what is viewed as their best practice to you. This drives everybody in the industry to converge towards the mean in results. You're not going to be the leader. You're going to be me too. It's one of the things I always hated when I was in one of the big six consulting firms. I used to run the telecom consulting practice at Computer Sciences Corporation back in the early 90s. One of the things that we sold was benchmarking, but we also did process reengineering, consulting work, etc. We pushed on this concept of benchmarking, and I traveled all around the world and did these benchmarks. While you're selling it to the leaders, the leaders, therefore, get comfortable because they've got a document they can put in front of their board of directors, investors, or shareholders to show they’re just as good or better. As more and more companies within an industry or area focus on benchmarking and adopting best practices, everybody starts to look the same. If Company A has a best practice on innovation, and everybody copies that best practice, assuming that you can copy someone's best practice and be just as effective, you all start to look the same. I think [best practices](https://philmckinney.com/practices-equal-strategy-video/?ref=philmckinney.com) are the stupidest concept ever invented. Over my years of talking companies into doing best practices, I've seen the impact. It makes everybody average, and everybody looks the same. There is no ability to have to stand-up performance when you've adopted the same practices, approach, and strategies as everybody else. No matter how high or how low your original benchmark is, you may have been an absolute leader in sales or innovation if you hadn’t followed other’s benchmarks. ## The Dangers of Comparison and Comfort Innovation in benchmarking can be a powerful tool. It can bring benefits when done correctly. But it can also lead companies astray if it's not handled correctly. Let’s discuss some of the [consequences of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/irresponsible-innovation/) benchmarking. Firstly, leaders run unnecessary risks trying to replicate the benchmark results exactly. We find areas where somebody else is better than us which causes us to want to replicate and adapt it. Why is this a problem? Because benchmarking typically involves leaders looking for insights and inspiration from benchmarking peers. The benchmarking experience is often oversimplified down to exactly what people did, how they did it, when they did it, etc. If they don't, it's a black box. It's oversimplified, and it's not enough detail to where you can duplicate it. We tend to focus on why they did all these different things. Firstly, you don't have all the details, because there are things inherently behind the scenes, and secondly, you’re thinking it's a formula. As a result, this can lead companies to take unwarranted financial, strategic, or organizational risks. When you're trying to replicate the benchmark experience of a peer, that experience is often unique to the peer. There's a lot of history in an organization that is not captured in the benchmarking activity. Be careful when leaders run unnecessary risks trying to capture the magic formula of an innovation benchmark. The second consequence is that leaders may benchmark themselves out of uncertainty and into comfort without realizing it. When leaders take benchmarking too far, it leads to what I call the [comfort trap](https://philmckinney.com/avoiding-the-habit-trap/?ref=philmckinney.com). Leaders can miss new opportunities and threats that emerge in the market when they unknowingly benchmark themselves into comfort. While you are looking for insights from your peers, it's important to keep in mind that what works for them, may not work best for your organization. You may have a unique value proposition, a different competitive environment, different costs, or brand equity. Be careful you don’t cherry-pick those things that either make you look the same or slightly better, but no worse than your competitors. The third consequence is that leaders benchmark their competitors rather than taking a fresh look at their innovation approach. This is probably the one that frustrates me the most. I get calls all the time from people who read my book or who have taken the innovation bootcamp, asking why it's not working for them. Be careful, take, what somebody else is doing in the innovation approach is not something you can replicate. They failed to take a fresh look at their innovation approach. They fall into the trap of comparing themselves to others who are not their innovation peers. You want to understand and find people who are innovating, that are similar to you, and not to duplicate or replicate, but adapt to what would work for your organization and your culture. If you're just looking to copy somebody else's innovation process, it will lead to bad decision-making that can destroy your organization. When you benchmark your competition, whether, from other industries, geographies, size, scale, etc., you automatically compare yourself to others who have been successful in completely different strategies for innovation success than yours. Attempting to imitate them will lead to failure. ## Example: Picking the Wrong Peer Here’s a personal example to drive the message home. When I was CTO at HP, the CEO, Mark Hurd, had a quote that was ingrained in everything the executive team did. “If you stare at the numbers long enough, they will eventually confess”. Mark established a culture he referred to as “extreme benchmarking”. This required every leader at HP to know the key benchmark metrics for each competitor and to have a plan to meet or beat the competitor's benchmark results. There was a lot of pressure from the benchmark numbers being compared to your competitors. If your numbers were not better than theirs, then you weren't running your part of the business appropriately. You had to be prepared to answer a question from Mark, walking down the hall asking, “what were the last quarter's benchmark results for XYZ competitor? And how and what is our current?” It was insane. The result was more than a few poor business decisions on the part of HP. One example that I was directly involved in was the cutting of HP’s investment in [innovation and R&D](https://philmckinney.com/6-ways-to-measure-innovation-success-that-every-company-should-put-in-place/?ref=philmckinney.com), to match the spending of our Asia Pacific-based competitors. Now, to give you some context, HP was spending roughly 3% of product revenue in the PC group on R&D. This included both consumer and commercial business products. To compare, Apple was spending about 9% of product revenue in the R&D group. The peer that Mark was forcing us to compare against, in our Asia Pacific base competitors, was spending 0.8% of product revenue on R&D. There was constant pressure to cut resources or move things like engineering offshore to get the benchmark closer to our peer. And let me tell you, the pressure was intense. This is the perfect example of picking the wrong peer. In the case of all my conversations with Mark Hurd, it was all about this Asia Pacific competitor. I wanted three times the R&D budget so that I could compete with Apple. That was my logical argument. Mark wanted 3% of my revenue on R&D spent down to less than 1%. I pushed back hard on this approach. My one regret was not pushing back even harder or finding a way to convince Mark and others of the folly of this approach. Now you would think with my role and personal passion for [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-definition-of-innovation/), I would have been able to figure this out. Nope, I failed, and it is one of the few regrets from my time as CTO at HP. Now, whenever someone says the word benchmark, my antenna goes up. Whenever you are thinking about doing any kind of comparison, understand the context of the information. Ask yourself if that somebody or thing is a good comparison. I spent almost 10 years in one of the big six consulting houses convincing others to do benchmarks. I've been on the other side of the table, and I'll be the first to admit, that was bad advice. Given it was the most popular advice, it was the advice everybody was giving at the time. In reality, you cannot just duplicate what somebody else is doing. You have to deeply understand the context behind what you are attempting to benchmark against. ## Conclusion The best way to avoid falling into the innovation benchmark trap is not to benchmark for benchmark’s sake. Instead of getting caught in this trap, learn from your peers. Don't assume that what worked for them will work for you. You need to have some discernment as to what would work and what to ignore. If you follow blindly, your organization will become average, or worse, will be destroyed. Instead, look at what your peers are doing and ask yourself two questions: “Why are they innovating that way?” and “what can we learn from that approach?”. It is critical to get inside the mind of your innovation peer that you've identified and understand their thought process and discern what of their approach is worth you're experimenting with. Don't adopt at wholesale, find the elements that work and[ experiment](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/) with them. Otherwise, your organization may drive itself right off the innovation cliff. To know more about innovation benchmarking, listen to: **[Most Downloaded Show of 2022 - Innovation Benchmarking](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Most%5FDownloaded%5FShow%5Fof%5F2022%5F-%5FInnovation%5FBenchmarking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Devil's Advocate: Is it Good for Innovation? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-devils-advocate-is-it-good-for-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:08.000Z Innovation is often lauded as the key to [success in business](https://philmckinney.com/the-thinking-skills-needed-for-success/?ref=philmckinney.com). After all, staying ahead of the competition is hard if you're not constantly coming up with new ideas and ways to improve your products or services. But is every idea you come up with a good thing? Is there such a thing as being too innovative? To keep yourself honest, you may consider appointing a devil's advocate. The [Devil's Advocate ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FDevil%27s%5FAdvocate%5F%281997%5Ffilm%29?ref=philmckinney.com)is a popular movie from the 1990s that tells the story of a lawyer hired to argue against a candidate for a high-ranking position in the Vatican. The lawyer's job is to poke holes in the candidate's qualifications and to find any dirt that might disqualify him. While the movie is fictional, the idea of a Devil's Advocate is accurate, and it's something that companies sometimes use when considering new ideas. The aim is to have someone whose job is to argue against the proposed idea, to improve the idea by making sure that all potential problems with it are discussed and addressed. ## Definition of a Devil's Advocate The term "Devil's Advocate" comes from the Catholic Church. In canonization, the process of declaring someone a saint, there is a [Devil's Advocate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s%5Fadvocate?ref=philmckinney.com) (advocatus diaboli) whose job is to argue against the candidate's sainthood. If the Devil's Advocate can't find anything wrong with the candidate, they probably deserve sainthood. ## Why Companies Use Devil's Advocates There are a few reasons companies might use Devil's Advocates. First, it can help to prevent [groupthink](https://www.philmckinney.com/groupthink-kills-innovation/). When people work on a project together, they quickly get caught up in thinking that their idea is great and should be implemented immediately. Devil's Advocates can help to forestall this by giving other people a chance to voice their objections and to point out any potential problems with an idea. Second, it can help to ensure that all the stakeholders are on board with a decision. When considering a new idea, getting input from all affected is essential. The Devil's Advocate can help ensure everyone's concerns are considered before deciding. Third, it can help to ensure that a decision is well-reasoned and thought out. When you're considering a [new idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/matt-greeley-of-brightidea-on-long-form-narratives-of-ideas/), it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of it and start thinking about all of the ways it could be successful. But it's also important to consider all of the ways that it could fail. The Devil's Advocate can help to ensure that you're thinking about both the potential positives and negatives of a decision before making it. ## The Drawbacks There are a few potential drawbacks to using Devil's Advocates. First, it can lead to decision paralysis. If you're considering a new idea and you have someone whose job is to shoot it down, it's easy to get caught up in all the potential problems and never actually decide to go forward or kill it. Second, it can frustrate the people who are working on the project. If you're constantly being shot down by someone whose job is to find fault with your ideas, it can start feeling like your work is never good enough. Third, it can lead to a negative work environment. If people feel they can't share their ideas without being shot down, they may stop sharing them altogether. This can lead to a work environment where people are afraid to take risks, and new ideas never get a chance to be heard. Overall, there are positive and negative aspects to using Devil's Advocates. It's essential to weigh the pros and cons before deciding whether to use them on a project. ## How To Properly Use a Devil's Advocate If you decide to use a Devil's Advocate on a project, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. First, it's essential to make sure that everyone understands the role of the Devil's Advocate. The person identified as playing this role should not be trying to kill the idea outright; their goal should be to ensure all potential problems with it are considered. Second, giving the Devil's Advocate enough time to do their job is essential. If you're considering a new idea, you shouldn't shoot it down as soon as someone objects. Take the time to view all the objections and to see if any valid points need to be addressed. Third, it's essential to make sure that the decision-makers are the ones who ultimately decide. The Devil's Advocate can provide valuable input, but they shouldn't be the ones making the final decision. That should be left to the people responsible for implementing the idea. ## Devil's Advocate as A Passive Aggressive Response When someone starts a statement with "I'm just playing Devil's Advocate," it is usually a sign that they are about to say something that they know will be [controversial](https://philmckinney.com/innovation-hero-worship-ftx-theranos-and-the-media/?ref=philmckinney.com). It's a way of trying to distance themselves from the idea in a passive-aggressive way. The problem with this approach is that it rarely leads to productive discussion. The individual will raise objections to an idea, but instead of providing constructive criticism, they will nitpick and try to find fault with everything. The effect is to shut down the conversation because people feel like they are being attacked. It can also make the person playing Devil's Advocate look like they are just trying to be difficult for the sake of it. If you find yourself in discussion with someone playing Devil's Advocate, remind them the role is formal; if they volunteer for it, they need to play by the rules. If they are trying to be contrarian, close down the conversation. ## 10 Rules for the Devil's Advocate Being the Devil's Advocate can feel like being on a debate team. In debate, you are given a position and must argue for it, even if you disagree. The same is true of being a Devil's Advocate; you have to be willing to take on the role and argue for the other side, even if you disagree. Here are ten rules that will help you be a better Devil's Advocate: 1. Present an argument against a proposal or idea without necessarily believing in that argument. 2. Identify and explore potential problems and objections to a proposal or idea to improve it. 3. Provide alternative perspectives and challenge assumptions. 4. Force people to think about an issue from all sides and consider all options. 5. Encourage critical thinking and healthy debate. 6. Ensure that all ideas are given a fair hearing before making a decision. 7. Act as a check against groupthink, where people agree with the majority opinion. 8. Be open-minded and objective without being wedded to any particular position. 9. See both sides of an argument and [understand different points of view](https://philmckinney.com/ingenuity-action-3-companies-inspire-us-think-outside-box/?ref=philmckinney.com). 10. Be willing to change their position if the evidence or arguments presented are compelling enough. ## Examples of How Devil Advocates Are Used Over the years, many organizations have leveraged the idea of a devil's advocate to [improve their decision-making processes](https://www.philmckinney.com/decision-making-ooda-loop-for-fast-and-accurate-decisions/). For example, the U.S. military has long used Devil's Advocates to help improve their decision-making. Before a new policy is implemented, they assign someone the role of Devil's Advocate, and their job is to find any potential problems with the procedure. This helps to ensure that they consider the potential risks before they decide. Another example of an industry that uses devil advocates is [journalism](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-failure-of-innovation-journalism/). They are used to making sure they consider all sides of a story before it is published. This helps to ensure accuracy and avoid any potential libel issues. The legal profession also uses devil advocates. Lawyers will use them to consider all the potential arguments that could be made against their case. This helps to ensure they are prepared for anything that could happen in court. ## Final Thoughts Just as a church provides a place for people to come together to learn, discuss, debate, and think, so does the Devil's Advocate give space to discuss, discuss, and [critically think about an idea](https://philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/?ref=philmckinney.com). The Devil's Advocate can help improve an organization's efforts by ensuring that all options are considered before any decisions are made. To know more about devil's advocates, listen to: [**The Devil's Advocate: Is it Good for Innovation?**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FDevils%5FAdvocate%5F-%5FIs%5Fit%5FGood%5Ffor%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Collin Howlett of Vecima on the Pace and Sources of Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/collin-howlett-of-vecima-on-the-pace-and-sources-of-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:08.000Z Here is the last interview from my time at the [Cable Tec-Expo Show in Philadelphia](https://www.philmckinney.com/asaf-matatyaou-of-harmonic-on-innovation-culture-and-ai/). Collin Howlett, the CTO of Vecima, joins us to discuss the acceleration of innovation in the cable industry. [Predicting the future](https://www.philmckinney.com/chunka-mui-on-innovating-a-perfect-future/) grows more challenging as the pace of innovation accelerates. Customers are deploying innovations at faster speeds than ever. Most cable operators are now mobile operators, with their focus fixed on fiber. At CableLabs, we are showing coherent optics at 50,000 gigs over a single strand. While this mind-blowing capacity may not be needed now, it will no doubt be [in the future](https://philmckinney.com/a-new-vision-video-the-near-future-network/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Hardware to Software With the pace of [the broadband industry](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-media-and-entertainment-with-craig-leddy-of-interactive-tv-works/) increasing, necessary transitions are occurring. Engineers must develop a different skill set as the network transitions from hardware to software. This is leading to a shortage of people who understand both software and hardware. Collin emphasized the importance of knowing where to put certain parts of the technology while understanding the software and hardware division. Some hardware has been out there for 30 years, and the companies that created it are now gone. It is valuable to build generic hardware that can be developed over time. It’s vital to make a software from a modular perspective. Many of the technologies deployed today will significantly affect our predecessors. We must think about the [unintended consequences of our innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/irresponsible-innovation/). Collin believes organizations must consider their innovation’s effects at least 10-15 years into the future. ## Innovation Culture Collin’s team at Vecima likes to follow what’s happening in other industries, identify what they can take from those industries, and apply them to their own. Due to the[ pace of innovation](https://philmckinney.com/the-innovation-arms-race/?ref=philmckinney.com), concepts and prototypes need to be spun out much faster than in the past. Decisions need to be made quickly. Collin said it is also important not to get emotionally tied to what you are working on. Being able to pivot rapidly to the next innovation is vital. ## Automation and AI Many brilliant engineers of our day are retiring, and the question becomes, “How do you capture that expertise?” Collin believes there is value in automating the development of technologies and low-level work through [machine learning and AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-creativity-and-ai/). While we can capture everything, this could be a way to help bridge the skills gap as we advance. The bottom line is if innovators are not applying machine learning today, they will be left behind. ## About our Guest: Collin Howlett Colin Howlett is the Chief Technology Officer, joining Vecima in 1997\. He is responsible for defining the overall technology strategy at Vecima. He leads a group of product architects who work directly with customers to determine the next generation of Vecima products. Colin has been an active participant in industry standards development within CableLabs and the WiMAX Forum and is currently actively involved in D3.1 and D4.40 initiatives at CableLabs. He holds multiple patents related to his work in cable broadband access systems at Vecima. Colin has a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree and a Bachelor of Computer Science degree from the University of Saskatchewan. ### Irresponsible Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/irresponsible-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:07.000Z A few weeks back, I wrote an opinion piece for The Innovators Network titled,[ ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://theinnovators.network/innovation-hero-worship-ftx-theranos-and-the-media/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1670185058282933%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3BpU6FkBL0ihO1l5S8M2fk&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1670185058300230&usg=AOvVaw3A3VliFHywu9r0PeAMBe%5Fn)[*Innovation Hero Worship: FTX, Theranos, and the Media*](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://theinnovators.network/innovation-hero-worship-ftx-theranos-and-the-media/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1670185058283204%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1ZMv4Y0bVR3dM8dFJzpnuv&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1670185058300487&usg=AOvVaw3eZGF-RX2qFLoG0WrGylKP). The core of the article is my belief that the media has a responsibility to not feed into the hero worship of innovation leaders. But there is more to the recent high-profile innovation failures than just the hero worship of founders and CEOs. The announcement of the bankruptcy of FTX and the sentencing of the founder and CEO of Theranos to over 11 years in jail for fraud begs us to look more deeply at the underlying issue of irresponsible innovation. ## What do I mean by irresponsible innovation? The definition is a bit nebulous and open to interpretation, but generally, it is an innovation that is done with little or no concern for the potential negative consequences of the innovation. In a recent study, most leaders and informed citizens believe that the potential negative impact of an innovation is not something that is ever considered. In their minds, most innovation is irresponsible innovation. ## There are 5 key contributors to irresponsible innovation: First, there is a failure to consider and improve upon the consequences of an innovation. With innovation, it's important to consider all aspects of the consequences. This includes the positive and negative effects that innovation will have on society. By failing to consider and improve upon the consequences of an innovation, businesses and governments can inadvertently cause more harm than good. Second, there is a lack of accountability and responsibility in the innovation process. Businesses and governments must be accountable for their actions. This means that they must be [willing to take responsibility](https://philmckinney.com/being-thrown-under-the-bus-the-dilemma-of-blame/?ref=philmckinney.com) for the negative impacts their innovations may have on society. Without this level of accountability and responsibility, businesses and governments are failing to act in a socially responsible manner. This accountability also needs to include the executives involved. Third, ethical standards are absent when it comes to innovation. Ethics are important in any field, but it is quickly becoming increasingly important in innovation. Businesses and governments must set ethical standards and adhere to them. Without these standards, there is a risk that innovation will lead to greater negative outcomes. Fourth, there is often a lack of transparency and communication about the risks and benefits of innovation. Innovators and entrepreneurs must be transparent and honest about the risks and benefits of their innovations. This includes providing realistic information about how innovation may affect society, as well as any potential solutions for mitigating negative effects. Fifth, there is often a focus on the financial returns of innovation rather than on balancing its societal impact. It's important for businesses, governments, and investors (e.g. venture capitalists) to consider the broader societal impact of their innovations. This means that financial returns should not be the sole focus. We should evaluate both the financial return and impact based on the innovations' potential to improve or harm society. > "Just as a car needs both the accelerator and the brake, responsible innovation requires both pushing boundaries and considering the consequences." ## Intentional Versus Accidental Not all negative effects are intentional. Sometimes, innovation can hurt society as a result of [unintended consequence](https://www.philmckinney.com/unintended-consequences-innovation-adoption/)s. Intentional irresponsible innovation happens when companies knowingly take risks and create negative social outcomes. A recent example is Facebook’s conscious decision to prioritize engagement and growth over user privacy. Accidental irresponsible innovation occurs when companies lack the necessary knowledge or resources to fully consider the consequences of an innovation. Unfortunately, these types of mistakes can lead to serious consequences. A recent example is the Uber driverless car that killed a pedestrian. ## Consequences of Irresponsible Innovation The consequences of irresponsible innovation can be severe and far-reaching. Organizations that fail to consider the potential social impacts of their innovations risk creating serious problems. These could include financial losses, public distrust, and even legal liability. ### Financial Financial losses due to irresponsible innovation are not just limited to shareholders and investors but can also have consequences on the wider economy. For example, when FTX went bankrupt, it hurt the entire market. ### Legal and Ethical We must also consider that irresponsible innovation can have serious [legal and ethical implications](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-reform/), as seen in the case of Theranos. In this scenario, both investors and consumers were misled about the efficacy of a product and the company, along with the founder, was found guilty of fraud. ### Public Distrust of Innovation Finally, we must consider that irresponsible innovation can lead to public distrust of innovation. This could mean that people are less likely to embrace new technologies and products, leading to slower economic growth and development. ## What Can You Do? We must all work together to create a framework for responsible innovation that considers the potential consequences of our innovations and work towards [creating a better future](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-and-improving-your-future-literacy/) for everyone. This will require a firm commitment from all stakeholders to consider the potential consequences of their work. This includes companies, governments, citizens, and the media. ### Companies Companies must be proactive in identifying and mitigating any negative impacts of their innovations. They must also be willing to take responsibility for these impacts, even if they are not directly responsible for them. How? 1. Articulate the goals and values that will guide responsible innovation 2. Educate the entire team on responsible innovation 3. Invest in tools and processes to measure, monitor, and mitigate the risks of irresponsible innovation 4. Gather input from stakeholders to ensure their perspectives are taken into account 5. Identify potential negative effects of the innovation and develop plans to mitigate them 6. Communicate the plans to stakeholders, customers, and citizens with transparency ### Governments Governments must create a framework for responsible innovation that considers the potential societal consequences of new technologies and products. This framework should encourage others to act responsibly and provide guidance on how to do so. How? 1. Make responsible innovation part of [government policy](https://philmckinney.com/government-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com) 2. Consult stakeholders to ensure their perspectives are taken into account 3. Develop policies and regulations that promote responsible innovation 4. Provide incentives for companies to act responsibly and penalize those who don't 5. Monitor compliance with the framework ### Citizens Citizens must be willing to ask questions about the consequences of innovations and hold all stakeholders accountable for their actions. We must also be open to change, accepting that not all innovations are good and that we need to weigh the costs and benefits of each carefully. How? 1. Ask questions about the expected pacts from an innovation 2. Educate yourself on responsible innovation and be aware of potential negative consequences 3. Advocate for responsible innovation where possible 4. Take part in dialogues with stakeholders to ensure your perspective is considered 5. Support companies, governments, and other stakeholders that are making positive strides toward responsible innovation ### Media And let's not leave out the role of the media. [The press](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-failure-of-innovation-journalism/) needs to provide accurate, objective reporting on the consequences and impacts of innovations. This is essential for informing citizens and holding companies and governments accountable. How? 1. Provide accurate, objective, and complete[reporting on innovations](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://theinnovators.network/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1670185058287873%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0KuUIyrfxpeksObLdPABWL&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1670185058305011&usg=AOvVaw2h9xJefP1gExT-Kut7Al9Y) 2. Investigate potential negative impacts of new technologies and products 3. Highlight companies or governments that are making positive strides toward responsible innovation 4. Ask questions to ensure all stakeholders are taking responsibility for the consequences of their work 5. Give a voice to citizens who are being affected by irresponsible innovation ## Examples of Irresponsible Innovations Here are some recent examples of high-profile failures from irresponsible innovations and the lessons learned from each. - Facebook’s [Cambridge Analytica data scandal](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook%2525E2%252580%252593Cambridge%5FAnalytica%5Fdata%5Fscandal%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1670185058288713%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1npTFHKXH6YfK3bdgcr0gt&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1670185058305742&usg=AOvVaw2MIe7JoPugkDx2MAUs42z0): This incident highlighted the importance of data privacy and security, as well as the need for companies to be transparent about how they use customer data. - Volkswagen’s [emissions-cheating scandal](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen%5Femissions%5Fscandal%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1670185058289110%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1XsJA8pq3Y%5Fd%5FQbf-2wZ0C&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1670185058306049&usg=AOvVaw21IEGosbVSL2geG-qS1XPL): This case showed how important it is for governments to have strong policies and regulations in place to ensure companies are following the law. - Uber’s [surge pricing during disasters](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.inc.com/associated-press/uber-agrees-to-limit-price-during-emergencies.html%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1670185058289519%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2meC6FwG0vpo8QxLeHu7zE&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1670185058306480&usg=AOvVaw0iaowx0o%5FLJMsxjqBljyCX): This incident showed the need for companies to be aware of their social responsibility when setting prices, and to consider their impact on citizens who are already in vulnerable circumstances. ## Conclusion Irresponsible innovation can have serious consequences. It's important to take steps toward creating a more responsible system of innovation to avoid potential negative outcomes in the future. Responsible innovation is becoming an essential part of [creating a positive future](https://philmckinney.com/imagining-a-better-future-keys-to-human-progress/?ref=philmckinney.com) for everyone. If we make sure that businesses and governments take the time to consider the outcomes of their actions, are held accountable for them, and stick to ethical standards when coming up with new ideas, it will be possible to build a more dependable system of innovation. To put it simply, responsible innovation is about considering the human implications of any innovation advancement and striving to make sure that those implications are understood, communicated, and addressed. If we want to make a real difference in the world, responsible innovation must be a priority for everyone. To know more about irresponsible innovation, listen to: **[Irresponsible Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Irresponsible%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Asaf Matatyaou of Harmonic on Innovation Culture and AI URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/asaf-matatyaou-of-harmonic-on-innovation-culture-and-ai/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:07.000Z This is the third interview from my time at the [Cable Tec-Expo Show in Philadelphia](https://www.philmckinney.com/hanno-narjus-of-teleste-on-european-innovation-and-nokia/). Asaf Matatyaou, the VP of Solutions and Product Management for the Cable Access Business at Harmonic, joins us to discuss AI, data, and innovation culture. Consumer expectations have considerably shifted due to the [impact of COVID-19](https://www.philmckinney.com/jordi-fernandez-of-benetalk-on-innovating-stuttering/). As a result, the reliability of network connectivity has become paramount. Power usage is another area brought to the forefront of innovation. The cable industry is heavily focused on reducing power usage while improving speed. Green initiatives and power saving, especially with the rising electricity costs, have become motivating areas for today's innovators. ## Network Virtualization [The network](https://philmckinney.com/a-new-vision-video-the-near-future-network/?ref=philmckinney.com) is moving from traditional proprietary silicone and hardware stacks into software. As a result, running the network now requires different capabilities. As the cable industry steps into this transition, it is essential to get those with experience comfortable while also allowing them to utilize the newest technologies. ## AI Automation and the Value Creation of Data Finding [the role of AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-creativity-and-ai/) within networks to create reliability tends to be tricky. One group thinks AI is the most significant new thing, while others think it's evil and dangerous. Asaf believes that there is an excellent opportunity for [implementing AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/ai-opens-on-broadway/) in terms of scale. To unlock this opportunity, organizations must be confident and prove they are getting the correct data. Secondly, they need the right actions for that data. Lastly, they need to train that data continuously. Many organizations overlook the quality of the data they are capturing. When Harmonic started, they put money into every bit of data they could. Over time, they realized the importance of filtering out non-valuable data. It is key to figuring out what data you need, what you can do with it, and how frequently you need it. I believe that if organizations are not thinking of [applying AI to their innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/transcribing-your-brainstorm-with-otter-ai-interview-with-sam-liang/), they will be left behind. ## Innovation Culture & Collaboration Harmonic collaborates with its customers to pinpoint their desired focus areas and provide actionable solutions. Internally, Harmonic prioritizes having an [innovation culture](https://philmckinney.com/the-ceo-innovation-dilemma-creating-an-innovation-culture-that-works/?ref=philmckinney.com). The organization's leaders [encourage experimentation](https://www.philmckinney.com/jan-ariesen-of-technetix-on-prioritizing-innovation/) at every level and don't shy away from failure. Every year, they host a two-day 'Hackathon,' allowing anyone in the organization to [develop new ideas.](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/) They offer prizes for the top ideas and even implement some ideas into their solutions. To those who have an idea and don't know what to do with it, Asaf has a simple message: Don't waste time talking about it. Just do it, and then learn from it. Fail and then achieve. Check out Asaf's LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/asafmatatyaou/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out Harmonic's website [here](https://www.harmonicinc.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: Asaf Matatyaou Asaf Matatyaou is Vice President of Solutions and Product Management for the Cable Access Business at Harmonic. Asaf is responsible for product management, strategy, and solution architectures in this role, including Harmonic's virtual cable access solution, CableOS®. Asaf has 20+ years of experience as an engineer and executive in the cable industry, including roles where he led the development of CMTS products and helped drive industry specifications. Asaf earned his BS degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of California, Davis. To know more about Asaf Matatyaou and Harmonic, listen to: **[Asaf Matatyaou of Harmonic on Innovation Culture and AI](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Asaf%5FMatatyaou%5Fof%5FHarmonic%5Fon%5FInnovation%5FCulture%5Fand%5FAI.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Why Divergent Thinkers Will Always Win URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-divergent-thinkers-will-always-win/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:06.000Z Humans have always been thinkers. From the time early humans began to communicate, they used their brains to figure out how to survive and thrive. Over the years, humans have continued to [use their brains to solve problems](https://philmckinney.com/the-thinking-skills-needed-for-success/?ref=philmckinney.com) and create new things. To do this, humans have had to learn to think differently. Interestingly, humans are not the only animals that think. Ravens, for example, are known for being very clever birds. They can solve problems and even use tools. However, humans still outrank all other animals regarding their thinking ability. This is mainly because humans can [think abstractly](https://philmckinney.com/are-you-unconventional-enough-in-your-thinking/?ref=philmckinney.com). We can imagine things that don't exist and come up with solutions to problems that don't have straightforward answers. ## Human versus Computers With thinking, humans and computers have similarities and significant differences. Both humans and computers can solve problems. Although humans are better at abstract thinking, computers are better at logical thinking. Computers can come up with ideas based on logic and data, but they cannot come up with totally new and original ideas. One thing that will always set humans apart from machines is our ability to think creatively and come up with new solutions to problems. ## Thinking Styles There are two fundamental ways humans think: convergent and divergent thinking. Convergent thinking is focused and goal-oriented. It is suitable for solving problems that have a single correct answer. Most people think in a convergent way most of the time because our schools and workplaces reward people who come up with the one right answer. However, to innovate and create, we need people who can think in divergent ways. Divergent thinking is more open-ended and exploratory. It is good for solving problems that have multiple correct answers. We often use this thinking in creative professions, where people are encouraged to develop new and innovative ideas. Both convergent and divergent thinking are essential. The best way to solve a problem is to use both types of thinking together. Start by using divergent thinking to explore different possibilities to develop new and innovative ideas. Then, by using convergent thinking, you can narrow down your options and find the best solution. ## Convergent Thinking Convergent thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves generating one correct solution to a problem and creating action plans. ### Characteristics of Convergent Thinking There are several characteristics of convergent thinking. First, it is logical and systematic. This means that convergent thinkers approach problems step-by-step, analyzing all the data before coming to a conclusion. Second, they are analytical. They like to break down problems into smaller parts so that they can understand them better. Third, they are objective. They make decisions based on facts and data, not emotions or personal opinions. Finally, they are decisive. They know what they want, and they go after it aggressively. ### Limitations of Convergent Thinking While convergent thinking is an important skill, it has some limitations. First, it can be rigid and inflexible. They often have trouble adapting to new situations or changing their minds once they have made a decision. Second, it can be restrictive. They often focus too much on the details and lose sight of the bigger picture. And finally, it can be boring. It can be repetitive and unchallenging, leading to stagnation and a lack of creativity. ## Divergent Thinking Humans need people with divergent thinking skills to create and innovate. Divergents [think outside of the box](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-1/) and come up with many possible solutions for a problem instead of one good idea like convergent thinkers do; they explore all angles to find something new or different about any given situation which can lead them down paths not taken by others before - essential if we want our world's progress made quickly enough! ### Characteristics of Divergent Thinking There are several characteristics of divergent thinking. First, it is creative. Divergent thinkers think outside the box and come up with ideas that no one else has thought of before. Second, it is flexible. Divergent thinkers can adapt quickly to new situations and change their minds when necessary. Third, it is open-minded. Divergent thinkers are willing to consider different points of view and explore alternate solutions. And fourth, it is challenging. Divergent thinking can be frustrating because it involves taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone. ### Limitations of Divergent Thinking While divergent thinking is essential for innovation, it has its own set of limitations. First, it can be disorganized. Divergent thinkers often have trouble staying focused on one task or goal. Second, it can be undisciplined. Divergent thinkers may start projects but never finish them because they get sidetracked easily. And finally, it can be chaotic. Divergent thinking can lead to confusion and may not always result in a clear solution. ## Need More Divergent Thinkers Since convergent thinking is the most common form of thinking, we need to expand our thinking styles by building up divergent thinkers. The first step in improving your divergent thinking skills is understanding the different types of divergent thinking. There are ideators, connectors, and analogizers. Ideators come up with a lot of ideas, connectors connect ideas, and analogizers see similarities between ideas. You need to practice and be proficient in all three types to improve your divergent thinking skills. ## The Ideator To be a successful divergent thinker, you need to be an ideator — the ability to generate new ideas constantly. The best way to do this is to have a tool or method that you can use to [stimulate your creativity](https://philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/?ref=philmckinney.com). It can be any process, approach, aid (e.g., card decks), or tool you find helpful in getting your creative juices flowing. The key is to use the tools to be creative regularly. Don't just use it to develop new ideas for work or school projects. Use it to come up with new ideas for anything and everything. The more you use your ideator skills, the better your divergent thinking skills will become. There are so many ways that you can improve your ideator skills. One way is to practice brainstorming by identifying a daily object like a ballpoint pen and setting an idea quote (e.g., 25) for how many ways you could improve it. The idea quota forces you to brainstorm various ideas, some of which may be far-fetched and beyond the obvious. Still, the important part is that it gets you into the habit of generating new ideas regularly. ## The Connector The connector skill takes two seemingly unrelated ideas and finds the link. Divergent thinkers need to see the world in terms of connections and can come up with new ideas by linking together different concepts. This results in taking a lot of disparate ideas and finding the common thread that ties them together. The result is ideas that wouldn't have been possible if the thinking was linear. One exercise is to take a problem you are trying to solve and break it down into different fundamental parts. Then, find as many evident and non-obvious connections between those parts. Then take those connections and use your ideator skills to brainstorm more ideas. This will force you to [see the problem differently](https://www.philmckinney.com/peter-lierni-of-solutioneering-on-innovating-frameworks-for-critical-thinking/) and come up with new ideas that might seem random but could lead to an unexpected solution. ## The Analogizer The Analogizer is the skill where someone can see the similarities between wildly different ideas. They can take two seemingly unrelated concepts and mash them up. The result is the ability to come up with new and innovative ideas by finding connections between ideas that don't seem to be related. For example, it can take two different industries, companies, products, or services and find as many non-obvious similarities and differences as possible. Then take those and use your ideator skills to brainstorm more ideas. ## Divergent Thinkers Win The world is full of convergent thinkers. They are the people who work in corporations, follow the rules, and arrive at a single solution. They are good at following instructions and are often praised for their ability to "stay within the lines." The world also has its fair share of divergent thinkers. They are the people who start businesses, push boundaries, and come up with new ideas. They are often praised for their creativity and innovation. Divergent thinkers are critical to innovation and progress. Corporations rely on convergent thinkers to maintain efficiency and consistency, but divergent thinkers drive innovation and change. Divergent thinkers can see beyond the status quo and develop new ways of doing things. They challenge the rules and find solutions to problems nobody else has thought of. Divergent thinkers help businesses [stay ahead of the competition](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-design-thinking/) by coming up with new ideas that no one has ever thought of before. They help businesses remain innovative and relevant in today's constantly changing world. As a result, businesses that want to succeed must embrace divergence and encourage their employees to think creatively. To know more about divergent and convergent thinking, listen to: **[Why Divergent Thinkers Will Always Win](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5FDivergent%5FThinkers%5FWill%5FAlways%5FWin.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Jordi Fernandez of BeneTalk on Innovating Stuttering URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/jordi-fernandez-of-benetalk-on-innovating-stuttering/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:06.000Z Jordi Fernandez, Founder and CEO of BeneTalk, joins the show to discuss the mobile app that provides a community for people who stutter. Jordi is a person who stutters and growing up, his parents and teachers didn’t [understand how to approach it](https://www.philmckinney.com/greg-shepard-with-boss-capital-partners-on-autism-neurodiversity-and-entrepreneurship/). At a young age, he engaged in various forms of speech therapy. When he moved from Spain to the UK, his therapy took [an alternative approach](https://www.philmckinney.com/kevin-spencer-on-disability-innovation-through-magic-tricks/). It focused on getting him out of his comfort zone and provided him with a community to be a part of. This community focus greatly helped Jordi and inspired him to eventually found BeneTalk. ## The Importance of Community People who stutter often struggle with social anxiety and other mental health issues. As a result, many choose to limit their speech. In the realm of speech therapy, this is called ‘masking’. Because of this, Jordi says there are a lot more people who stutter than the studies typically show. Having a community that shows it is all right to stutter can make a world of difference. It allows people to embrace their stuttering, instead of running away from it. This is where the BeneTalk app comes into play. The focus is not all on fixing the stutter, but rather on enabling those who stutter to feel more comfortable speaking. This allows them to [build confidence](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-built-my-innovation-self-confidence/) and improve their speech over time. ## The BeneTalk app Jordi's vision for BeneTalk was to build a stuttering device similar to how a Fitbit operates. The hardware would be placed on the user’s chest and used daily. When[ COVID-19](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/) broke out, Jordi and his team decided to pivot to a mobile app. The BeneTalk app allows users to learn about themselves, connect with others who stutter and track their speech progress. The app contains courses on stuttering and teaches speech techniques. The team is currently working on creating personalized speech therapy programs. Additionally, they are building a separate app for parents to help their children. Today, they have around 2,000 monthly users, from 165 different countries. In the [future](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-future-look-top-innovations-teaching-the-future-tomorrows-healthcare/), Jordi hopes BeneTalk can be a digital therapeutics platform utilized by all those who stutter around the world. Check out Jordi’s LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordibenetalk/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out BeneTalk’s website [here](https://www.benetalk.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: Jordi Fernandez is the founder and CEO of BeneTalk: a mobile app that combines digital speech therapy and community to help people who stutter, and their families, reduce the negative impact stuttering has on lives. Jordi was born in Barcelona, Spain, and worked as a Chartered Mechanical Engineer in multi-billion-dollar deepwater projects for 15 years in the UK. Jordi is a person who stutters, and in 2021, he quit his job to help millions like himself through BeneTalk. To know more about Jordi Fernandez and BeneTalk, listen to: **[Jordi Fernandez of BeneTalk on Innovating Stuttering](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Jordi%5FFernandez%5Fof%5FBeneTalk%5Fon%5FInnovating%5FStuttering.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Secret to Silicon Valley's Success URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-secret-to-silicon-valleys-success/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:06.000Z Whenever I'm speaking outside of California, I can usually expect an audience question about Silicon Valley. Such as — "What's the [secret to Silicon Valley's success](https://philmckinney.com/silicon-valley-secret-sauce/?ref=philmckinney.com)?" After all, this region is home to some of the world's most successful and innovative companies. People want to know what about Silicon Valley makes it so successful, and they're eager to learn any tips or tricks they can use to bring that success to their businesses and regions. If it were only that easy! The truth is, there's no one secret to Silicon Valley's success. Rather, it's a combination of factors that have come together to create the perfect environment for innovation and entrepreneurship. ## History of Silicon Valley The history of Silicon Valley is fascinating. Before there was Silicon in Northern California, there was agriculture. The first settlers in the area were farmers, and the region was known for its fruit orchards. In the early 1900s, the Santa Clara Valley was nicknamed "The Valley of Heart's Delight" because of its abundant fruit production. As the century progressed, the Santa Clara Valley became increasingly industrialized. During World War II, the region's companies produced materials for the war effort. After the war, the area's economy shifted to a focus on high-tech. This change was partly due to the presence of Stanford University, which attracted talented scientists and engineers to the area. Silicon Valley got its name from the silicon chip manufacturers once based there. Several major technology companies in the 1950s and 1960s were founded in Silicon Valley, including [Hewlett-Packard](https://philmckinney.com/are-you-playing-the-innovation-long-game-an-hp-story/?ref=philmckinney.com). At that time, the area was known for its "startup culture" of risk-taking and innovation, and the region's many venture capitalists fostered it. In recent years, Silicon Valley has faced some challenges. Economic recession, cost of living, and competition from other regions have led to a decline in the proportional number of startups being founded in Silicon Valley. There have also been several cornerstone[ ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-03-23/california-tech-exodus-was-a-bust%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1667823391553689%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2U449ya9WnK4F2QfV4ClcL&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1667823391577758&usg=AOvVaw1u33GAqi9gsYc9s0OVnRq%5F)[companies that have moved their headquarters out of the valley](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-03-23/california-tech-exodus-was-a-bust%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1667823391553943%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1gqmY9OwHtlwEtsPONIHwP&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1667823391577930&usg=AOvVaw0yK7cIVEnufQFmTMu2vvxa), including; SpaceX, Oracle, and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. However, the region's culture and philosophy remain strong, and it continues to be a leader in technological innovation, albeit a shrinking leader. ## Innovation Culture of Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is known for creating a regional culture and environment for breakthrough and radical innovations. What are the elements of this regional culture? Here, failure is seen as an opportunity to learn and grow. The region's many venture capitalists are willing to take risks with new and innovative ideas, and the region's entrepreneurs are eager to experiment and take risks to achieve success. In the valley, securing funding for your next idea after a failure is easier than getting your first round of funding. Why? You learned. The region is also known for its culture of openness and collaboration. Unlike other business regions where companies compete fiercely with one another and keep everything confidential, in Silicon Valley, it is common for companies to share ideas and resources to create the best products and services possible. In addition, Silicon Valley is home to some of the world's best universities, which are a source of critical talent and innovation. ## Examples of Famous Inventions That Came From Silicon Valley Over the years, Silicon Valley has produced some of the most groundbreaking commercially successful inventions in history. While most did not originate in Silicon Valley, the willingness to innovate beyond what others are doing has made the region so successful. Here are some examples of famous inventions that came from Silicon Valley: ### The personal computer The personal computer is one of the most famous inventions to come out of Silicon Valley. It was first developed in the early 1970s by a team at Xerox PARC, and it quickly became popular in Silicon Valley thanks to its ability to help people work faster and more efficiently. In the 1980s, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak helped to bring the personal computer to the mainstream, and they helped make it into the essential tool that it is today. ### GPS The global positioning system is a technology that has revolutionized how people navigate. Bradford Parkinson, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University,[conceived the present satellite-based system](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global%5FPositioning%5FSystem%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1667823391556643%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3AzFNMDrEhXKBkMAIfqKY-&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1667823391578490&usg=AOvVaw0q78p18oCWf5D0L8Kke%5Fpl) in the early 1960s and developed it with the U.S. Air Force. The GPS works by using a network of satellites that orbit the earth. These satellites emit radio signals picked up by receivers on the ground. By triangulating these signals, the receiver can determine its location on earth. The consumer commercialization of GPS started with Hewlett-Packard's Charlie Trimble. Trimble was an engineer who became interested in using GPS for navigation after getting lost on a hike. Trimble Navigation was founded in November 1978 by Charlie Trimble and two partners from Hewlett-Packard, initially operating above a movie theatre in Los Altos, California. In the 1980s, the U.S. government allowed civilians to use GPS for navigation, and the technology quickly caught on. Trimble Navigation was one of the first companies to develop consumer GPS receivers. Over the years, GPS has become increasingly accurate and widespread. It is now used for everything from guiding planes and ships to finding our way around unfamiliar cities. GPS has even found its way into our pockets. ### Smart Phones The first smartphones were developed in the early 1990s. They were large, clunky devices that were not very popular. The [Nokia](https://www.philmckinney.com/hanno-narjus-of-teleste-on-european-innovation-and-nokia/) 9300i was one of the first smartphones that gained some traction in the market. It was released in 2003, and it ran on Symbian OS. In 2007, [Apple Inc](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-of-creative-strategies-on-work-from-home-wfh-apple-and-silicon-valley/). introduced the iPhone, which was a game-changer in the smartphone It was the first smartphone to become a mainstream hit. The iPhone was a revolutionary device because it combined the features of a phone, a computer, and a camera into one small package. The iPhone was made possible by Silicon Valley's love of innovation and its focus on integrating new technologies with the early failed concepts of others. ### Online Search Engines Given the birth of the internet, the need to organize the explosion of information became critically important. This led to the development of search engines. While there were many early attempts at organizing the web, the first true search engine was Archie, developed in 1990 by[ ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://daily.jstor.org/alan-emtage-first-internet-search-engine/%2523:~:text%253DARCHIE%25252C%252520referred%252520to%252520as%252520the,1200%252520sites%252520worldwide%252520within%252520minutes.%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1667823391559564%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0tF-XozKDixiWzEAEsC75s&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1667823391579060&usg=AOvVaw3PIv%5F9mo8NmUwlN-huEcRh)[Alan Emtage, then a postgraduate student at McGill University](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://daily.jstor.org/alan-emtage-first-internet-search-engine/%2523:~:text%253DARCHIE%25252C%252520referred%252520to%252520as%252520the,1200%252520sites%252520worldwide%252520within%252520minutes.%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1667823391559798%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0SQtj9IEKvroJQnEOncPr-&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1667823391579166&usg=AOvVaw32yjDFJh1mqeCvSROlqgiY) in Montreal, Canada. Archie allowed users to search for files on anonymous FTP sites. In 1996, Larry Page and Sergey Brin invented a new search engine called "BackRub." BackRub differed from Archie because it used links (backlinks, thus the name BackRub) between websites to measure importance. This algorithm would later become the basis for Google's search engine algorithm. Google's dominance is because of its superior search engine algorithm, which ranks websites based on their importance and relevance. ## Portability of Silicon Valley's Innovation Culture The secrets to Silicon Valley's success are not that secret. Each element can be easily understood and applied, but what is unique is the combination of all these factors. What five actions other regions and businesses can and should take away as learnings? ### An Attitude of Innovation Cultivating a [culture of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/get-along-with-others/) with a strong belief that innovations can change the world for the better is essential. This mindset encourages people to dream big. ### Encourage creativity and risk-taking One way to encourage creativity and risk-taking is to create an environment where it not only tolerates failure but embraces and encouraged it. In Silicon Valley, entrepreneurs can experiment with new ideas without fear of reprisal. This allows them to take on risks no other entrepreneur would dream of taking and develop innovative solutions. ### Fund and support early-stage startups One of the critical reasons that Silicon Valley has been so successful is the amount of funding and support available for early-stage startups. This allows entrepreneurs to develop their ideas without fear of financial insecurity. In addition, several organizations in Silicon Valley provide mentorship, networking opportunities, and funding assistance. ### Encourage collaboration The culture of collaboration is vital in Silicon Valley. Startups help one another by sharing resources and ideas, contributing to their growth and success. Establishing co-working spaces and incubators is an excellent way to promote collaboration. Co-working spaces allow entrepreneurs to collaborate and share ideas, while incubators provide support and direction for startup businesses. ### Develop a strong workforce Silicon Valley has developed a strong workforce because it has located itself amid leading research universities such as Stanford and the University of California Berkeley. These universities help to cultivate the skills that workers need for jobs in the tech industry. Businesses and regions can [replicate Silicon Valley's success](https://philmckinney.com/what-is-the-magic-behind-the-innovations-of-silicon-valley/?ref=philmckinney.com) by investing in education and training programs. They should also focus on developing relevant programs for the local economy. ## Not All Good As with any region or industry, Silicon Valley has its share of pros and cons. While it is home to some of the world's most innovative companies and has produced countless technological advancements, some things need to change. For one, Silicon Valley is incredibly expensive. The cost of living in the area is astronomical, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for young people to afford to live there. In addition, the high cost of housing is causing many people who grew up in the area to be displaced. Another issue that needs to be addressed is the lack of diversity in Silicon Valley. The tech industry is overwhelmingly white and male, and this needs to change if Silicon Valley continues to thrive. Finally, Silicon Valley has an attitude of elitist thinking regarding innovation that is not invented there — "Real innovation only happens in Silicon Valley." Innovation with global impact requires collaboration that extends beyond any geographic area. This silicon valley thinking must change if it is going to maintain its position as a world leader in technology and innovation. ## Conclusion The innovation secrets of Silicon Valley aren't that secret. The region has been thriving because it has cultivated a culture of innovation, encouraged creativity and risk-taking, supported early-stage startups, and encouraged collaboration. These are all things that businesses and regions can replicate to achieve similar levels of success. However, there are some areas where Silicon Valley needs to improve. The region is becoming increasingly expensive and challenging to live in, and it needs to do more to foster diversity within the tech industry. Additionally, Silicon Valley must learn to embrace collaboration with other regions to maintain its position as a world leader in technology. The first step a region or organization should take is to identify the unique strengths and resources that it has to offer. Once these assets have been identified, a plan can be developed to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. Any region or organization can achieve Silicon Valley-level success by following these steps. While I spent most of my career in Silicon Valley, I firmly believe that innovation success can be achieved anywhere in the world. The steps above are not meant to be prescriptive but rather provide a general framework for how any region or organization can encourage innovation. With the right mix of ingredients, any place can experience innovation success. To know more about Silicon Valley, listen to: **[The Secret to Silicon Valley's Success](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FSecret%5Fto%5FSilicon%5FValleys%5FSuccess.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Jan Ariesen of Technetix on Prioritizing Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/jan-ariesen-of-technetix-on-prioritizing-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:05.000Z This is the second interview from my time at the Cable Tec-Expo Show in Philadelphia. Jan Ariesen, the CTO of Technetix, joins us to discuss how his organization’s prioritization of innovation, paired with the right team, helps them solve tomorrow’s problems. ## Jan Ariesen of Technetix on Prioritizing Innovation Engineers typically focus on solving today’s problems but don’t take time to think about tomorrow. Technetix has a reputation for [solving tomorrow’s problems](https://www.philmckinney.com/chunka-mui-on-innovating-a-perfect-future/) that others in the [broadband industry](https://philmckinney.com/a-new-vision-video-the-near-future-network/?ref=philmckinney.com) don’t think of. Predicting the future is not simple, as you will almost always be wrong. Technetix empowers its employees by giving them the freedom to predict the future without fearing failure. Jan said that most of their ideas at Technetix fail, and only a few succeed. This is simply the nature of innovation. For example, it took the engineers at Technetix five years to develop a new style of broadband amplifier. While everyone told them it was impossible, they are now building amplifiers that can do 1.8 gigahertz. Technetix pushes its people to “make decisions” from the top down. People in the innovation space often get hung up on analysis and allow the fear of failure to overcome them. Organizations with a heavy [experimentation culture](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/) give their people the tools they need to make game-changing innovations. ## Hiring the Right Team When Jan is conducting interviews for engineers, he looks for two key attributes. He always asks specific questions to those he interviews. “If your bike got a flat tire, would you go to the shop or fix it yourself?”. If the interviewee says they would take their bike to the shop, then he says they are not an engineer. True engineers want to understand things and desire to solve them. They have an [unconventional way of thinking](https://philmckinney.com/are-you-unconventional-enough-in-your-thinking/?ref=philmckinney.com) that others do not possess. Jan also looks to hire those that are team players. These people will help others and learn from them along the way. People often overlook the importance of [collaboration and cooperation](https://philmckinney.com/the-innovation-skills-and-attributes-i-look-for-when-hiring-innovators/?ref=philmckinney.com) and overemphasize technical skills. You can always teach the technical, but you can’t teach the attitude and mindset. Check out Jan’s LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-ariesen-3506a925/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out Technetix’s website [here.](https://americas2.technetix.com/en/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## About Our Guest: Jan Ariesen Jan Ariesen is an experienced engineer with 30+ years of broadband cable TV design experience. He leads the CTO, Marketing, R&D, and QA teams at Technetix. Before 2008, Jan was the VP of Engineering, leading teams in the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands. His teams were responsible for researching, developing, and inventing new products and technologies. Jan joined the Technetix board in 2018. To automatically receive the latest episodes of Killer Innovations downloaded to your device, click [here](https://theinnovators.network/subscribe/?ref=philmckinney.com) and subscribe! To know more about prioritizing innovation, listen to: **[Jan Ariesen of Technetix on Prioritizing Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Jan%5FArieson%5Fof%5FTechnetix%5Fon%5FPrioritizing%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Near Future. Step Inside URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-near-future-film-enjoy-the-ride/ Last updated: 2025-12-29T21:12:36.000Z **What does daily life look like when immersive technology becomes invisible?** This is the latest film in The Near Future series I produce for CableLabs—an ongoing body of work using [innovation storytelling](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-storytelling/) to help the broadband industry see what they're actually building toward. Not bandwidth specs. Not latency numbers. The human experience those capabilities enable. The series launched in 2016 with a simple question: *What if?* What if we could change healthcare around the world? What if we could transform education? What if the networks we're building today could fundamentally reshape how we live, work, learn, and play? This film series answers those questions—not with data, but by letting audiences experience a possible future firsthand. --- ## The Story Clara and Ben are parents navigating a busy day. Clara is a CEO preparing for a high-stakes investor presentation. Ben works from home while managing the kids. Their children are learning, playing, and exploring. What makes this day different is how technology weaves through every moment—not as something they use, but as something they live inside. The kids walk alongside a prowling tiger during a lesson, the animal so real they could reach out and touch it. Ben's cartoon avatar cracks jokes while helping him prepare for his day. Clara rehearses her presentation with a photorealistic AI assistant who notices her nervousness and offers guidance to calm her. When a hurricane threatens shipping lanes, Clara's team gathers around a quantum-powered simulation to redirect vessels to safety—manipulating a storm system in real-time volumetric space. Throughout it all, Ben and Clara stay connected to their digital lives through AR glasses that look like ordinary eyewear. No headsets. No special equipment. Just a seamless bridge between physical and digital reality. No one stops to explain how any of this works. They just live with it. --- ## Technologies in the Film Each innovation shown is grounded in real research—technology already in development that high-speed, low-latency networks will enable at scale. **Light field displays** — The film shows wall-sized displays that project 3D imagery without requiring glasses or headsets. When Ben first interacts with his avatar, when the kids encounter the tiger, when Clara presents to investors—these scenes showcase light field technology that creates realistic depth viewable by multiple people simultaneously from different angles. This isn't 3D cinema. It's holographic media that makes the virtual feel present. **AI avatars** — Clara's photorealistic assistant and Ben's cartoon companion represent the future of AI interaction. These aren't chatbots with faces—they're emotive digital beings capable of authentic communication, reading body language and context to provide genuinely helpful guidance. They appear however users want: cartoon figures, lifelike humans, or anything in between. **AR smart glasses** — Ben and Clara wear glasses that look like ordinary eyewear but bridge their physical and digital lives. Unlike today's bulky headsets, these allow interaction with digital objects and information overlays directly within their field of vision. Their avatars travel with them, accessible anywhere. **Quantum computing** — The hurricane simulation scene exists specifically to demonstrate what quantum computing makes possible. The dataset size and real-time processing required to model a storm system at that level of detail—then manipulate it to reroute ships—could only happen with quantum computing power. Today's computers simply can't handle computations that complex. **Holographic telepresence** — When Clara gives her CEO presentation, she's not on a video call. She's present in the room with investors who can see her from any angle, make eye contact, read her body language. Light field panels on adjacent surfaces create something approaching the holodeck—a space where remote participants share volumetric reality. --- ## Why This Film Exists The technologies in this film are under development today. They're coming—the question is whether the infrastructure will be ready for them. Cable operators and network builders often struggle to articulate why they're investing billions in network upgrades. Faster speeds sound good in the abstract, but abstractions don't move boards or policymakers or investors. They need to see what faster actually means for human experience. That's what this film provides. When industry leaders watch Clara's team manipulate a hurricane simulation in real-time, they stop thinking about latency specifications and start thinking about what their networks will enable. When they see kids learning alongside a photorealistic tiger, education stops being a talking point and becomes a felt possibility. That shift—from technical capability to human possibility—is what [innovation storytelling](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-storytelling/) is designed to create. --- **Client:** CableLabs **Year:** 2022 **Capability:** [Innovation Storytelling](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-storytelling/) [Watch the film](https://youtu.be/Wim9uygvJ3g?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Innovation Storytelling If you’re looking for help with your [**innovation storytelling**](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-storytelling/) in a powerful and impactful way, visit the [Work With Me](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovators-studio/) page. I would be happy to discuss your specific needs and see how I can help. ### Understanding and Improving Your Future Literacy URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-and-improving-your-future-literacy/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:05.000Z What is future literacy? Future literacy is the ability to look at the world and understand how it will change in the future. This can be a valuable skill that historically has not been on most people's radar screen. Most people don't think about the future much. We focus on the present, and when we think about the future, it is usually what we want it to be. However, if we want to [be ready for the future](https://www.philmckinney.com/chunka-mui-on-innovating-a-perfect-future/) and take advantage of its opportunities, we need to start with our future literacy. Future literacy is about imagining the world 25, 50, or even 100 years from now and then looking back (backcasting) to today and making decisions accordingly. It is not about predicting the future but understanding the trends and influencers shaping it. ## What Changes Should We Watch? The world is constantly changing. New technologies, economic shifts, and social movements are just a few of the things that can cause dramatic change. By paying attention to them, we can get a glimpse into the future and start planning for what's to come. Some areas that are worth researching include: ### Technology: *What new technologies are on the horizon? How will they change the world around us?* We are seeing new technologies emerging all the time, impacting our lives. For example, the internet has completely transformed how we play, live, and work. It has enabled us to connect with people worldwide and given us access to the information we would never have had before. New technologies are also [changing the way we interact](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/) with each other. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are giving us new ways to communicate and connect with others. We are also seeing new technologies that are changing the way we live our lives, such as driverless cars and robots. As these technologies continue to develop, they will significantly impact our lives. It is crucial to stay up-to-date with the latest developments to understand how they will affect the world around you. ### Social Change: *What social changes are happening now that will impact the future?* It is essential to be aware of the social changes that are happening so that you can adapt to them—for example, the rise of the gig economy and automation. The gig economy is a new way of working that is becoming increasingly popular. People are increasingly choosing to work freelance or on a contract basis instead of full-time. The rise of automation is another. With advances in artificial intelligence and robotics, we are seeing more and more jobs being replaced by machines. This is having a growing impact on the way we will work in the future. ### Economic Change: *What economic changes are happening now that will impact the future?* Economic changes will have a significant impact on the future. For example, the rise of nationalism and protectionism is already impacting the global economy. As countries and regions close their borders to immigration and limit trade, the global economy becomes increasingly fragmented. This will negatively impact the global economy, slowing economic growth and leading to more conflict. ### Environmental Change: *What environmental changes are happening now that will impact the future?* Several environmental changes are happening. For example, climate change already has a significant environmental impact and is expected to cause even more damage. Other environmental changes include biodiversity loss, air pollution, and water shortages. These issues will have a significant impact on the environment and the way we live our lives. ## Taking Action It is crucial to be proactive about the future and not be a passive participant in it. We need to take action now to make sure that we not only adapt to the changes happening but also decide to influence the future we will leave behind. If we don't, we risk letting the future be dictated to us. One way that we can take action is by improving our future literacy. This means staying up-to-date with the latest technological developments, social change, economic change, and other areas of influence that will impact our future. By understanding these changes, we can ensure that we are prepared for the future. Another way we can take action is by ensuring that we are involved in shaping the future. This is a role that is made for innovators like you and me. We can do this by voting, campaigning, and speaking out about the issues that matter to us. We need to make our voices heard so that we can shape the world. The future is happening now, and we must ensure we are prepared for it. By taking action now, we can ensure that we have a bright future to look forward to. Step 1 is to improve your innovation literacy. ## The Benefits of Improving Future Literacy There are many reasons it is vital to improving your future literacy. Some of the most important are: ### 1\. It can help you make better decisions today. Making decisions today is critical to shaping your future. By thinking ahead and considering the possible implications of your decisions, you can make choices today that are more likely to lead to a desirable outcome. Future literacy can help you [make better decisions](https://www.philmckinney.com/decision-making-ooda-loop-for-fast-and-accurate-decisions/) by enabling you to understand, think critically about, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. ### 2\. It can help you identify potential opportunities and challenges that may arise in the future. Future literacy enables you to identify potential futures and assess the associated risks and opportunities. This information can be helpful when making important decisions, such as what career to pursue or products to buy. When you have a better understanding of the potential consequences of your actions, you are more likely to make informed decisions today that will benefit you in the long run. ### 3\. Help you develop a more global perspective. When you have a better understanding of the consequences of your actions, you can make informed decisions that consider the needs of people from all corners of the world. This expanded perspective better equips you to understand the tradeoffs of each decision and its effect on people from all over the world. ### 4\. Equip you to communicate better about future-related topics. Having a sound foundation in future literacy can help you communicate more effectively when discussing future-related topics. You better understand the concepts being discussed and can ask questions that will help clarify any uncertainties. By having a solid understanding of future-related topics, you can share your knowledge and expertise with others and help educate them about the potential implications of the decisions being made. ### 5\. Improve collaboration with others to create better future solutions. When you can think about the future and understand the implications of decisions made today, you are in a better position to collaborate with others to [create solutions](https://www.philmckinney.com/hanno-narjus-of-teleste-on-european-innovation-and-nokia/). You can bring your unique perspective to the table and contribute to finding creative solutions that consider the needs of all involved. Additionally, by being future literate, you can help others to see the potential implications of their actions and encourage them to consider the long-term impact of their decisions. ### 6\. Help you make the world a better place. When you have a strong understanding of future literacy, you can think about the long-term implications of decisions. This helps you make informed choices that consider not only your own needs but the needs of others. Additionally, you can help to educate others about the importance of thinking about the future and [making decisions](https://philmckinney.com/if-you-want-to-innovate-then-dont-go-with-the-herd-groupthink-leads-to-bad-decisions/?ref=philmckinney.com) that will benefit us all in the long run. When everyone makes choices with the future in mind, it can help create a brighter future for all. ## 5 Habits to Improve Your Future Literacy Several habits will improve your future literacy. These include: ### 1\. Reading articles and books about the future. Reading articles and books about the future gives you a deeper understanding of the concepts involved. This will help you apply future literacy in your life. ### 2\. Watching documentaries about the future. Watching documentaries about the future can help improve your understanding of what life could be like. By seeing how experts think about the future and what they believe may happen, you can gain a better perspective on the range of potential futures. ### 3\. Taking online courses about future literacy. There are many online courses available that can help you learn more about future literacy. These courses often provide a more in-depth look at the concepts involved. ### 4\. Participating in discussion forums about the future. Discussion forums are a great way to connect with others interested in discussing the future. You can better understand different perspectives by sharing your thoughts and ideas with others. ### 5\. Researching specific topics related to the future. If there is a specific topic related to the future that interests you, research it! This can be helpful when discussing future topics with others or applying them to your work. ## What Should You Monitor? When thinking about the future, there are a few key things that you should pay attention to. I use tools like Google Alerts and Feedly to help me keep track of essential topics, companies, and industries I want to know more about. You can also use social media to follow experts in the field and get their take on current events. The three areas I would recommend you start monitoring immediately include the following: **The accelerating pace of change:** It is hard to overstate how fast the world is changing. We are seeing exponential growth in many areas, including population, technology, and information. This growth is causing unprecedented change and upheaval. **Increased global interconnectedness:** The world is becoming more connected every day. This interconnectedness is causing new problems and opportunities. With the internet and social media rise, we are seeing a global village emerge. **The rise of artificial intelligence:** [AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/transcribing-your-brainstorm-with-otter-ai-interview-with-sam-liang/) is poised to change the world in ways we can't imagine. It is already starting to transform industries and will soon impact our economy and way of life. ## Conclusion Future literacy is essential because it helps you to understand and make decisions about the future. It can be challenging to keep up with the rapidly changing world, but by monitoring key areas and staying informed, you can [improve your chances of success](https://philmckinney.com/imagining-a-better-future-keys-to-human-progress/?ref=philmckinney.com). The future is unpredictable, so always preparing for anything is essential. With a solid future literacy foundation, you can face whatever comes your way head-on! To automatically receive the latest episodes of Killer Innovations downloaded to your device, click [here](https://theinnovators.network/subscribe/?ref=philmckinney.com) and subscribe! To know more about future literacy, listen to: [**Understanding and Improving Your Future Literacy**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Understanding%5Fand%5FImproving%5FYour%5FFuture%5FLiteracy.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Matt Greeley of Brightidea on Long-Form Narratives of Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/matt-greeley-of-brightidea-on-long-form-narratives-of-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:04.000Z Matt Greeley, the Founder and CEO of Brightidea, is on The Killer Innovations Show to discuss the launch of their new idea incubation tool, BrightIdea Memo. Matt has been involved in idea management systems (IMS) since their early days. In 2005, BrightIdea launched the first-ever online [innovation platform](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/). During my time at HP, I worked with Matt on the earlier versions of Brightidea while they serviced us. At CableLabs, where I am now CEO, we have been utilizing Brightidea for almost a decade. Brightidea acts as an innovation pipeline platform, similar to how Salesforce is a sales pipeline platform. The platform’s goal is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization’s [innovation process,](https://www.philmckinney.com/process-innovation-including-the-innovation-process/) leading to financial impact. Since innovation tends to be messy, having a non-restrictive tool at your disposal is essential. ## Executives and IMS In the past, most executives did not understand the true value of a tool for ideas. With today’s fast innovation pace, leaders are tasked with even more challenges. Due to constant disruption, many executives are now recognizing the importance of innovation. [Idea Management Systems (IMS)](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-must-have-features-of-your-ims-idea-management-system/) have transformed from simply capturing ideas to helping organizations find ideas with the highest value. It’s all about taking an idea and identifying how to mature it. ## Long-form Narrative Ideas [Amazon](https://philmckinney.com/the-innovation-arms-race/?ref=philmckinney.com) no longer uses PowerPoint to present ideas to executives. Jeff Bezos swapped out PowerPoint for six-page memos. These memos get sent out to the executives before each planning meeting. At CableLabs, we have also banned PowerPoint. This helps executives avoid wasting time learning about ideas during meetings. Narrative writing utilizes a process I like to call backcasting. You write things backward, starting with the launch date, using a press release. The press release puts the customer first by focusing on how they would view the solution. A core benefit of this practice is [organizational alignment](https://philmckinney.com/build-culture-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). Long-form narrative writing gets the entire organization involved in the visioning exercise from the start. This provides a much broader ecosystem of input. ## The Launch of BrightIdea Memo BrightIdea Memo **is** a tool that sets up teams for long-form narrative writing around an idea. The platform acts as a home for [outside-the-box projects](https://philmckinney.com/ingenuity-action-3-companies-inspire-us-think-outside-box/?ref=philmckinney.com) that still need to incubate. You can start with a blank document or use a press release template. The tool allows for collaboration, has AI writing software, and sports a peer review function. Brightidea Memo guides users to get their 6-page memo actionable and ready for executives. Check out Brightidea Memo at Brightidea’s website [here](https://www.brightidea.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: Matt Greeley Matt Greeley is the Founder & CEO of Brightidea, the global leader in On-Demand Innovation Pipeline Management (IPM) software. Previously, Matt consulted for Wrenchead.com and co-founded Silicon Valley enterprise software provider Alyanza Software, which Niku acquired. Matt has a Degree in Computer Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and studied Creativity and Marketing at Stanford University. To know more about Matt Greeley, listen to: [***Matt Greeley of Brightidea on Long-Form Narratives of Ideas***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Matt%5FGreeley%5Fof%5FBrightidea%5Fon%5FLong-Form%5FNarratives%5Fof%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Hanno Narjus of Teleste on European Innovation and Nokia URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/hanno-narjus-of-teleste-on-european-innovation-and-nokia/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:04.000Z We kick off a new series of interviews from my time at the Cable Tec-Expo Show in Philadelphia. Hanno Narjus, the SVP of Video and Broadband Solutions at Teleste, joins us to discuss innovation efforts from the European to the U.S market. ## Cable Tec-Expo Show Due to [COVID-19,](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-of-creative-strategies-on-work-from-home-wfh-apple-and-silicon-valley/) many of us missed out on various events. It was great to experience the high energy levels at the expo as everyone was finally in 3D. Seeing cable products coming to life, especially around 10G, brought excitement to everyone in attendance. ## Hanno Narjus of Teleste on European Innovation and Nokia Hanno is based out of Helsinki, Finland. Helsinki has an excellent reputation as a hub of European innovation, specifically through the [impact of companies like Nokia](https://philmckinney.com/disruptive-innovation-the-theory-behind-how-it-works-and-its-impact-on-society/?ref=philmckinney.com). When Nokia shut down, hundreds of thousands of people spread to different companies and industries across Finland. The country's innovation culture was transformed as people brought their global perspectives and experiences to various places. ## The Cable Industry's Secret Weapon As Hanno brings his innovations from Europe to the U.S, he faces many challenges. Throughout history, many of the greatest innovations have come from the U.S. While challenges exist, the cable industry's culture has bridged many gaps. From Hanno's perspective, the U.S has a welcoming and appreciative culture around innovation and ideas. There is an open culture of [sharing ideas](https://philmckinney.com/sharing-is-caring-so-share-your-idea/?ref=philmckinney.com) and innovations in the cable industry, which Hanno loves. This [collaborative environment](https://www.philmckinney.com/alan-proithis-of-capstone-partners-on-innovation-collaboration/) is truly the secret weapon of the cable industry. ## The Importance of Innovation Processes Hanno says his organization has a process of innovation while still encouraging people to think outside the box. I would argue that having an [innovation process](https://www.philmckinney.com/process-innovation-including-the-innovation-process/) is essential. While the process is necessary, it is vital to avoid locking that process. You must constantly innovate the way you innovate, just as you innovate your business processes and services. ## Hanno's Advice for the listeners For those who have ideas within their organization, be [passionate and patient](https://philmckinney.com/understanding-law-patience-innovation-cycle/?ref=philmckinney.com). Believe in what you have, but don't immediately go to the top with your idea. Build a group around you who can be opinion leaders that will back you up once you gain some momentum and have created a support system. Run with it. ## About our Guest: Hanno Narjus Hanno Narjus is the Senior Vice President of Video and Broadband Solutions at Teleste Networks. He has more than 30 years of experience in the ICT sector, including mobile communications, fixed broadband, and cable networks. Hanno has held several managerial positions in the telecommunications industry and spent ten years of his career at Nokia. He holds a Master's degree in economics from the University of Tampere in Finland. To know more about Hanno Narjus, listen to: **[Hanno Narjus of Teleste on European Innovation and Nokia](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Hanno%5FNarjus%5Fof%5FTeleste%5Fon%5FEuropean%5FInnovation%5Fand%5FNokia.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Are You an Innovator or an Imitator? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-an-innovator-or-an-imitator/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:03.000Z In an age where the latest and greatest technology is just a click away, it's easy to become an imitator. We see something new and want it without considering whether we really need it. We buy into the hype without stopping to think about the implications of our purchase. Before we know it, our homes are cluttered with gadgets and devices that we never use and don't need. But there's another side to this story. Some people see the world around them and find ways to [improve on what they see](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-imagination-of-others-as-inspiration/). They are innovators—always looking for new ways to solve old problems, to make things faster, easier, and more efficient. Trends or popular opinion do not sway them; instead, they rely on their intuition and creativity to drive their innovation. ## What is the difference between an innovator and an imitator? There is a big difference between innovators and imitators. Innovators are people who see the world around them and find ways to improve on what they see. They come up with new ideas and solutions to old problems. Imitators follow the trends and popular opinions of the day. They are not creative or intuitive; instead, they rely on others to tell them what to do. Innovation is key to progress. It is innovators who come up with new technologies, new products, and new ways of doing things. Without innovators, we would still be living in the Dark Ages. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it will never lead to progress. If we all followed the trends, we would never make any real advancements as a society. ## How can you tell if you are more of an innovator or imitator yourself? The truth is, everyone is a mix of both innovators and imitators. We all have our moments of creativity and our moments of imitation. But some people are more inclined to be innovators, while others are more inclined to be imitators. So how can you tell if you are more of an innovator or more of an imitator? The best way to figure this out is to look at the different areas of your life. Are you more creative and intuitive in your professional life, or are you more likely to follow your boss's lead? Are you more adventurous and daring in your personal life, or do you prefer to stick to the status quo? I've built my career around innovation and focused it on my professional life. For those that know me, my personal life is very uncreative and traditional. I'm not an innovator in my personal life, which surprises people because of my high-profile innovation work. It's not that I can't be creative in my personal life. It's just that I don't have the same focus on innovation. ## Do you have to be an innovator in all areas of your life to be successful? No, you don't have to be an innovator in all areas of your life to be successful. You can be successful as either an innovator or an imitator. It all depends on what you want to achieve in life. Understanding whether you are more of an innovator or more of an imitator can help you become a more well-rounded person. It can also help you better understand your strengths and weaknesses. ## What are some examples of famous innovators and imitators throughout history? Innovation and imitation are two essential aspects of success in any field. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages, and both can be successful. Famous innovators throughout history include Thomas Edison, who invented the lightbulb, and Alexander Graham Bell, who created the telephone. These men were able to change the world with their inventions, and they opened up new possibilities for everyone. They were innovators because they came up with new ideas and worked hard to make them a reality. There have also been many famous imitators throughout history. One example is Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the printing press. He was not the first person to come up with the idea of printing books, but he improved the process and made it more efficient. This made it possible for books to be printed on a large scale, which helped spread knowledge around the world. Another famous imitator is Leonardo da Vinci, an expert painter, sculptor, and architect. He copied the work of other artists and improved upon it, making his paintings and sculptures some of the most famous in history. He learned from others and became one of the most accomplished artists of all time. Both innovators and imitators have had a significant [impact on society](https://philmckinney.com/disruptive-innovation-the-theory-behind-how-it-works-and-its-impact-on-society/?ref=philmckinney.com). Innovators have changed how we live our lives, while imitators have helped spread knowledge worldwide. Neither approach is better than the other; both contribute to progress. ## How do you think the world would be different if there were more innovators and fewer imitators? The world would be very different if there were more innovators and fewer imitators. We would see a lot more creativity and progress if there were more innovators. Innovation drives change; without it, the world would be stuck in a rut. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but can also hold back progress. There is no incentive to develop new ideas when everyone is copying each other. This can lead to stagnation rather than growth. Imitators may be happy with the status quo, but innovators always look for ways to improve things. The world needs innovators and imitators, but we need more innovators to see real progress. We need people willing to take risks and [think outside the box](https://philmckinney.com/ingenuity-action-3-companies-inspire-us-think-outside-box/?ref=philmckinney.com). We need people who are not afraid to challenge the status quo and develop new ideas. ## A Society of Imitators In today's society, it is easy to be an imitator. With the internet at our fingertips, all it takes is a quick Google search to find out what others are doing and how they are doing it. This has led to a society of people who are quick to imitate others without putting in the time and effort to develop their ideas. One example of this is the way that we consume media. We are quick to watch the latest movie or TV show that is popular without taking the time to see if there are any other options out there. We also tend to follow the latest trends without asking ourselves if they suit us. This can be seen in the way that we dress, the way that we eat, and even the way that we spend our free time. Another example of this is the way that we do business. We are quick to adopt new technologies and methods without taking the time to see if they will actually work for us. We also tend to [copy the business models of others](https://www.philmckinney.com/copycat-innovation-ethical-innovator/) without putting in the time and effort to come up with our ideas. This can be seen in the number of businesses started every day that are copies of what others are doing, many of which fail within their first year. The bottom line is that, in today's society, we are too quick to imitate others. We need to take the time to come up with our ideas and put in the effort to make them work. ## So what? Imitation may be easy, but being an innovator is not. It takes hard work and dedication to develop new ideas and solutions. Innovators are the ones who [change the world](https://philmckinney.com/ideas-have-power-to-change-the-world/?ref=philmckinney.com), and they are the ones who we should look up to. So why should you be an innovator? First, innovation is essential for growth. If you want your business to thrive, you need to be constantly coming up with new ideas and solutions. Second, innovation is necessary for progress. Without innovators, our world would be a far less advanced place. So how can you become an innovator? The first step is to start thinking for yourself. Don't just imitate what others are doing; come up with your ideas and solutions. The second step is to [be creative](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-are-the-qualities-of-a-creative-person/). Allow yourself to be open to new possibilities and think outside the box. The third step is to be persistent. Please don't give up on your ideas; see them through until the end. And finally, the fourth step is to be passionate. Be passionate about your work and about changing the world for the better. ## Final Word Innovation and imitation are two sides of the same coin; they both have their place in the world. Just as a coin has two sides, so does innovation have its imitators and vice versa. As an innovator, you should be proud of your work, knowing that you are adding value to the world. And as an imitator, you should be humble, knowing that you are building on the work of others. Both innovators and imitators are necessary for progress. So which one are you? To know more about innovators and imitators, listen to: [***Are You an Innovator or an Imitator?***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Are%5FYou%5Fan%5FInnovator%5For%5Fan%5FImitator.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Imagination of Others As Inspiration URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-imagination-of-others-as-inspiration/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:03.000Z The statement "what is now proved and commonplace was once just imagined" is powerful. It speaks to the idea that anything is possible if we put our minds to it. And it's true - many things we now take for granted were once just ideas or dreams. For example, consider the internet. It's hard to imagine our world without it, but it was once just a concept that people talked about in science fiction novels. Or consider [the airplane](https://philmckinney.com/are-innovations-invented-or-discovered/?ref=philmckinney.com) \- that too was once just an idea. People laughed at the thought of flying through the air. So what does this mean for us? Some would say that we can make something happen if we can imagine something. The question I want to dig in on is the idea of the imagination of others [inspiring innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-inspiration-is-everywhere/). Do we ever truly have ideas that are not inspired by others? It seems that every idea we have is in some way influenced or inspired by something or someone else. We take information from the world around us and process it in our minds to develop new ideas. But where do those ideas come from? Are they truly original? It's an interesting question to ponder. And it does not have a clear answer. But I think it's important to consider because it shows how interconnected we are. We may not realize it, but the people and things around us are constantly influencing us. And in turn, we influence others with our ideas. ## What is Inspiration? When most people think of the word "inspiration," they probably think of artists or musicians. Someone who is inspired is filled with ideas and creativity and can bring those ideas to life. But inspiration can come from anywhere. It can come from a painting, a song, a movie, or even just a conversation. Anything that touches our hearts or minds can spark inspiration in some way. And that's what makes it so special - inspiration is personal and unique to each individual. What inspires one person may not inspire another person at all. So what exactly is inspiration? I like to think of it as a lightbulb moment. It's that moment when an idea pops your head, and you suddenly see things differently. You have the power to change things, to [create something new and amazing](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/). For me, inspiration is about the possibility. It's about seeing the potential in everything and believing that anything is possible. When I'm inspired, I feel like I can do anything. And that feeling is incredibly empowering. ## Is Imagination The Same As Inspiration? What is the difference between imagination and inspiration? [Imagination](https://philmckinney.com/preparing-for-a-failure-of-imagination/?ref=philmckinney.com) seems more about creativity and dreaming, while inspiration seems more about bringing those dreams to life. Imagination is about possibilities, while inspiration is about actualization. Imagination can be a powerful tool, but it must be combined with hard work and determination to become a reality. Inspiration is what gives us the motivation to turn our imaginations into reality. I think of inspiration as the light that guides us from imagination to reality. It's that voice inside us that tells us we can do it, encouraging us to keep going when we feel like giving up. And it's a force that can't be denied - once we're inspired, nothing can stop us from [achieving our goals](https://philmckinney.com/3-big-hairy-audacious-goals-drove-game-changing-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com). So what is inspiration? I like to think of it as the bridge between imagination and reality. It's the thing that makes our dreams a reality. And it's a power we all have inside us - we need to learn how to access it. ## The Imagination of Others as Inspiration Our world is constantly changing and evolving. Much of that change is due to the innovations of today's generation. But where do those innovations come from? Many of them come from the imagination of others. The imagination of others has been an inspiration for centuries. It has led to the creation of new technologies, medicines, and even entire civilizations. And it's a power we all have access to - we must learn how to tap into it. The people who have inspired me most are the ones who never gave up on their dreams, even when things were tough. They were the ones who refused to let their imaginations die. And their passion and determination were infectious - they encouraged me to keep going no matter what. So what is imagination? I like to think of it as the gateway to possibility. When we tap into our imaginations, anything is possible. We can create anything we want - our imaginations only limit it. And that's why imagination is so important - because it allows us to dream big, to see the world in a new way. To imagine a future that does not yet exist. ## The Imagination of Science Fiction Writers [Science](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-distinguish-good-science-from-bad-science/) fiction writers help us to see the world in a new way and dream big. They have always been at the forefront of imagining new worlds and technologies. From early works like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to modern classics like 1984 or Minority Report, science fiction has given us a glimpse into the future. And while some of their predictions have come true, others still seem like far-off dreams. But that's the beauty of science fiction—it allows us to stretch our imaginations and explore what could be. It helps us to question the status quo. For example: - Scuba was predicted in "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" By Jules Verne in 1875 - Aldous Huxley described test-tube Babies in "Brave New World" in 1932 - Robots were first mentioned in "Rossum's Universal Robot" By Karel Capek in 1920 - Cable TV was predicted in George Orwell's book, "1984" - The internet was predicted in 1898 in a Mark Twain story, "London Times of 1904" Science fiction is more than just entertainment; it's a way of viewing the world differently. It challenges us to think about what could be and inspires us to turn those dreams into reality. So the next time you feel stuck, pick up a science fiction book and let your imagination take off. Who knows—you might just come up with the next big thing. ## The Imagination of Children Children are some of the most imaginative creatures on earth. They see the world in a completely different way from adults. And their imaginations are always running wild. In many ways, children are the perfect inspiration for us. They remind us to dream big and never give up on our goals. They show us that anything is possible. I am always amazed by how many ways a child can turn a toilet paper roll into a toy. Or how they can turn a cardboard box into a fort. And their creativity is not just limited to physical objects - they can also create entire worlds in their minds. When we were children, our imaginations were unlimited. We saw the world as a place of possibilities. But as we grow older, we start to lose that childlike imagination. We become more realistic and grounded in our thinking. It's not that we stop dreaming altogether - it's just that our dreams become smaller and more attainable. We no longer believe that we can achieve anything we set our minds to. But what if we could [recapture that childlike imagination](https://philmckinney.com/how-to-regain-your-childhood-imagination/?ref=philmckinney.com)? What if we could learn to dream big again? It's not as impossible as it sounds. We can all learn to tap into our imaginations again with a little effort and practice. How? By hanging out with children and letting their imagination inspire us. And while their imaginations might seem silly or far-fetched to us, they often contain the seeds of great ideas. ## The Bottom Line Imagination is a powerful tool we can all use to achieve our goals. It's the bridge between our dreams and reality. And it's a force that can change the world. So never let your imagination die - keep dreaming big and never give up. To know more about using imagination as inspiration, listen to: [**The Imagination of Others As Inspiration**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FImagination%5Fof%5FOthers%5FAs%5FInspiration.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to be a Random Success at Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-be-a-random-success-at-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:03.000Z Most people would consider random events a nuisance that gets in the way of their productivity and disrupts their carefully planned lives. However, looking closely, you'll see that random events can be a source of [inspiration and innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-inspiration-is-everywhere/). For example, consider the story of how Facebook was created. According to legend, Facebook was born out of a random event - when Mark Zuckerberg was working on a project for his fraternity, he needed to find a way to get online access for all the members. Another famous example is the story of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. While working at Hewlett-Packard in the 1970s, Wozniak came up with the idea of what eventually became the Apple computer after he attended a random seminar. So why are random events so inspiring? Part of it concerns that they're unexpected - they catch us off guard and force us to devise new solutions. They also give us a fresh perspective, allowing us to see old problems in a new light. Finally, random events can help us break out of our comfort zone and spark creativity and innovation in ways we never thought possible. ## Are Random Events Random? Are random events random? This question has puzzled philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians for centuries. Some people believe everything in the universe is random, while others believe there is a hidden order behind random events. Interestingly, recent research has shown that random events may not be as random as think. In a study published in *Nature* journal, scientists found that random events follow specific patterns and are not entirely random. This discovery is important because it also opens up new possibilities for using what we think of as random events to inspire creativity and innovation. How? That's still something that scientists are trying to figure out. The bottom line is that random events are still a mystery - no one knows what causes them or what they mean for innovation. However, they remain an essential source of inspiration and creativity, and scientists will continue to explore their mysteries in the hopes of unlocking their secrets. ## Being Aware of Random Events [Random events](https://philmckinney.com/paying-it-forward-with-random-acts-of-kindness/?ref=philmckinney.com) can be a great source of inspiration for innovators, but it's essential to be aware of them and understand their potential. Here are some tips for how to do that: ### 1\. Be open to new ideas. When it comes to random events, you never know what might happen. That's why being open to new ideas and possibilities is so important. You'll miss many opportunities if you're permanently closed off to new experiences. Being open to new ideas means being open to change. It can be scary, but embracing change can lead to amazing things. When you're open to new ideas, you're also more open to new experiences, which can only lead to good things. So don't be afraid to try something new. Open your mind and see what happens. You might be surprised at what you find. ### 2\. Stay curious. Curiosity is the lifeblood of creativity and innovation. By staying curious, we keep our minds [open to new possibilities](https://philmckinney.com/the-innovation-skills-and-attributes-i-look-for-when-hiring-innovators/?ref=philmckinney.com) and allow random events to lead to new insights and perspectives. Staying curious also breeds a sense of exploration and excitement, which are essential for keeping our creative juices flowing. So if you want to be more creative, stay curious! ### 3\. Pay attention to your surroundings. When we pay attention to our surroundings, we open ourselves up to random events and their possibilities. Knowing the people and environment around us can create opportunities for new experiences and friendships. In addition, paying attention to our surroundings allows us to be more present at the moment and appreciate all that is happening around us. ### 4\. Be patient. Being patient is key when waiting for random events to happen. Sometimes they happen right away, but other times they take time to develop. You never know when the perfect opportunity will come along, so it's essential to be patient and wait for the right moment. When inspiration comes randomly, it's often the most powerful and meaningful. So don't be discouraged if things don't happen immediately - keep waiting and be patient for the next great spark of inspiration. ### 5\. Be creative. Random events can offer limitless [opportunities for creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/) and inspiration if you look for them. When something random happens, it's often a sign that something new is also about to happen. Be open to the possibilities and see where the random event takes you. Don't be afraid to experiment or try something new - that's where the real magic of random events can be found. Let your creativity run wild, and see what amazing things you can come up with. The sky is the limit! ## Warning: Random Events Are Not Signs Some people might see random events as signs or omens. Some will use a random event to confirm an idea or innovation they are working on. This confirmation bias is the tendency only to believe information that confirms our preexisting beliefs or desires. This can be dangerous when it comes to random events and innovation, as it may tempt us to ignore or misinterpret random events that don't conform to our preconceived notions. This can lead to faulty ideas and solutions and lead us down blind alleys. It's important to be aware of confirmation bias and its dangers and always to be open to new information - even if it contradicts our existing beliefs. ## The Internet Was Born Out of Randomness In the early 1990s, [Silicon Valley](https://philmckinney.com/silicon-valley-secret-sauce/?ref=philmckinney.com) was amidst a major random event - the rise of the internet. This unexpected event led to the development of countless new products and services, including some of the most well-known and successful companies. The internet was born out of random chance - a series of random events coinciding at the right moment. These random events included the invention of the World Wide Web, the spread of personal computers, and the growth of digital networks. These random events came together at just the right time to create something extraordinary - a new way for people to connect and share information. The internet has since changed the world, and there's no telling what else it might bring us in the future. ## Like Chocolate? *Random events are like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get.* When it comes to random events, you never quite know what will happen. They can be exciting and full of surprises, or they can be unpredictable and frustrating. But that's part of the fun - random events are always an adventure. So go ahead and take the plunge. Life is more interesting when we experience random events. Next time you encounter a random event, don't be annoyed - embrace it! See it as an opportunity to [think outside the box](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-1/) and develop something new and innovative. Who knows - your next big idea might just come from a random event! To know more about the success from random events, listen to: **[How to be a](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5Fbe%5Fa%5FRandom%5FSuccess%5Fat%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Random [Success at Innovation.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5Fbe%5Fa%5FRandom%5FSuccess%5Fat%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Disruptive Innovation vs Radical Innovation: What’s the Difference? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-innovation-vs-radical-innovation-whats-the-difference/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:02.000Z Innovation can be classified into two main types: disruptive innovation and radical innovation. Disruptive innovation is [an idea](https://philmckinney.com/disruptive-innovation-the-theory-behind-how-it-works-and-its-impact-on-society/?ref=philmckinney.com) that improves upon an existing market by exceeding the needs of a customer base, eventually displacing the old market. Radical innovation destroys the current market and value network, creating an entirely new one. Another way to think about it is that radical innovations challenge the status quo and create something new. Disruptive innovations are those that make an existing product or service obsolete. Many believe that both disruptive and radical innovation result from chance or luck. However, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that they result from a specific mindset and approach to problem-solving. So, what is the secret to consistently creating disruptive and radical innovations? ## What is Disruptive Innovation? There are a few key things to keep in mind when creating disruptive innovations. First, it's essential to understand the existing market and value network. Next, you need to identify gaps or shortcomings in the current market. And finally, you need to create something that fills that gap and provides more value than is currently available. Several famous examples of disruptive innovations, such as the iPhone, disrupted the existing smartphone market by offering a better user experience and more features than the competition. Uber also disrupted the taxi industry by providing a better and more convenient alternative to traditional taxis. ## Creating Disruptive Innovation So how can you create your disruptive innovation? Here are a few tips: ### 1\. Study the existing market and identify any gaps or shortcomings. It's no secret that to create disruptive innovation, and you need to do your research and understand the marketplace inside and out. By doing so, you can identify any gaps or shortcomings and work to fill them with your new product or service. Only then will you be able to identify any opportunities for change and capitalize on them. ### 2\. Identify any potential opportunities or weaknesses in the current market. Opportunities and weaknesses can lead to disruptive innovation in a variety of ways. For example, an opportunity may present itself for a new type of business to enter the market, disrupting the status quo. Alternatively, a weakness in one market area may open a new competitor to emerge and take market share. Either way, it's essential to keep an eye out for opportunities and weaknesses to be prepared to capitalize on them (or defend against them) if they arise. Doing so can help you stay ahead of the competition and achieve disruptive innovation. ### 3\. Prototype your idea and get feedback from potential users or customers. Prototyping is essential to creating disruptive innovation. By testing out your idea and getting feedback from potential users or customers, you can determine whether there is demand for your product or service and make necessary adjustments before investing too much time and money into development. Feedback from early adopters can be especially valuable in helping you gauge interest and determine what features or aspects of your prototype are most appealing (or not). ### 4\. Launch your product or service and continue to improve and refine it based on feedback from users/customers. [Launching your product or service](https://philmckinney.com/innovation-by-design-what-is-it-why-does-it-matter/?ref=philmckinney.com) is one of the most critical steps. It allows you to get feedback from users and customers, which can help you improve and refine your product or service. This process enables you to create a product or service that meets the needs of your target market, which can lead to tremendous success. Of course, there is no guaranteed formula for success, and it's possible that your innovation may not be as successful as you hope. However, following these tips increases your chances of creating a disruptive innovation that could change the world. ## What Is Radical Innovation? Radical innovation is about doing things differently to create something new and better. It can be a change to how you do things or a completely novel approach no one has ever tried. Whatever it is, it needs to be something that makes a real difference. There are countless examples of radical innovation. Here are three: ### Google's Search Engine When Google launched its search engine in 1998, it was a radically new way to find information online. Before Google, the only way to find information online was by using directories such as Yahoo! or browsing through websites. Google's search engine changed that by allowing users to type in keywords and find relevant results instantly. This breakthrough helped make Google the world's most popular search engine. ### Tesla's Electric Cars Electric cars have been around for a long time, but Tesla's Model S was a game-changer. It was the first all-electric luxury car, showing that electric vehicles could be just as good—if not better — than gasoline-powered cars. Tesla's electric cars have helped change people's thoughts about transportation and spurred other companies to develop their electric car models. ### SpaceX's Reusable Rockets SpaceX, a private space company, founded by Elon Musk, has developed a new type of rocket that can be reused. This is a breakthrough because it significantly reduces the cost of space travel. SpaceX's rockets are helping to make space exploration more affordable and accessible, which could lead to significant advances in the field. As you can see, radical innovation can come in many forms. All these examples have in common that they represent a significant change from the status quo. If you want to create radical innovation, you need to think about ways to do things differently and make a real difference. Creating a radical innovation is no easy feat, but it's possible. Just look at the examples above. If they can do it, so can you. ## Creating Radical Innovation So how do you create radical innovations? Here are a few insider secrets to creating radical innovations: ### 1\. Embrace Failure One of the most important things you need to do to create a radical innovation is to [embrace failure](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-characteristics-of-successful-failures/). Failure is inevitable when you're doing something new and different. You're going to make mistakes, and that's okay. What's important is that you learn from those mistakes and keep moving forward. ### 2\. Start with a clean slate. That means forgetting everything you know about the status quo and imagining something new. It means having the courage to think big and challenge the status quo. It means having the humility to listen to others and learn from them. And it means recognizing that no one has all the answers but that we can find them together if we're willing to continue learning and growing. ### 3\. Have a vision for what could be. This vision needs to be so compelling that it inspires people to take action and make the vision a reality. A good vision should be clear, achievable, and inspiring. It should also be specific enough to guide the actions of those working to achieve it. Once you [have a clear vision](https://philmckinney.com/continue-innovating-during-an-economic-downturn/?ref=philmckinney.com) for what you want to achieve, you can start putting together a plan to make it happen. This plan should outline the steps you need to take to achieve your vision. ### 4\. Be Willing to Take Risks To create a radical innovation, you must be willing to take risks. This means being okay with the possibility of failure. You need to be comfortable with uncertainty and not be afraid to try something new. ### 5\. Apply Box Thinking To succeed at creating a radical innovation, you must apply [box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think/) (inside and outside of the box). This thinking means looking at things from a different perspective and seeing things in a new light. It's about thinking of new ways to create something unique. ### 6\. Be Passionate Creating a radical innovation takes a lot of hard work and dedication. It would be best if you were passionate about what you're doing to see it through. If you're not passionate about your idea, it won't be easy to succeed. ### 7\. Believe in Yourself Creating a radical innovation is not easy. There will be times when you doubt yourself and your ability to succeed. It's essential to believe in yourself and your idea. Remember why you're doing this, and don't give up. ## Conclusion Of course, not every radical innovation is a success. Many [startups and businesses](https://www.philmckinney.com/startup-meets-bigco-the-confluence-of-innovation-in-cincinnati/) have tried something new, only to fail miserably. But that's okay — it's part of the process. Those who are willing to take risks and push boundaries ultimately create the most significant changes and make the biggest impact. So if you're feeling adventurous, don't be afraid to try something new. There's no guarantee of success, but you may create something incredible. To know more about the two main types of innovation, listen to: **Disruptive Innovation[ vs Radical Innovation: What’s the Difference?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Disruptive%5FInnovation%5Fvs%5FRadical%5FInnovation-%5FWhats%5Fthe%5FDifference.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Distinguish Good Science from Bad Science URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-distinguish-good-science-from-bad-science/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:02.000Z [Science](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-science-of-creativity/) is a powerful tool. It can change the world, improve our understanding of our universe, and help us find new and innovative ways to solve problems. But science is only as good as the data it uses, and bad science can lead us astray. Over the last few years, I've written several articles and recorded a similar number of podcasts on ethics related to innovation. Just as this is titled Bad Science, we could have titled it Bad Innovation. In this episode, we explore how to determine whether the science you are reading is accurate or not. The inspiration for this episode came from an infographic created by Compound Interest ([compoundchem.com](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp://compoundchem.com/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1662400023967692%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1AjB0bKGAFNrbCIuldUM1z&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1662400024006009&usg=AOvVaw3nUuNbG3a3W74HeN03SYCQ)). I've taken the list of ways to spot bad science and created my descriptions with examples — but all credit goes to @compoundchem. ## 12 Ways To Spot Bad Science There are many ways to identify bad science studies and articles that publish the results, but here are twelve of the most common. You can protect yourself from being misled by being aware of these red flags. ### 1) Sensationalised Headlines [Sensationalized headlines](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-failure-of-innovation-journalism/) can be incredibly misleading. They often over-simplify the findings or, worse, misrepresent them entirely. Misinterpretation can lead to bad decision-making on the reader's part and ultimately negatively impact. It's essential to be discerning when reading science articles and always to consider the source of information. Reputable sources always aim to present accurate information, while less reputable sources may sensationalize information to get more readers/viewers. In the long run, this can muddy the waters and make it more difficult for people to discern what is true. An example of a misleading sensationalized headline would be the article "A New Drug Can Cure Alcoholism," published by The Sun. The report claims that a new drug called Selincro can "cure" alcoholism, but this is not the case. Selincro is for alcohol dependence, not alcoholism, and it does not cure addiction. ### 2) Misinterpreted Results Misinterpreted results can often lead to bad science and innovation. Research in the media can be sensationalized or simplified in a way that distorts the actual findings. Simplification can lead to poor decisions being made based on inaccurate information. Therefore, reading the original research to understand what was studied is essential. Only then can informed decisions be made about whether the findings apply to your work. One example of misinterpreted results would be the oft-cited study that claimed eating chocolate can help you lose weight. Later found to be flawed, and the author had to retract his findings. ### 3) Conflict of Interest Science often thought of as a purely objective pursuit, is unaffected by the biases and motivations of the people involved. However, scientists are people, and their interests and agendas can influence them. Their agenda is a conflict of interest. A conflict of interest can distort scientific research and make poor decisions. For example, scientists might be more likely to publish results that support their theory or downplay negative results. Conflicts of interest can also hurt innovation. Innovators seeking patents or commercial opportunities are less likely to share their findings with others. Lack of information sharing can stifle innovation and prevent the development of new ideas. Ultimately, it is crucial to recognize that conflicts of interest exist, and we must consider them when evaluating discoveries. It is also essential to have transparent and accountable systems to manage conflicts of interest. A recent example of a conflict of interest that impacted innovation is the Volkswagen emissions scandal. In 2015, reports surfaced that Volkswagen had been cheating on emissions tests for its diesel cars. Cheating was possible because Volkswagen had developed software to turn off the emissions controls during car testing. The software allowed the cars to pass the emissions tests, but when they were on the road, they emitted more pollutants than allowed. This scandal highlighted the importance of managing conflicts of interest and showed how bad decisions could happen when scientists are not impartial. ### 4) Correlation and Causation Science can be misused and abused by exploiting people's confusion between correlation and causation. Correlation is when two things happen together more often than would be expected by chance. For example, there is a correlation between ice cream sales and murders — when ice cream sales go up, so do murders. But that doesn't mean that eating ice cream causes people to murder others. There could be any number of other factors at work. Causation, on the other hand, means that one thing causes another. When we say that A causes B, it means that A always comes before B— and that changing A will change B. For example, we know that smoking causes cancer because smokers are more likely to get cancer than non-smokers. Changing the amount of smoking will change the amount of cancer. When two things appear correlated, it's important not to jump to conclusions and assume that one thing is causing the other. Without doing proper research and testing, bad science can result. So next time you hear about some scientific study that seems too good to be true, be skeptical! Using scientific studies to sell products is one commercial example where correlation and causation can mislead the public. A study that shows a correlation between a product and a positive outcome can persuade people to buy the product. But without knowing the full details of the study, it's hard to tell if the product caused the correlation. For example, numerous studies show a correlation between eating breakfast and being thinner. So, many companies have started selling breakfast foods to help people lose weight. But does eating breakfast make you thinner? It's hard to say because there are many other factors at work. Maybe people who eat breakfast are more likely to be thinner overall or more likely to exercise in the morning. It's difficult to say for sure what's causing the correlation. ### 5) Unsupported Conclusions Bad science can often come from unsupported conclusions. When a study jumps to a conclusion without proper evidence, it can be misleading and cause further bad science. This is because people may get the wrong idea about the study and try to build on that misconception. In some cases, this can even lead to injury lawsuits by bad information based on bad science. Therefore, studies must be very clear on what their evidence shows and what conclusions are still speculative. Clear studies allow people to understand the research better and prevent bad science from spreading further. One recent example of [bad science based on unsupported conclusions](https://philmckinney.com/pinocchio-with-a-phd-an-appeal-for-ethical-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) is the case of Theranos. This company claimed to have developed a new way to test blood requiring much less than traditional methods. However, after multiple retractions of their studies, revealing that their technology didn't work. The revelation led to massive financial losses for investors and patients who trusted the company. Others attempting to follow in their footsteps found themselves back at the drawing board, wasting time and resources on something that wasn't possible. This is just one example of how bad science can have far-reaching consequences. ### 6) Problem with Sample Size Small sample sizes can lead to bad science for several reasons. First and foremost, when the sample size is small, it's more likely that the data will not represent the population. This means that any conclusions drawn from that data may be inaccurate. Additionally, small samples have less statistical power, meaning they're less likely to detect differences between groups or to identify significant results. This can lead to bad science in two ways: if researchers incorrectly conclude that there is no difference between groups and falsely deem a result statistically significant when it's not. Finally, small sample sizes can increase the chances of type II errors (false negatives), which means publishing bad science because of a missed true effect due to the small sample size. These issues caused by small sample sizes can lead to faulty conclusions and bad science. One recent example of a research study based on a small sample size that leads to bad science is a study on the effect of fluoride on children's intelligence. The study had a very small sample size, and as a result, the authors could not detect any significant difference between the fluoride and placebo groups. This led to bad science, as the authors incorrectly concluded that fluoride does not have an impact on children's intelligence. ### 7) Unrepresentative Samples Used Unrepresentative samples are often used in bad science experiments, leading to faulty conclusions. Using a non-representative sample makes it much easier to obtain the results you're looking for because the data is guaranteed to be biased. Bad science perpetuates itself when this happens, and we often can't trust any scientific findings. For example, a study that claims salt is terrible for your health might be from 1a sample of people who already have health problems. The study would give the impression that salt is bad for everyone when it might only harm people with certain conditions. If we rely on these studies to make decisions about our health, we could be doing ourselves a disservice. It's, therefore, important to always look at the methodology of a study before accepting its conclusions as fact. Only by doing so can we avoid being misled by bad science. ### 8) No Control Group Used The lack of a control group might doubt the results of an experiment. It's critical to compare the outcomes from test participants who received the tested substance to a control group that didn't receive it in clinical trials. This process allows researchers to see whether the drug made any difference. Random allocation of groups is also crucial to minimize bias. In experiments, it's important to have a control test for controlled variables, allowing researchers to isolate the effects of a single variable. Perhaps the most famous example of bad science without a control group is the case of thalidomide. The marketed sedative for pregnant women in the 1950s and 1960s revealed that the drug caused severe congenital disabilities in thousands of children. ### 9) No Blind Testing Used By not blinding the test, researchers can introduce bias into the study. Lack of blind testing can happen in different ways, such as researcher bias, subject bias, and observer bias. Researcher bias happens when the researcher has a preconceived notion about the study's outcome and influences how it is conducted or analyzed. Subject bias is when the subject knows which group they are in and alters their behavior. For example, if someone knows they are in a test group using a new drug treatment and feels better than those in the control group, they may believe that the drug worked when it didn't. Observer bias is when someone not involved in the study (e.g., a friend or family member of one of the participants) knows which group a participant is in and reports on their behavior differently based on that information. These biases can lead to inaccurate findings and conclusions in scientific studies. This can have far-reaching consequences, using bad science to make recommendations or decisions about treatments, policies, etc. It's, therefore, important that scientists use a blind test whenever possible. One example of not using a blind test that caused future bad science is the Tuskegee syphilis study. In this study, 399 black men with syphilis were left untreated so researchers could study the progression of the disease. Even after it was discovered that penicillin could cure the disease, the study continued for another two years. This study's lack of a blind test led to biased results and further bad science. ### 10)Selective Reporting of Data Regarding scientific research, the [data](https://philmckinney.com/future-innovation-creativity-meets-data/?ref=philmckinney.com) collected should be unbiased and interpreted relatively. However, sometimes bad science is caused by researchers selectively reporting data. They review the data that supports their conclusion and ignore any information that does not. This can cause incorrect judgments and assertions. One way to avoid this issue is always to present all the data collected, regardless of whether it supports your findings. This will help ensure that other researchers can interpret and analyze the data and reach their conclusions. It is essential to be open and transparent about your research methods and results so that others can evaluate them for themselves. A recent example of bad science caused by selective data reporting is the paper "The Mismeasure of Man" by Stephen Jay Gould. In this paper, Gould argues that intelligence tests are biased against certain groups of people, such as women and minorities. However, later research has shown that Gould selectively reported data to support his conclusions. For example, he ignored evidence that showed no significant difference in test scores between men and women. ### 11)Unreproducible Results When research is not reproducible, it becomes difficult to verify the findings, which can create doubt about the entire study. This can lead to bad science, as scientists may accept bad data as fact. In short, reproducible research is essential for good science, and when research is not reproducible, it can lead to a variety of problems. One recent example of a retracted study that could not be reproduced is the infamous "South Korean stem cell study." Researchers claimed to have created stem cells in this study using a new method, but other scientists could not reproduce the results. As a result, the journal that originally published the study retracted it. ### 12)Non-Peer Reviewed Material The importance of using peer-reviewed studies cannot be overstated. Using these studies, researchers can be sure that the information they are getting is accurate and reliable. Studies that have not been peer-reviewed may be flawed and thus unreliable. This can lead to bad science and inaccurate information being spread. Peer review is a critical step in the scientific process and helps to ensure that only the best, most accurate information is published. There has been a recent rash of [peer-reviewed studies and later retracted](https://philmckinney.com/ethics-crisis/?ref=philmckinney.com). It is not a perfect system, but it is our best. To avoid bad science, researchers should always look for peer-reviewed studies. One example of a study that was peer-reviewed but later retracted is the infamous study on climate change by Dr. Michael Mann. The study, published in 1999, purported to show a correlation between climate change and the increase in global temperatures. However, the study was later retracted after it was revealed that the data had been manipulated. These kinds of retractions of peer-reviewed studies put all other studies into question. It is hard to know which studies to trust when bad science like this makes its way into the peer-reviewed process. ## Good Science versus Bad Science Science is a process of [exploration and discovery](https://philmckinney.com/are-innovations-invented-or-discovered/?ref=philmckinney.com). When bad science occurs, it can cast doubt on all the findings of that study and the entire scientific process. However, we can avoid being misled by these studies by being aware of the signs of bad science. We can also help to ensure that good science is not tainted by bad data. It is important to remember that science is an ever-evolving process. The retracted "South Korean stem cell study," for example, may have been flawed, but it led to discoveries about stem cells that could not have been made otherwise. In this way, even bad science can be valuable in helping us learn more about the world. We should not give up on science just because of bad science; instead, we should use bad science as a learning experience and continue to explore and discover new truths about the world around us. Let's work together to recognize and reward good science while calling out bad science so that we can ensure the best information in which to [make informed decisions](https://www.philmckinney.com/decision-making-ooda-loop-for-fast-and-accurate-decisions/). To know more about good and bad science: **[How to Distinguish Good Science from](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FDistinguish%5FGood%5FScience%5Ffrom%5FBad%5FScience.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Bad Science** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Black Swan Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/black-swan-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:01.000Z No one can [predict the future](https://www.philmckinney.com/chunka-mui-on-innovating-a-perfect-future/), but that doesn't mean we can't prepare for it. We'll explore the concept of black swan innovation and discuss how leaders can respond to these events when they occur. We will also look at some examples of black swan innovations that have profoundly impacted society. Leaders can minimize the negative consequences of these unpredictable occurrences by understanding what a black swan event is and how to prepare for it. ## So, What is a Black Swan Innovation? A Black Swan innovation is an unpredictable event or occurrence that changes the course of an industry or business. It is something that no one could have ever predicted and can completely overturn the status quo. The term "black swan" comes from the idea that black swans are events or occurrences that are so rare that they are almost impossible to predict. The black swan was given its name because all other swans were white before being discovered in Australia. Consequently, the bird was thought of as an impossibility. ## The Black Swan Nassim Taleb popularized the term in his book, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable. In his book, Nassim discusses the idea of black swan events and how they can majorly impact businesses and industries. He argues we should not focus on predicting these events but be prepared for them when they occur. Taleb believes we should not prioritize past data when making predictions, as this data may not indicate future outcomes. Instead, it is crucial to focus on the present and future rather than the past. ## Hindsight Risk [Hindsight claims](https://philmckinney.com/hindsight-is-not-20-20-the-hindsight-fallacy/?ref=philmckinney.com) of having seen a black swan can be misleading because they can lead to inaccurate assessments of the probability of an event. For example, if someone says they saw a black swan before it happened, it could give a false impression that the event was more likely than it was. The event could lead to people making decisions based on inaccurate information. ## How To Prepare for Black Swan Events Leaders should always [be prepared for the unexpected](https://philmckinney.com/preparing-for-a-failure-of-imagination/?ref=philmckinney.com), including being ready for black swan events. Before a black swan occurs, leaders should ensure accurate information about the probability of a range of events happening. This information can help them make sound decisions in the face of a black swan when it happens. Leaders should have a plan in place for how to respond to a black swan. This plan should include contingencies for various potential scenarios. By being prepared, leaders can minimize the negative consequences of a black swan event. Leaders should be prepared for many different types of black swan events. Some examples include: ### Natural Disasters A natural disaster is a catastrophic event caused by natural phenomena such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, or tornadoes. ### Financial Crises A financial crisis is when the value of financial assets collapses, leading to a liquidity crisis and often a [recession](https://philmckinney.com/continue-innovating-during-an-economic-downturn/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Political Unrest Political unrest is when social order is disrupted due to protests or civil unrest. ### Technological and Innovation Disruptions A technological disruption is an event that occurs when a new technology is introduced that disrupts or replaces the status quo entirely. By being prepared for these and other types of black swan events, leaders can minimize the negative consequences that these events can have on their organizations. ## Examples of Black Swan Events Some past examples of black swan innovation include: ### Printing Press Before the printing press, books were hand-copied by scribes, which was a slow and expensive process. The printing press allowed for books to be printed in large quantities, which made them more affordable and allowed for more people to access them. The printing press led to a period of rapid intellectual growth and helped to spread knowledge throughout the world. ### Electricity Before the discovery of electricity, people relied on candles and other forms of light. Electricity allowed the development of new technologies such as light bulbs, radios, and televisions. The discovery led to a period of rapid technological growth and helped improve many people's quality of life. ### Internet The internet has allowed for the exchange of information and ideas on a previously unimaginable scale. It has also allowed for the development of new technologies, such as social media, which has revolutionized how people interact. Additionally, the internet has made it easier for people to access information and has led to a period of rapid economic growth. By allowing for the exchange of information and ideas on a global scale, the internet has had a far-reaching impact on society that is difficult to overestimate. Each of these inventions was a game-changer that completely disrupted the status quo. They were all considered impossible until they happened, and they each profoundly impacted society. ## Responding To A Black Swan Event If a leader is suddenly faced with a black swan event they did not prepare for, there are several steps they can take to minimize the negative consequences. 1. Assess the situation and gather as much information as possible. This information can help make informed decisions about responding to the event. 2. [Develop a plan](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lean-canvas-a-one-page-innovation-plan/) for how to respond to the event. This plan should include contingencies for various potential scenarios. By being prepared, leaders can minimize the negative consequences of a black swan event. 3. Communicate with their team and stakeholders. Open communication is essential during a crisis. Leaders should keep everyone updated on the situation and let them know what steps to address the issue. 4. Focus on [maintaining calm and order](https://philmckinney.com/great-leaders-keep-cool/?ref=philmckinney.com), which can be difficult during a chaotic event, but it is essential to maintain control. Leaders should provide clear instructions and expectations to their team and be available to answer questions and address concerns. 5. Take the time to review the situation after it has passed. Reviewing can help one [learn from experience](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) and adjust plans for future events. While there is no way to predict or prepare for every possible black swan event, leaders can minimize the adverse effects of these events by being prepared and taking quick, decisive action when they occur. ## Not If But When **It is not if a black swan event will occur, but when.** Black swan innovation is like a tidal wave — it is unpredictable, but it can cause a lot of damage when it hits. However, leaders can minimize the negative consequences if they are prepared for black swan events. By being proactive and staying calm under pressure, leaders can help their team weather the storm. In the aftermath, taking the time to review what happened and learn from the experience is crucial. As Nelson Mandela once said, "I never lose. I either win or learn." To know more about dealing with black swan events listen to this week's show: **Black Swan [Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Black%5FSwan%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### A Solution to the Innovation Journalism Problem URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/a-solution-to-the-innovation-journalism-problem/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:01.000Z Previously on the show, [we discussed the failure](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-failure-of-innovation-journalism/) of innovation journalism in the modern day. To combat the failure of innovation journalism, we are launching The Innovators Network (TIN). Founded upon the belief that innovation is essential to addressing the world’s most pressing problems, The Innovators Network wants to empower readers and inspire them to become agents of change. We will provide them with the information needed to make informed decisions around innovations. ## Innovation Journalism We believe that excellent innovation journalism should be three things: - Solution-oriented **\-** Telling the whole story behind an innovation while sharing the problem the solution will solve. - Human-centered **\-** Focused on the people behind the innovation and how it affects their lives. - Actionable **\-** Providing readers with the information they can use to make decisions in their own lives. ## What’s New? The Innovators Network’s content will sport a variety of topics, including but not limited to: health care, transportation, energy, education, food, manufacturing, and information technology.To ensure the quality of our content, we have already attracted support from leading contributors such as Emmy Award-winning journalist [Kym McNicholas](https://theinnovators.network/author/kymbee/?ref=philmckinney.com). All my content will now be available on The Innovators Network. Our network of external contributors will now include journalists, analysts, industry experts, and thought leaders from various organizations. This change allows us to provide comprehensive and accurate innovation coverage. ## TIN Digital Content Platform The digital content platform has three main components: 1. The Innovators Network [website](https://theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) features original and syndicated articles, interviews, videos, and podcasts on innovation. 2. A weekly newsletter will bring the best innovation content to your inbox. 3. Social media accounts such as [Twitter](https://twitter.com/innovators%5Fnet?ref=philmckinney.com), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheInnovatorsNetworkLLC), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com), and [LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-innovators-network-llc/mycompany/?ref=philmckinney.com)will provide essential updates on innovations. The TIN website launches today, so check it out! Watch out for the weekly newsletter sent out in the following weeks. You can sign up at the bottom of the TIN website. The social media accounts are already active. To know more about innovation journalism and The Innovators Network, listen to this week's show: **[A Solution to the Innovation Journalism Problem.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/A%5FSolution%5Fto%5Fthe%5FInnovation%5FJournalism%5FProblem.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How To Monetize Your Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-monetize-your-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:01.000Z You need to be known [as an inventor](https://www.philmckinney.com/dean-kamen-on-making-life-better/) to attract the industry and monetize your ideas. The more successful you are as an inventor, the more people want to do business with you. I’ve discovered that submitting ideas to competitions and sharing work on social media are the best ways to build your reputation. [Submitting your ideas to competitions](https://www.philmckinney.com/mistakes-innovation-competitions/) exposes you to a broad audience while showing them you are a serious inventor. Sharing your work on social media gives you credibility in the eyes of potential customers and clients. Making money from your ideas can be daunting, but it is possible. You can increase your chances of success by following the steps outlined below. ## Common Inventor’s Mistakes ### 1\. Not Taking Action Ideas are worthless unless you [execute them.](https://philmckinney.com/the-final-key-to-innovation-understanding-the-law-of-execution/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### 2\. Not Protecting Your Ideas File for a patent or copyright for your idea before sharing it, so no one else claims it. ### 3\. Not Marketing Your Idea Create a website, write a blog, and use social media to increase the chances of monetizing your idea. ### 4\. Not Being Persistent Successful monetization of your idea requires persistence. ## 4 Steps to Idea Monetization ### 1\. Validate that there is a market for your idea. Research companies that produce similar products or services to identify if there is demand for your idea. ### 2\. Talk to people in your chosen market. Ask for feedback on your idea. At this point, you have two choices: Work with a company specializing in licensing and monetizing ideas or create a company around your idea. If you choose to create a company around your ideas, then: ### 3\. Create a prototype. Prototyping will help you further validate your idea and give you something to show potential [investors](https://www.philmckinney.com/bryan-chambers-and-joel-radtke-on-fintech-and-venture-capital-innovation/). ### 4\. Find investors. Negotiate a deal and start working on making your idea a reality. ## Using an Invention Firm Invention firms can help you protect your idea, market it, find investors, and turn it into a reality. If you choose to work with an invention firm, ensure you do the following: ### 1\. Make sure you understand the terms of the agreement. ### 2\. Be cautious of companies that require upfront fees. ### 3\. Do your research. ### 4\. Get everything in writing. ### 5\. Be prepared to give up some control. [InventRight](https://inventright.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) is a reputable firm that has helped many inventors get started with making money from their ideas. They also have a robust [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/c/inventRight?ref=philmckinney.com) for inventors. We had [Stephen Key](https://www.philmckinney.com/stephen-key-of-inventrighttv-on-licensing-inventions/), the founder, and CEO of InventRight, on the show back in April**.** **Note**: This is not a sponsorship or endorsement. I have not used their services for any of my ideas. They have impressed me with the breadth and depth of the ideas they have monetized. To know more about monetizing your ideas, listen to this week's show: **[How To](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FTo%5FMonetize%5FYour%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Monetize[ Your Ideas](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FTo%5FMonetize%5FYour%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** . \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Procrastinators' Guide for Innovators URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/procrastinators-guide-for-innovators/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:00.000Z Procrastination is a thief of potential, time, happiness, and success. Innovators often don't realize have become procrastinators because of how many projects they start. While innovators start innovations, they fail to launch them. Failure to launch is one of the most insidious forms of procrastination. In innovation, you will get your next position or project based on your portfolio, not your resume. It's all about the [execution](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/). If you are interested in looking at a small sample of my portfolio, you can hop over [to Techtrend](http://techtrend.com/portfolio/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## FIRE - Execution Stage The [FIRE innovation framework](https://beyondtheobvious.com/innovation-gap-innovation-delay/?ref=philmckinney.com) is a great way to avoid the trap of starting but not completing. The key is to move from stage to stage in the framework until you've launched your innovation. People procrastinate the most in the execution stage. In the execution stage, things can get messy, but avoiding it is no excuse. As innovators, we tend to compare our ideas to others and want to launch something perfect. [Perfectionism](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-bad-habits-are-killing-your-creativity/) is one of the biggest roadblocks to creative output. Don't let the [fear of failure](https://philmckinney.com/is-fear-of-failure-killing-your-creativity-and-hindering-your-success/?ref=philmckinney.com) block your chances of success. ## Anti-Procrastination Tips for Innovators ### 1\. Focus on one innovation. Your focus will increase overall productivity as you will unlock the room for more innovations. ### 2\. Set a deadline. Setting intermediate deadlines for each task allows you to reach goals effectively. "The difference between a dream and a goal is a deadline." - Harvey Mackay ### 3\. Find an accountability partner. A partner should be someone who keeps you on track and is supportive while offering honest feedback. ### 4\. Break it down into smaller steps. Consider using an agile innovation process that breaks down a project into short iterative cycles. Check out our podcast on [The 7 Essential Ingredients of Agile Innovation.](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-essential-ingredients-of-agile-innovation/) ### 5\. Focus on your why. Your why is the reason or your motivation for working on a particular project. If you can keep this in mind, it will help you push through the difficult times. ### 6\. Celebrate your wins. Celebrating each accomplishment will help you keep your focus and motivation high. ## Achieving Innovation Success Regarding innovation, it's important to remember that Rome wasn't built in one day. Your first try will probably [fail](https://philmckinney.com/leadership-failures-innovation-lessons-learned/?ref=philmckinney.com), and that is ok. It takes hard work, focus, and determination to be successful. If you follow the steps outlined, you'll be well on achieving your innovation goals. To know more about procrastination in innovation, listen to this week's show: **Procrastinators[' Guide for Innovators](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Procrastinators%5FGuide%5FFor%5FInnovators.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** . \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Automaticity: A Thinking Trap? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/automaticity-a-thinking-trap/ Last updated: 2022-08-08T23:18:42.000Z Just as a car can be driven more smoothly and efficiently when the driver doesn't have to think about each action, so can our lives run more smoothly when some tasks are done automatically. For example, if you've ever ridden in a car with someone learning to drive, you know it's not a very smooth ride. The person is constantly thinking about what they're doing – turning the wheel, pressing on the accelerator, applying the brake. Once they learn how to drive, they can do it all automatically. The ride is smoother because they don't have to think about each step. It's the same with many other things in life. We can learn how to do them automatically so that we don't have to think about them. ## **Automaticity** Automaticity is the ability to do something without conscious effort or thought. It's making something happen automatically, without thinking about it or planning it in advance. Automaticity can be helpful in many situations. It can help you do things more quickly and efficiently without having to stop and think about what you're doing. It can also help you focus on other things because you don't have to worry about the task you're doing automatically. Automaticity is not always a good thing. For example, if you've developed bad habits, such as smoking or overeating, it's hard to break them if they become automatic. ## **Automaticity and Education** Automaticity is an integral part of education. To learn something, we must develop the ability to do it automatically. That is why drills and practice are so important in education. Without automaticity, we would have to think about every step in a task, making learning very difficult. For example, when first learning math, you have to think about each step in solving a problem. But with practice, [you develop automaticity](https://www.philmckinney.com/should-you-trust-your-gut/) and can do it without thinking. The same is true for many academic tasks. We must learn the individual steps involved in reading and writing before we can focus on understanding the material. Otherwise, we would constantly be tripping over our own feet. ## **Automaticity and Innovation** Automaticity can be a significant obstacle to innovation. This is because our brains are wired to conserve energy by using automatic responses. This is especially true with [habits](https://www.philmckinney.com/avoiding-the-habit-trap/) – once we've developed a habit, our brains are more likely to use that response automatically, even if it's not the best option. It's challenging to change or improve upon something that we do automatically. ## **Pausing Your Automaticity** The key to innovation is to pause the automatic response and think about what we're doing. This can be difficult, but it's necessary in order to see with fresh eyes and come up with new ideas. To stop your automatic thinking trap, you need to set off a trigger that will make you pause and think about what you're doing. For example, use a timer and, when it goes off, ask yourself what you're doing and why you're doing it. Or, you could put a note on your computer that says “Stop and think for a moment about what you're doing.” Another way to pause automaticity is to increase your awareness of what you're doing. This can be done by paying attention to your surroundings and noticing when you're engaging in automatic behavior. For example, if you're driving to work, pay attention to the route you're taking and the things you're doing automatically, such as turning on the radio or adjusting the mirrors. Increasing your awareness of your automatic behavior can help you improve it. For example, if you're aware that you're not paying attention to the road, you can turn off the radio or put away your phone. It's important to remember that automaticity becomes ingrained in [how we think, see, and do things](https://killerinnovations.com/groupthink-kills-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). Overcoming it requires effort and practice. But the rewards – both in terms of personal growth and innovation – are well worth the investment. ## **Breaking Away From The Thinking Trap** The key to [overcoming automaticity](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-unconventional-enough-in-your-thinking/) is to be like Michelangelo, seeing the statue in the stone. We must chip away at the automaticity, seeing the possibilities and potential for change. Just as Michelangelo released the statue's beauty by chipping away at the stone, we can [release our potential and creativity](https://killerinnovations.com/10-exercises-that-will-improve-your-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com) by chipping away at our automaticity. With practice and effort, we can overcome the obstacles that automaticity presents and create new habits and responses that will help us thrive in an ever-changing world. ### The Failure of Innovation Journalism URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-failure-of-innovation-journalism/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:23:00.000Z Innovation journalism is one of the essential types of journalism in the modern world. Journalists must explain and communicate these changes when innovations and ideas emerge to the public. Innovation journalism is currently in a state of crisis, as science and technology reporters only make up a small percentage of reporters in American newspapers. Despite this fact, according to a [Pew Research Center survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/12/key-findings-about-americans-confidence-in-science-and-their-views-on-scientists-role-in-society/?ref=philmckinney.com), more than half of Americans say they want more news about science and technology. To truly understand and grapple with our changing world, we need journalists willing to provide real insight into [emerging innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-nanobots-what-you-need-to-know/). ## The Problem: Lack of Innovation Understanding Journalists and media platforms often sensationalize innovations to increase traffic while showing prejudice towards ones they don't like. Sensationalism can distort public understanding of potentially transformative innovations, promote misinformation, and distort policymaking. Innovation journalism should be about exploring the implications of innovations and ideas while shining a light on the people making them happen. ## Theranos: An Innovation Journalism Failure The media hailed Theranos as an exciting new technology that could revolutionize the blood testing industry. Theranos' CEO, Elizabeth Holmes, was often described as the "youngest self-made billionaire," Time Magazine referred to her as "The next Steve Jobs." Eventually, The Wall Street Journal revealed that Theranos was misleading investors and patients about its technology. Forced to shut down, Elizabeth Holmes was convicted on multiple counts of fraud. The lesson from [the Theranos story](https://philmckinney.com/the-one-thing-that-will-kill-an-innovation-and-what-you-can-do-to-avoid-it/?ref=philmckinney.com) is that innovation journalism needs to be more than just positive coverage of new technologies. It needs to be willing to ask tough questions and investigate claims made. ## Guidelines of Good Innovation Journalism Here are eight guidelines of good innovation journalism discussed in the podcast: 1. **Avoid Hype** 2. **Seek Diverse Perspectives** 3. **Consider the Implications** 4. **Go Beyond the Press Release** 5. **Verify The Claims** 6. **Be Transparent About Your Sources** 7. **Disclose Conflicts of Interest** 8. **Label Opinions as Such** ## The Future of Innovation Journalism If innovation journalism is to have a future, it must do several things. 1. It must move away from its current focus on gadgetry and startups. 2. It must embrace its role as a critical and informative force in society. 3. It must also provide context and analysis, not just hype. 4. It must [ask hard questions](https://philmckinney.com/4-questions-new-leaders-should-ask/?ref=philmckinney.com) and hold those in power accountable. Only then will it be able to fulfill its potential truly. Otherwise, it risks becoming nothing more than a [buzzword](https://www.philmckinney.com/misused-innovation-buzzwords/) or an empty promise. Having accurate, transparent, and unbiased reporting on innovation can empower individuals, organizations, governments, and society to [bring about positive change](https://www.philmckinney.com/chunka-mui-on-innovating-a-perfect-future/). To know more about science and technology in journalism, listen to this week's show: **[The Failure of Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FFailure%5Fof%5FInnovation%5FJournalism.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Journalism** . \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Future Faking Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/future-faking-innovation/ Last updated: 2023-05-23T14:17:47.000Z Future faking is a term that has crept into the lexicon that originated from a harmful dating practice. What is it? As all couples experience, once a relationship is established, the conversation turns to talk of the future — about where they will live, vacations they will go on, and children they will have. However, if they have no intention of following through, it can devastate and financially damage the other partner. ## Future Faking Innovation When it comes to innovation, the same narcissistic strategy can emerge. It is when someone is predicting a future in order to get other people excited about it, with no intention of making that [future](https://www.philmckinney.com/hope-or-cynicism-which-is-the-right-outlook-for-the-future/) a reality. Future faking is a type of lying and its manipulation. If someone is faking a future, they're counting on the fact that people want to believe in a bright future and that they are positioning themself as the ones with the answers while having no intention of making it a reality. The goal is to get people to invest their time, money, or emotions into what the “future faker” is pitching. What a future faker wants may not be money. It could be attention, adoration, or just a sense of power that comes from knowing they can control what other people believe. ## Examples of Future Faking When you hear the term “future faking,” you may think of people who make empty promises about things they have no intention of delivering. But this is just one example of this type of behavior. There are several ways to future fake, and each one can be just as damaging. Some use future faking to get ahead at work. They may make grandiose plans for the company, even though they have no intention of actually implementing them. This can damage the morale of their coworkers, who may have put in extra effort to make the plans a reality. Others may use future faking to gain attention or admiration from others. They may talk about their plans for the future, even though they have no intention of actually achieving them. This can damage relationships and reputation. There are those who use future faking to secure an investor in some cutting-edge innovation that requires an initial investment, with no intention of delivering what they promised. This can leave the person who invested feeling swindled and betrayed. ## Are Entrepreneurs Future Fakers? Some could say that all [entrepreneurs](https://www.philmckinney.com/whats-missing-to-ensure-we-have-a-robust-community-of-entrepreneurs/) are future fakers to some extent. They have an idea for a product or service that doesn't exist yet, and they have to pitch it to potential investors. In order to get people to invest in their idea, they have to make them believe that it's going to be a success. However, there's a big difference between making someone believe in your idea and making them believe in a future that doesn't exist. Entrepreneurs may not always be able to deliver on their promises, but they have a vision for **a future that they're working towards**. Future fakers have no intention of ever delivering on their promises. They're only interested in the immediate benefits they'll receive, with no regard for the future or the people they harm. > The future is full of opportunity, but be careful of those who would promise it without delivering. ## Red Flags of “Future Fakers” Here are behaviors that show that the person is likely future faking, and they should be a cause for concern. ### Unrealistic Promises. If the person is making promises they know they can't keep, or that are completely out of their control, then they're probably future faking. ### Lack of Follow-Through. If the person is constantly making plans but never actually following through on them, then they're probably future faking. ### History of Lies and Manipulation. If the person has a history of [lying or manipulating others](https://killerinnovations.com/the-ethical-boundaries-of-technology/?ref=philmckinney.com), then they're more likely to be future faking. If you see any of these red flags in a person, then it's important to be cautious. ## Best Practices To Protect Yourself From Future Fakers The best practice to protect your reputation is to avoid supporting the vision being pitched by a future faker. Here are four recommendations that can keep you safe from the turmoil they create. ### Go Slow. Don't let someone's sense of urgency cause you to make a hasty decision. If they're pressuring you to decide right away, before any proof of the future they are peddling, then be suspicious. ### Stay In Reality. Don't believe everything you hear. Even if the person seems sincere, don't take their word for it. Wait to see if they actually follow through on making their vision of the future a reality before you believe them. ### Hold Them To Their Future Track and hold them accountable for the future they are selling. Understand the key milestones and proof points associated with their idea or project. If they are not meeting their promises, then walk away. ### Get A Second Opinion. If you're considering investing in someone's future, it's always a good idea to get a second opinion. Talk to someone else who is familiar with the person and their work to see if they think the future they're selling is realistic. ## Being Cautious While Creating An Exciting Future The world is constantly changing, and with it comes new opportunities for those who are willing to seize them. However, before you can seize these opportunities, you must first be aware of the dangers that come with them. One of these dangers is future faking — when someone pitches a vision for the future that doesn't exist, and they have no intention of ever making it a reality. Despite the dangers, don't let the narcissists hold you back from changing the world. With the right precautions, you and your team can create an exciting [future that is full of opportunities](https://www.philmckinney.com/imagining-a-better-future-keys-to-human-progress/). ### The Joy of Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-joy-of-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:59.000Z Joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Many things can prevent us from enjoying our lives and our work. Finding ways to deal with these challenges is crucial, so they don't take away our happiness. Innovation is all about creating new things and [solving problems](https://philmckinney.com/problems-in-need-of-solving-where-to-start/?ref=philmckinney.com). Finding the joy of innovation motivates every innovator. Being a part of successful innovation adds joy to your life. That joy has motivated me for 40 years of my career in innovation. It can be gratifying if you're able to make a difference in the world through innovation. ## What Brought Me Joy of Innovation In 1986, I led the development of one of the first biometric security devices, a fingerprint reader for a company called [ThumbScan](https://www.philmckinney.com/overcoming-innovation-regrets/). Eventually, a company out of Stockholm acquired ThumbScan. Delivering something nobody thought could ever invent excited me and made me want to repeat it. Next, I worked on a supercomputer project at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. There was a researcher that had developed the concept of massively parallel supercomputers. The processing architecture was called [MISC](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-learned-to-be-an-entrepreneur/), which drove a lot of interest when we developed it. Ultimately, it got acquired by Atmel. It was exciting to see something we'd worked on for so long and so hard become real. The excitement gave others also brought me joy. Again, this joy motivated me to continue the process. ## Finding Joy of Innovation At Work Many things can take the joy out of innovation. While finding joy in your work is hard, making a few changes in your mindset is possible. Here are a few tips that I've applied over my career: 1. **Make a list of things you love at your job** A list can help you remember why you chose this career in the first place 1. **Set small goals for yourself and celebrate when you reach them** Goals can help give you a sense of accomplishment rather than waiting for the big win. I believe in utilizing [Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).](https://www.philmckinney.com/setting-innovation-objectives/) 1. **Find a mentor or role model who loves their work** A mentor can give you a different perspective and encourage you 1. **Take a break when you're feeling overwhelmed** Breaks can help you clear your head and [come back to your work refreshed](https://philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-unleash-your-creativity-today/?ref=philmckinney.com) 1. **Talk to your friends and family about your work.** Get those close friends and families who will tell you the truth and have your back when you need them. To know more about finding joy as an innovator, listen to this week's show: **The Joy[ of Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FJoy%5Fof%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** . \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovating with Nanobots: What You Need to Know URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-nanobots-what-you-need-to-know/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:59.000Z During the Cold War, Nobel Prize winner [Richard Feynman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There%27s%5FPlenty%5Fof%5FRoom%5Fat%5Fthe%5FBottom?ref=philmckinney.com) investigated the possibility of [science](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-science-of-creativity/) on a microscopic scale. He wanted to create machines that could assemble molecules atom by atom. While this sounds like [science fiction](https://philmckinney.com/science-fiction-impact-on-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com), the "nanoscale" exists. Nanobots exist. Nanotechnology is growing rapidly, and I believe its impact will be significant. ## The Nanoscale In 2016, IBM researchers announced they had created the world's smallest motor, just 1x1x4 nanometers in size. A nanometer is one-millionth of a meter. The motor is made of a single carbon nanotube, spinning at up to 60,000 rpm. The nanobot [technology trend](https://www.philmckinney.com/technology-megatrends/) focuses on making these tiny machines fast, strong, and precise. While IBM's motor is not yet practical for real-world applications, it shows how far nanotechnology has come. ## 7 Use Cases for Nanoscale Robots ### 1\. Cancer treatment Nanobots can help in the early diagnosis of cancer cells and can destroy them. ### 2\. Brain-computer interface Nanobots could read electrical signals in the brain and translate them into commands for a computer. ### 3\. Surgical procedures Nanobots can help improve the accuracy of surgery and reduce healing time, risk of infection, costs, etc. ### 4\. Drug delivery Nanobots can ‌target cells or tissues to deliver drugs with more precision. ### 5\. Environmental cleanup Nanobots can aid in the environmental cleanup of spills and other disasters by [targeting pollutants](https://philmckinney.com/8-spinoffs-nasa-innovations-impacting-everyday-life/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### 6\. Manufacturing Nanobots can be used in manufacturing to create small, intricate parts or products. ### 7\. Computing Nanobots can create ultra-fast processors that store more data. ## The Future of Nanobots [Successful innovation](https://philmckinney.com/are-innovations-invented-or-discovered/?ref=philmckinney.com) with nanobots can improve the efficiency of many industries and create new ones altogether. Government organizations like the [National Science Foundation (NSF)](https://www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/NNI-FY21-Budget-Supplement.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com) invest in nanotechnology research for improved energy sources, materials, electronics, etc. The global market growth for nanorobotics is from $6 billion in 2020 to $14.3 billion by 2028\. The secondary economic impact of nanorobotics on industries that adopt them is a projected $3.1 trillion by 2035\. Because of the competitive advantage nanobots can bring, leaders should consider how they leverage them. This feat can be challenging to do on your own, which is why many companies turn to an [innovation agency](https://techtrend.com/our-innovation-agency-services/?ref=philmckinney.com) for help in [innovation scouting](https://techtrend.com/tips-for-successful-innovation-scouting/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about nanotechnology, listen to this week's show: **[Innovating with](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovating%5Fwith%5FNanobots%5F-%5FWhat%5FYou%5FNeed%5Fto%5FKnow.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Nanobots[: What You Need to Kno](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovating%5Fwith%5FNanobots%5F-%5FWhat%5FYou%5FNeed%5Fto%5FKnow.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** **w** . \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Selective Neglect – What Do You Not Do? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/selective-neglect-what-do-you-not-do/ Last updated: 2022-07-18T00:09:12.000Z It can be tough to know which tasks to focus on, and it's easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to be done. We want it all. But by using the Eisenhower Matrix, we can [focus on the right tasks](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-law-process-impact-innovation/) and apply selective neglect to those we should delegate or ignore completely. ## Introduction Most people are familiar with the saying “you can't have your cake and eat it too.” The idea behind this phrase is that it's not possible to have everything you want. You have to make a choice between two desirable things. This sentiment also applies to our daily lives. We can't focus on every task equally and expect to be successful. We have to be selective about what we focus on and what we neglect. For example, in the business world, there is more work to do than can be accomplished by any one person. Businesses have to be selective about what tasks they make an organization priority and what tasks they neglect. The same is true in our personal lives. We can't do everything, so we have to be selective about what we focus on. Selective neglect is the act of choosing not to focus on certain tasks or goals. This doesn't mean that we don't care about these tasks or goals, but that we prioritize other tasks and goals over them. Selective neglect can be a difficult decision to make because it requires us to let go of some things that we care about. However, it's important to remember that we can't do everything and that we have to be selective about what we focus on. Otherwise, we'll spread ourselves too thin and won't be successful in any area of our lives. ## Mistakes With Selective Neglect There are three common mistakes most make when trying to determine what to not do. 1. Trying to do too much. When we try to focus on too many tasks, we can end up [feeling overwhelmed](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-is-slack-time-so-important-to-innovation/) and like we're not good enough or valuable. This can lead us to try to do even more things in order to feel fulfilled, which only makes the problem worse. 2. Neglecting tasks they don't enjoy. If we don't enjoy a task, it's going to be difficult to focus on We may also avoid a task because we don't think we're good enough to do it. This can be harmful because it means that the task will never get done. No matter the reason, when we've been neglecting a task and it's now becoming urgent, we will then need to rush through the task in order to get it done, but this can lead to mistakes and poor quality work. 3. Prioritizing only the urgent tasks. By neglecting tasks that are important but not urgent, we are getting distracted from tasks that will have a higher impact. ## A Tool: The Eisenhower Matrix General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States created the Eisenhower Matrix. Eisenhower believed it was important to prioritize tasks by their importance and urgency. He believed that the most important tasks should be given the most attention and that urgent tasks should be dealt with as soon as possible. The Eisenhower Matrix is based on Eisenhower's own personal system for prioritizing tasks. He would often use a similar system to prioritize the tasks of his subordinates. The system became known as the Eisenhower Principle and they later adapted it into the Eisenhower Matrix. The Eisenhower Matrix is a helpful tool for anyone who wants to be more productive and organized. It can help us focus on the tasks that are most important to us and that need to be done right away. The matrix can also help us delegate tasks to others so that we can focus on the tasks that we're best suited for. ## The Four Quadrants ![Eisenhower Matrix Four Quadrants ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/eisenhower-matrix.png) From Wikipedia The Eisenhower Matrix has four quadrants: 1\. **Do** — Quadrant one is for tasks that are important and urgent. These are the tasks that we need to focus on and that need to be done right away. Some examples of tasks that fall into quadrant one are answering emails, making calls, and taking care of deadlines. These are all tasks that need to be done right away and that we cannot ignore. 2\. **Plan** — Quadrant two is for tasks that are important but not urgent. These are tasks we need to focus on, but they don't need to be done right away. Some examples of tasks that fall into quadrant two are organizing our files, planning for the future, and networking. These are all tasks that are important, but we don't need to focus on them right away. We can put them off for later, and they will still be there when we're ready to work on them. 3\. **Delegate** — Quadrant three is for tasks that are not important but urgent. These are tasks that we don't need to focus on, but they need to be done right away. Some examples of tasks that fall into quadrant three are taking care of last-minute requests from our boss, dealing with a customer service issue, and doing a rushed job. These are tasks that can and should be delegated to someone else, or that we can delay. 4\. **Eliminate** — Quadrant four is for tasks that are not important and not urgent. These are tasks we don't need to focus on and that doesn't need to be done right away. These are all tasks that can wait, and that we don't need to focus on right now or eliminated altogether. The [Eisenhower matrix](https://killerinnovations.com/innovation-leadership-hacks/?ref=philmckinney.com) helps with identifying tasks that are candidates for selective neglect by sorting them into four categories: quadrant one (important and urgent), quadrant two (important and not urgent), quadrant three (not important and urgent), and quadrant four (not important and not urgent). We should focus on the tasks in quadrants one and two, and delegate or ignore the tasks in quadrants three and four. ## So What? One of the best ways to become more innovative and more creative is to learn to neglect some things. In today’s world, we are bombarded with an endless stream of information and tasks vying for our attention. It can be overwhelming, and it’s easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of everyday life. It may seem counterintuitive, but by ignoring some things, you can actually become more productive and creative. When you have too many things on your plate, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and bogged down in the details. But when you focus on a few important tasks and [neglect](https://www.philmckinney.com/implement-law-of-execution/) the rest, you can make significant progress. You’ll be surprised at how much more productive and creative you can be. ### Process Innovation – Including the Innovation Process URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/process-innovation-including-the-innovation-process/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:59.000Z Process innovation is the implementation of new or significantly improved processes to [achieve tangible outcomes](https://www.philmckinney.com/james-hondo-geurts-on-taking-the-navy-into-the-next-wave-of-innovation/). There are two types of processes: operational and managerial. Operational processes seek to improve efficiency through streamlining activities and eliminating production waste. Managerial processes strive to enhance the effectiveness of a process by improving coordination and decision-making. Redesigning the process’s structure or improving its activities can help in both process types. Increasing departmental collaboration, [creating a culture of experimentation](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/), and utilizing data analytics help improve it. Constantly monitoring and refining an innovation process ensures businesses are always at the forefront of market trends and can create successful products. ## Why is Process Innovation Challenging? Process innovation [involves change](https://beyondtheobvious.com/why-innovation-system-fire/?ref=philmckinney.com), which people don’t typically like. It also requires a clear understanding of the process and areas of improvement. To achieve this, try breaking down the process into small parts, diagraming it, reordering it, or seeking help from an expert such as [Techtrend](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-an-innovation-agency/). An implementation plan is needed to implement a [business process innovation](https://philmckinney.com/3-examples-poor-business-execution-can-impact-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) successfully. ## 5 Benefits of Process Innovation ### 1\. Reduced waste and costs Businesses can reduce waste by developing new methods or technologies to carry out activities more effectively. ### 2\. Improved efficiency Process innovation allows organizations to carry out activities more effectively, which reduces the time required to complete those activities. ### 3\. Increased production capacity The creation of more efficient processes can result in higher work handling. ### 4\. More affordable products or services [Increasing efficiency](https://www.philmckinney.com/should-you-outsource-your-innovation-process/) can lead to lower costs and passed on to consumers at lower prices. ### 5\. Greater customer satisfaction When products or services meet the customer’s needs, customer satisfaction and loyalty also increase. ## Example: The Ford Assembly Line The Ford assembly line increased efficiency and allowed for mass production. It also helped to reduce the cost of manufacturing cars, making them more affordable for consumers. Some call this a product and process innovation in a highly competitive business environment. To know more about process innovation, listen to this week's show: **Process Innovation – [Including the Innovation Process.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Proceess%5FInnovation%5F-%5FIncluding%5Fthe%5FInnovation%5FProcess.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Chunka Mui on Innovating a Perfect Future URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/chunka-mui-on-innovating-a-perfect-future/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:58.000Z Chunka Mui is passionate about changing the world by [thinking through future problems](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-wicked-problems/). He loves to ponder what is possible in the future, given the exponential growth we are experiencing now. As innovators, we forget to consider our innovations' unintended [consequences.](https://philmckinney.com/ideas-have-power-to-change-the-world/?ref=philmckinney.com) Chunka says innovators also don't think enough about the intended consequences. His latest book, *A Brief History of a Perfect Future,* asks what would be crazy not to have, given the current capabilities. It goes on to share how society can work to design a better future [intentionally](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-design-thinking/). It's a different way to look at how we innovate, not just for social good but for business good as well. ## A Brief History of a Perfect Future Much of Chunka's new book is helping people [think outside of the box](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think/). The book does a great job of actively motivating people to think differently to make a better future. We have incredible tools that act as amplifiers to our choices. Advanced solar and renewable energy, transportation, etc., act as building blocks. We can use these capabilities to help with problems such as healthcare and poverty. So much more can be done, but it all starts with a long-term mindset. ## Pressing Problems According to Chunka, the climate is one of the most pressing issues. With the available capabilities, it would be crazy if we didn't mitigate the worst effects of climate change by 2050\. To do this will require a combination of individual, corporate, and [government action](https://philmckinney.com/government-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## How You Can Make a Difference Leaders can look for business opportunities that address long-term problems. Consumers can make an [impact](https://philmckinney.com/disruptive-innovation-the-theory-behind-how-it-works-and-its-impact-on-society/?ref=philmckinney.com) through what they buy and don't buy. Investors can enable companies to make significant impacts. Employees can bring their talent to impactful organizations. We can all play an active role in designing a perfect future where real change happens. Aim for the future and treat it as an opportunity. ## About our Guest: Chunka Mui Chunka Mui is a popular guest speaker, futurist, and innovation advisor. He is the author of 5 books on strategy and innovation, including, most recently, "A Brief History of a Perfect Future: Inventing the World We Can Proudly Leave Our Kids by 2050." Check out Chunka's Linkedin [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/chunkamui/?ref=philmckinney.com) and his website [here](https://chunkamui.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about thinking through future problems, listen to this week's show: ***[Chunka Mui on Innovating a Perfect Future](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Chunka%5FMui%5Fon%5FInnovation%5Fa%5FPerfect%5FFuture.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Should You Outsource Your Innovation Process? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/should-you-outsource-your-innovation-process/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:58.000Z Outsourcing your innovation process is an exciting way to increase innovation competitiveness. Utilizing organizations like an [innovation agency](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-do-organizations-hire-an-innovation-agency/) can allow firms to focus on other business areas. The results are increased efficiency, improved quality, faster innovation implementation, reduced innovation risk, and increased flexibility. Outsourcing innovation can be a powerful tool to help companies speed up their growth. By understanding the risks and challenges, companies can set themselves up for success. ## 5 Outsourcing Models ### 1\. Project-Based Innovation Useful for specific projects, specialized skills, or testing out new relationships. ### 2\. Joint Venture for Innovation This collaboration can benefit companies wanting to share the risks and rewards associated with innovation. ### 3\. Innovation Strategic Alliance. Beneficial for companies wanting to combine resources and ideation expertise to create a competitive advantage. ### 4\. Innovation Licensing Agreement. Agreements allow [access to another company's technology or expertise](https://www.philmckinney.com/stephen-key-of-inventrighttv-on-licensing-inventions/). ### 5\. Innovation by Acquisition. Allows companies to add [innovation capabilities ](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-from-mergers-and-acquisitions/)or enter a new market quickly. ## Innovation Outsourcing: Successes and Failures In Apple's work with Foxconn, it outsourced its product manufacturing. The outsourcing allowed Apple to focus on design and development, while Foxconn created innovations to produce the products. As a result, Apple could bring new products to market quickly and efficiently. On the flip side, BlackBerry's work with TAT failed. TAT was supposed to take over UI/UX development, helping recapture market share from Apple and Android. TAT and Blackberry could not develop an operating system fast enough to keep up with the competition. BlackBerry lost [market share](https://philmckinney.com/continue-innovating-during-an-economic-downturn/?ref=philmckinney.com), and both companies had to fire staff. ## Keys to Successfully Outsourcing Innovation 1. Have a [clear understanding](https://philmckinney.com/the-overlooked-secret-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) of what the company wants to achieve. 2. Have a strong relationship and be able to work together effectively. 3. Ensure companies can trust each other. 4. Ensure both parties are willing to invest the necessary time and resources. 5. Look for companies with a proven track record of innovation. 6. Understand the company's business model and how it aligns with yours. 7. Understand their capabilities, including strengths, weaknesses, tools, and processes. 8. Understand their [team's culture](https://philmckinney.com/innovation-culture-mean-matter/?ref=philmckinney.com) and skills. To know more about outsourcing innovation processes, listen to this week's show: ***[Should You Outsource Your Innovation Process?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Should%5FYou%5FOutsource%5FYour%5FInnovation%5FProcess.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovating with Design Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-design-thinking/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:08.000Z Design plays a vital role in our lives and is ever-evolving. In the past, it meant designing or planning something. In the early 1800s, the term was synonymous with art, and in the late 1900s, it referred to creating products or services. Over time, design has gone from being a specialized field tied to specific design movements to a more holistic approach. Now, it's a [way of thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/cyril-bouquet-better-innovation-with-alien-thinking/) that considers the entire design process from start to finish. In today's rapid and ever-changing world, businesses need constant innovation. This is where design thinking shines through. ## What is Design Thinking, and Why is it Important? Design thinking is [a process](https://philmckinney.com/design-thinking-and-innovation-a-real-life-example/?ref=philmckinney.com) that allows the design of products, services, and environments to be developed in an iterative design cycle with continuous feedback. It helps designers create innovative solutions by applying constraints like time and money. Solving for constraints is an iterative process of design, testing, and refinement called the "design thinking cycle." Innovators use this process to create solutions no matter the constraint. It focuses on a user-centric approach used in many fields. It is an [adaptable process](https://philmckinney.com/resilient-innovation-processes-improve-under-stress-instead-of-breaking/?ref=philmckinney.com) that can design for changing needs. ## 5 Skills Needed for The Design Thinking Process ### 1\. Creativity Creativity allows designers to develop new ideas and find innovative solutions to problems. ### 2\. Problem-Solving The approach, based on the idea that there is no one right solution to a problem, is vital to come up with multiple possible solutions. ### 3\. Critical Thinking Designers need to [think critically](https://philmckinney.com/the-thinking-skills-needed-for-success/?ref=philmckinney.com) to determine great ideas with practical solutions. ### 4\. Collaboration Designers need to collaborate to brainstorm and come up with the best possible solutions. ### 5\. Communication Designers must communicate effectively to share ideas, get [feedback](https://www.philmckinney.com/pushing-back-on-the-chronic-innovation-critics/), collaborate, and explain ideas to management and stakeholders. ## The Future of Design Thinking and Innovation ### 1\. Healthcare: Healthcare design can improve patient safety, increase access to care, and reduce costs. ### 2\. Education: Design can [improve student learning](https://philmckinney.com/innovation-in-education/?ref=philmckinney.com) by making it more accessible, enjoyable, and affordable. ### 3\. Transportation: Design innovation in transportation can improve safety, reduce congestion, and increase efficiency. ### 4\. Technology: One of the main goals of design in technology should be a human-centered design to improve usability. To know more about innovating with design thinking, listen to this week's show: [Innovating with Design](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovating%5Fwith%5FDesign%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Thinking . \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Continue Innovating During An Economic Downturn? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/continue-innovating-during-an-economic-downturn/ Last updated: 2022-06-19T21:29:27.000Z The current economic downturn may have you feeling like you need to hunker down and wait it out. Especially in innovating during an economic downturn. This is understandable—no one wants to risk their hard-earned money in uncertain times. But this is actually the optimal time to take innovation leadership by continuing to invest in ideas that will lead to the innovations the market will need when the economy recovers. Here are three reasons you should continue to innovate during an [economic downturn](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-different-outlook-on-the-economy/): ### 1\. The market will recover. Do not panic. Panic leads to hasty decisions and a lack of strategic thinking. This is the time to be calm and think long-term. ### 2\. Watch your competitors. Many companies will cut back on innovation during an economic downturn. This leaves them vulnerable to attacks from their more innovative competitors. By continuing to innovate, you can take market share from these companies. ### 3\. Be optimistic. Do not let the current economic downturn dissuade you from continuing to innovate for a future beyond the economic conditions. This is the time to think long-term and [be optimistic about the future](https://killerinnovations.com/disruptive-shocks/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Examples of Recession and Depression Innovations During the Great Depression, American inventor Thomas Edison continued to invent new things, including the electric light bulb. He knew that the market would need new inventions when the economy recovered, and he was right. Other examples of recession and depression innovations include: - The automobile (created during the Great Depression) - Television (created during the Great Depression) - Computers (created during the 1970s recession) - The internet (created during the early 1990s recession) In more recent times, Apple has been a company known for innovating during times of recession. They released their iPod in 2001, during the dot-com bust, and they released their iPhone in 2007, during the global financial crisis. Both products were huge successes and helped Apple become the trillion-dollar company it is today. So, if you're feeling worried about the current economic conditions, don't be. This is the perfect time to continue innovating and developing new ideas. The market will recover, and when it does, the companies who have continued to innovate will be the ones who succeed. ## Examples Of Companies Who Failed To Innovate It's no secret that companies that don't innovate during challenging economic conditions tend to fail. This has been true throughout history, and it is especially true during times of economic recession and depression. Some examples of companies who failed when they failed to innovate during an economic downturn include: ### Circuit City Circuit City was once the largest consumer electronics retailer in the United States. However, the company failed to keep up with the times and was forced into bankruptcy in 2008. What went wrong? Circuit City made the mistake of thinking that its business model didn't need to change. They continued to focus on selling electronics, even as consumers started buying more and more of their electronics online. They also failed to keep up with the changing needs of their customers. For example, they didn't begin selling digital downloads of music and movies until it was too late. As a result of their failure to innovate, Circuit City went from being a market leader to being out of business within just a few years. ### Kodak Kodak was once the largest film manufacturer in the world. However, the company failed to adapt to the digital age and declared bankruptcy in 2012. What went wrong? Like Circuit City, Kodak made the mistake of thinking that its business model didn't need to change. They continued to focus on selling film, even as digital cameras became more and more popular. As a result of their failure to innovate, Kodak went out of business within just a few years. ### Borders Borders were once the second largest bookstore chain in the United States. However, the company failed to adapt to the digital age and filed for bankruptcy in 2011. What went wrong? Borders continued to focus on selling physical books, even as the trends shifted and more and more people started buying e-books. They didn't begin selling e-books until it was too late. As a result of their failure to innovate, Borders went from being a market leader to being out of business in just a few years. ## Reasons To Innovate During Uncertain Economic Times Here are a few reasons now is the time to double down on your innovation efforts: ### 1\. Opportunity. When times are tough, companies who maintain their innovation leadership position often come out ahead when the market bounces back. This is your chance to take market share from your competitors. ### 2\. Need. In a downturn, people still need products and services that make their lives better. They may look for ways to save money but still want quality and value. Your job is to provide what they need at a price they can afford. #### 3\. Talent. In a down market, top talent may be looking for new opportunities. This is your chance to attract the best and the brightest to your team. So don’t wait for the economy to turn around before you start innovating. Now is the time to take your business to the next level. ## So What Can You Do? So what can you do to make sure your company doesn't become another victim of the economic downturn? Here are a few tips: ### 1\. Keep your eye on the future. It's important to always be looking ahead and anticipate the needs of your customers. Look at the needs beyond just the immediate future, but also think about long-term needs, after the economy recovers, as well. ### 2\. Be willing to change. Don't be afraid to change your business model if it means staying ahead of the competition. Be agile and adapt to the market as it changes. ### 3\. Invest in innovation. Make sure you are investing in research and development so you can continue to bring new products and services to the market. This is the time to take innovation leadership by continuing to invest in ideas that will lead to the innovations the market will need when the economy recovers. ### 4\. Encourage creativity. Encourage creativity and out-of-the-box thinking within your organization. This is the time to try new things by taking risks. ### 5\. Stay flexible. Be flexible and adaptable so you can quickly change course if necessary. And during uncertain economic times, things can change quickly. ### 6\. Stay positive. It's important to maintain a positive attitude during tough times. Remember that the market will recover and don't panic. ## Now Is A Time Of Innovation Opportunity The market may be down, but that doesn't mean you should stop, slow down or pull back from investing in innovation. The examples of Circuit City, Kodak, and Borders show that companies who choose not to innovate during economic downturns are at genuine risk of total and complete failure. This is the perfect time to double down on your innovation efforts. There are many reasons to continue innovating during uncertain times, including the opportunity to [take market share](https://www.philmckinney.com/small-businesses-will-be-key-for-the-economic-recovery/) from your competitors, the need to provide quality products and services at a price people can afford, and the chance to attract top talent to your team. Remember that innovation is the key to success during uncertain times. Don't panic, instead, stay focused and be optimistic about the future. Economic uncertainty creates opportunities for companies that are willing to innovate and lead the way. ### The Science of Creativity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-science-of-creativity/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:57.000Z The science of creativity has many theories and ideas that seek to explain it. New approaches and models are constantly emerging, which provide some insight but are not exhaustive. One theory suggests that creativity combines cognitive processes, including knowledge, imagination, etc. However, proof shows that experts and those with fresh eyes can often be creative in the same area. ## Creativity Models The four-phase model comprises the following phases: preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification. The preparation consists of gathering information and materials, [developing a plan](https://www.philmckinney.com/you-need-an-innovation-strategy/), and finding inspiration. Incubation is utilizing deep thought and focus on developing the idea. Illumination is where the idea's potential is visible, and the execution around it is understood.Verification consists of evaluating the worth of the idea to those working on it and those it will impact. The [creative abilities](https://philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/?ref=philmckinney.com) model outlines five creative abilities: fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration, and synthesis. Fluency (ideation) is the ability to [produce several rapid ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/), allowing for exploration and experimentation. Flexibilityallows people to adapt to new situations and environments. To measure originality, compare your idea to existing ideas, research patents, etc. Elaboration is taking an initial idea and making it more comprehensive and complex. Synthesis is taking ideas and concepts from different sources and combining them into something new. ## AI and Creativity Some people believe that AI could eventually become creative. Because there is no absolute definition of creativity, it's difficult if this will come true. In the meantime, researchers are working on ways to make AI [more creative](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-exercises-that-will-improve-your-creativity/), such as by developing algorithms that can better identify and combine novelty and usefulness. ## Creativity and Mental Illness People correlate creativity with mental illness because many creatives have spoken about their [mental illness](https://www.philmckinney.com/greg-shepard-with-boss-capital-partners-on-autism-neurodiversity-and-entrepreneurship/) struggles. Some studies have found links between specific mental illnesses and increased levels of creativity. The currently available evidence does not support the myth that creativity and mental illness are linked. To know more about the science behind creativity, listen to this week's show: *[*The Science of Creativity*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The-Science-of-Creativity.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Pushing Back on The Chronic Innovation Critics URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/pushing-back-on-the-chronic-innovation-critics/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:57.000Z Chronic innovation critics are people and processes that kill new ideas before they can thrive. They prevent you from trying new things and [learning from failures](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-characteristics-of-successful-failures/). The criticisms may result in your organization getting stuck in its current state. Innovation critics love to point out why an idea will fail. These people are often the ones who have been with the organization the longest and are the most resistant to change. All organizations need people to push back and [challenge ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-become-the-innovation-challenger/) because it improves them. The key is to combat them with specific, objective, and actionable criticism. ## Four Reasons Innovation Critics Kill Ideas ### 1\. The Ego Response “Oh, I already thought of that a long time ago.” “Somebody else has already come up with that idea.” Your idea makes these people feel threatened, but you can strategically turn things around. Appeal to their ego by infusing any feedback they give into your idea pitch to gain their support. ### 2\. The Fatigued Response “You’ll never get approval.” “We tried that before.” Innovation critics are often burned out from having their innovations rejected. The key is to find a way to demonstrate that your idea will not play out their [worst fears](https://philmckinney.com/find-a-way-to-say-yes-to-non-obvious-ideas/?ref=philmckinney.com) about repeating past experiences. ### 3\. The No-Risk Response “Not enough return on investment.” “We can’t afford that.” Some innovation critics fear risk as it can negatively affect their careers. Get them comfortable with risk by breaking your innovation into smaller steps. ### 4\. The Comfort Response “We’ve always done it this way.” “Our customer likes it this way.” These critics may have [outdated thinking](https://philmckinney.com/got-innovation-process-wrong/?ref=philmckinney.com) about what success looks like. It’s up to you to convince them that what makes up success may well have changed. ## The Intent of The Criticism With each of the four responses to your ideas, these critics can be constructive or destructive. These will be dependent on their intent and how feedback is received. Identify which of these responses you typically get, and then try to [understand their motivations](https://www.philmckinney.com/alan-proithis-of-capstone-partners-on-innovation-collaboration/). If people tend to dismiss your ideas, try to explain your vision in more detail or share data supporting your case. To overcome chronic innovation critics, encourage a diversity of perspectives, make it safe to fail, and reward innovation. This action will help to create a [culture of innovation](https://philmckinney.com/innovative-companies-success/?ref=philmckinney.com) within an organization. To know more about chronic innovation critics, listen to this week's show: **[Pushing Back on The Chronic Innovation Critics](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Pushing%5FBack%5Fon%5FThe%5FChronic%5FInnovation%5FCritics.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Are Innovations Invented or Discovered? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/are-innovations-invented-or-discovered/ Last updated: 2022-06-05T23:25:33.000Z Are innovations invented or discovered? We have debated this question for many years. Some people believe innovations are inventions, while others believe they are discoveries. With people's growing curiosity to understand how to be more creative, more innovative, there is a strong desire to learn the answer to this question. To understand if innovations are invented or discovered, we must first understand the difference. Inventions result from deliberate human action. People who have a specific purpose or goal in mind create them. [Inventors](https://www.philmckinney.com/high-schoolers-inventing-the-future/) use their creativity and knowledge to come up with new ideas and solutions to problems. While [chance or accident](https://www.philmckinney.com/unintended-consequences-5-innovation-failures-that-changed-the-world/) makes discoveries. They are not the result of deliberate human action. People can stumble upon discoveries while they are looking for something else entirely. So, are innovations invented or discovered? The answer is both. Some innovations result from deliberate human action (inventions), while others are stumbled upon by accident (discoveries). In either case, innovation is bringing new ideas or solutions into existence. ## Subconscious Role In Invention and Discovery of Innovations What about the subconscious making connections? Is that invention or discovery? We might consider your subconscious making connections a type of discovery. Researchers often describe the subconscious as a ‘storehouse' of information. It contains all the memories, experiences, and knowledge that a person has ever acquired. So, when the [subconscious](https://www.philmckinney.com/preparing-for-a-failure-of-imagination/) makes a connection, it draws on this vast information store to find a connection that the conscious mind may not be aware of. Sometimes, people might know they are making a connection, but they are not consciously trying to invent anything. For example, a person might have a ‘eureka moment' while they are taking a shower. Here, the person is not consciously trying to invent anything, but the connection they make is still an invention. Irrespective of innovations resulting from invention or discovery, it is still a new idea or solution that brings value to the world. ## Examples of Invention and Discovery Examples of innovations that were **invented** include the following : ### Light Bulb Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879\. He was trying to make an electric light that was safe, cheap, and practical. After many experiments, he finally made a bulb that would last for over 1200 hours. ### Telephone Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone in 1876\. He was trying to send multiple messages over the same wire at the same time. His experiments led him to invent the telephone. ### Automobile Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler invented the first cars that were powered by gasoline engines in the later 1800s. These early cars differed greatly from the cars we have today. ### Airplane The Wright brothers invented the first powered airplane in 1903\. They were trying to fly using an engine-powered machine. After years of experimentation, they finally made the first powered flight. Examples of innovations that were **discovered** include: ### Penicillin Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928\. He was looking for a way to prevent the growth of bacteria. While working with a culture of bacteria, he noticed that the culture had been contaminated with mold. This mold had killed the bacteria. Fleming realized that mold could treat infections. ### Radioactivity Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity in 1896\. He was investigating the properties of uranium. He accidentally left some uranium crystals on a photographic plate. When he developed the plate, he found that the uranium had caused an image to appear. He realized that uranium was emitting a new type of radiation. ### X-rays Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895\. He was investigating the properties of electricity. The screen covered in barium platinocyanide glowed when he turned on the electrical current. He realized that the electricity was causing a new type of radiation to be emitted. ## How Do You Become Better At Inventing and Discovering Innovation? In order to become better at both inventing and discovering innovations, you need to develop three skills: creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. ### 1) Curiosity Curiosity is important for both inventors and discoverers. If you are curious about the world around you, you are more likely to notice things that others might miss. You are also more likely to have the motivation to find solutions to problems. **Advice**: Be curious about the world around you and don't be afraid to ask questions. ### 2) Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate ideas. When you are evaluating an idea, you need to think about whether it is workable and whether it will be successful. You also need to think about the potential risks and rewards associated with the idea. **Advice**: Question your assumptions by challenging and testing their validity. ### 3) Problem-Solving Problem-solving is the ability to find solutions to problems. In order to be a successful inventor or discoverer, you need to find solutions to the problems you will face as you try to take your idea and turn it into a reality. **Advice**: Be willing to keep trying, even when things are tough. If you give up easily, you will never find success. ## So, Are Inventions and Discoveries That Different? So, are [inventions](https://killerinnovations.com/stephen-key-of-inventrighttv-on-licensing-inventions/?ref=philmckinney.com) and discoveries really that different? What if the line between invention and discovery is less clear? What does that mean for our understanding of the uniquely human ability to innovate? Some experts believe that the difference between invention and discovery is becoming less clear. With the help of technology, we can find new things more quickly. We can automate the search for more ideas more broadly. We can also test and develop ideas more efficiently. As a result, the process of innovation could become more efficient and less reliant on chance. Maybe. So, what does this mean for the future of innovation? Some experts believe we will see more incremental innovations in the future. These are innovations that build on existing technologies and ideas. Others believe we will see more radical innovations. These are innovations that completely change the way we live and work. So, what do you think? Are inventions and discoveries really that different? ### Innovation Arms Race: The Invisible Risk URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-arms-race/ Last updated: 2022-05-28T17:04:16.000Z The innovation arms race is the race to be the most innovative company in the world. It's a competition where the prize is market share, customers, and profits. And the cost of entry is high. This is a competition where there is no finish line. To compete, companies must invest heavily in R&D. But not too much, else it destroys market value if you over-invest. ## How Much Do Companies Invest in Innovation? The size and growth of the investment in innovation are surprising. Amazon's annual research and development expenses for 2021 were $56.0B, a 31.15% increase from 2020\. For 2020, the R&D spend was $42.7B, an 18.95% increase from 2019. This is an amount larger than many sovereign nations including the UK, whose annual research and development budget in 2022 will be £39.8 billion ($49.8 billion). Compare that to the US, whose 2022 budget proposes a research and development spend of $171.3 billion, a 9 percent increase from 2021. Who are the other big spenders in the innovation arms race (as of 2020)? 1. Amazon (AMZN), $42.74 billion 2. Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), $27.57 billion 3. Huawei, $22.04 billion 4. Microsoft (MSFT), $19.27 billion 5. Apple (AAPL), $18.75 billion 6. Samsung, $18.75 billion 7. Facebook (FB), $18.45 billion Round out the top ten is Volkswagen (VWAGY), Intel (INTC), Roche (RHHBY), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ). ## What do we mean by the innovation arms race? It is the race to find and fund the most impactful and valuable research. It should come as no surprise that Amazon is one of the world's biggest spenders on research and development. They have been for a few years now. The innovation arms race comes with its own risk. The escalating innovation arms race is value-destroying for the parties in the competition – evidenced by a decline in innovation investment efficiency. The result is less impact of innovation for the companies and investors involved, and slower economic growth for society. Amazon's impact on others is proof of the negative impact of the innovation arms race. One obvious example is Sears. Sears quickly found itself behind and its investors and the market put pressure on the company to “catch up”. In order to regain its position, Sears sold its Craftsman brand to Stanley Black & Decker in 2017 for $900 million. The move was seen as a way to free up cash to invest in its own transformation. While it may have been a necessary move it also signified the beginning of the end for Sears. In 2018, Sears filed for bankruptcy. ## What is driving Amazon to Invest at this Level? Amazon believes that the only way for it to succeed is to develop the technologies that will shape the lives of consumers ten years from now. This has meant that the company has been focused on long-term bets, such as its investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. It's also important to note that Amazon's focus on R&D is not just about developing new products, but also about improving existing ones. For example, the company has used AI to improve its search engine and make recommendations more accurate. In the past, Amazon has also been willing to invest in areas that may not have an immediate payoff but could pay off big in the long run. One example is its investment in renewable energy, which has helped the company reduce its carbon footprint. This is what I call a well-balanced risk and reward innovation strategy. By making these investments, Amazon is not only preparing for the future but also hedging against potential disruptions to its business. Amazon also has built a culture of “winning at all costs” which feeds an escalating innovation arms race. ## The Trend In Corporate Research and Development It is not just Amazon that is increasing its research and development budget to compete in the innovation arms race. Other companies are doing the same. Alphabet, Google's parent company, annual research and development expenses for 2021 were $31.6B, a 14.47% increase from 2020. Meta Platforms (Facebook) annual research and development expenses for 2021 were $24.7B, a 33.65% increase from 2020. Even with the pandemic, it is estimated that global R&D spending increased by 4.3 percent in 2020, to $2.4 trillion. This is because many companies see increasing R&D investment as the way to gain and maintain a competitive advantage. ## Innovation By Acquisition's Role In The Innovation Arms Race Some companies have been able to achieve [innovation through acquisition](https://killerinnovations.com/innovation-from-mergers-and-acquisitions/?ref=philmckinney.com). For example, Facebook acquired WhatsApp and Instagram, which helped the company become a leader in the social media space. However, not all acquisitions are successful. In fact, most acquisitions provide no real value to the acquiring company, especially when the acquisition is driven as a response to competitors' innovation success. A recent example of this is Microsoft's $26B acquisition of LinkedIn in June of 2016\. This was a way for Microsoft to compete with Google in the social media and business networking space. However, the acquisition has not provided Microsoft with any real competitive advantage and the company has been unable to generate any real value from LinkedIn. When done right, acquisitions can help a company gain access to new technologies, products, and talent. They can also help a company enter new markets or expand its customer base. Doing it right is by leading and not following. Being the first mover is important. Being the first to acquire a particular technology or product can give a company a competitive advantage that can be difficult for others to replicate. When you are leading, acquisitions for innovation pushes rivals to invest more in innovation, both internally through research and development and externally through innovation by acquisition. So, should your aim be to out-invest your competition in innovation? **No!** ## The Invisible Risk Game theory gives us an excellent model for predicting the outcome of an innovation arms race. In game theory applied to innovation, the [Nash Equilibrium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash%5Fequilibrium?ref=philmckinney.com) is when both companies are investing the same amount in innovation and neither company has an incentive to increase its investment. When one company is far outspending the others, this causes an escalating innovation arms race. This escalation is value-destroying for the parties in competition – evidenced by a decline in innovation investment efficiency. What do I mean by innovation investment efficiency? It is the percentage of an R&D budget that is converted into new products, services, or processes. Ideas and investments made real. In a [study](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract%5Fid=3698936&ref=philmckinney.com) published by Muhammad Farooq Ahmad (Université Côte d'Azur), Eric de Bodt (Caltech), and Jarrad Harford (University of Washington), the effects of the innovation arms race on market value reveals that it has a significant and negative impact. On average, for every one percent increase in R&D spending by a firm's rivals, the firm's market value decreased by 0.36%. The study also found that the effect of the innovation arms race on market value was more pronounced in high-tech industries and in firms with a high share of intangibles – such as trademarks, copyrights, and patents. This finding has important implications for policymakers, managers, and investors. Policymakers should be aware of the negative impact of the innovation arms race on market value and take steps to mitigate its effects. Managers should be aware of the value-destroying nature of the innovation arms race and take steps to avoid it. How? By taking a long-term perspective and making decisions that create value for the firm, rather than simply trying to keep up with the competition. Investors should know the negative impact of the innovation arms race on market value and take steps to avoid investing in firms that are engaged in it. ## Historical Innovation Arms Races Some examples of past innovation arms races and their impact include: ### PC Industry In the 1980s, there was intense competition between IBM and Microsoft in the personal computer (PC) industry. This arms race led to the development of new technologies such as the graphical user interface (GUI), windows, and multitasking. However, this arms race also had a negative impact on market value. For every one percent increase in R&D spending by IBM's rivals, IBM's market value decreased by 0.4%. Eventually, IBM, the market leader, sold its PC business to Lenovo. ### Telecom Industry In the 1990s, there was intense competition between AT&T and MCI in the telecommunications industry. This arms race led to the development of new technologies such as fiber optics and digital subscriber line (DSL). However, this arms race also had a negative impact on market value. For every one percent increase in R&D spending by AT&T's rivals, AT&T's market value decreased by 0.3%. ### Semiconductor Industry In the 2000s, there was an escalating competition between Intel and AMD in the semiconductor industry. This arms race led to the development of new technologies, such as multicore processors and GPUs. However, this arms race also had a negative impact on market value. For every one percent increase in R&D spending by Intel's rivals, the Intel's market value decreased by 0.2%. ## What Are The Options? While it seems counterintuitive, the leader risks encouraging an escalating response from others that actually destroys its own value. What should market leaders do to not trigger an escalating innovation arms race? ### Avoid A “Must Win” Strategy: One option for market leaders is to avoid triggering an escalating innovation arms race by not having a “win at any costs” attitude. By taking a long-term perspective and focusing on [making decisions that create value](https://killerinnovations.com/short-term-thinking-is-dangerous-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) for the firm, rather than trying to keep up with the competition, market leaders can avoid triggering an innovation arms race. ### Collaboration With Competitors: Collaboration can play a critical role in avoiding an innovation arms race. By collaborating with rivals, firms can share the costs of R&D and reduce the incentives for all-out competition. ### Government Funding of Research and Development One overlooked strategy to avoid the innovation arms race is to approach the [government to fund](https://www.philmckinney.com/government-funding-innovation/) research and development (R&D). This would reduce the incentive for firms to engage in an all-out competition. ## Advice – Avoid An Escalating Innovation Arms Race While some in the innovation game believe that those that spend the most will win. That is not the only way to win, and in fact, it may be the best way to lose. By reining in their own spending, market leaders can take a step back from the brink and allow themselves room to breathe, avoid becoming reactionary, and continue to innovate without fear of destroying value. Leaders should [take a long-term perspective](https://killerinnovations.com/short-term-thinking-is-dangerous-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) and focus on creating value for their firm rather than trying to keep up with the competition. Invest based on your own firm's goals and objectives and not on some arbitrary metric. I'm reminded of that famous quote from the 1983 movie, “WarGames” starring Matthew Broderick. When the computer realizes that it cannot win, it replies, “The only winning move is not to play.” Something to think about. ### How to Use Innovation Storytelling URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-use-innovation-storytelling/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:56.000Z Innovation storytelling helps [capture people’s attention](https://techtrend.com/portfolio/rokus-reward-film/?ref=philmckinney.com) and connect with them on an emotional level. This connection allows you to get your message across in a way that is both memorable and meaningful, leading to lasting change. Storytelling can help build an [innovation culture](https://philmckinney.com/the-ceo-innovation-dilemma-creating-an-innovation-culture-that-works/?ref=philmckinney.com) in an organization, inspiring people to ideate and take action. Additionally, it can help create a sense of community and [collaboration](https://www.philmckinney.com/alan-proithis-of-capstone-partners-on-innovation-collaboration/). Storytelling can also attract support such as funding or partnerships. There are two types of storytelling: origin stories and innovation stories. An origin story typically tells how a company or product came to be, while an innovation story focuses on a specific new idea or invention. At [Techtrend](techtrend.com), innovation storytelling is an integral part of the innovation process. Teams use storytelling to prototype and test new ideas with customers and users and communicate innovation results internally. As a result, people get excited and are more likely to be committed to the innovation’s success. ## 7 Tips for Successful Innovation Storytelling ### 1\. Finding a great story that highlights the innovation Identify key points of the story and write in a way that hooks readers from beginning to end. ### 2\. Make sure the story is interesting and engaging It would help if you found an interesting story that highlights the innovation and is authentic. ### 3\. Communicating the story clearly and concisely You must understand the different elements that make up the story to do this. Present drafts, early versions, and the final draft to test audiences, colleagues, and friends, to collect feedback. ### 4\. Make sure the story is relevant to your audience You must understand the audience’s interests, concerns, fears, and hopes to keep things relevant. Once you know that, you can frame the story relevant and interestingly. ### 5\. Create authentic stories Authentic storytelling needs to be true to the storyteller’s or audience’s current and future experiences. ### 6\. Keep the story concise Keeping things concise gets your point across quickly and effectively. ### 7\. Using innovation storytelling is just one part of a larger communications strategy Successful companies know that storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to connect with customers and [inspire](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-inspiration-is-everywhere/) their teams. Storytelling can help your company stand out from the competition and become a leader in your field. Techtrend has years of experience creating successful storytelling campaigns for a wide range of clients and tools and resources to distribute the story. If you’re looking for a company that can help you with your innovative storytelling in a powerful and impactful way, contact us at [hello@techtrend.com](mailto:hello@techtrend.com). To know more about innovation storytelling, listen to this week's show: **[How to Use Innovation Storytelling](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FTo%5FUse%5FInnovation%5FStorytelling.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation in Media and Entertainment with Craig Leddy of Interactive TV Works URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-media-and-entertainment-with-craig-leddy-of-interactive-tv-works/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:54.000Z Craig Leddy of Interactive TV Works joins us to discuss innovation in the media industry. ## Innovation in Media and Entertainment Most people don’t think of the media industry as a driver for innovation. People tend to overlook that things like cable TV took decades to get to today. In the media and cable industries, the process behind the technologies tends to get overlooked. People look at pioneers such as Ted Turner and think they were overnight successes. These things took time and tons of effort, and many unsung heroes were along the way. While there are big players such as Comcast, Spectrum, etc., many small cable operators are still there. These companies build out fiber and work hard to close the digital divide. Although not as large as before, the entrepreneurial spirit is still alive in the cable industry. ## The Two Dimensions of The Digital Divide COVID-19 opened people’s eyes to the two dimensions of the digital divide: availability and affordability. Major companies and the Whitehouse and SEC just agreed to create a broadband offer at an affordable price. While these companies in the cable industry compete, they collaborate when it is the right thing to do. Craig has run the [Interactive Case Competition](https://www.interactivetvworks.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) for 11 years with graduate-level students. The competition presents real-world challenges to students and brings industry experts to guide and coach them. The last competition focused on figuring out how to motivate people to connect once broadband is widely available and affordable. The winning team from Drexel University created a plan where households with students could get more broadband at an affordable price. This competition, along with the CableLabs [10G Challenge](https://10gchallenge.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), is an excellent way for innovators to [help improve impactful technologies](https://www.philmckinney.com/stephen-key-of-inventrighttv-on-licensing-inventions/). ## Consumer Security and Privacy Concerns Security and privacy are key issues in the tech world today for individuals and corporations alike. Many companies have no choice but to put up big safety walls to keep them protected. Whether you are a large or small company, security is a problem you must deal with. On the other hand, individuals have more freedom to ignore these worries. With all the ransomware headlines popping up these days, some people feel safer offline. There will no doubt be people who don’t trust [broadband](https://www.philmckinney.com/bob-odonnell-of-technalysis-research-what-innovation-impacts-you/) once it is widely available. It will be interesting to see how companies present broadband to those who have never been online. ## About Our Guest: Craig Leddy Craig is a leading authority, writer, lecturer, research analyst, and historian on the cable industry, broadband, interactive media, television, digital technology, and wireless. He serves as the Founder, President, and Senior Market Analyst at Interactive TV Works, a consultancy based outside New York City. With over 30 years of business and tech writing experience, previously including top editor positions with Electronic Media and Cablevision Magazine and columnist for Multichannel News, he was inducted into Cable Pioneers in 2020. To connect with Craig, check out his LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigleddy/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about innovation in media and entertainment, listen to this week's show: **[Innovation in Media and Entertainment with Craig Leddy of Interactive TV Works.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5Fin%5FMedia%5Fand%5FEntertainment%5Fwith%5FCraig%5FLeddy%5Fof%5FInteractive%5FTV%5FWorks.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Thinking Skills Needed For Success URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-thinking-skills-needed-for-success/ Last updated: 2022-05-23T14:45:52.000Z How often do we step back and think about how we think? Probably not often enough. However, understanding how we think is important if we want to improve the quality of our ideas and, as a result, our innovations. Periodically throughout my career, I have benefited from reflecting on how I think. It's important for me to understand how I think so that I can improve the quality of my ideas and be more innovative in my work. I'm always striving to get better at thinking, and it's a process that requires patience and practice. But I know that it's worth it, because the better I become at thinking, the better I am at my job. Thinking is comprised of multiple skills that can be learned and practiced. And, like any skill, the more we use it, the better we get at it. Individuals who are proficient in a wide range of thinking skills are better able to adapt their thinking to meet the demands of different tasks and situations. ## Thinking Skills In Demand In its “Future of Jobs Report”, the World Economic Forum shares its [2022 Skills Outlook](https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/09/future-of-jobs-2018-things-to-know/?ref=philmckinney.com). This is a listing of the top skills that employers will demand in the global economy of 2022\. The top 10 growing skills are: 1. Analytical thinking and innovation 2. Active learning and learning strategies 3. Creativity, originality, and initiative 4. Technology design and programming 5. Critical thinking and analysis 6. Complex problem-solving 7. Leadership and social influence 8. Emotional intelligence 9. Reasoning, problem-solving, and ideation 10. Systems analysis and evaluation At least 7 of the top 10 skills hinge on one or more forms/skills of thinking. ## 3 Core Thinking Skills There are many [different ways to think](https://www.philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/). And, as we noted above, some thinking skills are more in demand than others. For this discussion, we will focus on three different [thinking styles](https://killerinnovations.com/different-thinking-styles-improve-your-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com): divergent, convergent, and lateral. ## Divergent Thinking Divergent thinking is a type of thinking that allows us to come up with multiple solutions to a problem. When we engage in divergent thinking, we take an open-minded approach and explore all the different possibilities. This type of thinking is often associated with creativity because it allows us to come up with many original ideas. Divergent thinking is best applied when: 1. When you need to come up with multiple solutions. 2. When you need to find a new perspective. 3. When you need to deliberately think [outside the box](https://killerinnovations.com/box-think/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Convergent Thinking Convergent thinking allows us to come up with a single solution to a problem. When we engage in convergent thinking, we take a more focused and narrowing approach. We typically use this type of thinking when we need to find a quick and efficient solution to a problem. Convergent thinking can be applied when: 1. You need to find a quick and efficient solution to a problem. 2. Narrowing a pool of ideas to a single solution. 3. You need to focus on one task. 4. Trying to solve a simple problem. ## Lateral Thinking Lateral thinking is used to come up with solutions that are not immediately apparent. When we engage in lateral thinking, we take an indirect and creative approach. This type of thinking is often used when we need to solve a complex problem or find an original solution. This type of thinking involves coming up with new and innovative ideas. To do this, you will need to take an indirect approach and [think outside the box](https://killerinnovations.com/box-think/?ref=philmckinney.com). Lateral thinking might be helpful when: 1. You need to come up with an original solution. 2. Working to solve a complex problem. 3. Needing to think outside the box. 4. You need to be disruptively creative. 5. Looking for an original perspective. ## Is Creative Thinking A Skill? Creative thinking is a combination of thinking skills (convergent, divergent, and/or lateral), depending on the situation. Creative thinkers use the proper set of thinking skills to come up with new creative ideas and solutions. [Creative thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/best-creative-thinking-tool/) is essential in the business world. It’s what allows businesses to come up with new products and services, and to stay ahead of the competition. But it’s not just businesses that need creative thinkers—everyone does. We all need to think creatively in order to solve problems, come up with new ideas, and improve our lives. ## Is Critical Thinking A Skill? Critical thinking is a skill that involves using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an argument, idea, or problem. It is applied after other thinking skills generate creative ideas, solutions, or possible actions. Critical thinking is a higher-order thinking skill that helps us to make better decisions by evaluating information and options. There are different ways to approach critical thinking, but the end goal is always the same: to make the best possible decision given the information and resources available. The best decisions take into account all the relevant factors and weigh them accordingly. ## How Can You Identify Your Preferred Thinking Style? There are many different ways to identify your preferred thinking style. One way is to take a quiz or test, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This test will ask you a series of questions and, based on your answers, will place you into one of 16 different personality categories. Each personality category has its own strengths and weaknesses. Another way to identify your preferred thinking style is to simply think about how you approach problems. Do you like to explore all the different possibilities or do you prefer to find a single solution? Do you like to take a direct or indirect approach? The answers to these questions will give you some insight into your preferred thinking style. No matter what your preferred thinking style is, it’s important to remember that we all have the ability to think in different ways. We can use different thinking styles depending on the situation and the type of problem that we need to solve. By understanding and practicing different types of thinking, we can become more flexible and adaptable thinkers. ## Improving Your Thinking Skills So, what can you do to improve your critical thinking skills? First, start by identifying your preferred thinking style. Once you know how you best think, you can begin to practice using different thinking skills in different situations. There are many different ways to practice thinking, so find the ones that work best for you. And finally, don’t forget to keep an open mind—you never know when you might need to think outside the box. ### What is the Biggest Barrier to Innovation? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-barrier-to-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:56.000Z This episode is a commencement speech I virtually gave on the biggest barrier to innovation. ## The Biggest Barrier to Innovation [Fear](https://philmckinney.com/is-fear-of-failure-killing-your-creativity-and-hindering-your-success/?ref=philmckinney.com) is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous and likely to cause pain or a threat. For humans, fear tends to build on itself. Fear stands for false evidence that appears. Our brains can take "false evidence" and twist it into the worst potential outcome, making it "appear real." This occurs as we strive for perfection, whether as an employee, spouse, leader, parent, or in this case, a student. The reality is that nobody is perfect, and failure is an unavoidable part of life. The most successful people have become "comfortable" with [the education failure brings](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-characteristics-of-successful-failures/). ## Avoiding the Conformity Trap The real problem is [conformity](https://www.philmckinney.com/groupthink-kills-innovation/), thinking and acting the same as everybody else. No matter how much you conform to what others are doing, you can't avoid failure. Taking what we think is the "safe" approach puts us at more risk. It takes bravery to step out and leave the warm space of conformity to try something new. The world is rapidly changing. What constitutes success in the future won't be the same as in the past. When I started my career, the definition of success was doing tasks my boss assigned to me. In the new creative economy that we are moving towards, the definition of success is creating [valuable ideas that solve problems](https://philmckinney.com/problems-in-need-of-solving-where-to-start/?ref=philmckinney.com). In a recent study, only 25% of the population believe they are creative and offer value through their creativity. So why do 75% of the population think they cannot contribute to the creative economy? They don't see being creative as normal and fear the uncomfortable risks innovation brings. Society needs your human ingenuity and creativity to solve some of our biggest problems and create opportunities for the future. Welcome failures and step out to [unleash your creativity today](https://philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-unleash-your-creativity-today/?ref=philmckinney.com)! To know more about barriers of innovations, listen to this week's show: **[What is the Biggest Barrier to Innovation?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/What%5Fis%5Fthe%5FBiggest%5FBarrier%5Fto%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How To Use First Principles Thinking To Innovate URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-use-first-principles-thinking-to-innovate/ Last updated: 2022-05-16T00:14:59.000Z Thinking is one of the essential skills a person must learn. It allows us to decide, solve problems, and come up with new ideas. And yet, many people never learn how to do it properly. The history of thinking goes back centuries. The ancient Greeks were some of the first people to think about thinking, and they came up with several important ideas about it. One of the most important was the idea that thinking is a process that can be divided into distinct steps. ## **Origin of First-Principles Thinking** While learning how to think is a significant first step, some of the world's greatest thinkers took it further by developing their own thinking methods. One of the most famous and influential methods is known as “first-principles thinking.” First-principles thinking was first popularized by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. He believed that the best way to understand something was to break it down and then put those parts back together to form a new understanding. First-principles thinking was later picked up by the eminent scientist Isaac Newton. He used it to develop his famous laws of motion. First-principles thinking is also credited with helping Albert Einstein develop his theory of relativity. Some of the most brilliant minds of recent times — Thomas Edison, Richard Feynman, Nikola Tesla, and Elon Musk — used the idea of first principles to allow them to solve some of the most intractable problems. ## **What Is The First-Principles Approach** In its simplest form, first principles thinking takes a problem and breaks it into its parts. Once you have identified the unique pieces of the puzzle, you can then put them back together to make sense. We can use this approach in any situation, from business to personal relationships. The advantages of first-principal thinking: ### **See the world in a new way** One of the advantages of first principles thinking is that it allows you to see the world differently. This can be helpful when you are faced with a problem that seems impossible to solve. By breaking it down into smaller pieces, you can find a solution that you would not have otherwise considered. ### **Helps avoid assumptions** Another advantage of this approach is that it can help you to avoid making assumptions. When you are trying to solve a problem, it is easy to make assumptions about what you think is causing the problem. However, any basic assumption may not be accurate. By looking at the problem from the first principles, you can avoid making these inaccurate assumptions. ### **Identify hidden problems** Reasoning from first principles can also help you identify hidden problems. When looking at a problem from a different perspective, you may see things you would not have noticed before. This can be helpful in both your personal and professional life. ### **Mental energy** This approach can also help you to conserve mental energy. When trying to solve a problem, it can be easy to get bogged down in the details. However, by breaking the problem down into smaller pieces, you can focus on one thing at a time and avoid getting overwhelmed. ## **5 Steps of First-Principle Thinking** The 5 steps I use when applying first principles to a problem are: ### **1 – Challenge Your Assumptions** In problem-solving, one of the biggest enemies of creativity is [assumptions ](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-skills-and-attributes-i-look-for-when-hiring-innovators/)that some believe make up fundamental truths. We often make assumptions without even realizing it, and these assumptions can prevent us from seeing a problem in a new way. First principles thinking is a way of looking at problems that can help you avoid making these assumptions and see the world differently. You are assuming means to take something for granted or to believe that something is true with no evidence. When we make assumptions, we stop looking for other possibilities, and we limit our ability to solve problems creatively. For example, let's say you are trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B. If you assume that the only way to get there is by car, you may not consider other options such as taking the bus or walking. However, if you challenge your assumption and consider all the possibilities, you may find a better solution. Some questions you can ask yourself that will help you break out of your assumptions: - Under what beliefs (foundational truths) does my industry operate? - Under what are the underlying assumptions does my organization operate? - What if the opposite were true for each of the assumptions? - What would have to be true for my industry or organization to change? - How can I test my hypotheses? ### **2 – Breakdown The Problem Into Its Lowest Elements** To solve any problem, you need to understand it at its most basic fundamental building blocks. This is the philosophy of first principles thinking, which breaks down problems into their simplest elements to find a solution. But before you can do that, you need to identify the problem correctly. Too often, people try to solve the wrong problem because they don't understand it at a deep enough level. They might see symptoms of the problem, but they don't understand the underlying cause or have true knowledge of the underlying issues. Some questions you can ask yourself that will help you break down your problem: - What are the essential elements (first principles) of this problem? - Is there an even more basic set of first principles? - What are the relationships between the unique first principles? - What are the dependencies between the unique first principles? - Which element(s) is contributing to the problem to be solved? ### **3 – Identify The Core Problem** Even if you have correctly identified the problem, it can still be challenging to find a solution if you don't know what the core problem is. The core problem is the most important and essential part of the problem that needs to be solved. Once you identify the core problem, you can then start to look for a solution. Some questions you can ask yourself that will help you identify the core problem: - What is the most critical part of this problem? - How can you define the essential goal that needs to be achieved? - What are the consequences of not solving this problem? - How many ways can this problem be solved? ### **4 – Generate Workable Solutions** The next step is to generate workable solutions. This is where your creativity will be essential. To come up with new ideas, you need to apply[ box thinking](https://killerinnovations.com/box-think/?ref=philmckinney.com) and look at the problem from different perspectives.[ Brainstorming](https://killerinnovations.com/how-to-run-a-next-generation-brainstorming-session-s11-ep47/?ref=philmckinney.com) with a group can also be helpful, as it allows you to bounce ideas off each other. However, coming up with actionable ideas using reasoning by first principles is only half the battle. You also need to make sure that your solutions are feasible and will solve the problem. Additionally, you need to consider any potential risks or challenges. Some questions you can ask yourself that will help you generate workable solutions: - What are some different ways to solve this problem? - What are some[ box thinking](https://killerinnovations.com/box-think/?ref=philmckinney.com) solutions? - Which solution is the most feasible? - Which solution is the most effective? ### **5 – Implement The Solution** Once you have selected a solution, it's time to implement it. This will require careful planning and execution. You will need to consider all the different factors that could affect the success of your solution and make sure that you have considered all the potential risks. ## **Examples of First Principal Thinking** First principle thinking has been used throughout history to solve some of the world's most intractable problems. This philosophy can be applied in any domain, from science and mathematics to business and politics. In physics, first principle thinking is used to develop theories and models. For example, Isaac Newton used the first principles approach to establish the laws of motion and gravity. These laws are based on fundamental principles like the conservation of energy and momentum. Elon Musk has applied the first principles approach and a lot more mental energy to create successful companies like Tesla and SpaceX in business. He starts with the fundamental principles of a problem and then applies them to develop new solutions. For example, he began with the principle that electric cars could be more efficient than gasoline cars when making Tesla. He then applied this principle to create a new type of car that is now changing the automotive industry. ## **Changing The World One First Principle At A Time** First principle thinking is one of the most important tools we have for solving the really hard problems in society. It allows us to break down a problem into its fundamental elements and then find new solutions based on those principles. This approach has been used throughout history to solve some of the world's most intractable problems. First principle thinking is also essential for career success. Many of the most successful people in the world have been acquiring knowledge of first principles and then using this approach to find new and innovative solutions to problems. If you want to succeed in your career, you need to learn how to think like a first principle thinker. If you are looking for help in innovating especially tough problems, reach out to [Techtrend](https://techtrend.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) or drop them an email at **hello@techtrend.com**. --- *Full Disclosure — Techtrend is the [innovation agency](https://techtrend.com/what-you-need-to-know-before-working-with-an-innovation-agency/?ref=philmckinney.com) I started in 1996 and am now the Chairman. They specialize in tech, consumer electronics, architecture, and digital immersive media experiences. That said, I’m not that involved in the day-to-day at Techtrend and get no compensation from the firm.* ### You Need an Innovation Strategy URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/you-need-an-innovation-strategy/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:56.000Z An innovation strategy [is a plan](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-do-organizations-hire-an-innovation-agency/) outlining how a business will create, develop, and bring new products or services to market to gain a competitive advantage. A strategy guides the efforts of individual employees or entire teams and tailored to the organization's unique needs. It also helps ensure the organizations' innovation initiatives remain competitive and relevant. Businesses without innovation strategies lose to competitors. ## What's in an Innovation Strategy? ### 1\. A definition of innovation This definition includes things like creativity, risk-taking, and newness. Understanding these terms ensures everybody is on the same page when brainstorming and developing new ideas. ### 2\. A description of the organization's innovation process This description helps team members understand [how new ideas are developed](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-an-innovation-agency/) within the organization and provides a framework for brainstorming and ideation. The description tells how ideas are generated, evaluated, and implemented and explains the overall innovation management approach. ### 3\. Identification of the organization's innovation goals [Goals](https://philmckinney.com/3-big-hairy-audacious-goals-drove-game-changing-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com) should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound, and aligned with the organization's overall business strategy. A goal example is to develop a new product that will generate a specific dollar amount within a particular timeframe. ### 4\. Identification of the organization's key stakeholders Key stakeholders could be the CEO, senior management, marketing department, and R&D department. It's essential to identify and consult with them when developing the innovation strategy plan so they can provide input and help to ensure success. ### 5\. Identification of resources needed to support the innovation strategy It's crucial to [identify financial and non-financial resources](https://philmckinney.com/implement-law-resources-organization/?ref=philmckinney.com) to support the plan, such as funding for R&D, marketing, employee training, office space, equipment, and software. ### 6\. A timeline for implementation An implementation timeline helps team members stay on track and ensures meeting the plan's goals within the set timeframe. The timeline should be specific, including milestones to meet the goal. ### 7\. A plan for assessing the success of the innovation strategy This assessment plan should include the number of new ideas generated, the number of ideas implemented, and their level of impact. It should also have feedback from employees, customers, and stakeholders, which can be used to adjust the innovation strategy. ### 8\. A system for documenting and sharing best practices To ensure [best practices](https://philmckinney.com/practices-equal-strategy-video/?ref=philmckinney.com) are shared and implemented, organizations should have a system for documenting and sharing them accessible to all employees. This could be a database of best practices, a wiki page, or a blog. ### 9\. Guidelines for evaluating new technologies The evaluation should include a review of the technology itself and its feasibility for implementation. The team should also assess the [risks and benefits of using the technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/rob-enderle-of-enderle-group-on-metaverse-and-digital-twins/) and whether it aligns with its innovation goals. ### 10\. Procedures for handling intellectual property rights This section is essential because it outlines procedures for protecting and managing the organization's intellectual property and should include a plan for dealing with intellectual property disputes. ### 11\. A policy for innovation training and development This policy should outline the types of innovation training and development programs available to employees. It should also include a plan for assessing the effectiveness of the programs and provide guidelines for how employees can access them. ### 12\. A budget for implementation The budget should include funds for R&D, marketing, employee training, and a fund for unexpected expenses. It's essential to regularly review and update the budget and consult with team members to ensure everyone is on the same page. To know more about creating an innovation strategy, listen to this week's show: **You Need an Innovation Strategy** . \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Hindsight Is 20/20 – The Hindsight Fallacy URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/hindsight-is-not-20-20-the-hindsight-fallacy/ Last updated: 2023-08-15T22:31:55.000Z We seldom see things in a clear light until after they have occurred. However, the way we recall events may not be accurate. Our brains fill in the blanks of our memory with what we think happened. Memory is not like a video recorder; it is malleable and can be changed by what we hear, see, or think about after an event occurs. The problem with false memories is that they are often just as vivid and convincing as genuine memories, making them difficult to [distinguish from the truth](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-requires-getting-the-facts-right/). Our false memories are constructed by overemphasizing those bits of information that confirm our beliefs and forgetting or downplaying information that contradicts them. This confirmation bias means that we are very good at rationalizing the outcomes of our decisions and predictions. We then try to validate this by evoking the false belief that hindsight is 20/20. Hindsight is not 20/20 because our memories are tinted by what we want to believe happened. ## 20/20 is Hindsight The term “hindsight is 20/20” is often used to describe the phenomenon of being able to see things more clearly after they have happened. This phrase is derived from the idea that our vision is usually better when looking backward than forwards. While this may be true sometimes, it is important to remember that hindsight is not always accurate. In fact, sometimes, our view of the past can be distorted by our current understanding of the situation. This means that we should be careful not to rely too heavily on hindsight when deciding about the future. Hindsight can also be painful because we might see things we wish we could change. We might see all the ways we could have avoided a certain outcome or all the things we should have done differently. When looking back, be careful not to fall into this “hindsight is 20/20 fallacy.” ## Hindsight Fallacy Memory's fallibility is why the [Hindsight Fallacy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindsight%5Fbias?ref=philmckinney.com) (also known as the **knew-it-all-along phenomenon** or **creeping determinism**) is so prevalent. The hindsight fallacy is a [cognitive bias](https://www.philmckinney.com/cognitive-bias-and-innovation-how-can-we-combat-instinct/) that occurs when someone relies too heavily on past knowledge or experience when making predictions about the future. This bias can lead to inaccurate predictions because it causes people to forget that their past understanding might not be accurate. > *The hindsight fallacy is a cognitive bias that occurs when someone relies too heavily on past knowledge or experience when making predictions about the future.* The hindsight fallacy is a problem because it causes people to base their predictions about the future on an inaccurate understanding of the past. This can lead to bad decision-making, as people might not consider all the relevant information when making predictions. To avoid the hindsight fallacy, it is important to be aware of its existence and question your own future predictions. It is important to remember that everyone is susceptible to this bias, so even experts might not be accurate when making predictions. ## Over Confidence and Overly Critical The hindsight bias can lead us to believe that we are smarter and more capable than we actually are. It can also cause us to be needlessly critical of ourselves and others. For example, we may be overly critical of our own performance in a situation after it has already happened. We may also be more likely to blame others for things that have gone wrong. If you find yourself thinking, “I should have known better,” “I could have seen this coming”, or “Why didn't I do X?”, try to step back and remember that you didn't have the benefit of hindsight when the event actually happened. The hindsight bias can also cause us to be [overly confident](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-you-confidence-in-innovation/) in our abilities. We may feel like the success achieved resulted from our special insight or prediction skill, even though we had no way of knowing what was going to happen. This can lead to unrealistic expectations of future predictions. Hindsight may not be 20/20, but it can still be helpful in understanding what went right and wrong and how to learn from similar situations in the future. Just be careful not to let it distort your view of yourself or the world. ## Making Better Predictions Of The Future There are several cognitive biases that can affect our ability to accurately [predict future events](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-new-vision-video-the-near-future-network/). The first is **confirmation bias**, which is our tendency to seek information that confirms our existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts those beliefs. This can lead us to mistakenly believe that something is more likely to happen than it actually is. The second is the **sunk cost fallacy**, which is our tendency to continue investing in something as long as we have already invested so much in it. This can lead us to make bad decisions in the future in order to try and justify the choices we have made in the past. The third is the **availability heuristic**, which is our tendency to base our judgments on information that is easily available to us. This can lead us to overestimate the likelihood of events that we have seen before and to underestimate the likelihood of events that we have not seen before. It is important to think objectively about future events to avoid these biases. We can do this by considering a variety of evidence, both for and against our beliefs, and by considering the uncertainty of any predictions we make. It is also important to be aware of our own biases and to correct them. With these things in mind, we can try to make more accurate predictions about the future. ## Using Hindsight To Improve Innovation Success Don't feel hindsight is to be avoided. Hindsight can be a powerful tool for innovation. By looking back at the past, we can learn from our mistakes and successes and use that information to help us make better decisions in the future. The benefit of hindsight is that it allows us to reflect on why things went well or went wrong. Did we make the right decisions? Did we take too much risk? Did we not take enough risk? By asking these questions, we can learn from our experiences and use that knowledge to help us make better decisions in the future. Hindsight can also help us identify patterns we may not have been able to see. For example, if we notice our products are more successful when we introduce them in a certain way, we can use that information to help us plan our launches in the future. In addition, hindsight can help us understand the impact of our decisions. Did our actions have the intended results? Did they have unintended consequences? By understanding the impact of our decisions, we can make sure that we are making the right choices in the future. Hindsight is not perfect, but it can be a valuable tool for innovation. By looking back at our experiences, we can learn from our mistakes and successes and use that knowledge to help us [make better decisions in the future](https://killerinnovations.com/6-steps-to-creating-better-predictions-of-the-future-s11-ep44/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Pros and Cons of Hindsight Hindsight provides a valuable perspective for making better decisions. By looking back at our experiences, we can learn from our mistakes and successes and use that knowledge to help us make better decisions in the future. However, hindsight is not perfect. We need to be careful not to get biased by it and instead use it as a tool to help us make better decisions. While many believe hindsight is 20/20, it isn't. However, it can be a valuable tool for making better predictions of what may happen. ### Why Do Organizations Hire An Innovation Agency? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-do-organizations-hire-an-innovation-agency/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:55.000Z [Let's continue our series](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-an-innovation-agency/) about the innovation agency and explore why organizations hire them. ## Hire an Innovation Agency 1. **To help with creative problem-solving.** An innovation agency can help organizations find new solutions to their problems. These agencies bring new perspectives and stimulate creativity, allowing companies to overcome roadblocks and [generate new ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/). 1. **To help with product development.** An agency can help organizations develop new products that meet customers’ needs. By working with an agency, companies can access the creativity and ingenuity of the team that can help them create innovative and commercially viable products. 1. **To help with business model innovation.** An innovative agency can help organizations innovate next-generation business models and test them in live settings. This process accelerates adoption. 1. **To get access to creative talent.** An agency has a diverse team of highly skilled and creative professionals. Creativity is a skill that can be taught and learned, but it’s usually not something you’re born with. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to cultivate creativity in yourself or your team. One way to do this is to hire an innovative agency! 1. **To get access to resources.** Innovative agencies typically have a wide range of resources, including funding, mentorship programs, outsourced manufacturing, channel partners, and workspace. These resources can reduce the time it takes to bring products or services to market. 1. **To accelerate commercialization.** Agencies can also help organizations with the commercialization process. They can help identify and assess marketing trends and opportunities, develop testing plans, and create channel partnerships to get products and services onto the market. 1. **To help drive business growth.** An innovative agency can also help organizations create and execute their growth strategies. This process includes helping to identify new markets and the latest products and services for these new markets. 1. **Access to new technologies.** Many agencies have strong relationships with technology providers. These relationships can be helpful for organizations looking to stay competitive in their industry. Through access to technological advancements, agencies can bring their clients the most up-to-date and [innovative technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/alan-proithis-of-capstone-partners-on-innovation-collaboration/) for their innovation efforts. 1. **Expert advice.** Innovation agencies have significant experience with ideation, product development, business model innovation, and commercialization. Companies can access this expertise and learn from the agency’s experience. 1. **To outsource innovation.** Innovation agencies can also help companies [outsource their innovation efforts](https://www.philmckinney.com/stephen-key-of-inventrighttv-on-licensing-inventions/). Outsourcing can be helpful for organizations that don’t have the time or resources to do everything themselves. ## The Benefits of Working with an Innovation Agency 1. **Access to creative talent.** Creative agencies typically have a team of highly skilled and creative professionals and connections with other organizations, such as designers, marketing agency leaders, and PR experts. 1. **Specialized expertise.** Innovation agencies can help you turn your idea into a reality, whether you’re a young startup or an established business. Their expertise can help you ideate, brainstorm, conduct research, create prototypes, and launch products. 1. **Faster turnaround times.** Innovation agencies can often turn around projects faster than consulting companies. Their team of experienced professionals and network of contacts can help you get your idea into the market more quickly than you can do individually. 1. **Lower costs.** Innovation agencies typically offer lower costs because of their deep expertise and experience. They also have access to a broader pool of creative talent, which drives down the cost of services. 1. **Greater focus on innovation.** An innovation agency is focused exclusively on helping clients achieve innovation goals. In contrast, a consulting company may have other priorities that can distract it from providing the best possible service to its clients. To know more about hiring an innovation agency, listen to this week's show: **[Why Do Organizations Hire An Innovation Agency](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5FDo%5FOrganizations%5FHire%5FAn%5FInnovation%5FAgency.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**? \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### If People Would Behave Decently, The World Would Be Decent! URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/if-people-would-behave-decently-the-world-would-be-decent/ Last updated: 2022-05-02T15:11:27.000Z [Charles Dickens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles%5FDickens?ref=philmckinney.com) is quoted as saying: “If men would behave decently, the world would be decent.” This is so true! If we want to see a change in the world, it starts with each one of us behaving decently. When we are kind, compassionate, and respectful to others, we set the tone for how we want to be treated in return. We all want to live in a world that is safe, peaceful, and harmonious. But too often, we see people behaving badly—being violent, disrespectful, and abusive. This needs to change! Rather than [ranting about how others act indecently](https://www.philmckinney.com/stop-the-negativity-become-an-anti-critic/) if we want the world to change, then we need to start by being decent ourselves. We can do this by treating others with kindness, compassion, and respect. Through our behavior, we can set an example for the world of how men should act. > ‘If Men Would Behave Decently, The World Would Be Decent!' > > Charles Dickens We need to stand up and demand that men behave decently. Only then will the world be a decent place for all of us, our families, our kids, our grandkids, and future generations to live in. ## What Do We Mean By ‘Decent' When we say ‘decent', we mean respectful, honorable, and good. Acting with decency means treating others with respect, being mindful of their feelings and needs, and contributing positively to the world. It is not always easy to act with decency, but it is always worth striving for. This can be challenging in a world where violence, conflict, and injustice are so common. We see examples of man's inhumanity to man all around us, from war and terrorism to discrimination and abuse. However, it is important not to lose hope. Even amid such struggles, there are many people who continue to work towards decency, striving to make the world a better place. ## Is Acting Decently Nature or Nurture? There is no simple answer to this question. It is likely that both nature and nurture play a role in determining how we behave. Our genes may predispose us to certain behaviors, while our environment may influence how we act. However, it is also possible to change our behavior through training and experience. We can learn to [act with decency](https://killerinnovations.com/9-leadership-behaviors-for-innovation-leaders/?ref=philmckinney.com) by observing and imitating those around us who behave in a good and honorable way. We can also choose to act with decency even if it is difficult or popular to do so. ## 5 Characteristics of Acting Decently Decency is about treating other people with respect, honesty, thoughtfulness, and consideration. It’s about behaving in a way that shows that you care about other people and their feelings. It also creates a positive environment where people feel comfortable and can trust you. ### Respectful It shows that you care about other people and their feelings. When you treat someone with respect, you listen to them and value their opinions. You also show consideration for their beliefs, feelings, and needs. ### Honest Being honest is a key part of acting decently because it builds trust and respect. It also means that you’re not hiding anything, which can lead to dishonesty and deception. ### Thoughtful & Considerate You are aware and sensitive to people’s feelings and needs. You take the time to think about the consequences of your actions before you act, which can help avoid potential conflict. The two words have very similar meanings, but there is a slight difference. Thinking about other people and their feelings before you act is being thoughtful. Acting in a way that shows you are aware of and sympathetic to other people’s feelings is being considerate. ### Humbly Being humble allows us to be open to other people's perspectives and grow from our interactions with them. It also shows that we respect others and are not arrogant or self-centered. ## Changing The World It will take more than just good intentions to change the world. We need to act with decency, respect, and compassion if we want to make a real difference. This begins with each of us and extends to our families, our communities, and beyond. In order to change the world, we need to start by changing ourselves. This means cultivating a sense of empathy, compassion, and understanding. It also requires us to be mindful of our actions, recognizing the impact they have on others. Of course, changing ourselves is not enough. In order to truly make a difference, we must also work together with others in our communities and beyond. This might mean standing up for what is right, even when it is difficult. It might also mean reaching out to those who differ from us and listening to their stories and perspectives. ### Example of Decency For example, if we are acting humbly, we don't enter a conversation with those who are different from us with the assumption that we are right and we need to convince them of this. Instead, we are open to their perspectives and [willing to learn from them](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-they-could-become/). We take the time to listen patiently and with an open mind, and we strive to understand where they are coming from. At its core, decency is about treating people with respect and compassion. It requires us to be humble and open-minded in our interactions with others, even when we differ from them. And by acting with humility, honesty, thoughtfulness, and consideration, we have the power to change the world for the better. By treating those around us with kindness and compassion, our actions have the power to create positive change. So let us choose to act with decency not only in our own lives but also in our communities and beyond. We can make a real difference in the world, one person at a time.​ ## Starting With What We Post and Share A first step in acting with decency is being mindful of what we post and share online. This means taking the time to think about how our words or actions might impact those around us, and considering how we can use our influence in a positive way. **Is this something I should share?** Before hitting “share,” ask yourself whether the content is considerate and thoughtful of your friends or followers? If it fails this test, it's probably not worth posting. Instead, simply move on without sharing. **What is the motive behind my post?** It's important to question our motives. Why are we sharing this content? Are we trying to get a reaction out of others, or are we trying to start a conversation that can lead to positive change? If our goal is simply to provoke others, it's probably not worth posting. **Will this post contribute to positive or negative discourse?** It's important to be aware of the discourse our post might contribute to. If we're sharing something that could lead to negative or hurtful conversations, it's probably not worth posting. By being thoughtful about the content we share, we can help contribute to more positive and productive online conversations. ## Acting Decently When I was growing up, my mom always reminded me that the high road was if you cannot say something nice, then say nothing at all. > ‘If you cannot say something nice, then say nothing at all.' > > Mom This is something that has always stuck with me, and I try to follow this principle online as well. By thinking before we post or share, and considering the impact our words might have on others, we can act with decency online. And by choosing positive actions rather than negative ones, we can help contribute to a more positive and productive online community. I hope that by taking these first steps to act with decency, we can help make the world a nicer place for us all to live in. Let's take the high road together- one thoughtful post at a time! ### What Is An Innovation Agency? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-an-innovation-agency/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:55.000Z Let us explore what an innovation agency is and how it can help bring you more success in the challenging innovation process. ## Why Hire An Innovation Agency? Innovation Agency is a term created to distinguish agencies that specialize in innovation from the agencies such as advertising, design, marketing, and PR agencies. An innovation agency specializes in helping businesses create, market, and sell new products and services. They use a team of experts to help your business with everything from ideation to [execution](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/). An innovation consulting company allows companies to improve their innovation processes. They rarely have ideation, prototyping, product development, and launching expertise. However, they can help you develop a better process for coming up with new ideas and bringing them to the market. The crucial difference here is that an innovation agency specializes in assisting clients in creating new products, services, or business models. In contrast, [innovation consultants](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-80-percent-of-innovation-consultants-are-not-worth-the-money/) typically advise improving existing products, services, or business models. ## Characteristics Of An Innovative Agency Agencies have innovative staff with access to creative resources, such as design studios and marketing agencies. They have a track record of helping clients successfully innovate. Innovation agencies can help clients innovate in several ways. First, they help identify and define problems that need solving. Second, they provide access to creative resources like innovators, design studios, prototyping experts, engineering expertise, and product launch expertise. Last, they guide and support clients through the challenging innovation process. An innovative agency specializes in taking ideas and turning them into new products, services, and business models. They can help clients overcome challenges that many organizations experience in [translating an idea into an innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/). They help clients identify and assess opportunities, understand the customer and their needs, and develop a strong business case. Innovation agencies also create prototypes and test them with customers. They specialize in scaling innovations, protecting and commercializing them, managing risk, and [making innovations sustainable](https://philmckinney.com/are-you-playing-the-innovation-long-game-an-hp-story/?ref=philmckinney.com). Using an agency with a deep track record of helping clients achieve success is an excellent way to [increase your chances of success](https://www.philmckinney.com/stephen-key-of-inventrighttv-on-licensing-inventions/) with your innovation efforts. When you choose the right agency, they bring together the expertise you don’t have to improve what you have. They have the experience and knowledge to help you navigate the challenges during the innovation process. This can be extremely helpful in ensuring that your innovation efforts are successful. ## Innovation Agency Resources If you want to learn more about innovation agencies and what is involved, start with a quick Google search of innovation agencies. There are several of them that specialize in different industries. Second, stay tuned, as I will share more about these agencies and why and how to leverage them to your benefit in future episodes. Last, check out Techtrend Group at[**techtrend.com**](https://techtrend.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). *Full Disclosure — [Techtrend](https://techtrend.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) is the innovation agency I started in 1996 and am now the Chairman. That said, I’m not that involved in the day-to-day at Techtrend. They just recently relaunched their site and updated their project portfolio. They specialize in tech, consumer electronics, architecture, and digital immersive media experiences. Techtrend will give you a good view of an innovation agency.* To know more about Techtrend and other similar agencies, listen to this week's show: [**What Is An Innovation Agency?**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/What%5Fis%5Fan%5FInnovation%5FAgency.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### (Preparing For) A Failure of Imagination URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/preparing-for-a-failure-of-imagination/ Last updated: 2022-04-23T23:13:11.000Z With organizational failures, the imagination is often at fault. We can't imagine things going wrong, so we don't plan for them. Organizations can't imagine that their employees would do something unethical, so they don't have policies in place to prevent it. Owners can't imagine that a natural disaster could destroy their business, so they don't have a plan to recover from it. It's what some would call a failure of imagination. It is not always negative. When things go right unexpectedly, we have a failure of imagination. We can't imagine that our new product will be an enormous hit, so we don't make enough to meet the demand. We can't imagine that our company will be acquired, so we don't plan for what comes next. The key is to have a balance of imagination. We need to imagine both the best and worst-case scenarios. We need to imagine the future and plan for it. Otherwise, we're just setting ourselves up for failure. ## History of the term — Failure of Imagination The term “failure of imagination” was first coined by author William Golding in his 1954 novel [Lord of the Flies](https://amzn.to/3k6KxxF?ref=philmckinney.com). In the book, Golding argues that the biggest problem with society is that people cannot imagine alternatives to the way things are currently. He says that this lack of imagination leads to conformism and results in people blindly following the status quo. The term has been used in a variety of contexts since then. Some have used it to describe the failure of politicians to come up with new ideas. Others have used it to criticize the education system for not teaching students how to think creatively. Whatever the context, the term “failure of imagination” is used to describe a situation where people cannot see beyond the current state of affairs. ## Imagination Before discussing the failure of imagination, it is important to first understand what we mean by imagination. At its most basic level, imagination is the ability to create mental images of things that do not exist in reality. It is the ability to see beyond the here and now and envision possibilities. Most people think of imagination as something that only artists and writers have. But in reality, we all use our imagination every day. Whenever we daydream, make plans for the future, or even just remember a memory, we are using our imagination. So why is imagination so important? Well, without imagination, we would be stuck in the present. We would have no hope of ever achieving anything beyond what currently exists. It is imagination that allows us to see the potential for change and progress. And yet, despite its importance, imagination is often in short supply. We can be so bogged down by the day-to-day details of our lives that we forget to dream about what could be. Or we may be so afraid of failure that we become to risk-averse to try anything new. As a result, our ability to imagine different possibilities can become stunted. ## Imaginative Grandkids My grandkids are always coming up with new games to play. They never seem to get bored. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with their imaginations. A few weeks ago week, I was traveling with my grandson (9), and he asked me to play a game called “Coolest Invention.” He explained that the object of the game was to see some ordinary objects and then invent something new. At the airport, he saw a sign that said “No Loitering.” To him, this meant that you weren't allowed to stand around without moving. So his invention was a “No Loitering Machine.” It would be a machine that you could put on your back and it would shock you if you stood still for too long. I have to admit; I was pretty impressed with his invention. I'm always amazed at [children's power of imagination](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-regain-your-childhood-imagination/). It's something that we should never lose as we get older. It's what makes life interesting and exciting. Thanks, Liam, for reminding me of that! ## Is Imagination a Uniquely Human Trait? Some try to claim that imagination is a uniquely human trait. They argue animals can not imagine different possibilities. But this is simply not true. In reality, all animals have some capacity for imagination. For example, dolphins are very playful and creative, often coming up with new ways to play with one another. Some scientists believe that this creativity results from their imaginations. Similarly, dogs have engaged in what we know as ” scent play.” This is when they will take an object, such as a toy, and roll it around in something that has a powerful scent, such as dirt or another dog's urine. They are thought to be doing this in order to create a fresh scent for the object, which is an example of imagination. ## What Is Our Source For Our Imagination? They credit the subconscious mind as the source of our imagination. It is the part of our mind that is not bound by reality or logic. The [subconscious mind](https://www.philmckinney.com/should-you-trust-your-gut/) is constantly taking in information from the environment and our experiences. It then stores this information in the mental unconscious. The mental unconscious is like a vast library where all of our memories, thoughts, and feelings are stored. From here, the subconscious mind can access these memories and use them to create new ideas and possibilities. While the conscious mind is focused on the here and now, the subconscious mind is constantly working in the background, piecing together information and looking for patterns. It is this ability to see connections that allow us to imagine different possibilities. For example, when you have a sudden inspiration for a new invention or a new way to solve a problem, your subconscious mind has been working on the idea for some time, piecing together different bits of information until the solution suddenly pops into your conscious mind. Thus, the subconscious mind is the spark for our imagination. ## Innovation and Failure of Imagination One of the most significant issues affecting society is that individuals cannot conceive of alternatives to the current state of affairs. That's where innovation comes in. In order for a society or business to make any progress, change has to be made by innovators and inventors who use their imaginations to come up with new ideas and introduce solutions. So while the failure of imagination can be a problem, it is key to innovation because you cannot make progress without new ideas, and it's been argued that without the capacity for imagination, people would never come up with new ideas. > The world is changed by imagination, not by fact. > > Phil McKinney ## Examples of When There Was a Failure of Imagination On the one hand, there are cases where people have used their imaginations to come up with new and innovative ideas. For example, scientists often use their imaginations to come up with new theories and ideas. They see things differently and they can imagine possibilities that others cannot. There are also cases where people have failed to use their imaginations. This can often lead to conformism and blindly following the status quo. For example, the author William Golding argues that the biggest problem with society is that people are not able to imagine alternatives to the way things are currently. This lack of imagination can have negative consequences for both individuals and society as a whole. So, we can see that imagination is a powerful tool. We can use it for both good and bad depending on how it is used. Some examples: ### 1) Negative Example – The 9/11 Attacks The [9/11 attacks](https://www.philmckinney.com/charles-falkenberg-911-pentagon-flight/) were an example of when there was a failure of imagination. The government could not imagine that someone would fly planes into buildings, and as a result, we did not prepare ourselves for the possibility of the attack. ### 2) Positive Example – The Internet A positive example of when there was a failure of imagination was the internet. The researchers at DARPA could not imagine the use of the internet beyond research institutions and government agencies. They never could have imagined how the world would change. ## Preparing For A Failure of Imagination To prepare for a failure of imagination, we need to develop a habit of looking outside the box to come up with new perspectives of the world. By doing so, we can imagine a wide range of possibilities. How? ### 1) Think about potential outcomes I'll give you an example. When the World Bank wanted to be prepared for future wars, it conducted research on what would happen if a world war occurred. They found they were using old data, so they thought they had enough ammunition, but in reality, it was insufficient. They failed to imagine that we could fight these wars with different weapons. So one way to prevent a failure of imagination is to think about all the potential outcomes of a situation, no matter how unlikely they may seem. Try to come up with as many scenarios as you can and plan for them accordingly. ### 2) Be open-minded Another way to prevent a failure of imagination is to be open-minded. This means being willing to consider new ideas and perspectives, even if they differ from your own. It is important to remember that just because something is different; doesn't mean that it is bad. Different can be good. So don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and explore new ideas. ### 3) Encourage others to be creative Finally, another way to prevent a failure of imagination is to encourage others to be creative. This means creating an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas, no matter how crazy they may seem. It is important to remember that the best ideas often come from those who will [think outside the box](https://killerinnovations.com/box-think/?ref=philmckinney.com). So don't be afraid to encourage others to be creative and to share their ideas. ## The Key Question To Ask — What If? What if you could imagine anything and make it happen? What if you could be anyone or do anything? What-if questions are a way to spark your imagination and prevent a failure of imagination. They help you explore new possibilities and open your mind to different ways of thinking. By asking what if, you're expanding your knowledge and potential, which can lead to new opportunities and success. What-if questions can be used in any situation, whether you face a problem that needs solving or you're simply looking for a creative way to do something. Asking what if allows you to think [outside the box](https://www.philmckinney.com/ingenuity-action-3-companies-inspire-us-think-outside-box/) and come up with innovative solutions. It also helps you see things from different perspectives. What if questions are especially helpful when wanting to avoid the surprise that comes from a failure of imagination. Asking what if can help you anticipate negative a positive outcomes and plan for them ahead of time. It's a way to think about all the [possible outcomes](https://www.philmckinney.com/road-closed-by-bad-planning/) of a situation and be prepared for anything that might happen. ## Failure of Imagination The failure of imagination can be a problem, but it is also key to innovation. We need new ideas in order to make progress, and without the capacity for imagination, we would never come up with new ideas. We need to learn to use our imaginations to understand and plan for both the good and bad. Only then can we truly progress as a society. ### Rob Enderle of Enderle Group on Metaverse and Digital Twins URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/rob-enderle-of-enderle-group-on-metaverse-and-digital-twins/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:54.000Z Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group joins us to discuss Digital Twins, the Metaverse, and the hybrid work model innovations. ## Metaverse and Digital Twins Recently, Rob has been engaging in the Metaverse and Digital Twin technology. Everybody is trying to figure out the use of the Metaverse. One interesting use has to do with demolished cities like those in Ukraine. The Metaverse can potentially offer the opportunity to revisit these places virtually. I recently discussed Digital Twins and the auto industry with [Rob Tiffany](https://www.philmckinney.com/rob-tiffany-of-digital-insights-on-digital-twins/). Ford is using this technology to run various simulations. The combination of Digital Twins, the Metaverse, and autonomous vehicles brings potential. Human Digital Twins will soon copy one’s appearance, voice, opinions, etc., to virtually interact on their behalf. The issue remains the fidelity of Digital Twins and the Metaverse and its effect on decision making. ## EV Industry Challenges Mustang, Tesla, Ford, Rivian, Cruise, etc., are in on the EV/[autonomous](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/) car game. These vehicles have two modes: chauffeur and guardian angel, and there is an industry divide between the modes. Guardian angel mode comes free with most electric vehicles, while chauffer mode comes with a subscription. Most of the drivers in the EV world Greg has spoken to don’t care for the chauffeur mode. When people buy a high-performance car, they want to drive it. In the U.S, people love their cars, and I think the culture must shift a lot before people self-driving vehicles become the norm. ## Video Conferencing and the Hybrid Work Model Greg has advised HP, Dell, [IBM,](https://www.philmckinney.com/scott-crowder-of-ibm-on-quantum-computing-and-its-impact/) etc., on PC and mobile phone technology. Recently, his involvement has been in improving mobile phone and PC integration. Leading companies like SYSCO are working heavily on this convergence. Video conferencing is a key area of focus. With the growth of the [hybrid work model](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-of-creative-strategies-on-work-from-home-wfh-apple-and-silicon-valley/), companies are seeking to create better virtual collaboration. The behavioral and interpersonal aspects are still lacking. That unplanned interaction that sparks innovation is also missing. Many areas need some innovation to improve virtual workspace interactions. ## About Our Guest: Rob Enderle Rob Enderle is the President and Principal Analyst of the Enderle Group, where he provides perspective for the leaders in today’s technology. For over 20 years, Rob has [worked](https://philmckinney.com/the-innovation-skills-and-attributes-i-look-for-when-hiring-innovators/?ref=philmckinney.com) for and with companies like Microsoft, HP, IBM, Dell, Toshiba, Gateway, Sony, USAA, Texas Instruments, AMD, Intel, Credit Suisse First Boston, ROLM, and Siemens. Rob developed world-class IT industry analysis skills from DataQuest, Giga Information Group, and Forrester Research, which he leverages through his work at the Enderle Group. To know more about Rob Enderle, the Metaverse, and digital twins, listen to this week's show:**[ Rob Enderle of Enderle Group on Metaverse and Digital Twins](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Rob%5FEnderle%5Fof%5FEnderle%5FGroup%5Fon%5FMetaverse%5Fand%5FDigital%5FTwin.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Innovation Skills and Attributes I Look For When Hiring Innovators URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-innovation-skills-and-attributes-i-look-for-when-hiring-innovators/ Last updated: 2022-05-01T19:55:11.000Z Do you think of life as a game? It's more than just an analogy. Life really is a game, and there are rules. Rules that can help us survive and thrive. This article will show you how to win this one-in-a-million chance at life by knowing how to make others aware of your innovation skills and abilities so you can achieve career success. I will share what I look for when hiring people on my teams. There are skills, attributes, and habits that distinguish those who innovate from those who don't. There are many people with good ideas. But not everyone has what it takes to bring their idea to life and make it thrive in the real world. What separates the two is a set of skills, habits, and mindsets that allow them to have good ideas and take the actions to see their idea through and make them a success. I break these down to: - 3 Innovation Skills - 10 Attributes of Innovators ## 3 Innovation Skills I Look For When Hiring Skills are the abilities that you need to do something. We learn skills from skilled practitioners and then practice them and get better at them over time. So, if innovation is a skill, what innovation training should you consider to build your innovation skills? And what are the key high-level skills you need to be innovative? ### 1\. The ability to see things differently In order to be innovative, it’s essential to [see things differently](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-fresh-eyes/). You need to look at problems and challenges from a new perspective and come up with creative solutions. Here are three ways to see things differently: - **Ask “why?”** — When you encounter a problem, challenge, or opportunity, ask “why?” Why is this happening? What is the root cause of the problem? Asking “why?” can help you get to the heart of the matter and come up with more creative solutions. - **Challenge assumptions** — Challenging assumptions is another way to see things differently. When you [challenge assumptions](https://beyondtheobvious.com/what-are-your-assumptions/?ref=philmckinney.com), you force yourself to think outside the box and come up with new ideas. - **Look for patterns** — Another way to see things differently is to look for patterns. Look for similarities between unique problems or challenges. By finding patterns, you can often find new ways to solve problems. ### 2\. The ability to think outside the box Many of us are conditioned to think inside the box, which might not be suitable for innovative thinking. The box is actually a metaphor that depicts the “constrained way of thinking” and any creative idea can be best expressed if learners will allow themselves to question their assumptions from time to time. As an illustration, Albert Einstein was once asked how he came up with his theory of relativity. He replied, “By thinking outside the box.” Here are some ways to [think outside the box](https://killerinnovations.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-1/?ref=philmckinney.com): - **By making unusual or unexpected associations between things** — When you combine things in new and unexpected ways, you can often come up with innovative ideas. For example, a few years ago I was working on a project that involved developing a new product. I was having trouble coming up with a good idea for the product, so I made a list of random associations. I came up with a list of things that were unrelated to the project, such as “butterfly,” “balloon,” and “kite.” Then I started thinking about how I could combine these things in new and interesting ways. As a result, I came up with the idea of a product that was a cross between a butterfly and a kite. - **By questioning everything you take for granted** — With innovation, one of the most important things to do is to question everything you take for granted. Too often, we accept things as they are without really thinking about them. We just go with the flow and don’t challenge our assumptions. But if you want to be more innovative, you need to question everything. ### 3\. The ability to take risks In order to be innovative, it’s essential to have risk-taking skills. Many great ideas never see the light of day because people are too afraid to take risks. But if you want to be more innovative, you need to be willing to take risks. Here are some tips for taking risks: - **Be prepared to fail** — When you take risks, you need to be [prepared to fail](https://www.philmckinney.com/leadership-failures-innovation-lessons-learned/). Failure is a part of the innovation process. If you’re not willing to fail, you’re not likely to succeed. - **Be flexible** — When you’re taking risks, it’s important to be flexible. You need to be able to adapt and change course if things don’t go as planned. Learn from your mistakes — When you take risks, you will make mistakes. But it’s important to learn from your mistakes. Mistakes can often lead to new and innovative ideas. ## 10 Attributes I Look For In Innovators Leaders are constantly on the lookout for those with certain attributes that label someone as an innovator. They realize these skills are essential for the success of their company. In my experience, team members who will have innovation success share the following attributes: ### 1) They have a growth mindset. People with a growth mindset are always looking to improve and learn new things. They see challenges as opportunities for growth, and they aren’t afraid to make mistakes. This type of mindset allows them to be more creative and innovative. ### 2) They embrace change. In order to be creative and come up with new ideas, you need to experiment and try new things. You also need to be open to change, ready to adapt when things don’t go as planned. If you’re resistant to change, you’re likely to miss out on new opportunities for growth. ### 3) They are comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty. Being comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty is key to being innovative. If you’re constantly worried about what might happen if you try something new, you will not be very successful. You need to take risks and experiment, even if you don’t have all the answers. ### 4) They take smart risks You need to be comfortable taking risks. This doesn’t mean blindly gambling on your team’s success on a whim, but taking calculated risks that have a good chance of payoff. One way to take smart risks is to make sure your ideas are well thought out by using critical thinking skills. Before you implement a new idea, take some time to think about it from all angles. What could go wrong? What are the potential benefits? By taking the time to think through your ideas, you can avoid costly mistakes and increase your chances of success. ### 5) They are great collaborators. Being a great [collaborator](https://killerinnovations.com/9-characteristics-of-successful-innovation-leaders/?ref=philmckinney.com) is key to innovation success. In order to come up with new ideas, you need to work together with others and exchange ideas. This means being open-minded, flexible, and willing to compromise. You also need to use critical thinking and offer constructive feedback. By working together as a team, you can bounce ideas off of each other and come up with solutions that are better than what you could have come up with on your own. An underlying sub-skill for collaboration is excellent communication skills. ### 6) They have a strong work ethic. In order to come up with new ideas, you need to put in the time and effort to make them a reality. This means working hard and staying focused, even when things get tough. It also means being willing to take risks and experiment, even if you don’t have all the answers. ### 7) They are resilient and adaptable. Being resilient and adaptable are essential skills for innovation success. If you’re not able to bounce back from setbacks and adapt to change, you’re going to have a hard time being successful. This is especially true in the world of innovation, where things are constantly changing and evolving. ### 8) They are lifelong learners. In order to be successful in the world of innovation, you need to be a lifelong learner. This means always being open to learning new things and constantly expanding your horizons. It also means being willing to try new things and experiment, even if you don’t have all the answers. ### 9) They have a positive outlook. When people are happy; they are more productive and have high emotional intelligence. They also have easier time-solving problems and coming up with new ideas. This is because when you're feeling good, your brain releases dopamine, which makes you feel energized and motivated. It also helps reduce stress levels and improves your mood so that you can better approach challenges in a positive light. ### 10) They are solution-focused. By looking at problems in novel ways and working together as a team, more potential solutions can be found, compared, considered, and the best course of action is selected, given the innovation resources available. They are continuously revising their personal creative process to help them remain solution-focused. ## Managing Your Innovation Career In today’s fast-paced, constantly-evolving world, it’s more important than ever to have innovative skills and attributes. These are the skills and attributes that enable you to think creatively, come up with new ideas, and execute those ideas by creating innovations that have an impact. If you want to succeed in the workplace, you need to innovate. An organization that wants to achieve success is looking for employees who stand out from the crowd with [innovative skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-skills-for-children/) and attributes that allow them to make a positive impact on the company. If you can show that you prioritize time to improve innovation skills and exhibit the right innovators attributes, your boss will be more likely to promote you. And if you’re ever looking for a new job, employers have added innovation skills and innovators attributes as part of the job application process. They will be more likely to hire you if you have a track record of innovation success. So how do you make others aware of your innovation skills and capabilities? ### 1) Showing innovation skills on your resume In order to show that you have innovation skills, you need to highlight your accomplishments in this area. On your resume, list the projects you’ve worked on, the ideas you’ve come up with, and the successes you’ve achieved. If you have a portfolio of innovation you've developed, be sure to include it with your resume. This will give employers a concrete example of your skills. ### 2) Showing innovation skills in an interview When you’re interviewing for a job, be prepared to talk about your [creative thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/) and strong innovation skills. Have a few examples ready to share of times when you came up with creative ideas or used your problem-solving skills in creative ways. If you have the option, have something to show your own innovation skills during the interview, like a prototype of an innovative product you created. ### 3) Showing innovation skills on the job If you want to be successful in your job, you need to continuously show your innovation skills and innovators attributes. This means always being on the lookout for new ideas, suggestions, or solutions. When you see a problem, come up with a creative way to solve it. Be open to trying new things and experimenting. And always be learning so that you can keep up with the latest trends. ### 4) Developing innovation skills If you want to be successful in the world of innovation, it’s important to continuously improve your skills. This means always being open to learning new things and expanding your horizons. It also means being willing to try new things and experiment, even if you don’t know if it will work. Be curious and ask questions. Be persistent and never give up. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to fail—because that’s how you learn and become better. ## So What? In order to achieve success in your career, it's important to have skills and attributes that set you apart from the competition. Today, [innovation skills are one of the most important skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-law-of-resources-what-does-innovation-need-to-thrive/) an individual can possess. If you want to succeed in your job and be promoted, it's essential that you continuously improve your innovation skills. And if you're ever looking for a new job, employers will be more likely to hire you if you have a track record of innovation success. The first step towards improving innovation skills is to commit to practicing innovation skills every day. This means being curious and asking questions, being open to new ideas, and always being willing to experiment. By continuously working to improve innovation skills, you'll be more likely to succeed in your career and have a positive impact on your organization. ### Stephen Key of InventRightTV on Licensing Inventions URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/stephen-key-of-inventrighttv-on-licensing-inventions/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:54.000Z Stephen Key joins us to discuss how inventors can successfully license inventions— their most valued ideas. ## Licensing Inventions Stephen has an extensive following on YouTube, where he coaches, mentors, and advises inventors. His channel focuses on those who have ideas but don’t want to start a business. Creative people want to do what they are good at but don’t always want to do the heavy lifting. This is where the licensing business model comes into play. The first part of the process is recognizing that companies must keep [innovating to stay alive](https://www.philmckinney.com/scott-crowder-of-ibm-on-quantum-computing-and-its-impact/). Then you need to deeply understand a specific company’s culture, business model, etc., and sell them an invention that fits what they are looking for. Licensing is all about finding that perfect partner that has everything in place today. If you come up with an idea, it is not copy-proof. When you market your product to an established leader, they can get it to market fast, protecting you. ## Where Inventors Go Wrong Most inventors who approached HP didn’t understand our product lines, strategies, customer segments, etc. If an inventor who had done their research came to me, the conversations would have been different. Product developers need to understand the company’s mission, vision, supply chain, costs, etc. Most inventors look at things only from their perspective, resulting in failure. [Inventors](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-inventions-i-would-uninvent/) need to invest time with potential licensees. In my ten years at HP, the winners at this were the ones who knew our mission, technologies, and competitors and had a plan of attack. ## The 10G Challenge, InventRight TV and inventYes There are many contests and programs to help [inventors](https://www.philmckinney.com/dean-kamen-on-making-life-better/) win. CableLabs is hosting a contest called the 10G Challenge, based on new services that will run on multi-gigabyte broadband networks. The prize is $50,000 in four different categories: Health, education, work, and entertainment. The best overall idea wins $100,000\. At the end of it all, the inventor keeps their idea. Stephen started his YouTube channel, InventRight TV, to give people a roadmap on how they can license their inventions. He also created inventYes, a free program that teaches kids how to license their inventions. It’s all about giving people the opportunity to see how they can [change the world](https://www.philmckinney.com/be-unreasonable-and-change-the-world-s11-ep19/). Check out Stephen’s YouTube channel [here](https://www.youtube.com/c/inventRight?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out his LinkedIn page [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmkey/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: Stephen Key Stephen Key is an author, writer, and leading expert in licensing consumer product ideas. The innovative packaging solution he brought to market has more than 20 patents and received 15 industry awards, including two Edisons. InventRight, the coaching program he cofounded in 1999, has helped people from more than 60 countries license their product ideas. Stephen has a popular YouTube channel inventRight TV, and writers for Forbes, Inc., and Entrepreneur. In 2017, he cofounded Inventors Groups of America to educate and empower inventors and inventing group leaders. He is also the co-founder of inventYES, a free program for high school students worldwide. In 2020, he became a founding member of the United States Intellectual Property Alliance to help educate entrepreneurs and inventors on intellectual property. To know more about Stephen Key and licensing inventions, listen to this week's show: **[Stephen Key of InventRightTV on Licensing Inventions](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Stephen%5FKey%5Fof%5FInventRightTV%5Fon%5FLicensing%5FInventions.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Thinking Creatively in a World of Normality URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/thinking-creatively-in-a-world-of-normality/ Last updated: 2022-04-09T18:11:49.000Z The world is a place of normality. It's the place where we go to school, work, and come home to our families. We see the same people every day and do the same things. We are used to doing things in a certain way and we don't question it. But what if we were to think creatively in this world of normality? What would that look like? We would probably question a lot of things that we take for granted. We would ask why things are done the way they are and whether there might be a better way to do them. We would look at the world and see it in a new light. We would also be more open to new ideas and willing to try new things. We would be less afraid of change and more willing to embrace it. We would be more curious and passionate about life. In short, being a creative thinker in a world of normality would make us more interesting and exciting people. It would also make the world a more interesting and exciting place. ## My Struggles With Normality As I sit here in my chair, looking at the computer screen in front of me, I can't help but feel like I'm in a rut. COVID has forced many of us into the trap of daily routines. I'm tired of it. It's so hard to break out of the routine. But maybe, just maybe, if we all put the past behind us and go back to thinking creatively, we can find a way out of this rut. Maybe we can make my life more exciting. Maybe we can make the world a more interesting place. ## Creative Thinking Creative thinking means looking at the world in a new way and seeing the potential in everything. It means being open to new ideas and willing to try new things. It means being curious and passionate about life. Creative thinking allows us to see the possibilities in everything and to come up with innovative solutions to problems. It allows us to see the world in a new light and find beauty in everyday life. Creative thinking is about more than just having good ideas. It's also about being able to turn those ideas into reality. To do that, you need to be able to think outside the box and see things from a different perspective. You need to be open to change and willing to experiment. ## Is Thinking Creatively Important? Creative thinking allows us to see the world in a new light and to find beauty in the everyday. Creative thinking is about more than just having good ideas. Some people might say that thinking creatively is not important beyond our careers because it doesn't have a practical application. However, that's not true. Creative thinking can help us generate creative ideas that solve problems in our everyday lives. It can also help us find new and better ways to do things. Whether you're trying to solve a problem at work or come up with a new way to have fun with the family, creative thinking is the key. So don't be afraid to [think outside the box](https://killerinnovations.com/box-think/?ref=philmckinney.com) and experiment. The world needs more creative thinkers! ## What Prevents Us From Thinking Creatively? There are several things that can prevent us from thinking creatively. Some of the most common ones are fear of change, fear of failure, and lack of creativity. ### Fear of Change Fear of change is one of the biggest inhibitors of creativity. We're afraid to try new things because we worry about the what-if. We're afraid to experiment because we might not like the results. This fear can hold us back from doing a lot of things in life, including thinking creatively. ### Fear of Failure Fear of failure is another enormous obstacle to creativity. We're so worried about failing that we don't even try to [think outside the box](https://killerinnovations.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-1/?ref=philmckinney.com). We stick with what we know and we don't take risks. This fear can prevent us from achieving our full potential. ### Perceived Lack of Creative Skills How we see ourselves can hold us back. We might not think we're creative because we don't believe our ideas are any good. Or we might not think we're creative because we've done nothing creative before. Whatever the reason, our belief that we lack creative thinking skills can prevent us from thinking creatively. ## What Do We Mean By Normality? In the context of creative thinking, normality refers to the status quo, or what is considered normal or standard. When we think within the bounds of normality, we're limited by our preconceived notions and our comfort zones. We're afraid to try new things because we might not like the results. In a world of normality, there would be few surprises and less excitement. But in the real world, we're constantly bombarded by change and new experiences. That can make life unpredictable and scary. It's also what makes it exciting and fun! So even if you feel like your days are too predictable or your life is too normal, just wait. Something new is bound to come along and surprise you. Change is the only constant in life. And the ability to think creatively is what allows us to adapt to change, come up with a creative idea to take advantage of the change, and then make the most of it. ## 4 Important Creative Thinking Skills There are four important creative thinking skills everyone should practice and never stop learning ways to improve. They are: ### 1\. Critical Thinking Critical thinking is one of the most important skills for creative thinking. Innovators need to be able to think critically in order to come up with innovative solutions to problems. They need to be able to question everything and come up with alternative solutions. They also need to think logically, see both sides of an issue, and consider all the options before deciding. ### 2\. Idea Generation Idea generation ([ideation](https://techtrend.com/services/ideation/?ref=philmckinney.com)) is all about finding that new idea that becomes an innovative solution to a problem. To generate new ideas, innovators need to be open to change and willing to experiment. They also need to think outside the box and see things from different perspectives. ### 3\. Idea Evaluation Idea evaluation is assessing the value of an idea. Creative thinkers need to evaluate their ideas in order to determine whether they're worth pursuing. They need to ask themselves several questions, such as: - Is this a good idea? - Will this idea work? - Is this idea feasible? - Is this idea worth pursuing? ### 4\. Implementation Creative thinking only has an impact when a new solution is put into action. This means putting your ideas into action and making them a reality. It can be difficult to turn your ideas into a reality, but it's a must-do step. There are a number of things you can do to help you implement your ideas to create new solutions. First, you need to have a rational plan. This will help you stay focused and on track. You also need to be organized and efficient. Make sure you know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. Finally, don't be afraid to ask for help. There are plenty of people out there who will help you make your ideas a reality. ## Can Everyone Learn Creative Thinking? Some people are naturally more creative than others, but that doesn't mean that everyone can't learn to think creatively. There are several things you can do to help you improve your creative thinking skills. First, Don't be afraid to try something new or explore different ways of doing things. Be willing to experiment and take risks. Second, observe the world around you and look for patterns and connections that you might not have noticed before. Third, be persistent, and creative thinking takes practice. Don't give up if you don't see results immediately. Keep working at it and eventually, you will see your creative thinking improve. So, if you're looking to improve your creative thinking, there's no reason why you can't. It takes time and practice. ## Sources For Creative Ideas Things that we see and experience in our everyday lives [inspire creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-your-creative-inspiration/). Our experiences provide us with new ideas and perspectives that we wouldn't have otherwise. Our own imagination inspires us. We come up with new and innovative ideas by exploring different possibilities. Other people also inspired us. We learn from others and get new ideas from them. So, where do creative ideas come from? They come from a variety of sources. It just depends on the person and their ability to get their creative juices flowing. ## Don't Wait For Your Creative Muse Creativity is a process that often involves a lot of hard work and dedication. It's not something that comes easy to everyone, but it can be learned. And, once you learn how to be creative, you can use those skills to come up with innovative ideas. So, what do we mean by your “creative muse”? We mean the ability to come up with new and original ideas. It's a process that requires a lot of hard work, but it can be learned. And, once you learn how to build your creative thinking skills, you can use those skills to come up with innovative ideas. Some give too much credit to their [creative muse](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-find-your-free-range-muse-a-cruelty-free-guide-to-cultivating-inspiration/). Creativity doesn't just come from some magical place. It comes from a combination of things, including our experiences, our imagination, and our ability to see differently. If you want to be more creative, keep working at it, and eventually, you will see your creative thinking improve. Your creative results come from having a creative thinking process and creative thinking techniques and not some mysterious muse. ## Practice Your Creative Thinking Skills Creative thinking skills are something that everyone can learn and practice. How? ### 1\. Set aside time. Start by setting aside time each day to focus on exercising your creative thinking skills. This can be something as simple as doodling or brainstorming ideas for a new project. The important thing is to dedicate some time each day to thinking creatively. ### 2\. Be Open Minded. Be open to new ideas and perspectives. When you encounter something that seems different from your own worldview, take the time to explore it further. Try to understand where the other person is coming from and what they believe. This will help you become more open-minded and flexible in your own thinking. ### 3\. Practice. Practice “thinking outside the box.” One way to do this is to take a familiar object or situation and brainstorm alternate ways it could be used. For example, if you are given a pen, try to think of as many ways to use it other than writing. ### 4\. Journal Your Creative Thinking. Keep a journal where you can document your creative ideas. This will not only help you track your progress, but you can refer to it for inspiration when you’re feeling stuck. ### 5\. Find Creative Opportunities Seek opportunities to [collaborate with others](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-communities/). Brainstorming with a partner can push you to think in new and innovative ways. Being around other creative people will help you develop your own creativity. ### 6\. Be persistent Creative thinking requires a certain amount of risk-taking. You may have to try a few new things before you find something that works for you. Don’t give up if your first few attempts are unsuccessful. Remember, ## Creativity Skills Leaders Look For In a recent study, the number one skill leaders are searching for is employees that can think on their feet and come up with solutions when things don't go as planned. Individuals with these creative thinking skills are valuable assets to any organization. The impact of creative thinking skills that leaders look for include: ### The ability to come up with new and innovative ideas Most people think that only highly intelligent people are capable of coming up with new and innovative ideas. However, research has shown that this is not the case. Intelligence and creativity are not related. This means that anyone, even if they are no smarter than the average person, has the potential to be creative. ### The ability to think differently Creative thinking is the ability to think differently. Creatives are not limited by what they have been taught or told. They can come up with new and innovative ideas that others cannot because they have a different way of thinking about things. ### The ability to see possibilities where others do not They see possibilities where others do not, meaning they can take a fresh look in order to solve a problem. Creatives see possibilities in things that others might overlook. They bring a fresh perspective on the creative task. This means they are always looking for new ways to create creative solutions and are not afraid to try something new. ### The ability to see things from different perspectives Creative people see things differently than the norm and they have different ways of using their creative skills to solve problems, which can lead to new ideas or solutions. Creatives use their imagination and come up with original ideas. They look at the world differently and see things that other people don’t see. ### The ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently Creative thinkers are able to solve problems quickly and efficiently because of their open minds and they're not afraid to try. By not being limited to one way of thinking, they have more options and can find the best solution for the problem at hand. With their experience with running experiments and the failures that have happened, they don't let fear cause them to “go slow”. ### The ability to think abstractly Creatives are also able to think abstractly. They can see the connections between things that are not obviously related ([lateral thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/getting-and-keeping-your-creative-mojo/)). This allows them to come up with new and innovative ideas. ### The ability to be persistent Creatives are persistent because they believe in their ideas and they are not afraid of failure. They know it is through failure that we learn and grow. Persistence is important because it allows them to keep going, even when things are tough. ### The ability to adapt and be flexible They know that change is a part of life and that it is through change that we learn and grow. Innovators can adapt to new situations quickly and easily and come up with new solutions. Being flexible means being able to change your plans or your way of thinking when necessary. This is something that innovators are good at because they know nothing is set in stone and that things can always be changed. ### The ability to work well under pressure When a deadline is looming or there is a lot of stress in the air, creatives are able to remain calm and focused. They are able to see the situation for what it is and come up with a plan to solve the problem. This is because they are not afraid of failure and know that it is through failure that we learn and grow. ### The ability to think independently If you want to be creatively successful, it's important that you develop and hone these skills. By doing so, you'll be able to set yourself apart from the competition and make a name for yourself in your industry. ## Thinking Styles That Improve Creative Thinking Abilities There is a belief that innovators need to learn how to leverage; lateral thinking, divergent thinking, and convergent thinking. ### Lateral thinking Lateral thinking allows you to see how things that appear to be unrelated are actually related. This allows you to come up with new and innovative ideas. Lateral thinking is important for innovators because it allows them to see and think differently and come up with new solutions to problems. ### Divergent thinking You can see many diverse answers to a problem by using divergent thinking. This is important for innovators because it allows them to find new and innovative solutions by looking broadly. ### Convergent thinking It is a type of thinking that allows you to see the one correct solution to a problem. Most will apply convergent thinking after using lateral and divergent thinking in order to evaluate and reduce the multiple solutions to one. ## From Normality To Innovation Organizations must compete and win in the emerging innovation economy. A leader's ability to recruit and cultivate creative thinking skills is more important than ever. By definition, creative thinking is a way of looking at things differently in order to come up with new and innovative ideas. Organizations are now trying to nurture and grow their employees' creative thinking skills. This is because they know it is through innovation that they will create a competitive advantage. There is still time, but not as much as you think. While most organizations try to do things the way they've always been done, early movers in the innovation economy are creating a creative advantage. Traditional organizations rely on processes that have been proven to work in the past, and they stick to those processes even when times change. But the world is constantly changing and evolving. What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. This is where innovative organizations have the upper hand. They apply their teams' creative thinking skills to consistently come up with new ideas. They're not afraid to question the status quo and try new things. And because of this, they are able to adapt quickly to change and stay ahead of their competition. If you want your organization to be successful in the innovation economy, start encouraging creative thinking skills in your employees. You can do this by providing them with training and resources. If you're looking for more help in developing your employees' creative thinking skills, consider working with an [innovation agency](https://techtrend.com/what-you-need-to-know-before-working-with-an-innovation-agency/?ref=philmckinney.com) like [Techtrend](https://techtrend.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Greg Shepard with BOSS Capital Partners on Autism, Neurodiversity and Entrepreneurship URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/greg-shepard-with-boss-capital-partners-on-autism-neurodiversity-and-entrepreneurship/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:15.000Z Greg Shepard of BOSS Capital Partners joins us to discuss [autism](https://www.philmckinney.com/kevin-spencer-on-disability-innovation-through-magic-tricks/), neurodiversity, and entrepreneurship. ## The School System and Learning Styles Growing up, Greg struggled with learning in school and communicating. He had a different style of learning that schools did not teach. He scored very high in some areas but struggled in others. Greg’s kids go to the Winston School, which specialize in neurodiverse students. The school teaches students their learning styles before they do anything else. Once the kids understand how they learn, they can know which type best fits them. My three kids also had different learning styles when they were growing up. My wife and I homeschooled each of them through different curriculums. The [school system](https://philmckinney.com/high-schoolers-inventing-the-future/?ref=philmckinney.com) fails students when they don’t match teaching styles to learning styles. ## Autism, Neurodiversity, and Entrepreneurship Greg says starting a business is like a GPS. When using a GPS, you must know your current location and where you’re going. He connects that way of thinking to the acquiring of businesses. Most people jump into things before knowing where they are going and end up in the wrong place. Greg chooses to define the destination ahead of time and plan accordingly. It is not a matter of intelligence but rather [the lens you see things through](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/). Most people learn things one way and look at things that way. Neurodivergent people look between and around, seeing things differently naturally. This ability has greatly attributed to Greg’s career success. ## Organizations and Neurodiversity In most organizations, [neurodivergent people](https://www.philmckinney.com/does-neural-diversity-hiring-impact-your-innovation-success/) cannot get through the application process. To change this, organizations need to get rid of certain obstacles. Job applications often ask the wrong questions to those with different ways of thinking. Interviewers need to focus on areas these people are passionate about. This process will highlight their capabilities rather than getting overlooked. Additionally, neurodivergent people do not operate well with things that are not direct and specific. They need targeted things, and many interviewers fail to provide direct questions. ## About our Guest: Greg Shepard Greg is a 20-year startup veteran and serial entrepreneur with 14 liquidity events— selling two as part of a $925M transaction that won 4 PE awards for transactions between $250M-$1B. He is a ForbesBooks author and has written over 100 articles published in 25 national and international publications. Hie is also a TEDx speaker and keynote speaker for universities, associations, and conferences worldwide. He is the Host of Meet The BOSS Forbes Radio show and guested on over 25 popular podcasts and numerous network TV and radio shows. Greg co-founded BOSS Capital Partners, a global syndicate for investing in tech startups worldwide. He also Co-Founded BOSSStartupScience, the learning center based on Greg’s Business Operating Support System (BOSS). BOSS is an open-source methodology developed to empower entrepreneurs while increasing startup success rates. To know more about Greg Shepard, autism, neurodiversity, and entrepreneurship, listen to this week's show: **[Greg Shepard with BOSS Capital Partners on Autism, Neurodiversity and Entrepreneurship](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Greg%5FShepard%5Fwith%5FBOSS%5FCapital%5FPartners%5Fon%5FAutism%5FNeurodiversity%5Fand%5FEntrepreneurship.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Are You Playing The Innovation Long Game? An HP Story. URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-playing-the-innovation-long-game-an-hp-story/ Last updated: 2022-04-04T21:12:03.000Z It's a question that all businesses must ask themselves at some point: are we playing the innovation long game or have we settled for the quarterly short-term metric of innovation success? What does it take to stay engaged in an era when trend shifts happen with dizzying speed, and new technologies can quickly render yesterday's innovative solutions obsolete? For starters, it takes a commitment to[ long-term thinking](https://killerinnovations.com/short-term-thinking-is-dangerous-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). That means looking beyond the next product launch or market pivot and instead focusing on investing in innovation that will support your business for years to come. It also requires a willingness to experiment and take risks. ## **Time Frame For Innovation** ### **Playing The Short Game** The time frame for playing the short game for innovation is typically quarterly, where businesses are focused on making quick decisions that will affect their numbers in the short term. [Playing the short game](https://www.philmckinney.com/short-term-thinking-is-a-barrier-to-innovation-in-americas-private-sector/) for innovation often results in disappointing numbers. When businesses focus on one-time goals and quick decisions to benefit their immediate need, they end up hurting their overall growth prospects. ### **Playing The Long Game** Playing the innovation long game can take anywhere from several years to a decade or more, as businesses focus on laying the groundwork for future success. The key ingredient to maintaining any long-term innovation initiative is patience, sustained funding, and allowing sufficient time for the original mission to play out. Throughout history, there have been many instances of innovation breakthroughs that were not realized until several years in the future. ### **Pros and Cons** There are pros and cons to both approaches, of course. The short game can be thrilling, and it can produce results in the near term. But it's also risky, and it can be tough to maintain momentum over the long haul. The long game is more deliberate, but it's also more sustainable – and it can pay off in the form of lasting success. ## **Massive Shift to The Short Game** In 1970, the SEC put regulations in place that mandated quarterly reporting for all publicly traded U.S. companies. Combining this with the arrival of MBAs on Wall Street and their search for key performance indicators (KPIs) to predict the future performance of public companies, the quarterly results have pushed leaders to focus on short-term goals instead of long-term innovation. This is a massive shift that is seen throughout the business world. The problem with focusing on short-term goals is that they can often lead to disappointing numbers. History has shown that playing the short game on innovation results in near-zero breakthroughs when it comes to creating new products or services. Instead, the results are incremental. ## **How do organizations fight against the short game?** Organizations that focus their innovation effort on the short game lack strong innovation leadership. The Board and Executive Team must establish the long-term vision and be willing to make decisions that will have a positive long-term impact, not just a short-term gain. They also need to allocate the resources for the long game, which is often difficult when quarterly goals must be met. In order to play the innovation long game, it's important to have the right people on your team. This includes employees and partners, such as your[ innovation agency](https://techtrend.com/what-you-need-to-know-before-working-with-an-innovation-agency/?ref=philmckinney.com), with the skill set and mindset to think long-term, as well as a culture that supports risk-taking and experimentation. It's also important to have a clear vision and mission as part of[ your innovation strategy](https://techtrend.com/how-to-develop-an-innovation-strategy/?ref=philmckinney.com). When everyone agrees with where you're going, it's easier to make decisions that may not have an immediate impact, but will support your business for years to come. ## **The 7 Immutable Laws of Innovation** I've discovered a set of innovation laws through trial and error over the years. Of course, I have the scars from my education at the school of hard knocks to establish that these[ Seven Immutable Laws of Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-immutable-laws-of-innovation-follow-them-or-risk-the-consequences/) are essential for innovation success. The penalties for breaking any of them can be devastating. The laws apply to all sizes of businesses, ranging from well-established multinationals to early-stage start-ups to national governments. In playing the long game for innovation, there are two laws that leaders need to commit to. ### **Law of Patience** It takes time to be innovative. More time than expected. The company must have patience with the long-term vision that innovation requires. Leaders must avoid the urge to make quick changes. Annual budget resets (re-justification) force organizations to focus on short-term planning for innovation. If resources are adjusted to help the organization meet quarterly profit-and-loss challenges, then leadership (e.g. Board of Directors and Executive Team) are not playing the innovation long game. ### **Law of Resources** Innovation requires a committed level of resources (people, money, time, equipment, manufacturing, supply chain, sales channel, marketing, etc.) over an extended period. The level of resourcing is the validation of the importance and commitment the organization devotes to innovation. Does your executive team commit the best resources to innovation? Are the resources protected? ## **Success From Playing The Innovation Long Game** ### **HP Leadership in Computers** HP dabbled in the computer industry for years. David Packard challenged the leadership team to either commit or partner for the computers it needed. In 1985, after much discussion, David Packard and the team committed HP to become “the leading” manufacturer of computers. The timeline? David Packard set the goal to be achieved in 25 years! Now that is playing the long game. In 2008, HP took over number #1 market share in PCs, workstations, and servers making it the #1 computer company in the world. That was 23 years after David Packard's long game commitment to become the market leader in the computer industry. Had David Packard lived to see his 25-year long game, he would have been 95 when HP achieved the vision. How willing are you to establish an innovation long game beyond your lifetime? ## **Failures by Playing The Innovation Short Game** ### **HP Halo** Developed as a co-innovation effort with DreamWorks Animation, Halo was a response to travel concerns after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001\. Halo allows meeting participants to make eye contact, share files and documents, and shout over each other in an attempt to be heard, just like a real meeting. HP released the commercial version of [Halo in 2005](https://www.hp.com/us-en/hp-news/press-release.html?id=170674&ref=philmckinney.com#.YktEi-jMIaY). Since that time, many companies took the ideas of Halo and launched their own offerings, including Cisco Telepresence, Webex, and Zoom. In June 2011, HP failed the Law of Patience and exited the market, and [sold Halo to Polycom](https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2011/06/hp%5Fsells%5Fhalo%5Fvideoconferencin.html?ref=philmckinney.com). The deal included HP's products, employees, and customers. Fast forward to 2022 and HP acquires Poly which is the combination of Polycom and Plantronics. So they sold Halo to Poly in 2011 and 11 years later bought it back. What role could HP have played had it committed to the innovation long game in collaboration technologies? ### **HP Palm** In April 2010, HP announced the deal to buy Palm Inc for $1.2 billion. The plan was to combine Palm with the work that HP (via Compaq and the iPaq phone) had underway to expand its position in the mobile communication space. But again, HP failed the Law of Patience. In August 2011, HP chose to shut down Palm after only 16 months. The drive and focus on quarterly results overrode an agreed strategy between the Palm team, the Board, and HP Executive Team. ## **How Do You Commit To the Innovation Long Game?** Organizations have two options to play the innovation long game. First, use internal resources. Second, use external resources to avoid distracting internal resources from achieving the quarterly metrics. ### **Internal Resources** In order to successfully commit to the innovation long game with internal resources, it's important to have the right resources and experience in place. This includes things like a supportive corporate culture, ample funding and resources, and a team of talented and innovative employees. A company's corporate culture is a key factor in supporting long-term innovation. A culture that values risk-taking and creativity will be more likely to embrace new ideas and initiatives, while a risk-averse culture may stifle innovation. It's important for executives to create a corporate culture that supports and encourages employees to take risks and experiment with new ideas. Funding is also essential for committing to the innovation long game. Companies need to have the financial resources to invest in new products, research and development, and marketing. In order to sustain long-term innovation, companies also need to be willing to make short-term sacrifices in order to achieve long-term goals. Having a team of talented and innovative employees is another key ingredient for committing to the innovation long game. These employees can help to generate new ideas, test new products, and market new initiatives. It's important for companies to foster a culture of creativity and collaboration in order to encourage employees to share their ideas and work together to achieve common goals. ### **External Resources** By using external resources, companies can leverage the expertise and resources of outside organizations to achieve their goals. This includes things like partnering with other companies or working with innovation agencies. Partnering with Other Companies:[ Partnering (co-innovating) with other companies](https://killerinnovations.com/3-tips-to-innovating-with-a-co-innovation-partner/?ref=philmckinney.com) can be a great way to access new resources and expertise. This can include partnering with other companies in your industry to develop new products or partnering with companies in other industries to tap into new markets. Working with Innovation Agencies:[ Innovation agencies](https://techtrend.com/what-you-need-to-know-before-working-with-an-innovation-agency/?ref=philmckinney.com) can help companies to overcome the challenges of committing to the innovation long game. These agencies have experience in helping companies to innovate and can provide access to resources like ideas, funding, expertise, and networks. By using external resources, companies can avoid distracting their own employees from achieving the quarterly metrics while also playing the innovation long game. This can be a great way to achieve sustainable growth and stay ahead of the competition. ## **Are You Committed To The Long Game?** Most companies do not commit to playing the long game in innovation. This opens the door for companies that will commit to both achieving short-term results while also committing to long-term innovation. By being strategic about the resources used (internal, external, or both), companies can commit to the innovation long game and achieve sustainable growth. So, how do you know if your company is playing the innovation long game? The best way to find out is to ask yourself the following questions: 1. Do we have a corporate culture that supports risk-taking and creativity? 2. Are we willing to make short-term sacrifices in order to achieve long-term goals? 3. Do we have a team of talented and innovative employees? 4. Are we partnering with other companies or working with innovation agencies? 5. Are we willing to commit to the long game in innovation? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, then your company is not playing the innovation long game. ## **Time To Commit** The old adage that “good things come to those who wait” is not always true. Sometimes, in order to get what you want, you have to make sure it comes soon. It's a fact of life that some people are more innovative than others. But there are also organizations and companies with a culture of innovation where risk-taking and creativity are rewarded. What's the key to becoming one of those great innovators? It's not about being first to the market with a new product or service. It's about playing the long game, embracing change, and constantly learning and evolving. It's about taking risks and being willing to fail. It's about having a culture that supports innovation and risk-taking. So, are you playing the innovation long game? If not, it's time to start. The future of your organization depends on it. ### Rob Tiffany of Digital Insights on Digital Twins URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/rob-tiffany-of-digital-insights-on-digital-twins/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:53.000Z Rob Tiffany joins us to discuss innovations around digital twins and where the technology is making an impact. ## Digital Twins Rob is an industry analyst working around [wireless communications](https://www.philmckinney.com/alan-proithis-of-capstone-partners-on-innovation-collaboration/), IoT, digital twins, etc. Digital twins are digital representations of a physical object. These representations arose with NASA when they used them as digital models of spacecraft. GE started using them for aircraft engines in the early 2000s. As the [pace of innovation accelerates](https://www.philmckinney.com/scott-crowder-of-ibm-on-quantum-computing-and-its-impact/), things become more complicated. Rob likes to think of them as “asset avatars.” For example, if you have a 2018 Ford F-150, you build the digital twin to have the same properties as the car (oil, PSI in tires, engine, etc.). The digital twin holds all the elements that make up the object. Digital twins change the whole process of [building products](https://beyondtheobvious.com/sell-your-product-solve-a-problem/?ref=philmckinney.com) and improving them. Rob believes digital twin technology is in the early days because of low fidelity. The first person out of the gate usually doesn’t win with any innovation. Google was not the first search engine, for example. ## Electric Vehicle and Train Innovations One current issue affecting digital twins is the amount of data that an [electric vehicle](https://www.philmckinney.com/competing-for-fuel-efficiency-innovation/) generates. Data is collected when the vehicle reacts to traffic, changing signs, the weather, etc. When people plug their cars in, a lot of data is jammed in and sent to the digital twins, stressing data servers. While at Hitachi, Rob’s team had a platform called Lumada, which held their digital twins and analytics. In 2016 the UK government put out an RFP as they were looking to replace all the inter-city trains in the country. Hitachi had no footprint in Europe at the time but ran Lumada on Hitachi bullet trains. They won the deal. The digital twin technology was put into a real-life situation. ## About Our Guest: Rob Tiffany Rob Tiffany is Founder and Managing Director at Digital Insights. Rob served as Vice President and Head of IoT Strategy at Ericsson, driving 5G connection management for IoT devices. As CTO and Global Product Manager at Hitachi, he received the Presidential “Product of the Year” award for designing the Lumada Industrial IoT platform, which landed in Gartner’s “Leaders” Magic Quadrant. Spending most of his career at Microsoft, Rob was Global Technology Lead for the Azure IoT cloud platform and co-authored its reference architecture. Before Microsoft, he co-founded NetPerceptor developing one of the industry’s earliest Mobile Device Management (MDM/EMM) platforms for smartphones. A bestselling author and frequent keynote speaker, Rob serves on multiple boards. He is routinely ranked as one of the top IoT experts and influencers globally by Inc Magazine, Onalytica and others. To know more about Rob Tiffany and Digital Insights, listen to this week's show: **[Rob Tiffany of Digital Insights on Digital Twins](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Rob%5FTiffany%5Fof%5FDigital%5FInsights%5Fon%5FDigital%5FTwins.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Why Do People Keep Insisting On Dissenting From Me? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-do-people-keep-insisting-on-dissenting-from-me/ Last updated: 2022-07-03T22:08:48.000Z I just don't understand why people keep insisting on dissenting from me. It's really quite frustrating and annoying. But I suppose I'll just have to deal with it because it's not like I'm ever wrong about anything. 🤔 😉 Dissenting is expressing disagreement with or opposing an opinion, view, or attitude. So if someone is dissenting, they state they do not agree with a certain belief or idea. There can be many reasons someone might choose to dissent. They may believe that the opinion or view in question is wrong, harmful, or simply not in line with their own values. Sometimes, people may dissent simply because they want to provoke change or challenge the status quo. Whatever the reason, dissenting is a way of taking a stand against something. Dissenting can take many forms, from speaking out loudly and forcefully to more subtle methods like withholding support or refusing to [go along with the majority](https://killerinnovations.com/groupthink-kills-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). Sometimes, people may choose to express their dissent through acts of civil disobedience, which is a deliberate act of defiance against an unjust law or system. Dissenting is a powerful way to make one's voice heard and stand up for their beliefs. ## When Others Dissent From You Some people might tell you that there's only one way to do things and that anything else is wrong. They may try to convince you that their way is the best way or the only way. There is no one right answer to everything – in fact, sometimes the best ideas come from dissenting opinions. Be open to others' points of view and be willing to consider them, even if they're different from your own. It might [surprise you what you can learn](https://www.philmckinney.com/paying-it-forward-with-random-acts-of-kindness/). ## When You Are The Dissenter It’s not enough to just be right. You also have to convince other people of your point of view. That means you need data, arguments, and evidence that supports your opinion or idea. Dissenting opinions can create a diversity of thought that leads to better decision-making. They can also give you a chance to see the other side’s point of view and learn from it. But if you can’t argue your case convincingly, then your dissenting opinion won’t matter much. ## Playing Devil's Advocate To Raise Dissent [Playing the devil's advocate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s%5Fadvocate?ref=philmckinney.com) is a type of dissent that can improve an argument. It can help to identify the weaknesses in an argument and to find potential solutions. The devil's advocate is a person who takes on the role of arguing against a position, even if they don't actually believe in it. This can be a valid form of dissent because it can help to improve the quality of an argument by identifying its weaknesses. Playing the role of the devil's advocate can be seen as agitating for change. This is because it forces people to re-examine their beliefs and to consider other points of view. It can be a valid form of dissent because it can help to create discussion and debate about an issue. However, it is important to remember that playing the devil's advocate should not be used to attack someone or to make them look foolish. They should use it as a tool to improve an argument by identifying its weaknesses and finding potential solutions. > If you can't change someone's mind, change their reality. > > Phil McKinney ## Dissenting Opinions Role in the Innovation Process Dissenting opinions play a very important role in the innovation process. Why? Innovators who genuinely seek to change the status quo need dissent. Diverse groups relying on different perspectives and backgrounds can provide a wider range of insight than [innovation committees](https://www.philmckinney.com/if-you-want-to-innovate-then-dont-go-with-the-herd-groupthink-leads-to-bad-decisions/) composed solely of experts within an industry. In order for progress to be made, there must always be dissenting voices challenging the current paradigm or idea in place, no matter how widely accepted it may be. This is how innovation and change occur; someone has a new idea that goes against what is currently accepted, and they fight for it until it eventually becomes the new norm. While it may seem counterintuitive, having a dissenting voice in a group actually increases the creativity of the entire team. When people are faced with different perspectives, they are forced to [think outside the box](https://killerinnovations.com/box-think/?ref=philmckinney.com) and come up with new ideas that they may not have otherwise considered. So if you want your team to be truly innovative, encourage dissent and disagreement. It may not always be comfortable, but it is necessary for progress. ## Examples Of Dissent Leading To Innovation One of the most famous cases of dissent leading to innovation is when Galileo Galilei disagreed with the Church's stance on [heliocentrism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliocentrism?ref=philmckinney.com). Galileo's dissenting opinion led to him being put under house arrest, but his work and findings laid the foundation for the scientific revolution. If he had not gone against the grain, who knows how long it would have taken for the world to accept heliocentrism. An example of dissent leading to innovation is the Wright brothers. They were not the first to think of flight, but they were the first to successfully build and fly a plane. This was due, in part, to their willingness to dissent from the status quo and experiment with new ideas. If they had not been willing to take risks and push boundaries, we might still be waiting for someone to invent the airplane. ## Love The Dissenters So, the next time you are in a meeting and someone has a different opinion than you, don't dismiss them out of hand. Instead, listen to what they have to say and [consider their perspective](https://www.philmckinney.com/neurodiversity-and-innovation-the-benefits-of-hiring-employees-who-break-the-mold/). You may just find that you learn something new or come up with a better solution than you would have otherwise. Who knows, your dissenting opinion could be the next big thing! ### Scott Crowder of IBM on Quantum Computing and Its Impact URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/scott-crowder-of-ibm-on-quantum-computing-and-its-impact/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:53.000Z Scott Crowder of IBM joins us to discuss quantum computing and its potential to change the world of technology. ## Quantum Computing and Its Impact Scott leads the quantum computing efforts at [IBM](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-of-creative-strategies-on-work-from-home-wfh-apple-and-silicon-valley/). Quantum computing is an entirely different information science than what is considered classical computing. Quantum scales exponentially, whereas classical scales linearly. Data with structure, especially machine learning, and simulating quantum mechanics can't be done on a classical computer. Because of advances in technology, energy efficiency has dramatically increased over the last 70 years but still isn't linear. With quantum computing, every time a cubit is added to a system, the space that can be explored is doubled. This means that computing power is immensely more significant and more efficient. As Scott put it, it's "[sci-fi come to life](https://philmckinney.com/should-you-trust-your-gut/?ref=philmckinney.com)." ## Areas of focus To win in the quantum space, several things need to be done. The technology needs developing, as there is a ton of innovation required. Quantum computing needs to be simplified, which is one of IBM's goals. They also want to make the technology available to as many people as possible. IBM believes they will be the first to market quantum computers as doing more than classical computers**.** ## IBM and Collaboration IBM has one of the largest userbases of people exploring quantum computing. There are over twenty quantum computers available on the cloud today, with systems worldwide. They have a more open-access platform for exploration. They also have a platform with higher quality and capacity systems they provide to their partners for more profound research. They [collaborate](https://www.philmckinney.com/alan-proithis-of-capstone-partners-on-innovation-collaboration/) with over 175 industry, academic, and research institutions to identify ways to leverage the technology. IBM has adopted the attitude of "not doing everything on their own." Scott says if they [understand the problem](https://www.philmckinney.com/peter-lierni-of-solutioneering-on-innovating-frameworks-for-critical-thinking/) better, they will create better technologies. ## About our Guest: Scott Crowder Scott crowder is the Vice president of IBM Quantum and the CTO of IBM Systems, Technical Strategy & Transformation. Scott has his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. To know more about Scott Crowder and quantum computing, listen to this week's show: **[Scott Crowder of IBM on Quantum Computing and Its Impact](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Scott%5FCrowder%5Fof%5FIBM%5Fon%5FQuantum%5FComputing%5Fand%5FIts%5FImpact.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] --- Innovation doesn't happen by accident. It takes planning, action, and the right tools to achieve game-changing innovations. ### Should You Trust Your Gut? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/should-you-trust-your-gut/ Last updated: 2022-03-21T00:25:45.000Z Your gut is surprisingly smart. It knows what’s good for you, and how to keep your body functioning properly. When you are in danger, it is your gut reaction that triggers your fight-or-flight response. But do you trust your gut? Do you trust its decisions? Chances are, sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. You might even feel like your gut is betraying you. Trust is such a difficult thing for us humans because we are constantly second-guessing ourselves. We have this amazing ability to think things through and analyze different scenarios, but sometimes that can work against us. When we trust our gut, we are trusting our intuition, which can be a very powerful thing. ## What does it mean to trust your gut? Trusting your gut means following your intuition. Intuition is that little voice in your head that tells you what’s right and wrong. It’s the thing that makes you feel like something isn’t right, even if you can’t explain why. Trusting your gut means listening to that voice and acting on it. For example, you might meet someone and get a bad feeling about them. You have this nagging feeling telling you to be careful, but you can’t explain why. It would be best to trust your gut and stay away from this person in this situation. Sometimes trusting your gut can be difficult, especially when you can’t explain why you feel the way you do. In these situations, it’s important to remember that your intuition is based on your experiences and knowledge. If you have a bad feeling about something, it’s probably because your intuition is trying to tell you something. ## Can you always trust your gut feelings? You can't always trust your gut feelings. Your intuition (or “gut feelings”) is based on your experiences and knowledge, so it's not always accurate. For example, if you have a bad feeling about something, it might be because of a previous experience that you've had. However, there are times when you should trust your gut, even if you can't explain why. If you have a bad feeling about someone, it's probably best to stay away from them. ## Hollywood Example of Using Your Gut [Peter Guber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter%5FGuber?ref=philmckinney.com), former CEO of Sony Entertainment and a member of the ownership groups for the Golden State Warriors and LA Dodgers, was on my podcast back in September 2015\. Peter and I got connected when he interviewed me for his book, [Tell to Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story](https://amzn.to/3L2X3Ka?ref=philmckinney.com). During the podcast interview, Peter shared how to select business partners and the process of green lighting movies. Both involve gut instinct, intuition, and previous experiences. One question I asked during the interview was, “Are there movies that you were convinced would be a box office hit and instead were a flop?” His reply was, “Yes. That's what is called the moving industry.” One topic that applies to this post is when he shared the use of gut and intuition, along with a willingness to take some risks, to achieve success. Some interesting behind the scene examples of knowing when it's gut and when it's taking a risk. I would encourage you to listen to the [full interview here](https://killerinnovations.com/the-importance-of-stories-and-storytelling-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## When shouldn't you trust your gut instinct? There are times when you shouldn't rely solely on your gut instinct. One example is when you're making a big decision. In those cases, it's important to analyze all the facts and consider all your options. Another time is when you're feeling emotional or angry. In those situations, it's best to calm down and think things through before making a decision. ## How accurate is a gut feeling? A gut feeling, or intuition, is often seen as a fairly accurate way to make decisions. While research on the topic is limited, some studies have shown that people who trust their gut feelings tend to make better choices than those who don't trust their intuition. This may be because our guts are constantly processing information, even when we're not consciously thinking about it. According to a study, 85 percent of women who have a gut feeling that their partner is cheating are correct. Many people think that your gut feelings are quite trustworthy and should be paid attention to most of the time. The phrase “something just feels wrong,” is worth considering. So, as part of your decision-making process, it's worth listening to your gut. It may not always be right, but it's usually a good indicator of what you should do. ## Is your gut feeling logical or emotional? When you're making a decision, it's important to ask yourself whether your gut feeling is based on logic or emotions. If your gut feeling is based on logic, then it's probably a good idea to trust it. However, if your gut feeling is based on emotions, then you should be careful before following it. Emotional gut feelings are usually not as accurate as logical ones. This is because emotions can cloud our judgment and lead us to make impulsive decisions that we later regret. If you're feeling emotional about a decision, it's best to take some time to calm down and think things through before making a choice. ## Could unconscious biases influence trusting your gut? Unconscious bias can influence trusting your gut. Our unconscious biases are based on our past experiences and knowledge, so they can sometimes lead us to make inaccurate decision-making. For example, if we have a bias against someone, we might trust our gut feelings and avoid them, even if they're not actually harmful. It's important to be aware of our unconscious biases and try to override them when making decisions. This can be difficult, but it's important to remember that our gut feelings are not always accurate. We should trust them only when they make sense logically. ## Does your gut manifest with physical feelings? Your gut feelings manifest with physical feelings, such as being tense or nervous. For example, if you have a bad feeling about someone, it's probably best to stay away from them. If you trust your gut instinct, you'll be more likely to pay attention to these physical feelings and act on them. Examples of these physical feelings include feeling tense or nervous, having an upset stomach, or feeling like something is just not right. If you're feeling any of these physical sensations, it's worth paying attention to them and seeing if they're related to a gut feeling you have about a decision. If they are, trust your intuition and go with your first instinct. ## Is instinct the same as gut feelings? To clarify what you may be thinking, instinct differs from gut feelings. Instinct is a natural response that is automatic and doesn't require any thinking. Gut feelings are a type of intuition that requires some thinking. Gut feelings are based on logic and emotions, while instinct is based on natural responses. An example of an instinctive response would be animals fleeing from a forest fire. This is an example of an instinct because the animal does not have time to think, it just reacts. Trust your gut would be more like if you were in doubt whether to ask your boss for a raise. You would have to think about the pros and cons before making a decision, which is why it would be classified as a gut feeling and not an instinct. ## Is a hunch the same as gut feelings? A hunch is not the same as gut feelings. A hunch is more like a guess, while gut feelings are based on intuition. Intuition is a subconscious process that's constantly taking in information and making split-second decisions. This means that a gut feeling is usually more accurate than a hunch. Gut feelings are usually based on experience, whereas hunches can be based on anything. For example, you may have a hunch that someone is lying to you, but your gut feeling may be based on the fact that this person has lied to you before. ## In summary … So there you have it. Three reasons you should trust your gut: because it's usually right, it can help you stay calm, and it's based on intuition. So trust your gut the next time you're feeling indecisive. It may surprise you how accurate it is. And even if your gut feeling isn't 100% correct, you'll at least have the satisfaction of knowing that you made the decision yourself. ### Alan Proithis of Capstone Partners on Innovation Collaboration URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/alan-proithis-of-capstone-partners-on-innovation-collaboration/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:52.000Z Alan Proithis of Capstone Partners joins us to discuss private 5G networks and the importance of innovation collaboration. ## 5G Innovation Allen and I have worked together at different companies since the mid-90s. He is currently focused on private [5G networks](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-5g-capabilities/). There is an unprecedented amount of investment and interest in the mobile space. People want to apply 5G to some crazy areas. The consumer market around it has created some misconceptions about the technology. Allen believes consumers won't benefit from it in the short term. Enterprises, on the other hand, can potentially benefit significantly from it. Even with the need for public networks, 5G brings in a new dynamic. You can tune virtual slices of a private network to do exactly what you want, where you want, all on-demand. This process can all be done securely, which is appealing to many. ## Innovation collaboration Allen's firm, Capstone Partners, was part of a team that delivered the first private 5G network for the Department of Defense. Cisco, Federated Wireless, JMA Wireless, the Marine Corps customers, and various smaller partners played a vital role in the project. There was a [high level of collaboration](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-through-collaboration/), and this project wouldn't have worked without it. Collaborating with the right set of partners is key to reaching end goals. Innovation without collaboration is doomed for failure. ## Defining the Problem Within the practice of collaboration lies the critical task of [defining the problem](https://www.philmckinney.com/brainstorming-problem-statements-as-a-team/). Understanding the problem is a lot harder than most people think. Allen says understanding the problem requires getting your hands dirty. If you don't take the time to do this, you'll never understand the customer's problem deeply enough. As a result, you will not adequately solve their problem. No matter what the innovation is, it is vital to define the problem you are trying deeply ## About our Guest: Allen Proithis Allen Proithisis the CEO of Capstone Partners, a strategic advisory firm for clients in the mobile, IoT, software, and technology industries. Before Capstone, Allen was the President of Sigfox, North America. He created a high-performance team that built an Internet of Things business with top enterprise companies and verticals while providing wireless coverage for over 70M people in the US. Before Sigfox, he created a $155M IoT joint venture (Convida Wireless) with Sony, InterDigital, and Stephens Capital and served as Chairman. In 2014, Allen raised $15M to launch an Internet of Things spinout focused on accelerating value produced by the data generated by IoT. At InterDigital, Allen oversaw all market development activities, including commercializing IoT, Wi-Fi, shared spectrum, and video content management solutions. Allen was on and recognized by: CNBC, Fortune, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Fierce Wireless, MWC, and CES. To know more about Alan Proithis on Innovation Collaboration, listen to this week's show: **[Alan Proithis of Capstone Partners on Innovation Collaboration](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Alan%5FProithis%5Fof%5FCapstone%5FPartners%5Fon%5FInnovation%5FCollaboration.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] --- Innovation doesn't happen by accident. It takes planning, action, and the right tools to achieve game-changing innovations. Need help? Check out the aids/help over at[ innovation.tools](http://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Breaking Out of the Cycle of Lazy Thinking – A Dog Story URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/breaking-out-of-the-cycle-of-lazy-thinking-a-dog-story/ Last updated: 2022-03-14T18:11:53.000Z It's easy to fall back on repetition and patterns. We all do it, especially when we're tired or stressed. After all, it's a lot easier to keep doing what we've always done than to try something new. But there's a downside to relying too much on repetition and patterns: lazy thinking. When we rely too heavily on repetition and patterns, we stop thinking critically. We become less flexible in our thinking and more resistant to new ideas. We may even see the world in black-and-white terms, instead of the shades of gray that is reality. ## **Nevina – My Service Dog** ![Photo of Nevina - Phil McKinney's service dog ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ag7i9650-scaled-e1647117899227.jpg) Nevina is my German shepherd service dog whose training is based on repetition and patterns. Her obedience is amazing and her training solid. I can put her in any situation and she will use her training to do her job. This is due, in a large part, to the repetition and patterns her breeder and trainers have ingrained in her. I've found that in new experiences, I can direct Nevina using her skills and she will trust me and follow my lead. This is because she knows I won't ask her to do something that would put her at risk. In other areas where she has more experience than me (such as flying with a service dog), she takes the lead. I trust her. Repetition and patterns are important in training service dogs. It instills obedience and trust. Without these, it would be difficult for them to provide the services while keeping them safe. Thanks to Nevina's training, I know she will always have my back – no matter what. ## **Being Pattern Focused** There is a downside to having a dog that recognizes and repeats patterns. If I accidentally do the same thing three times a row, she assumes it's a pattern she needs to repeat. When I started a pattern of giving her a bone at night, she learned it and now expects it. My wife was not aware of the pattern. One night when I was away, she went to bed and Nevina planted herself at the end of the table, waiting for her bone. Eventually, my wife had to get up and go back to the living room to give Nevina her evening bone. Nevina would not budge from the pattern. My wife was not happy. ## **Good for Dogs – Not good for Creativity and Innovation** While repetition and patterns are good for training service dogs – they help to instill obedience and trust – they can be bad for creativity and innovation. When we rely too heavily on repetition and patterns, we stop thinking critically. We become less flexible in our thinking. We may even see the world in black-and-white terms based on the patterns we've learned, instead of the shades of gray that are reality. So, in new experiences, I direct Nevina to use her skills to problem solve how to do something. I want her to be open to new ideas and willing to try something new. This flexibility will help her – and me – in the long run. That is why you rarely will see me without Nevina. She goes everywhere with me. I want to expose her to ever-changing experiences. ## **Examples of Lazy Thinking** One example of lazy thinking from repetition and patterns is when people expect something to happen a certain way based on experience. When it doesn't happen the way they expected, they get confused or frustrated. For example, someone who has flown before may expect the process to be similar each time, but if there are unexpected delays or changes, they may get upset. Another example is when people assume others will act the same way they do based on previous interactions, but if someone behaves differently, they may get confused or angry. Lazy thinking can also occur when people rely on stereotypes and preconceptions to make decisions or judgments about others. For example, if someone has a negative stereotype or bias, they may automatically assume that all members of that group are lazy, stupid, or dangerous. Recently Nevina and I were in a Great Wolf Lodge with our grandkids. As we entered an elevator, with her service vest on, everyone in the elevator rushed off. It seems the family had an unpleasant experience with German shepherds and had a bias against the breed. I took it as an opportunity to take her vest off and let the kids pet and play with her. It also gave me an opportunity to teach them about her training. ## **How To Break Out of Lazy Thinking** It's difficult to break out of lazy thinking, but it's worth the effort. When you open your mind to new possibilities, you can learn and grow in ways you never thought possible. So what can we do to break out of the cycle of lazy thinking? There are several mental exercises that can help train the mind to break out of patterns and repetition that lead to lazy thinking. One approach is to explore the novel. Search out new ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This can be challenging, but it's worth the effort. Another approach is to be mindful of the way we think and question our assumptions and preconceptions. Are we seeing the world as it really is, or are we seeing it through the lens of our own biases and prejudices? A third approach is to practice problem-solving. When we face a tough challenge, our habitual responses may not be the best ones. Practice reasoning through problems in a step-by-step fashion, and see if you can come up with creative solutions. ## **Problem-Solving While Flying with a Service Dog** ![Photo of Nevina, Phil McKinney's service dog, on a flight](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/08f7c978-5824-412c-a4f4-8bcbf2f76b54-scaled-e1647119977593.jpg) For example, when we went on our first airplane ride together, I had never been on an airplane with a service dog. I knew she would know what to do. But we ran into the unexpected. So rather than getting stuck, she was flexible and looked at me to direct her using her skills. I told her what to do to get through the experience. She followed my lead, and we both had a great time. ## **Overcoming Lazy Thinking Habits** It’s not easy to break out of our comfort zones, but it is important to try. Lazy thinking can lead us down a dangerous path, away from creativity and innovation. Thanks to Nevina’s training, I know that it’s possible to break out of the cycle of repetition and patterns. She is a living example of flexibility and open-mindedness, and I am grateful for her presence in my life. Ultimately, it's up to each of us to break out of the cycle of lazy thinking and start thinking more critically. The more we challenge our mental patterns, the easier it will be to think outside the box and come up with original, novel ideas. As Nevina has shown me, it's possible to break out of the cycle of lazy thinking—but it takes effort and practice. > If Nevina can break out of the cycle of lazy thinking, so can I! > > Phil McKinney ### Peter Lierni of Solutioneering on Innovating Frameworks for Critical Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/peter-lierni-of-solutioneering-on-innovating-frameworks-for-critical-thinking/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:52.000Z Peter Lierni of Solutioneering joins us on the second episode of Season 18\. The [Solution Engineering Tool ](https://www.solutionengineeringtool.company/?ref=philmckinney.com)(SET) is a framework that takes an engineering-based approach to win competitive deals. ## The Solution Engineering Tool As a Navy officer, Peter lived on a ship, which he described as a system of systems. After leaving the Navy, he started consulting in the Pentagon, assessing complex weapons systems. Peter connected building a complex system and doing business development and capture and proposal planning. Peter began using different mental models he developed from his experiences to win deals. He was eventually encouraged to develop this into a [framework](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/), and the Solution Engineering Tool (SET) was born. SET is a tool of tools, holding sixty-one tools that companies of all sizes can use and for deals of all sizes and timeframes. ## The Importance of Critical Thinking Innovators often fail to think enough about their innovation's value critically. This critical thinking failure is where SET comes into play. SET starts with an issue and key factor analysis. The goal is to [understand the problem](https://www.philmckinney.com/brainstorming-problem-statements-as-a-team/), why it's a problem, and identify the critical problems and why they are problems. After that, it's a matter of showing the value your innovation offers. ## The Engineering Behind the Framework When SET is used, it stores a data lake of competitive intelligence. SET provides a digital and visual blueprint that federates all the thinking behind how you got to a win. Many companies can't repeat successes because they didn't document the process behind them. SET collects strategies behind wins to be built upon and repeated in the future. SET's root cause analysis helps identify areas of success and areas that need improvement. In the case of a loss, the compiled data can see where things went wrong. Peter says no matter what [innovation tool](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-types-of-innovation-tools/) you use, it's not the tool that makes you successful. It is how you use it. SET is meant to facilitate collaborative analysis to help you make decisions on strategies you apply, potential teams to partner with, who you should hire, and give reasons as to why your company should win a deal. To know more about Peter Lierni and the Solution Engineering Tool (SET) framework, listen to this week's show: **[Peter Lierni of Solutioneering on Innovating Frameworks for Critical Thinking](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Peter%5FLierni%5Fof%5FSolutioneering%5Fon%5FInnovating%5FFrameworks%5Ffor%5FCritical%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] --- Innovation doesn't happen by accident. It takes planning, action, and the right tools to achieve game-changing innovations. Need help? Check out the aids/help over at[ innovation.tools](http://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Hope or Cynicism: Which is the Right Outlook for the Future? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/hope-or-cynicism-which-is-the-right-outlook-for-the-future/ Last updated: 2022-03-07T14:19:24.000Z Hope or cynicism? This is a question that has been debated for centuries, and there is no simple answer. Some people believe that hope is the key to a bright future, while others feel that cynicism and pessimism are more realistic. Hope gives us the strength to face challenges head-on and to keep moving forward, even when things get tough. Society is at a point where we need to be hopeful about the future, and innovation will play a significant role in shaping our destiny. ## **Faith in Innovation** We all know that feeling: the exhilaration of seeing an amazing new invention or innovation for the first time. It's a rush of excitement, and it's a reminder that anything is possible. We're inspired by the possibilities, and we can't wait to see what comes next. Innovation has always been at the heart of human progress, and it's responsible for some of the greatest accomplishments in history. It allows us to dream big and imagine a brighter future, and it inspires us to reach for the stars. It's been responsible for some of the most amazing innovations in our world, and I believe it will continue to help us make progress in the future. We're living in an era of unprecedented innovation, and I believe that it's going to have a positive impact on our world. We're seeing new inventions and technologies every day, and they're changing the way we live our lives. The future is bright, and I'm hopeful and optimistic about what's to come. ## **Hope and Optimism** What do I define hope? [Hope](https://www.philmckinney.com/imagining-a-better-future-keys-to-human-progress/) is a feeling that what we want and need will happen. It is based on our faith that things will work out for the best, even if we don't know exactly how they will. Hope gives us the strength to keep going when things are tough. What do I mean when I say I am optimistic? Optimism is being hopeful about a better future. It is an active process. We know what the future looks like and we shape it with our decisions today so that the outcomes are ones we want to have tomorrow. Optimism has a way of finding its way into people's lives, and when optimism becomes a person's dominant perspective, good things happen. People with optimism are more likely to have a positive outlook on life and view challenges as opportunities. ## **What's The Difference?** Both hope and optimism are important in our lives, but they serve different purposes. Hope gives us the strength to keep going when things are tough, while optimism keeps us hopeful about the future. It's important to understand the difference between hope and optimism because it can affect our outlook on the future. Our belief fuels the hope that things will get better, while optimism is based on our belief that things will be good. ## **Pessimism and Cynicism** The opposite of hope is pessimism, and the opposite of optimism is cynicism. Pessimism is the belief that things will always be bad. This can be because of a general outlook on life, or specific events that have occurred. For example, someone who has been through a lot of hard times may believe that they will never have good luck again. They feel like they have less personal control than others. Cynicism is the belief that self-interest motivates people. This can be because of a general distrust of people, or specific experiences that have led someone to this belief. For example, someone who has been cheated on by their partner may believe that nobody can be trusted. Both pessimism and cynicism can lead to negative outcomes. Pessimism can cause people to give up on their goals, and cynicism can lead to a lot of anger and resentment. These negative emotions can have a negative impact on both our mental and physical health. ## **Can Someone Lose Infinite Hope?** Some people may see hope as a lifelong quality, while others may only see it as a temporary feeling. However, it is possible for someone to lose hope if they experience a lot of negative events and do not see any way to improve their situation. It is possible for someone to regain hope if they experience a positive event or realization. For example, if someone has been struggling with a chronic illness, they may regain hope after finding a new treatment that helps them feel better. It is important to remember that hope is not a perfect emotion. It's difficult to maintain hope in difficult situations, and sometimes our hopes do not come true. However, hope is an important part of life, and it is worth fighting for. ## **Positive Psychology Increases Hope and Optimism** Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes people happy and fulfilled. It focuses on people's strengths, rather than the negative aspects of life. One of the primary goals of positive psychology is to increase hope and optimism. This is done by teaching people how to use their strengths to overcome challenges. Positive psychology can help people develop a more [optimistic outlook](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-have-power-to-change-the-world/) on life and increase their hope for the future. There are a few ways that you can use your strengths to create positive psychology. First, you can **use your strengths to set goals**. When you have a goal that is important to you, it will give you something to focus on and be hopeful for. Second, you can **use your strengths to help others**. When you help someone else achieve their goals, or make them feel better, it will increase your sense of optimism and hope.[ Pay it forward](https://www.philmckinney.com/paying-it-forward-with-random-acts-of-kindness/). Finally, you can **use your strengths to change your attitude**. When you are feeling negative, try using your strengths to turn that around. For example, if you are feeling stressed out, try focusing on the things that you are good at. This will help you feel more positive and optimistic about the future. Hope and optimism are not “nice to have”. They are important in creating a meaningful life. Exhibiting hope gives us the strength to keep going when things are tough, while optimism keeps us confident about the future. By learning to use our strengths, we increase our hope and optimism, which can make us happier and more fulfilled. ## **Positive Psychology's Role In Innovation** Positive psychology has a significant role in creativity and innovation. It helps people to come up with new ideas and to be more creative overall. This is because it encourages people to explore their strengths and possibilities. It also helps people to be more open-minded and to think outside the box. In addition, positive psychology helps people to be more persistent. When faced with a challenge, people who are positive keep trying until they find a solution. This is because they have hope for the future, and they believe things will eventually work out. Finally, positive psychology helps people to be more confident. This is important for creativity and innovation, as confidence allows people to take risks and experiment with new ideas. These factors together create an environment that is conducive to creativity and innovation. Positive psychology provides support and encouragement for people to be creative and innovative. It helps them to believe in themselves and to see the potential in their ideas. This makes positive psychology an essential component of any organization or team that is striving for creative and innovative success. ## **Innovation's Impact on The Future** Innovation feeds hope and optimism. With each new invention or discovery, we have hope that things will get better and we have a confident feeling about a better future. Therefore, it's so important for us to continue pushing forward with new innovations – it not only benefits us individually but also society. We need to have hope and be optimistic about the future in order to make progress, and innovation is one of the primary drivers of that progress. ## **Examples of Innovations That Increased Hope and Optimism** Some examples of innovations that have driven hope and optimism: The invention of the electric light bulb: The electric light bulb was a huge breakthrough in technology, and it ushered in a new era of optimism and hope for the future. It showed that anything is possible if we put our minds to it, and it gave people a glimpse of the bright future that was waiting for them. With this new invention, anything seemed possible – people could suddenly imagine a world without darkness, and that was a very hopeful prospect indeed. The discovery of penicillin: The discovery of penicillin was a breakthrough in medicine, and it allowed for the treatment of many previously untreatable diseases. It was a true game-changer, and it gave people hope for a brighter future. It showed that we can make amazing discoveries and innovations, and it gave people faith in the power of science and medicine. Penicillin was a symbol of hope and optimism, and it paved the way for future medical breakthroughs. The first manned mission to the moon: The first manned mission to the moon was an incredible accomplishment, and it showed the world that anything is possible. It showed the power of human innovation and ingenuity, and it gave people a renewed sense of hope for the future. It showed them we can achieve great things, and it inspired them to reach for the stars. The development of the internet: The internet has been one of the most transformative inventions in history, and it's brought about a new era of hope and optimism. It's allowed people from all over the world to connect with each other, and it's given us access to knowledge and information like never before. It's also allowed for new modes of communication and collaboration, which have had a positive impact on society. ## **Examples of Innovations That Feed Pessimism and Cynicism** Some examples of innovations that have fed pessimism and cynicism: The development of nuclear weapons: The development of nuclear weapons was a dangerous and misguided innovation, and it's had a devastating impact on the world. It's shown us the terrible potential of these weapons, and it's raised the risk of a global nuclear war. It's been a huge step in the wrong direction, and it's led to a more cynical and pessimistic view of the world. Using social media to spread fake news: Social media has had a profound and negative impact on society. It's created an environment where people are deluged with fake news that attempts to divide society. It's fostered a culture of narcissism and self-obsession, and it's had a negative impact on our mental health. Social media has been a major disappointment, and it's given us a more cynical and pessimistic view of the world. ## **My View of The Future And Innovations Role** When we have hope and optimism in our lives, it affects all aspects of our lives, from our personal relationships to our work. We're more likely to be successful in everything we do when we have hope and optimism because we believe we can do it. I think that innovation has a significant role in hope and optimism. Innovation allows us to dream big and imagine a brighter future, and it inspires us to reach for the stars. It's been responsible for some of the greatest accomplishments in human history, and I believe it will continue to help us make progress in the future. I'm hopeful and optimistic about the future, and I believe that innovation will continue to play a leading role in making our world a better place. > Innovation is like a fastball: it makes you feel good and then it's gone. --- [![Logo for the innovation.tools store](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/innovation-tools-logo-2022-tagline-ttg-red.png)](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) At the [Innovation.Tools](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) store, we know that innovation doesn't happen by accident. It takes planning, action, and the right tools to achieve world-impacting innovations. Our store curates innovation tools, workshops, along with expert keynote speakers and facilitators. We invite you to explore our store and find the tools that will help you achieve your innovation goals! [Visit Innovation.Tools Store](https://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Ask Me Anything Q&A URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ask-me-anything-qa/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:33.000Z Welcome to season 18 of the Killer Innovations [podcast](https://philmckinney.libsyn.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)! We are thrilled to kick off the 18th year of Killer Innovations. This episode is dedicated to answering your questions about the podcast. ## Ask Me Anything: Killer Innovations Q&A ### What was the original impetus for the podcast? My mentor Bob Davis, who I attribute much of my success to, inspired me to pay it forward ### What was your inspiration for the format and structure of the podcast? I used to listen to a motivational speaker, Earl Nightingale's Insight Audio Magazine cassette tapes. ### How did you produce the first podcast? I recorded it in a Marriott bathroom, using a $5 microphone attached to my laptop. ### How did the podcast get traction? Adam Curry, an MTV VJ who had a podcast called Daily Source Code, promoted my show. ### What would be some surprising "podcast history" that others would find interesting? Odeo was a podcast directory that promoted my podcast on their show. Not too long after, the Apple podcast came out, killing Odeo. Odeo pivoted and eventually became Twitter. What was the original audience for the podcast? – The original audience consisted of mostly tech people. ### Has the target audience for the podcast changed over time? Yes, most early listeners were podcasters. Now people from all sorts of backgrounds are listening. ### What makes your show different from other podcasts? Longevity (averaged 40-45 episodes a year for seventeen years) and staying consistent with the content. ### How have you produced the show over such a long period? This show is my creative outlet. ### What are some of your favorite episodes? [**Geoffrey Moore**](https://www.philmckinney.com/geoffrey-moore-what-it-takes-to-be-an-innovation-leader/) or [**Peter Guber**](https://www.philmckinney.com/sept-27th-with-peter-guber/). ### What has been the biggest challenge with [the podcast](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-turned-my-podcast-into-a-book-and-radio-show/)? Dealing with personal issues that impact getting a show out and maintaining consistency ### What is your advice to today's podcasters? Don't chase the numbers. Focus on your content, be consistent, and collaborate with other podcasters who you like. ### How can someone who listens to the podcast benefit from it? The podcast is encouraging and holds timeless content with a long/deep archive of episodes - take advantage of it. ### What would you say is your most significant achievement with the podcast? Inspiring others to podcast, inspiring creatives to create, and inspiring innovators to invent ### Is there something you experienced that was unexpected about your podcast? Fans were becoming friends – Woody, Seth (designer), and many others. ### What was the most incredible experience with fans of the podcast? The listeners of the show threw me a party in London. To know more about the Killer Innovations Show, listen to this week's show: **[Ask Me Anything Q&A](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Season%5F18%5FLaunch%5F%5FAsk%5FMe%5FAnything%5FQA.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] --- Innovation doesn't happen by accident. It takes planning, action, and the right tools to achieve game-changing innovations. Need help? Check out the aids/help over at[ innovation.tools](http://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com). ### Disruptive Innovation: The Theory Behind How It Works and Its Impact on Society URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-innovation-the-theory-behind-how-it-works-and-its-impact-on-society/ Last updated: 2022-07-03T22:02:03.000Z Disruptive innovation has the potential to change our world for the better, but it can also have negative consequences for certain individuals and industries who cannot adapt to the changes. In order to leverage how disruptive innovation work, we must first understand what it is and how it works. What is the theory behind disruptive innovation and its impact on society — what are the positive and negative effects? Are there disruptive innovations that you should monitor and be ready to respond to? What about disruptive innovation for social change? ## **Disruptive Innovation Theory** New products and services are disruptive when they offer lower prices and better quality than the products in the existing market. Business models are disruptive when they provide different ways of making money from customers, such as using advertising to make money instead of charging for their product (Google). Obsolescence of old products and services also qualifies as disruptive because it takes away the demand for what used to be in high demand (paper maps). Disruptive innovation is a process or event that changes an industry or market by introducing a new product, service, or business model that differs significantly from and is often superior to the existing one. It can be a positive force for change in society, ushering in additional levels of efficiency, productivity, and convenience. However, it can also have negative consequences for certain individuals and industries who [cannot adapt to the changes](https://killerinnovations.com/disruptive-shocks/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## **Three Types of Disruptions** The impact of disruption varies depending on the type of disruptive innovation. There are three types of disruptions: 1. The first type of disruption is the introduction of a new product or service that differs significantly from and is often superior to the existing one. This can be a game-changer for the industry and can cause incumbents to lose market share or even go out of business. 2. The second type of disruption is when a new business model is introduced that differs significantly from and is often superior to the existing one. This can also be a game-changer for the industry and can cause incumbents to lose market share or even go out of business. 3. The third type of disruption is when technology advancements make older products, services, or business models obsolete. This can cause incumbents to lose market share or even go out of business. ## **Understanding The Disruptive Potential** The disruptive potential is the likelihood that a new product or service will create a new market and eventually disrupt an existing market. It is a measure of how disruptive a product or service is likely to be. There are three key factors that contribute to the disruptive potential of an innovation: 1. **The degree of simplicity:** simplicity of innovation is a key factor in its disruptive potential. The simpler the innovation, the easier it is to learn and use, and the more likely it is to be adopted by consumers. [Simple innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/affordance/) are also more likely to disrupt existing markets, as they are often cheaper and/or more effective than existing products or services. 2. **The degree of compatibility:** The degree of compatibility of an innovation is also a key factor in its disruptive potential. The more compatible the innovation is with the existing system, the less disruptive it is likely to be. In order to be disruptive, an innovation must be incompatible with the status quo, and therefore must offer a better solution to a problem that the status quo cannot solve. 3. **The degree of affordability:** Affordability is a key factor in disruptive potential, as it is often the reason why an innovation is adopted by consumers. An affordable innovation is more likely to be adopted than an expensive one, as people are more likely to switch to a product or service that is cheaper than the one they are currently using. An affordable innovation is more likely to disrupt an existing market, as it is often cheaper and/or more effective than existing products or services. ## **How can incumbents protect themselves from disruptive threats?** There are a few ways that incumbents can protect themselves from disruptive threats. One is to predict disruptive innovations and develop similar products or services. Another is to invest in disruptive companies, hoping they will not become disruptive threats. Incumbents can also try to differentiate themselves from disruptive companies by emphasizing the quality of their products or services. Finally, incumbents can try to create a culture of innovation within their company. ### **Predicting Disruptive Innovations** There are a few ways to predict disruptive innovations. One is to watch for changes in customer needs or preferences. Another is to look for new technologies or business model innovation that could disrupt your industry. You can also track the activities of disruptive companies and see what products or services they might be developing. Finally, you can talk to disruptive companies and find out what their plans are. ### **Invest in Disruptive Companies** There are a few reasons you should invest in disruptive companies. First, disruptive companies have the potential to be very successful. They often have a lot of momentum and disrupt the status quo. Second, disruptive companies are often very innovative and can come up with new products or services that can change your industry. Finally, disruptive companies are usually cheaper to invest in than non-disruptive companies. ### **Create a Culture of Innovation** Creating a [culture of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/build-culture-innovation/) is important because it allows companies to be more responsive to disruptive threats. A culture of innovation encourages employees to come up with new ideas, and it allows them to experiment and take risks. This makes it easier for companies to adapt to disruptive innovations, and it allows them to stay competitive in the marketplace. ## **Society and Disruptive Innovations** The role of society with disruptive innovations is to accept and embrace the change. Society must try the new product or service and switch from the old product, service, or business model. It is often difficult for society to accept change, but disruptive innovations offer a better solution to a problem that the status quo cannot solve. ### **How can disruptions improve society?** Disruptive innovation can improve society by bringing about new levels of efficiency, productivity, and convenience. For example, the personal computer and the internet have made it possible for people to access information and communicate with each other faster and more easily than ever before. This has led to increased efficiency and productivity in both the workplace and in our personal lives. ### **How can disruptions harm society?** Disruptions can have negative consequences for certain individuals and industries who cannot adapt to the changes. For example, digital photography has led to the decline of the traditional photography industry. This has resulted in layoffs and the closure of photo labs across the country. Disruptive technologies provide a superior solution to problems that the status quo could not solve. They have the potential to revolutionize society by generating higher degrees of efficiency, productivity, and convenience. However, they may also have detrimental effects on certain individuals and businesses who cannot succumb to them. ## **How could governments (society) encourage disruptive technology development?** Governments and society could encourage disruptive technology development by creating an environment that is conducive to it. This could include providing incentives for businesses to adopt disruptive technologies and investing in research and development to promote innovation. Governments could also help to create a market for disruptive technologies by supporting their adoption of them by consumers and businesses. For example, the government could provide financial help to help businesses adopt disruptive technologies or create tax breaks for consumers who purchase disruptive products. ## **Disruptive Innovation Examples** An example of an innovation that disrupted established companies was the introduction of the iPhone by Apple. The iPhone was a disruptive innovation because it was a new product that was significantly different from and superior to the existing ones on the market. It caused incumbents like Nokia and BlackBerry to lose market share, or sometimes to go out of business, because they failed to respond to the changing business model. Another example is the introduction of online banking, which was a disruptive innovation because it was a new business model that differed significantly from, and was superior to, the existing ones. It caused incumbents like brick-and-mortar banks to lose market share or to be gained by more nimble competitors. Finally, an example of market disruption is the introduction of digital photography, which caused incumbents like Kodak to lose market share until they embraced the new business model. ## **What Disruptive Technology Should You Track?** How do disruptive technologies affect a business? There are many disruptive technologies that businesses should track, but here are five of the most important: ### **1\. Artificial intelligence and machine learning** Artificial intelligence and machine learning are disruptive technologies because they have the potential to change the way we live and work. They can make our lives easier by automating tasks that are currently done by human beings. For example, they can diagnose diseases and predict weather patterns and stock market trends. They can also create new products and services that are more efficient and user-friendly than those currently available. ### **2\. Augmented and virtual reality** Augmented and virtual reality provides a new way to experience life by adding things that weren't originally there in our world. This could be something as simple as seeing information overlaid onto objects in the real world, or it could be a full virtual reality experience in which you completely immerse yourself in an alternate world. It is disruptive because they have the potential to change how we interact with the world. ### **3\. Blockchain technology** Blockchain technology is a distributed database that allows for secure, transparent, and tamper-proof transactions. It is underpinned by cryptography and can track the ownership of digital assets or record data. Blockchain technology has the potential to disrupt several industries, including banking, finance, insurance, healthcare, and logistics. It could also create tamper-proof records of events and transactions. ### **4\. 5G wireless technology** 5G wireless technology is an excellent example of disruptive innovation. It is simpler and cheaper than 4G technology, and it offers greater bandwidth and faster speeds. This makes it ideal for streaming video and other data-intensive activities. 5G wireless technology is also more responsive, which makes it better for applications such as self-driving cars. ### **5\. Edge Computing** Edge computing is a newer term — sometimes called edge networks. It is a distributed computing architecture where data processing and content delivery are pushed to the edge of the network, closer to the user or device. Edge networks are those that handle large volumes of data and traffic near the edge of the network, often in proximity to users and devices. Edge computing will disrupt how we process and store data. By moving data processing closer to the edge of the network, we can improve response times and reduce bandwidth requirements. This will be a disruptive change for businesses and consumers alike. ## **Conclusion** Are you looking for disruptive innovation? Disruptive innovations are those that change the way we live and work for the better. They are disruptive because they offer a new and better way of doing things that are often superior to the status quo. It doesn't matter what industry they are a part of, businesses should track disruptive technologies so that they can stay ahead of the curve and take advantage of these innovations. They have the potential to change entire industries and make our lives easier. So don't be afraid to be disruptive. Embrace it! Innovation drives progress, and disruptive innovation is the best kind there is. Need help? Check out the aids/help over at [innovation.tools](http://innovation.tools/?ref=philmckinney.com). > Disruptive innovation is the key to progress – embrace it! ### Imagining a Better Future: Keys to Human Progress URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/imagining-a-better-future-keys-to-human-progress/ Last updated: 2022-02-23T14:38:55.000Z Playing it safe will lead to the decay of human progress. The way to a great future is through innovation and creativity. This may sound like something from the dawn of time, but it has never been more true in today's world. Innovation and creativity are at the heart of our economic recovery, our environmental sustainability, and all aspects of human progress. What amazes me most about this is that we have so much talent — yet some people seem determined not to use it. We're stuck in a rut: too many people are just going with their gut instead of using their heads or their hearts; others seem paralyzed by fear and uncertainty; still, others want to keep playing it safe rather than taking risks or experimenting with new ideas. But if we don't use our talent, we will lose it. What's not clear is whether we can find our way out of the rut, or whether we've become too comfortable in doing things the same old ways. We're facing a tough battle with competing forces that are fueling a vicious cycle of decay. These are scary times, but they also offer opportunities for [positive change](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-have-power-to-change-the-world/) if we seize the moment and focus on making things work rather than just talking about them. ## Human History of Benefiting From Creativity and Innovation From the earliest days of human existence, we have been driven by a need to create and innovate. Our earliest ancestors were creative in their efforts to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world. They invented tools and weapons and discovered new ways to exploit the natural resources around them. In more recent times, humans have continued to be creative in their efforts to improve the world around them. We have invented cars, planes, and spacecraft; created new medicines and technologies; and explored new frontiers both on Earth and in space. The human race has come a long way thanks to our creativity and innovation. And there is no doubt that we will continue to create and innovate as we move forward. ## Recent Examples of Human Progress We have developed ways to generate power without harming the environment through innovation and creativity. Electric cars are another great example—with enough creative thinking, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. And finally, organic farming is growing in popularity all around the world as people become more aware of the benefits of sustainable agriculture that reduces environmental damage. ## Define What Do We Mean By Human Progress When we talk about human progress through innovation and creativity, we're talking about the ways in which humans have been able to improve their lives through new inventions and ideas. These improvements can address the range of possibilities, such as environmental damage and global poverty, while increasing human flourishing and well-being by creating a better future. These things represent major steps forward for humanity, and they're all made possible by our ability to come up with new ways of doing things. So, when we talk about human progress, we're really talking about the ability of humans to innovate and create new solutions to old problems. I'll be the first to admit that this is not a straightforward task. As many of you have probably already found out, innovation can sometimes seem like a distant goal. But it's worth trying to leave a better world for our kids, and our grandkids. ## The Role of Innovation And Creativity in Human Progress In order to achieve this innovation goal, we have to push the boundaries of what is possible. We have to take some risks knowing that it may not always pay off. The key is learning from our mistakes and trying new things until we find something that works. This might not seem easy at first, but I think you'll find it is worthwhile. We all have to realize that our present reality is only one potential outcome, and there are plenty of other possibilities out there just waiting to be stumbled upon. So, if playing it safe leads to decay, what does taking a risk get you? In order for us to achieve any kind of progress, we have to take risks. We have to realize that safety is not the key to success because it keeps us stuck in place. Human beings are very resourceful creatures because of our ability to think outside the box and find creative solutions to problems, but all of this potential goes wasted if we're too scared of failure. We all have to learn that taking a chance can often be worth it, and sometimes it will even lead us to something truly great. ## Is Creativity and Innovation Part of Human Nature? It's hard to imagine a world without creativity and innovation. These are two of the most important aspects of human nature. They allow us to explore new possibilities and create new things. Creativity and innovation aren't just about making new things. They're also about making old things better. We can see this in every aspect of our lives, from the way we live our lives to the way we work. There's no doubt that creativity and innovation are essential parts of human nature. They allow us to thrive and grow in a constantly changing world. The ability to be creative and innovative is not something that is limited to a few people. It is something that everyone can develop. All it takes is a willingness to experiment and take risks. ## Is All Human Progress Good? While it's true that human progress has led to some amazing inventions and ideas, it's also led to some dark chapters in our history. For every step forward we take as a species, we seem to take two steps back. So, is all human progress good? I don't think there's an easy answer to this question. If you look strictly at technological advancements and the economy, things seem to be going great. But if you look more closely at some of these advancements and what they've actually cost us as a species, we might not be better off than we were before these advances happened. Some good examples of human progress include the development of vaccines, the discovery of antibiotics, and the rise of democracy. Some awful examples of human progress include the development of nuclear weapons and the rise of fascism. ## Guidelines For Human Progress When it comes to human progress, we need to be careful about what we wish for. We need to weigh the benefits against the costs. We need to make sure that we're not sacrificing our values in the pursuit of progress. The guidelines I believe we should use to evaluate human progress are: ### 1) We should always be mindful of the unintended consequences of our actions. One of the chief dangers of unintended consequences is that they can often be out of our control. They can lead to things happening that we never wanted, and can often have a negative impact on society. It's important that we are mindful of the unintended consequences of our actions when it comes to human progress because it can help us avoid making mistakes that could have a negative impact on the future. ### 2) We should only pursue progress if it is actually going to make us better as a species. Many people think that making improvements and progress is always a good idea. But what do you mean by “making improvement?” Is it because of the potential to make our lives better? The potential to make us an even more efficient society than we already are now? Or is it the future that passes in front of us, constantly inspiring us with new ideas, new visions, and hopes for what could be if only we take those chances, take those risks? The answer is unclear. For some, they want sweeping change, new ideas, and all other conceivable improvements. They imagine themselves as a member of a movement that will lead humanity into their ideal future, such as improving economic power and human rights. You must be careful to only pursue progress if it is actually going to make us better as a species because some of these “advances” are more like disrupting elements that will have negative consequences for our future or society. The future doesn't belong to a select few. The future belongs to all of us. ### 3) We should never sacrifice our values in the pursuit of progress. It's important that we don't sacrifice our values in the pursuit of progress because if we do, we may not achieve the positive outcomes that we're hoping for. We may end up with a dystopian future. This is because, without our values, we can no longer tell the difference between right and wrong. We also can no longer appreciate the good in life, which is what makes it worth living. If we will sacrifice our values, then there are no longer any boundaries on how far society will go. The guidelines center on the question: “Is it worth it?” ## Conclusion Too many people are stuck in short-term thinking, which can lead them to believe that human progress will only result in disaster and dystopia. However, we must remember that human ingenuity and creativity have been responsible for some of our most incredible progress as a species. The future of our society is in our hands. We need to be careful about the decisions we make, and weigh the benefits against the costs. But most importantly, we should never sacrifice our values in the pursuit of progress. Our kids' and grandkids' futures depend on it. > The future is not someplace we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination. > > John Schaar ### Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies on Work from Home (WFH), Apple and Silicon Valley URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-of-creative-strategies-on-work-from-home-wfh-apple-and-silicon-valley/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:51.000Z COVID-19 greatly impacted technology efforts and continues to do so rapidly. Tim Bajarin joins us from Silicon Valley to discuss work from home shifts and the newest innovations from Apple. ## Tim Bajarin On WFH Shifts Over the last eighteen months, businesses have realized that bringing everybody back to the office isn’t realistic. People are comfortable with the flexibility that working from home provides. Creative Strategies did several studies on this topic and discovered that people establish [sophisticated work from home set-ups](https://www.philmckinney.com/bob-odonnell-of-technalysis-research-what-innovation-impacts-you/). Because people want consistency with their office and work from home, IT directors face new challenges. Even when in-office, people are still connecting with clients and colleagues virtually. Because people now want studios in their homes for work, homeschooling kids, etc., the housing demand has skyrocketed. Architects are currently designing new custom homes that include studios. We are moving towards the hybrid environment being the norm. Large and small companies have been investing in sprucing up their offices for their employees to match their WFH settings. ## Shifts in Technology COVID has opened room for more [innovative technologies](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/). People want better cameras, pushing laptop makers and other tech companies to make heavy improvements. Intel competitors have evolved, such as AMD and Qualcomm. Apple’s introduction of the M1 Chip has immensely shaken things up in the valley. The demand for Macs has increased immensely as well. [Apple](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-optimal-innovation-team-size/) is innovating on so many fronts and has the patience to stay in it for the long run. ## Regulatory Pressures Government regulation has become more prevalent, specifically with the European Union, as it attempts to harness the growth of companies like Apple and Facebook. Tim says that Washington D.C does not understand technology, which has caused some issues. While they talk significantly about clamping down on things, the reality is that great economic challenges will arise if governing bodies step in. ## About our Guest: Tim Bajarin Tim Bajarin is one of [the most recognized and sought-after global technology analysts](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/), futurists, and consultants. His fifty years in Silicon Valley have made him a voice that moves the market. “With his writing and analysis being at the forefront of the digital revolution, Tim was one of the first to cover the personal computer industry and is considered one of the leading experts in the field of technology adoption life cycles. He is president of a technology-focused company, [Creative Strategies](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Creative%5FStrategies&action=edit&redlink=1&ref=philmckinney.com), and a regular podcaster on [Tech.Pinions](https://techpinions.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) (also broadcasted on The Innovators Network). He is a futurist and credited with predicting the desktop publishing revolution three years before it reached the market and multimedia. Been with Creative Strategies since 1981, Tim has served as a consultant to most of the leading hardware and software vendors in the industry (IBM, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, AMD, HP, Xerox, Compaq, Dell, AT&T, Microsoft, Polaroid, Lotus, Epson, Qualcomm, Toshiba, and numerous others). Tim Bajarin is on the technology advisory boards of IBM, Compaq, and Dell. *(from* [*Wikipedia*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim%5FBajarin?ref=philmckinney.com)*)”* To know more about Tim Bajarin, Work from Home (WFH), Apple, and Silicon Valley, listen to this week's show: [***Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies on Work from Home (WFH), Apple and Silicon Valley***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Tim%5FBajarin%5Fof%5FCreative%5FStrategies%5Fon%5FWork%5Ffrom%5FHome%5FWFH%5FApple%5Fand%5FSilicon%5FValley.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Bob O'Donnell of TECHnalysis Research — What Innovation Will Impact You? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/bob-odonnell-of-technalysis-research-what-innovation-impacts-you/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:51.000Z It's no mystery that COVID-19 disrupted the technology industry. Bob O'Donnell[ joins us](https://www.philmckinney.com/on-the-cusp-of-innovation-bob-odonnell-surveys-ces-2019-s14-ep47/) to discuss the innovation impacts of broadband and 5G. ## Innovation Impacts of Remote Work COVID-19 dramatically changed how we communicate, increasing the need for fast, consistent broadband. The broadband industry globally builds around two and a half years of capacity ahead of time. High internet usage spikes from COVID resulted in [broadband capacity](https://www.philmckinney.com/thoughts-on-innovation/) exhaustion 14 days after March 1, 2020\. The spikes were due to people working from home and kids being home from school. Zoom, WebEx, Microsoft, etc., all came together to improve the problems. A strong work-from-home environment is the byproduct of the shift from in-person to remote. To build out their mobile workstations, people invest in high-quality PCs, monitors, cameras, platforms, etc. Bob believes there will continue to be an "[explosion of installs](https://philmckinney.com/are-you-unconventional-enough-in-your-thinking/?ref=philmckinney.com)" of different video calling platforms. ## The Accelerated Pace of Technology Innovation Competition in the tech world has seen accelerated growth since COVID-19 started. There are four or five video conferencing platforms most people are currently using.[ Zoom](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/), for instance, released 320 new features last year. When it comes to microchips, things have never been more competitive. Intel and AMD are working with global governments on semiconductor and supply chain issues. Technological innovations are continuously rolling out. ## 5G Innovation Growth When it comes to [5G innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-5g-capabilities/), most of the world started out using mid-band frequencies. The U.S started with low and high-band frequencies. Mid-band turned out to be the fastest, leaving U.S 5G efforts off to a slow start. Like Y2K, everybody knew 5G was coming but did not plan for it properly. However, things are now starting to pick up. The world's leading proponents on 5G private networks, Vodafone Germany recently unveiled a private network at Porsche's main factory. Everything at the factory runs on a 5G network, which does real-time tuning on the car while it's on a test track. Bob is currently working on a study of private 5G and how companies are implementing it. Everybody is talking about private 5G and its potential impacts from chip manufacturers to software, devices, and networks. ## About our Guest: Bob O'Donnell Bob O'Donnell is the President, Founder, and Chief Analyst of TECHnalysis Research. The firm's research and O'Donnell's opinions are also regularly used by major media outlets, including Bloomberg TV, CNBC, CNN, Investor's Business Daily, the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, and more. O'Donnell writes regular columns for USAToday and Forbes and a weekly blog for Tech.pinions.com published on TechSpot, SeekingAlpha, and LinkedIn. Before founding TECHnalysis Research, Bob served as Program Vice President, Clients, and Displays for industry research firm IDC. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. To know more about Bob O'Donnell and innovation impacts, listen to this week's show: ***[Bob O'Donnell of TECHnalysis Research — What Innovation Will Impact You?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Bob%5FODonnell%5Fof%5FTECHnalysis%5FResearch%5F%5FWhat%5FInnovation%5FWill%5FImpact%5FYou.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Are You Unconventional Enough in Your Thinking? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-unconventional-enough-in-your-thinking/ Last updated: 2022-02-14T14:30:06.000Z Unconventional thinking from unconventional individuals is the lifeblood of innovation. They are the people who see things in a new way, and because of this, they often come up with truly unconventional ideas. Ideas that conventional thinkers would never think of. And while it's true that many unconventional individuals do not have formal training in science or engineering, that doesn't mean they can't be just as successful as those who do. In fact, unconventional thinkers created some of the most profound unconventional ideas of all time. So what makes someone an unconventional thinker? In a nutshell, it's their ability to [see the world](https://www.philmckinney.com/exceptionally-normal/) differently with what I call an investigative lens. They're not afraid to challenge the status quo, and they're always looking for new and innovative ways to find creative solutions. Unconventional individuals are very passionate about their work, and they're not afraid to take significant risk. Some may view them as rebels who are shaking up the status quo. Others may view them as a disruptive force that can be difficult to work with. However, most people would likely agree that unconventional thinkers are highly valuable in today's fast-paced, constantly changing world. ## **Unconventional Ideas Beyond Science and Engineering** Unconventional thinking is not just unconventional science or unconventional engineering. It can be unconventional business practice, unconventional political activity, unconventional teaching techniques, unconventional management styles, unconventional art-making techniques, or anything else that is outside conventional thinking. To be unconventional is to go against what most people consider the mainstream or established way of doing things. While individuals are unconventional in certain areas, they may not be unconventional in others. For example, they might be unconventional about their political views. However, they may only think conventionally when it comes to making art or teaching students. Unconventional individuals are not necessarily unconventional across all areas of their life. ![Albert Einstein as an unconventional thinker](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/albert-einstein-wikipedia.jpg) For example, Einstein was unconventional in his thinking about what he thought the universe looked like and how it worked. But he was very conventional in terms of his ordinary day-to-day behavior. His unconventional ideas showed him thought unconventionally. Yet, when it came to his political views and how he dressed, Einstein was really quite conventional. ## **Innovation From Unexpected Conclusions** The ability to see beyond what most people see is one of the primary reasons unconventional thinkers are so successful. They see things that other people don't notice and then draw unexpected conclusions and ideas from them. They succeed by readily transforming any sort of knowledge, information, or data into their unique thinking style. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/henry-ford-adobestock_162246927-small.jpg) Unconventional thinkers such as Henry Ford could mix an unconventional view of people with unusual thinking to innovate ideas for items, services, procedures, and business models. For example, his nonconventional understanding of people led him to realize that the hard work of pulling heavy wagons injured or killed most horses. This unconventional observation inspired him to develop the automobile. ## **Unconventional Thinking and Society** Most people in society are [conformists](https://www.philmckinney.com/avoiding-the-habit-trap/). They do what we expect of them and they behave in the same way as everyone else. This is not surprising, since most people want to fit in and feel accepted by their peers. But there are rebels who do not conform to societal norms, and these are the people who change the world for the better. Unconventional thinkers see society as a whole and they think about what is best for everyone. They do not consider only themselves. Unconventional thinkers don't follow an ideology that creates its own set of rules. They do what they want, but they will often obey the laws that society has developed to keep people safe and to maintain order. Unconventional thinkers are aware of societal norms, but they may choose to ignore them or develop new ones if they feel these norms are no longer beneficial. Unconventional thinkers will challenge societal rules to solve social problems. One example is the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa during the 1950s and 1960s, which challenged a series of laws designed to separate black Africans from white Africans. The unconventional thinkers, like Nelson Mandela and Albert Lutuli, successfully changed society so that people of all races could live together. ## **Recruiting Unconventional Thinkers** We find unconventional thinkers in every profession and at every level of society. However, conventional science or engineering backgrounds may not always provide enough unconventional thought because these fields emphasize traditional thinking over uniqueness. As a result, it is important to know where to find unconventional thinkers that will bring creative ideas from which you can benefit from their unique perspectives on life and work. But how do you identify them? Unconventional attitudes and unconventional actions can be used to identify unconventional thinkers. ### Unconventional Attitude An unconventional way of thinking, behaving, or acting goes against society's conventional expectations. It may include unconventional dress, unconventional leisure activities, or unconventional thinking patterns. How can you find them? If you want someone with an unconventional attitude on your team, it's up to you to search them out and make sure that they know about the opportunity before another company beats you to it! ### Unconventional Actions There is a fine line between being an unconventional thinker and being labeled as a rebel or outcast. Here are four unconventional actions that can help you recognize an unconventional thinker. #### **Think outside the box.** Unconventional thinking is the ability to imagine new possibilities and solve complex problems that have eluded other people. Being unconventional is an essential element in doing original work or creating original ideas. This is the critical resource every organization is in search of. 1. #### **Do something that scares conventional thinkers.** Taking risks and being nonconventional can be scary, but it's also how an unconventional thinker grows. Some examples of this include wearing unconventional clothes, taking unconventional pictures, or eating unconventional food. Where could you go to observe unconventional thinkers? 1. #### **Seek unconventional mentors.** Just as conventional wisdom guides conventional thinkers, unconventional wisdom guides unconventional thinkers. This is why unconventional thinkers seek out and have unconventional mentors who can give them advice and encouragement, and share with them the skills they've learned along the unconventional path. Find unconventional mentors to identify the unconventional thinkers for your organization. 1. #### **Pursue unconventional passions and activities.** Following unconventional passions and pursuing unconventional activities is a great way to learn unconventional lessons and gain unconventional wisdom, which can then be applied to unconventional problems! While it might be unconventional, they are not afraid to try new things or walk their own path. This is what makes them unconventional thinkers. The unconventional wisdom you gain by following unconventional passions and working on unconventional activities can lead to even more [unconventional ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/vision-video-of-the-near-future-diverse-thinkers-wanted/). Go where unconventional thinkers go to have unconventional experiences. ## **How to become an unconventional thinker yourself** Few people are actually unconventional thinkers because there are bad habits they learn as they grow up which crush the creative pathways in the brain. Like all bad habits, you can break them if you're willing to work at it. Here are eight of those very worst bad habits that could hold you back every day. ### **Assuming the worst.** Unconventional thinkers perceive reality as it actually is, not as others would have them believe. Most people who delude themselves into thinking that the world owes them something and that if nothing goes their way today, life itself must be horribly unjust. 1. ### **Being indecisive.** An unconventional thinker is always making decisions because they are always taking action. The unconventional thinker knows that what they do not do is as powerful a decision to make as what they actually decide to do. 1. ### **Being afraid of failure.** Of all the bad habits unconventional thinkers have, this is probably the worst one of all. It makes us hide our unconventional thinking from the world of conventional thinking. They rationalize it by convincing them that it's all right because why should unconventional thinkers care about what regular people think, anyway? 1. ### **Being a follower.** Unconventional thinkers follow no one, ever. 1. ### **Worrying about being judged by others.** Unconventional thinkers do not worry about what other people think of them or what they are doing. Unconventional thinkers worry about making a difference in the world and if some people don't get it today, then unconventional thinkers know there will be plenty who will tomorrow. 1. ### **Being too afraid to fail.** 2. ### **Taking themselves too seriously.** Unconventional thinkers don't take themselves seriously. They know that their unconventional thoughts won't change the world overnight and if unconventional thinkers want to make a difference, then unconventional thinking is not enough; you also need an unconventional idea or disruptive product which brings unconventional thinking into the realm of unconventional possibilities. 1. ### **Being too serious to take risks.** Unconventional thinkers know that making mistakes, failing, and losing along the way are all part of their special recipe for unconventional success, because it is through that experience they find out what works and what doesn't. ## **Avoid Conventional Thinking** When everyone conforms to the norm — creativity and innovation die. Society becomes stagnant and people become unhappy. When conventional thinking dominates, society cannot make the progress it needs to make. Society needs unconventional individuals to try new ideas and come up with ways of doing things that nobody has ever thought of before. Becoming an unconventional thinker is possible for anyone who is willing to work on it! We have outlined eight bad habits that are common among people who do not think creatively. If you can break these bad habits, you will be well on your way to becoming an unconventional thinker. Remember, unconventional thinkers see reality for what it really is, and they take action. So don't be afraid to try new things and challenge the status quo—you may be surprised by what you can accomplish. ### Why Innovation Fails – The Top 10 Causes URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-innovations-fail-the-top-10-causes/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:50.000Z Many businesses find their innovations fail, often at great expense and strenuous effort. These innovation failures surprise and frustrate them. They are then left wondering as to what caused their innovations to fail. ## Innovation Preparedness Many causes result in innovation efforts failing. While many causes of innovation failure are within your control, some are not. Understanding the most common causes of innovation failure is essential to prepare yourself better to address them. When you are prepared to face the inevitable, you increase your chances of success. ## 10 Most Common Causes for Innovations to Fail 1. **Lack of Problem Identification:**Often, innovators are so excited about their new idea that they don't take the time to [identify the problem ](https://philmckinney.com/problems-in-need-of-solving-where-to-start/?ref=philmckinney.com)they're trying to solve. This leads to a lot of wasted time and resources. 2. **Lack of Ideation or Inability to Generate Good Ideas**: Lack of [ideation](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://killerinnovations.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1644173222993010%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1sSs%5FQHJnZpcoUigyEh3mj&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1644173222998176&usg=AOvVaw3WJD%5Fur7Eg1Nimq1RZHNA-)is a reason for many failed processes, and the inability to develop good ideas is close behind. 3. **Poor Execution of the Idea:**If you can't [successfully execute an idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/), it will go nowhere. 4. **Lack of Funding or Support**: Many promising innovations get canceled due to lack of funding. Dollars, time, and people are all critical parts of successful innovations. 5. **Lack of a Clear Roadmap/Plan**: Without a rational plan, it's nearly impossible to remain focused and motivated when those inevitable roadblocks arise. 6. **Implementation Challenges:**Implementation challenges can include anything from tech issues to employee pushback. 7. **Cultural Barriers**: [Cultural barriers](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-innovation-culture-innovation-success/), whether on an individual, team or organizational level, can prevent the successful implementation of new ideas. 8. **Naysayers ([innovation antibodies](https://beyondtheobvious.com/fight-or-flight/?ref=philmckinney.com))**: Every organization has people who refuse to accept change or even consider it. 9. **Poor Timing**: Several factors can lead to poor [timing](https://www.philmckinney.com/get-innovation-timing-right/), such as market or technology changes, shifts in customer needs or preferences, and changes in the current political climate. 10. **Customer Disinterest:** No matter how great your innovation is, they won't buy it if customers aren't interested. To know more about the causes of innovation fails, listen to this week's show: *[*Why Innovation Fails – The Top 10 Causes*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5FInnovation%5FFails%5F-%5FTop%5F10%5FReason.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Paying It Forward With Random Acts of Kindness URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/paying-it-forward-with-random-acts-of-kindness/ Last updated: 2022-02-07T16:56:31.000Z I began my tech career in a [factory in Evansville, IN](http://anchorinc.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) as the sole “geek” living in a condemned (yes—condemned) apartment building for $50.00 a month with my wife, who was finishing her nursing degree. How things have changed from that humble beginning. When I look back on my career and where it has brought us, there is no way we could ever pay back the time, coaching, and support I received from my mentors. One mentor to who I dedicated my book, Bob Davis, was the one who introduced me to the concept of paying it forward. Many years later, when I asked him how I could ever pay him back for the time and advice he gave early in my career, he laughed. He said I couldn't pay it back but had to pay it forward. ## **What paying it forward means** Paying it forward is when the beneficiary of a good deed repays the kindness to others instead of to the person who helped you. Paying it forward is when we take what we have and pass it along to someone else, so that they may benefit as we have. It's a simple idea, but one with profound implications for our society. When we pay it forward, we create a cycle of kindness that can change the world. It can be as simple as doing something nice for someone else, with no expectation of anything in return. Sometimes, all it takes is a kind word or act to make someone's day. It can also involve doing something more substantial, like helping someone out with a difficult task or offering them guidance and support. One of the best things about paying it forward is that it benefits everyone involved. We can trace its history back to ancient times. One of the earliest examples comes from the story of The Three Wise Men, who were said to have paid it forward by giving gifts to others after they received them from Baby Jesus. In more recent times, the idea of paying it forward has gained traction on social media. This has led to several notable examples, such as the Pay It Forward Foundation. ## **Changing The World One Good Deed At A Time** Paying it forward is a simple idea, but one that has the potential to change the world. When we pay it forward, we create a cycle of kindness that can make our world a better place. When we pay it forward, we not only help others, but we also help ourselves. We become happier and more connected to the people around us. This simple act can make our world a better place. There are many things that can prompt people to pay forward good deeds. A kind gesture from a stranger, a feeling of gratitude, or simply the desire to make a difference can all motivate people to pay it forward. When we see someone do something kind, it inspires us to do the same. We feel grateful for the blessings we have received and want to share those blessings with others. To pay it forward is a simple way to make the world a better place. ## **Strangers Performing A Good Deed** There are many inspiring stories of people who paid it forward. One story is about a woman named Cynthia who was out of work and had no money to buy Christmas presents for her children. A stranger came up to her and gave her $100 as a random act, telling her to “pay it forward.” Cynthia used the money to buy presents for her children, and she has since paid it forward to others in need. Another story is about a man named Clay who was homeless and living on the streets. He was given a meal by a kind stranger, and he decided to pay it forward by paying for the meal of the next homeless person he met. Clay has since found housing and started a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the homeless. The third story is about a farmer named Michael. Weather destroyed his crops. He was having difficulty paying his bills, but he met another farmer who had received extra money for the produce he grew. This stranger paid for Michael's debts and enabled him to pay it forward by helping others in need. While these random acts are about money being the way to pay it forward, there are other ways that have an impact. There are many examples of people paying it forward by coaching and mentoring someone early in their career. This can help them learn and grow, and it can also help them develop relationships that could be beneficial later on. Coaching and mentoring can also help the person paying it forward feel good about themselves, knowing that they are helping someone else succeed. For example, if someone helps you with a task at work and then asks you to help another person in the company with something, you pay forward by simply agreeing to help the second person with their task. ## **I Was A Recipient Of Pay It Forward** I was the direct beneficiary of Bob Davis' accidental kindness when he hired me to join my first real job. Bob took me under his wing and said that I might build a successful software engineer's career or I could achieve so much more by being open to various experiences early in my job. He described himself as having a “T” shape. People are either “I” shaped (i.e., deep expertise in a narrow area) or “T” shaped (i.e., less deep than “I,” but with a greater variety of roles and functions across multiple industries). That one little nugget of advice set me on the path to spending the last 40 years building my career on that foundation, which culminated with me becoming[ CTO at Hewlett-Packard](https://www.philmckinney.com/content/files/hpinfo/newsroom/press%5Fkits/2008/connecting/bi%5Fmckinney.pdf) and now[ CEO for CableLabs](https://www.cablelabs.com/about-cablelabs/the-team?ref=philmckinney.com). ### **How did Bob put this forward movement into action?** To build out my “T” shape, he rotated me every six months into a new role in a different department. While I started in software development, I then rotated to sales, marketing, IT, finance, and HR. Then, he promoted me to be the manager of the new product development team. I was 21! Bob and I stayed together as a team at three companies. Throughout my career, Bob kept reminding me to pay it forward whenever I came across someone who I could help I don't know how many other people were directly affected by Bob's advice and that random hiring decision that day, or who indirectly affected by my paying it forward. But I have come to realize that paying it forward is the secret to making the world a better place. One good deed at a time. I still shake my head at how fortunate I was to have had the experience. ## **The pay it forward idea** As the beneficiary of someone paying it forward, I strive to pay it forward every day. One way is the sharing of my experiences and lessons learned throughout my career via the millions of downloads of my podcast and this blog. What I have learned from doing the podcast, when you do a good deed for someone, they will pay the favor back to someone else. It spreads. The beauty in this concept is that when one person does something nice for another, not only are both people happy, but also society benefits because it spreads more good deeds around. This simple act can improve your life and make the world a better place. Paying it forward doesn't have to be about money or time. The act can come in so many forms. It can be a random act of kindness that you do for another. You can pay for someone's groceries or for their coffee, or doing something nice for someone so they have something to smile about. Remember the smallest gestures can go a long way and can come from anywhere. ## **Is Sharing an Idea Paying It Forward?** Ideas are powerful things, and when someone shares an idea with another person, it can be considered as having paid it forward. When you share an idea with someone, not only are you paying it forward, but you are also starting a chain reaction of giving and receiving ideas. The best thing about the forward sharing of ideas is that it's a continuous cycle that benefits everyone involved. When you share an idea with someone, they can then share the idea with someone else, and so on and so forth. That one act has a ripple effect beyond what we could ever imagine. Not only have you paid it forward by sharing your ideas, but you're also inspiring others to do the same. What could be better than that? ## **An Idea to Make The World A Better Place** What change would we see in society if paying it forward became our societal norm? I predict that the impact would be significant. We would see less need for government assistance, as people would be more likely to help each other out. We would also see a decrease in crime rates, as people would be more likely to act with compassion and understanding towards each other. The people would also be more likely to adopt the forward concept mindset because this would become a societal expectation. They would, in turn, have others pay it forward to them, creating a virtuous cycle that affects everyone around us. I also see it as an investment in the future. The more we help each other, the more likely they are to return the favor when needed. Paying it forward is paying what you can today for a better tomorrow. ## **Getting Involved** There are many ways that you can get involved with paying-it-forward activities. You can start by looking for opportunities to do something kind for a stranger, such as paying for their coffee or groceries. You can also volunteer your time at a local charity or organization, or simply donate money to a good cause. Whatever you do, just make sure that you're paying it forward and helping to make the world a better place. If we all paid it forward regularly, we could turn this simple idea into the societal norm. It becomes an expectation rather than an exception when everyone is doing it. This would lead to more kindness and compassion in the world, and it could even change what paying it forward means. Right now, paying it forward is a way to thank someone for something that they did for you. In the future, it can become a way of life; We will expect everyone to help others who are in need because someone else helped them out. ## **Conclusion** When you pay it forward, good things come back to you in ways that you could never imagine. Not only do you help others, but you also improve your own life and make the world a better place. It's a simple idea that can profoundly affect all of us. We all have been the recipient of numerous good deeds from others that we should pay back by paying them forward and making this world a better place for everyone. If all goes as planned, this article will be informative and helpful to its readers. If all does not go as planned… well, at least I paid it forward. I hope someone else has paid it forward too. Let's get started! When? February 17 is **Random Act of Kindness Day**. Why not start then? > Paying it forward is like a nuclear bomb. It has the potential to destroy everything in its path and make the world a better place. > > Phil McKinney ## **Resources:** - [Pay It Forward Foundation](https://payitforwardfoundation.org/?ref=philmckinney.com) - The book, “Pay It Forward“, by Catherine Ryan Hyde - “[Pay It Forward](https://amzn.to/3AYUViG?ref=philmckinney.com)“, the movie ### 9 Types of Innovation Tools URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/9-types-of-innovation-tools/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:50.000Z Innovation tools allow us to [do things](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-tools-i-use-for-innovation-and-creativity/) we naturally can’t, which unleashes our creative potential. It can be hard to pinpoint the right one for your organization with thousands of options out there. Let’s explore several innovation tool categories that will help improve performance. ## 9 Types of Innovation Tools 1. **Idea sketching tools**: Idea sketching tools can be extremely helpful in speeding up the innovation process. They act as time savers, and all you to better communicate your ideas visually. 2. **Idea Generation tools**: Tools like mind maps, freewriting, or ideation exercises speed up the ideation process, allowing you to [generate more ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/). These tools are powerful because they can be used individually or in groups in a way that is free of distractions and deadlines. 3. **Creativity tool**: Creativity tools improve innovation speed and fall into three main categories. The ideation category includes brainstorming sessions, and the collaboration category includes techniques like facilitated team exercises. The evaluation category contains methods like [ranking ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/) and project priorities that lead to the best solution. 4. **Prototyping tools**: Prototyping tools offer a quick and easy way to create a mock-up of ideas, get feedback, and then improve ideas. Prototyping tools can also help save time and money by avoiding future mistakes. 5. **Visualization tools**: Visualization tools accelerate innovation success by giving access to different perspectives and starting points for creativity. Flow charts or process maps are tools that create more efficiency and effectiveness by indicating the path from start to finish. 6. **Market research tools**: These tools help innovators identify customer needs, [problems](https://philmckinney.com/being-thrown-under-the-bus-the-dilemma-of-blame/?ref=philmckinney.com), and potential solutions. The top tools provide quantitative data about the general population and specific demographics that aid in product development. They simplify the process of determining idea popularity, best launch time, and areas of improvement. 7. **Trend analysis tools**: These tools help identify social media, news, and consumer trends. Trend analyses give users opportunities to jump on new ideas before their competition. 8. **Technology scouting tools**: These tools help you quickly identify and assess [new useful technologies](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/). They can also help you ensure you are aware of technologies that might benefit your organization. Properly utilizing these tools allows companies to compete in their market more effectively. 9. **Business model generation tools**: These tools help you explore and analyze a wide range of business models for your product or service. Business model generation enables you to select the best model for your innovation project. Popular tools include the Business Model Canvas, the Value Proposition Canvas, and The Lean Startup Methodology. To know more about these innovation tools, listen to this week's show: [**9 Types of Innovation Tools**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/9%5FTypes%5Fof%5FInnovation%5FTools.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Being Thrown Under The Bus: The Dilemma of Blame URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/being-thrown-under-the-bus-the-dilemma-of-blame/ Last updated: 2022-01-31T15:39:27.000Z *This last week, I got pulled back into a Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (*[*$HPE*](https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/hpe?ref=philmckinney.com)*) news cycle. Last Thursday, the UK courts ruled there was*[ *fraud by Autonomy*](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-60170510?ref=philmckinney.com)*, their CEO and CFO related to its acquisition by HPE. When HPE wrote down $8.8 billion against the acquisition in 2012, HPE executive leadership got busy throwing HP staff under the bus to avoid being held accountable. The famous quote that caused me to grant interviews to the press back in 2012 was, “*[*Those responsible for the Autonomy deal are gone*](https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-DLB-40640?ref=philmckinney.com)*.” Leadership action affected teammates I respected and who were not responsible for the CEO and the board's poor decisions. I had to say something, and I did.* *This week's announcement caused the press, and others to reach out for my opinion. This caused me to reflect on HPE's willingness back then to throw teammates under the bus to avoid blame. Thus the topic for this week's essay.* --- ## **Being Thrown Under The Bus** Some people are more than willing to “throw others under the bus” rather than take the blame for any mistake. The phrase “being thrown under the bus” has its origins in hockey. It was first used by player Eddie Shore to refer to someone getting stomped on by an opposing team member. The phrase later became popular in the business world, where it is often used to describe someone who others are blaming for a mistake or error. Some examples of people getting thrown under the bus include: a CEO blaming his assistant for a mistake, or another company shifting the blame for an error to their third-party vendors. While being thrown under the bus gets rationalized as a noble effort to save face or protect other people, it damages relationships and creates an environment of mistrust. ## **Culture and People** An organization where leaders throw people under the bus is one where the [culture](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-ceo-innovation-dilemma-creating-an-innovation-culture-that-works/) is one of blame and no accountability. If leaders feel they will be punished, more harshly than those around them, it is often easier for them to blame someone else and try to avoid punishment themselves. In other cases, this may happen because the person in a leadership position doesn't feel as though the person they are throwing under the bus is valuable to their success and has no problem sacrificing them for personal gain. ## **After Being Thrown Under The Bus** When thrown under the bus, the person sacrificed feels betrayed and alone. This can be especially true if the person who threw them under the bus was someone in a position of authority or someone they looked up to. It's difficult to know what to do next when this happens. Some people may choose to confront the person. Others may choose to move on and avoid that person altogether. No matter what route they chose, it is important to remember that they did not deserve the treatment they received. No one ever wants to be blamed for a mistake, especially if it's a high-profile one. And yet, when leaders face this situation, they often find themselves in a difficult dilemma: do they take the blame and risk looking bad, or do they throw someone else under the bus in order to save themselves? ## **The Affect On The Organizations** When leaders try to throw employees under the bus, it can cause a dangerous storm of anger and frustration within an organization. Made worse when the person throwing people under the bus does so without even acknowledging their mistake or apologizing for their actions. In unorganized organizations, throwing employees under the bus may work because it creates a sense of chaos and allows the leader to maintain control. However, in well-structured organizations, this type of behavior will only lead to more problems. This is because well-structured organizations operate on trust and respect, which are two of the key components that are destroyed when leaders sacrifice someone unfairly. ## **What Can You Do When You See It?** When you see someone throwing others under the bus, it is important to say something. This can be difficult to do, but it is important for the victims' sake and for the organization's health. By saying something, you can help to stop the cycle of blame and allow people to take responsibility for their own actions. ## **What Is The Alternative?** In contrast to throwing someone under the bus, the “buck stops here” mentality is one where leaders don't look for scapegoats when things go wrong. President Harry S. Truman, who had it inscribed on his desk in the Oval Office, popularized it. The phrase means stepping up and taking care of things when they go wrong instead of blaming others. This creates an atmosphere of trust where people feel safe making mistakes. ## **Great Leaders** [Great leaders](https://www.philmckinney.com/great-leaders-keep-cool/) understand the importance of taking responsibility for their actions. They set the tone for an organization that values integrity and accountability. By admitting when they're wrong and taking ownership of their actions, leaders show that they're willing to do what it takes to make things right. This sends a simple message to employees that they can trust their leaders to make the right decisions and take responsibility for their actions. ## **Conclusion** Throwing someone under the bus is done with little to no consideration of the consequences. It does not solve problems. It only creates more trouble by spreading discontent and fueling frustration within the organization. When you see it happening in your organization or in the public (e.g. government, press, school, etc.), step up and say something to stop the cycle of blame and create a greater sense of accountability. Throwing someone under the bus is a common yet ineffective practice that must stop. Only then can you build a culture of integrity and accountability. > When it comes to blame, there is no one more ruthless than a leader willing to throw others under the bus. ### 10 Exercises That Will Improve Your Creativity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/10-exercises-that-will-improve-your-creativity/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:49.000Z [Creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-bad-habits-are-killing-your-creativity/) is one of the most important skills you can have. It unlocks the door to game-changing ideas. Although some people have it naturally, some exercises help in improving creativity. ## 10 Exercises That Will Improve Your Creativity 1. **Take a walk outside**: Breaking free of your work, moving around, and observing your surroundings can give you mental clarity and boost creativity. 2. **Write a list of things that annoy you**: You can identify new patterns by identifying these things. This exercise can lead to new ideas previously unseen. 3. **Play with the lyrics to your favorite song**: Playing with the lyrics of your favorite song opens your mind to new possibilities and breaks you out of your comfort zone. 4. **Create a video montage of your day**: This can be a fun way to document your life and see how your creativity manifests itself. Trying different techniques and making edits will [improve your creativity skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-six-innovation-skills-everyone-needs/). 5. **Write about what scares you and why it scares you**: Some creatives sharpen creativity muscles by writing about what scares them and why (or writing about what doesn't scare them). Exploring scary things can open new avenues that would otherwise be closed. 6. **Play games that require creativity**: Many [creatives](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-are-the-qualities-of-a-creative-person/) play games such as chess or scrabble. These games sharpen the mind and improve problem-solving. 7. **Do something that makes you laugh:**If you're struggling with a creativity block, you can watch funny videos or do other things that release endorphins. 8. **Draw something you see every day but don't pay attention to:** When we see the same things repeatedly, they become [mundane](https://philmckinney.com/finding-ideas-in-the-mundane-and-familiar/?ref=philmckinney.com). If we examined the objects and scenes that make up our everyday lives, we'd be surprised at how much creativity hides in plain sight. 9. **Exercise your brain with a puzzle:**Puzzles exercise the creative side of your brain by forcing you to come up with new ideas and solutions. Doing this can help you break out of a rut. 10. **Make crafts out of old things lying around the house:** Crafts helps you tap into your creativity and improves your ideation. To know more about these creativity exercises, listen to this week's show: **[10 Exercises That Will Improve Your Creativity](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/10%5FExercises%5FThat%5FWill%5FImprove%5FYour%5FCreativity.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Finding Ideas In The Mundane and Familiar URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-ideas-in-the-mundane-and-familiar/ Last updated: 2022-01-24T15:13:00.000Z How many times have you walked past something and not really seen it? How many times have you seen something a million times without ever really noticing it? It's easy to take the familiar for granted. We're so used to it, we see it as mundane and stop paying attention. “The Disease of the Familiar”, a term coined by[ Richard Saul Wurman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard%5FSaul%5FWurman?ref=philmckinney.com), is a condition that plagues many people who are so familiar with something they don't know what it's like not to be. > The key to making things understandable is to understand what it's like NOT to understand. > > Richard Saul Wurman The familiar can prevent us from experiencing discovery. We may think we know everything there is to know about a subject, but if we're not open to new ideas,, we will not discover the new. ## **The Disease of the Familiar** We are all infected with the disease of the familiar. Take, for example, your own home. You probably know every nook and cranny, but have you ever really looked at it? Taken the time to notice all the different textures on the walls or the way the light shines through the windows? Probably not. Because we’ve become so familiar with our home, we've stopped seeing it. When I took over as CTO at Hewlett-Packard, a team was working on creating a new product. The team was so familiar with our customers and what they believed they wanted; they made a set of bold assumptions. They didn't bother to ask them what they wanted or even solicit their feedback. As a result, the new product was a total flop and our customers and shareholders were not happy. It's a problem that a lot of companies have, whether they're creating a new product or offering a new service. They're so familiar with their customers that they don't see their customer with fresh eyes. ## **Functional Fixedness** This condition of familiarity is also sometimes referred to as[ Functional Fixedness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional%5Ffixedness?ref=philmckinney.com) which is a form of cognitive bias. It is when people are unable to see beyond the confines of their knowledge and imagination. They get stuck in their way of thinking and can only come up with “normal” or usual solutions that they are familiar with. This can happen to anyone, but especially those who think that they know what's best for a person or a situation because they're familiar with it. ## **Dodge The Familiar By Seeing With Fresh Eyes** To be inoculated from the disease of the familiar, you need to[ see with fresh eyes](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-with-fresh-eyes/) which means seeing familiar things as if you’ve never seen them before, i.e. with the same sense of newness and discovery that you presumably experienced the first time you experienced them. It can take some work at first, but once someone becomes inoculated against this plague, their creativity will flourish because they'll have an open mind for new ideas and possibilities where others are unaware of the opportunities. ## **How To See With Fresh Eyes** Here are three exercises I use to fend off the familiar and mundane. 1. **Start by looking at familiar things with a new perspective, as if you've never seen them before.** One exercise to help someone see familiar things with fresh eyes is to take the common item that you are familiar with describing it in terms not related to its main purpose. This will help them see the object in a new light. Then list new possibilities for what they could use it for. In my workshops, I ask participants to describe a pen and then list all of its uses beyond writing. The outcome can be quite surprising when seeing a common object in a new way. 1. **Be curious and explore everything around you as if it's the first time you're seeing it.** One way to increase and deepen your curiosity is to engage in some form of creative exploration. This could involve taking different classes or workshops outside of your comfort zone, traveling to new places, or simply trying out new activities and hobbies. By exposing yourself to new experiences, you'll not only learn more about the world around you, but you'll also develop a greater sense of curiosity and openness towards life. 1. **Ask lots of questions and pay attention to the details.** An exercise where questions help to see with fresh eyes is to ask someone you know well to explain something they are familiar with in great detail. Ask them to explain it as if you have never seen or heard of it before. This will help you to understand the subject matter with a new perspective and see it from their point of view. For example, journalists use questions to see with fresh eyes by asking people who are familiar with a subject to explain it. This helps them to understand the subject with a new perspective and see it from the person's point of view. This allows them to write better stories that are more accurate and informative. ## **Conclusion** The disease of the familiar is a plague that can creep up on anyone without warning. It can be overcome by seeing familiar things with fresh eyes, being curious, and asking lots of questions. These exercises will help you to [think outside the box](https://killerinnovations.com/box-think/?ref=philmckinney.com). By becoming inoculated against the disease of the familiar, you'll be able to see the world in a new light and find new possibilities that others are overlooking. Which exercise did you find most interesting? Do you have other exercises for seeing with fresh eyes? Let me know by leaving a comment below! ### How to Escape the Innovation Benchmark Trap URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-escape-the-innovation-benchmark-trap/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:49.000Z Benchmarking compares your organization to others to [measure your performance](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-kpis-six-categories-to-measure-success/) and identify areas for improvement. When done correctly, benchmarking can help you learn from your peers and identify areas for improvement. However, benchmarking can also have negative consequences if done incorrectly. How do you escape the innovation benchmark trap? ## Good Vs. Bad Benchmarking Proper benchmarking helps you understand how you compare to others in your industry and makes it easier to identify best practices. It can also help with planning strategic initiatives and resource allocation. An example of bad benchmarking comes from the story of MCI WorldCom in the late 90s and early 2000s. MCI WorldCom was involved in fraud which inflated their assets. Ultimately, many companies benchmarking themselves with MCI WorldCom went bankrupt. ## Innovation Benchmark Uncertainty Innovation benchmarking, which compares how an organization innovates to others, is becoming more popular. This is growing because leaders are feeling more uncertain about innovation. This uncertainty comes from a lack of confidence in their ability to [generate new ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/). Some consequences of innovation benchmarking include: Leaders - 1. Run unnecessary risks trying to replicate benchmark results exactly. 2. Benchmark themselves out of uncertainty and into comfort without realizing it. 3. Benchmark their competitors rather than taking a fresh look at their innovation approach. ## Escaping The Innovation Benchmark Trap The best way to avoid the trap is to benchmark with purpose. [Learn from peers](https://philmckinney.com/sharing-is-caring-so-share-your-idea/?ref=philmckinney.com), but don't assume that what worked for them will work for you. If you follow blindly, your organization can fall apart. It's critical to understand their thought process and discern if their approach is worth [experimenting](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/) with. To know more about benchmarks, listen to this week's show: **[How to Escape the Innovation Benchmark Trap](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FEscape%5Fthe%5FInnovation%5FBenchmark%5FTrap.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Sharing is Caring – So Share Your Idea! URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/sharing-is-caring-so-share-your-idea/ Last updated: 2022-01-17T18:32:37.000Z One of the biggest mistakes we make in life is convincing ourselves that our ideas are unique and ours alone. We rationalize keeping our ideas to ourselves because we are afraid that others will steal them, or worst—we believe our ideas aren't good enough. Our ideas are precious, but they aren't that [unique](https://www.philmckinney.com/unique/) nor that precious. I am amazed at how many people have the same or similar ideas and believe that everyone else is copying their work. Over my career, I’ve seen very few times where someone stole an idea. Don’t let that fear hold you back. While ideas are the catalyst for innovation, remember that [ideas are not innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-are-not-innovations/). Innovation requires a [team](https://killerinnovations.com/what-is-the-optimal-innovation-team-size/?ref=philmckinney.com) to take action on an idea for it to become an innovation. If your brainchild has merit, you need others to help shape it into something bigger than what you could do by yourself. So go ahead and share your idea. Sharing your ideas is like giving birth. It's scary and vulnerable in the beginning, but once it's out there, people can and will help nurture and grow it. And just like with a child, the more people who are involved in raising an idea, the better it becomes. So go ahead and [share your idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-communities/) – there's no reason to keep it to yourself. And most important of all: If you don't birth your ideas by sharing, they'll never come to life. What's the point of having them at all if they're just going to stay in your head? Be different. Share. Once you start sharing your ideas, the more ideas you will have. The supply is never-ending! > Ideas are like rabbits. You get one, and you want two. Then you get three, and you're running around trying to protect them. > > John Steinbeck --- *A normal post is \~1,000 words. Anything less than 300 words is what I call a “micro post” (or some would call a “Flash Post”) — a quick encouragement/thought.* ### What Bad Habits are Killing Your Creativity? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-bad-habits-are-killing-your-creativity/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:48.000Z It takes practice and patience to [develop your creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/most-downloaded-episode-of-2021/), and there are bad habits people learn which crush their creativity. But like all bad habits, we can [break these](https://philmckinney.com/warning-dont-play-follow-the-leader-with-your-career/?ref=philmckinney.com) if we are willing to work at it! ## What Are Habits? Habits are things you do automatically, without thinking. Bad habits can form in a few days, but it can take months or years to form good ones. Breaking bad habits and creating good ones can be challenging, but it's worth it in the long run. You need to be aware of your bad habits and then find a new routine that rewards you by creating a good habit to replace them. ## Eight Daily Bad Habits That Are Killing Your Creativity Here are eight of the very worst bad habits that could hold you back creatively every day: 1. **Not allowing yourself time to relax and daydream:** Daily downtime is crucial to keeping those creative juices flowing. 2. **Procrastination:** Putting off creative tasks is terrible for your mental health and career. To avoid it, establish deadlines and accountability measures. 3. **Perfectionism**: Many great ideas never see the light of day because people become perfectionists. It's crucial to permit yourself to make mistakes and see the beauty in flawed things. 4. **Over researching before starting a project**: Some projects require extensive research, others do not. Too much background reading can hinder creativity. 5. **Listening only to critics**: Criticism can be a valuable learning tool, but it should never hold you back from pursuing your dreams. Surround yourself with [creative people](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-are-the-qualities-of-a-creative-person/)that inspire you. 6. **Trying to do everything yourself**: This can halter your productivity and block success. Collaboration can unlock [new ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/)and successes. 7. **Judging your work too harshly**: It's natural to be critical of your work, but it's essential to avoid self-doubt. When overly critical of our work, we become more guarded with our thoughts, [killing creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/). 8. **Giving up too quickly**: You'll never accomplish anything significant by giving up too easily on the hard problems and tasks. Nothing worthwhile comes easy, but the hard work will pay off. To know more about bad habits that kill creativity, listen to this week's show: **[What Bad Habits are Killing Your Creativity?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/What%5FBad%5FHabits%5Fare%5FKilling%5FYour%5FCreativity.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Don’t Play Follow The Leader With Your Career URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/warning-dont-play-follow-the-leader-with-your-career/ Last updated: 2022-01-10T14:40:09.000Z Why do so many people believe they can become successful simply by copying what successful people do? Identifying a role model and then playing follow the leader is an age-old habit of looking for “shortcuts” to success. Why? ## **Are They Smarter?** Many people believe their [role models](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-ever-too-old-for-the-innovation-game/) are successful because they are smarter. Research shows that once you get beyond an I.Q. of about 120, which is slightly above average—intelligence, and success are not at all related. That means that you have the same potential to achieve success. ## **Have More Talent?** Does your role model have more natural talent? This is rarely the case. There are many successful people who did not start out with any natural talent or skills. The best way to build and improve your talent is through practice and dedication. ## **Just Lucky?** Studies have revealed that luck, something you cannot control, plays an important role in achieving success. For example, Mark Cuban sold broadcast.com for $5.6 billion in 1999 to Yahoo!. However, Yahoo! never actually used any of its assets. Mark’s sale during the dot-com era was lucky timing. Some people do not believe in luck, and instead, attribute all success to hard work and intelligence. They believe that if you work hard enough, you will eventually be successful – regardless of any luck involved. While this may be partly true, it is undeniable that luck also plays a role in success. Luck happens when one has done the hard work and preparation so that when it strikes, they can take advantage of the opportunity presented. A role model’s success resulted from some amount of luck. > Luck is when an opportunity comes along and you're prepared for it. > > Richard Branson ## **The Myth And Reality Of Success** Unfortunately, many who are successful perpetuate the belief that their success comes from their intelligence and natural talent—and therefore they possess the key secrets to success. They reinforce this perception by convincing their followers to buy their books, training courses, seminars, etc. Success is not a sure thing after learning the “magic steps” from others! Success is about creating your own recipe for what works for you, not following the recipes of others. Focus on yourself. Be your own leader and recognize that no one knows what they're doing. Your success will result from applying the wisdom of others to your vision, not any attempt to copy others’ success. ## **Seeking Advice** It is not wrong to secure advice and guidance from others. Who you surround yourself with will influence your success. Jim Rohn is quoted as saying, “You become like the five people you spend the most time with. Choose carefully.” Who are the 5 people you are spending the most time with? If you want your network of connections to influence your success, make sure you include these five types of people: 1. **Someone who challenges you** – Most people are afraid to pursue advice from those who challenge them because they don't want to feel uncomfortable or be wrong. But if you really want to improve and become successful, you need to overcome this fear and seek advice from those who will push you to be your best. 2. **Mentor or coach** – There are many people who claim to be [mentors or coaches](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-mentor-vs-innovation-coach-which-do-you-need/), but few of them have the skills and knowledge that they profess. It is important for you to do your homework. Look into their credentials and direct experience. 3. **A role model** – Search out someone who has experienced what you are going through–and who was successful. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your ideal role model! A simple email or phone call could lead to an [amazing relationship](https://killerinnovations.com/innovation-coaching-and-innovation-mentoring-what-is-the-difference/?ref=philmckinney.com) that changes your life forever. 4. **An expert** – Getting feedback from an expert is always a smart idea when you want to make sure that you're doing everything possible to accomplish your goals. 5. **Someone who provides emotional support for your goals** – This person offers encouragement and advice and can help keep you on track when things get tough. It's important to find someone who you trust and who will be there for you when you need them. The old saying, “it takes a village to raise a child,” is true for your career as well. No matter how talented you are, success will be more likely if you build connections with people who can help you achieve it. ## **Don't follow the leader, follow your dreams!** You will not find success by blindly following your role model. It takes hard work, dedication, and perseverance. I have no problem with having role models, but we need to remember that they don't know everything. It’s okay to make different choices in order to achieve our personal goals and dreams. Follow your own path. Don't rely on the promised shortcuts offered by your role models, because you'll end up far from where you want to be. Your individual path is the one place you truly learn about yourself and discover your true potential. Don't play follow the leader. Be the leader of your own path. ### Most Downloaded Episode of 2021 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/most-downloaded-episode-of-2021/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:48.000Z With the start of a new year, let’s look back at the most downloaded episode of 2021. ## The Most Downloaded Episode of 2021 As an [innovation leader](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-characteristics-of-successful-innovation-leaders/), I encounter loads of information every day. I like to use tools that capture/organize this information and bring it together in a way that’s easy to access. I need these tools to be accessible on an iPhone, Android, laptop, and iPad. Here are the five tools I use which fit my criteria: - [reMarkable 2 tablet](https://remarkable.com/store/remarkable-2?ref=philmckinney.com) - [Kindle Oasis](https://www.amazon.com/All-new-Kindle-Oasis-now-with-adjustable-warm-light/dp/B07L5GDTYY/techtrend-20?ref=philmckinney.com) - [ai](https://otter.ai/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [Readwise](https://readwise.io/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [Roam Research](https://roamresearch.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## The Value of My Favorite Innovation Tools I like to separate my tools into categories like information collection, organization/combination, and the serendipity effect. I used to use Moleskine notebooks for collection, but now I use the reMarkable 2 tablet. It’s similar to writing on paper. All my information is sent to my phone and desktop for storage. I also like using the Kindle Oasis to highlight and save information that I find important or interesting. I use [Otter.ai](https://www.philmckinney.com/transcribing-your-brainstorm-with-otter-ai-interview-with-sam-liang/) when I am running [ideation sessions](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-steps-to-brainstorming-ideas-on-demand/). This tool acts as an AI-powered assistant, recording and transcribing meetings and other meaningful conversations. I listen to many audiobooks and podcasts, hardcover books, and online articles. I need a tool that can gather all that information and synthesize it. That is where Readwise comes into play. This tool does all that and pinpoints things I may have missed initially, triggering serendipity. I like to pair Readwise with a tool called Roam Research, which organizes and makes connections between the information Readwise collects. To know more about my favorite innovation tools, listen to this week's show: [**Most Downloaded Episode of 2021**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Most%5FDownloaded%5FEpisode%5Fof%5F2021.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Problems Needing To Be Solved: Where To Start? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/problems-in-need-of-solving-where-to-start/ Last updated: 2023-08-15T23:18:35.000Z Why do innovators focus time and energy on developing solutions before they've identified the problem? Innovation starts by spending time to understand the problem before solving the problem. > If I had an hour to solve a problem, I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions. > > Albert Einstein ## **What Are Problems?** The dictionary defines the word problem as a state of discord or disharmony involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty. A problem is a question that prompts a solution or discussion until it's resolved. An example of a problem most face is disharmony between their work and personal life. Problems are a significant source of ideas that are a catalyst for innovation. Many inventors claim that a problem in their own lives was [their inspiration](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-your-creative-inspiration/). Problems lead us to new ways of seeing issues or situations, which is why it’s important not to think of them as bad but as a good thing that reveals opportunities. Problems will always arise, but not every [problem requires a solution](https://killerinnovations.com/innovating-wicked-problems/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## **What Are The Types Of Problems?** There are three different types of problems: solved, unsolved, and non-problems. **Solved**: The first type is a problem that has been resolved. In order for something to be considered a solved problem, it must have a solution that is proven and is readily available. Some will say these problems have minimal opportunities for new solutions. Not true. There are many opportunities for solved problems to be innovated. For example, Google was not the first browser, but with business model innovations around advertising, it replaced entrenched solutions. **Unsolved**: Problems that are unsolved will require a new solution that in many cases is beyond known knowledge, experience, and current state-of-the-art. An example of an unsolved problem is data breaches from hackers. As long as there are humans involved, there will always be a risk of hackers stealing data. Even if we had perfect security protocols in place, someone could still hack into the system. Thus this is unsolved. Unsolved problems offer a rich set of opportunities for innovation. **Non-Problems**: Problems that are known as non-problems do not require a solution because they aren't really problems. An example of a non-problem is when people are using their phones in a movie theater. Some people might consider this to be a problem, but it's not really because there is no actual harm being done. The people are not making any noise, and they're not preventing anyone from seeing the movie. Another example of a non-problem is when people are driving exactly the speed limit. Some drivers might think that this is a problem, but it's not because there is no actual harm being done. The drivers are not putting anyone in danger. Innovation efforts on non-problems tend to become short-lived fads such as Chia Pets or Pet Rocks. What type of problem should your team work on? ## **Selecting Problems Needing To Be Solved** Problems create demand for products and services through the identification of a need that isn't being met or an opportunity that can be exploited to make life easier or better. Problems needing to be solved abound, but knowing where to start isn’t always obvious. It takes creativity and insight into human behavior to identify which problem deserves attention. Problems you should prioritize for innovation are those that provide the highest demand for products and services – with an identified market willing to pay for the solution. Getting this right can result in fame, fortune, and success for those who take on the difficult challenges of [creatively](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-ways-to-unleash-your-creativity-today/) innovating a solution. ## **Summary** Problems are a part of everyday life, and they always will be. They can be annoying, frustrating, and downright depressing, but they also offer opportunities for greatness. In order for any organization to succeed, it is important to identify which problems need to be solved so you can prioritize your innovation efforts to address the needs of your customers and impact your business. What problem are you focused on? ### Ideas Are Not Innovations! URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-are-not-innovations/ Last updated: 2021-12-29T15:07:56.000Z Ideas inspire people to change how we do the things we do. But ideas by themselves are just an inkling of what could be. Ideas that remain ideas forever eventually become ideas of the past, things we once thought could change the world. But never did. No one ever changed the world by just thinking about ideas. Ideas are not innovations. Ideas inspire innovation that brings about change — to society, to technology, and even to the ways we live our lives! Don't just stop at ideas; ideas without action are dead in the water. An idea with action brings innovation into existence. Innovation is what makes us better. Innovation propels humanity forward. Innovation prepares us for the future. Innovation saves us from our past. Be a catalyst for change. Don't let ideas remain ideas forever. Turn [ideas into innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-have-power-to-change-the-world/) that change the world for the better. > Ideas are the starting point of all innovation. But it's through action that we make ideas into innovations that change the world for the better. --- *A normal post is \~1,000 words. Anything less than 300 words is what I call a “micro post” — a quick encouragement/thought.* ### What are the Qualities of a Creative Person? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-are-the-qualities-of-a-creative-person/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:47.000Z Creative people can think of new ideas, and creative ideas are those ideas that are new, useful, and different. It all starts with the creative person. What is so [special](https://philmckinney.com/stop-acting-stupid-change-your-mind/?ref=philmckinney.com) about them? What are their qualities? Creative people often have a sense of limitless creative [freedom and experimentation](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/). Their creative genius is a natural part of who they are. If you are not naturally creative, you can learn and develop your creativity by applying creative qualities. ## 12 Qualities of a Creative Person 1. **Curious**: Creative people are always asking questions/looking for new ideas. They're not content with the status quo. 2. **Creative Confidence:** Creative confidence is the feeling when you know that what you are about to do/say/or create is original. Creative, confident people are not afraid to fail because they know it's part of the process. 3. **Thick Skin:** Creative people need to have thick skin, take criticism, reject rejection, stay persistent, and[ be unafraid of failure](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-characteristics-of-successful-failures/). 4. **Independent Rebellious Streak:**Creatives can't be afraid to blaze their trail and stand up for their ideas. They need to find the right balance between their independent, rebellious streak and supporting the team mission. 5. **Flexibility:** Creative people need to be [flexible](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-essential-ingredients-of-agile-innovation/). If not, they might overlook new ideas, or you might not be able to adapt to changes a new idea would impose. 6. **Playful:** Playing with ideas can help break through mental blocks by [going outside the box](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think/) to create new solutions or inventive ways of looking at old ones. 7. **Thorough:** Creative people are more comprehensive than most because they never stop at the first idea. They always look around at what else they can do. 8. **Ambitious:** Creatives are ambitiously striving to push the boundaries of what is possible. They crave feedback from others to improve and have a desire to create something new and unique. 9. **Energetic:** Creative people are constantly moving, inspiring others with their creativity and constant energy. 10. **Naïve:** Creative people are often naïve about their limitations but can also be more creative than others because of this naivete. It's important to balance creativity and practicality. 11. **Dreamer:** Creative people are sometimes referred to as "dreamers" because they [imagine new possibilities](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/). 12. **Persistence:** Creatives are persistent in their efforts over time despite any obstacles they may face. Creative solutions result from patience and tenacity. To know more about the qualities of creatives, listen to this week's show: [***What are the Qualities of a Creative Person?***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/What%5Fare%5Fthe%5FQualities%5Fof%5Fa%5FCreative%5FPerson.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The 8 Books That Inspired The Most Ideas This Year URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/8-books-that-inspired-the-most-ideas-this-year/ Last updated: 2021-12-20T15:30:24.000Z Reading books is one of my favorite hobbies and is my dominant source of [inspiration](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-your-creative-inspiration/) that sparks new ideas. I love books that challenge me to think differently and that introduce me to new concepts. Some of my favorite books have been the ones that have sparked the most ideas, as evidenced by the number of entries from each book in [my Roam Research system](https://killerinnovations.com/5-tools-i-use-for-innovation-and-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com) (2nd brain). ## **How do books inspire ideas?** The source of ideas is the subconscious mind (sometimes called “the inner genius”). The brain wants to be stimulated, and it craves novelty. It morphs every real-life experience by connecting it with everything we do or see — so the subconscious can leverage it. When you read books, you are [feeding your subconscious](https://www.philmckinney.com/im-bored/) so it can make more connections with your experiences and memories. The more feeding of your subconscious, the easier the ideas will flow. By reading books every day, you're setting yourself up for success and fueling your inner creativity. ## **What are my favorite books?** At the end of each year, I go back through the books I read and rank them based on the [ideas/innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/200-years-of-great-ideas-and-hard-work-led-to-the-overnight-success-of-your-smartphone-2/) I added to my [Roam Research knowledge management system](https://killerinnovations.com/5-tools-i-use-for-innovation-and-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com) from each book. This helps me keep track of what books are inspiring me the most, and it also helps me find new books to read that will inspire me in the coming year. Here are the 8 books I read in the last 12 months that inspired me. --- [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/widgets/q.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307887448/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0307887448&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=3ca262d6aec66bff2de02c2a80b515f2&ref=philmckinney.com) [**Ready Player One**](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307887448/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0307887448&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=08ac8387b77c0134608335522e5dff94&ref=philmckinney.com) by Ernest Cline In a world where most people spend their lives working and playing in virtual reality worlds, young Wade Watts finds himself on an unexpected adventure. Not only must he survive against enemies from all around him but also find clues left behind by the dead multi-billionaire who rules this future society by controlling both technology and culture – technological determinism. [Purchase Ready Player One](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307887448/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0307887448&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=aeb2f7601706a470355f6d1ae8959f42&ref=philmckinney.com) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/widgets/q.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059323829X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=059323829X&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=bb06cec64bf1805db3f10f87b2eb0bb7&ref=philmckinney.com) [**AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future**](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059323829X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=059323829X&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=e49e145c065ddabba49a7c2ccb20db31&ref=philmckinney.com) by Kai-Fu Lee and Chen Qiufan In this insightful, utterly original work, the authors imagine our world in 2041 and how it will be shaped by AI. In ten short stories, they introduce readers to an array of eye-opening 2041 settings. By gazing toward a not-so-distant horizon, *AI 2041* provides insights into our range of possible futures. [Purchase AI 2041](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059323829X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=059323829X&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=e49e145c065ddabba49a7c2ccb20db31&ref=philmckinney.com) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/widgets/q.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0877D6H28/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0877D6H28&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=99fd4c9b0aeae086fb8d4fe0b70a8d0c&ref=philmckinney.com) **[This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0877D6H28/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0877D6H28&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=258a0e66ed469bb3034d75bb1b19ea0f&ref=philmckinney.com)** by Nicole Perlroth Based on years of reporting, The New York Times reporter Nicole Perlroth lifts the curtain on an industry few know anything about: the global cyber arms race of “zero day” exploits. It tells you everything you need to know while shedding light on some dark secrets. [Purchase This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0877D6H28/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0877D6H28&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=258a0e66ed469bb3034d75bb1b19ea0f&ref=philmckinney.com) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/widgets/q.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HWHV62G/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B08HWHV62G&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=5a52ab56c34aaecc1f856f991a9367f1&ref=philmckinney.com) [**The Future Starts Now: Expert Insights into the Future of Business, Technology and Society**](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HWHV62G/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B08HWHV62G&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=47ac497812ebe5b214d8a56a56ec8ee9&ref=philmckinney.com) by Theo Priestley and Bronwyn Williams The mood of uncertainty has enveloped employees, employers, and society as a whole, but it doesn't have to be this way considering there are innovations under development that could shape our uncertain world into something more stable for all involved parties. The future starts now. [Purchase The Future Starts Now](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HWHV62G/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B08HWHV62G&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=47ac497812ebe5b214d8a56a56ec8ee9&ref=philmckinney.com) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/widgets/q.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143122797/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0143122797&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=ef4db34759c55e6a55e0841712e87bc3&ref=philmckinney.com) [The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143122797/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0143122797&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=ec555234d3d93658a568ff8c8e91d794&ref=philmckinney.com) by Jon Gertner Bell Labs offered an unparalleled opportunity for understanding the challenges faced by those seeking technological innovation. Here, foundational management of ideas was born that would later shape our modern world! [Purchase Idea Factory](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143122797/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0143122797&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=ec555234d3d93658a568ff8c8e91d794&ref=philmckinney.com) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/widgets/q.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143125087/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0143125087&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=08b0d1a7254cdfb233c8c879cba9c30b&ref=philmckinney.com) [The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail — but Some Don't](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143125087/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0143125087&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=50520b7c317e9f0fd24cd23d648805f1&ref=philmckinney.com) by Nate Silver We all want to know what's coming next. But the world of prediction is not an easy one, with many false assumptions and predictions that often come at a great cost for society as well as ourselves. But there may be hope on the horizon! [Purchase The Signal and the Noise](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143125087/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0143125087&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=50520b7c317e9f0fd24cd23d648805f1&ref=philmckinney.com) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/widgets/q.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593328973/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0593328973&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=dfab3da2d5156b06731e91cd205314a7&ref=philmckinney.com) [The Practice: Shipping Creative Work](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593328973/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0593328973&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=534e4d27ce2d038edd82fc1882fdbfc7&ref=philmckinney.com) by Seth Godin Godin shows you to embrace your creativity and share the work that speaks with authenticity. With this book as guidance, Godin teaches readers how they can dance through fear while taking risks worth doing so in order to create something worthwhile–and even enjoy it! [Order The Practice](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593328973/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0593328973&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=534e4d27ce2d038edd82fc1882fdbfc7&ref=philmckinney.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/widgets/q.jpg) ****[Experimentation Works: The Surprising Power of Business Experiments](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/163369710X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=163369710X&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=701fd8ae0f76e983c3c577e9bc212d0e&ref=philmckinney.com) by Stefan H. Thomke** In this heavily researched book, studies have shown that leaders' intuition and big data don’t work anymore. Running experiments is the key to success in business today by helping leaders make better-informed decisions. [Purchase Experimentation Works](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/163369710X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=163369710X&linkCode=as2&tag=techtrend-20&linkId=701fd8ae0f76e983c3c577e9bc212d0e&ref=philmckinney.com) ### 3 Characteristics of Successful Failures URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/3-characteristics-of-successful-failures/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:47.000Z For [innovation leaders](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-characteristics-of-successful-innovation-leaders/), it is vital to learn how to turn failures into successes. Innovation is all about seeing opportunities others don’t see and seizing them. Successful failures lead to successful innovations. ## The Importance of Failure The [experimentation phase](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/) is within the innovation process, often full of failures. These failures are not always negative. When things don’t go as planned, failures allow us to see what needs change. Successful innovations require risk and a capacity for productive failures, which reveal something new about the problem you are trying to solve. To experience productive failure, you have to fail successfully. Three characteristics help you figure out if your failures are successful. ## Three Characteristics of Successful Failures 1. **Effort:** Innovators must have a [strong sense of commitment](https://www.philmckinney.com/creating-time-for-innovation/) even when others give up hope. Ask yourself this question, “did you put your 100% best effort into a project”?. If so, you are one step closer to a productive failure. 2. **Perspective:** Reflect on what happened during each failure, learn from it, and apply what you learned to future innovations. Ask yourself, “what does the experience teach you about [what works and what doesn’t](https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/)”? 3. **Inspiration:** Failure from experiments might lead to lessons about the nature of the problem, inspiring better solutions. They can also teach us something about how we think. Through failures, you can learn how to [solve problems better](https://www.philmckinney.com/kevin-spencer-on-disability-innovation-through-magic-tricks/). Ask this question, “Does this new understanding [inspire](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-inspiration-is-everywhere/) a new understanding that wasn’t there before?” To know more about these characteristics, listen to this week's show: *[*3 Characteristics of Successful Failures*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/3%5FCharacteristics%5Fof%5FSuccessful%5FFailures.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).* \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Ideas Have The Power To Change The World – For Good and For Bad URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-have-power-to-change-the-world/ Last updated: 2021-12-13T14:46:12.000Z Ideas have power. They can change the world. They can open new windows of opportunity and [inspire us](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-your-creative-inspiration/) to do things that we never thought possible. Ideas transform our perception of what is possible and inspire us to push on when we feel like giving up. Success can be just around the corner with one more idea in a series of good ideas! > Ideas are the currency of the future — use them to change the world. ## **Where Do Ideas Come From?** An idea is born from a series of thoughts that have been connected to create something new. Some ideas may come from your observations or experiences, while others may come as you daydream with an open mind. Some ideas will pop into your head when you least expect them, such as during meditation or prayer; other ideas will start out vague and need time to mature before they make sense. No matter where ideas come from, ideas can be life-changing if you let them be! ## **The Impact From Ideas** [Ideas have an impact](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-spinoffs-nasa-innovations-impacting-everyday-life/). They can change the course of history, inspire us to do great things, and open up new worlds of opportunity for us. When we're feeling down, all we need is a good idea to pick us up and get us moving again. And ideas don't just impact us emotionally, they can also transform the way we see our own capabilities and help us achieve things that we never thought possible. Ideas can change everything. When it comes to making our dreams a reality, often all we need is a little push in the right direction. So don't give up on your dreams – remember that with a little courage and determination, anything is possible. ## **Freely Sharing Ideas** Ideas are ideas for a reason. They're not ours to keep to ourselves — we share them with others so that they may benefit from the wisdom of others. It's important to remember that ideas don't come with an expiration date — ideas should not be hoarded or hidden away until their value has diminished; instead, ideas should be shared freely and openly so that everyone can grow in knowledge and understanding. We shouldn't worry about sharing our ideas with the world – it's only through collaboration that we will continue to move forward. ## **Good Ideas vs Bad Ideas** There are good ideas and bad ideas. Good ideas give hope and inspiration for a better future. Bad ideas, unfortunately, have their own power. They lead to things like wars and poverty. But thankfully, good ideas are more powerful and can overcome the negative effects of bad ideas. ### **A Good Idea** Thomas Edison is a good example of someone who had an idea that led to something amazing. He had an idea for the electric light and worked hard, persisting despite many setbacks and failures, until he came up with a working model. Today we take it for granted that we have this convenient and abundant source of artificial light while we go about our day, but we should always remember how [ideas can transform](https://www.philmckinney.com/better-ideas-can-completely-change-the-face-of-your-business-and-thats-not-a-bad-thing/) our world in ways we never expected. ### **A Bad Idea** There are bad ideas that led to terrible things. One idea was so powerful that it destroyed an entire country. This idea was the Nazi party. The Nazi party was a group of people who believed in hate and bigotry. They thought that they were superior to other races and that they should rule over them. Because of this bad idea, millions of people were killed, including six million Jews. Good ideas give hope and inspiration for a better future, while bad ideas lead to destruction. Though there will always be bad ideas out there with the potential destructive power to take hold of people, ideas can inspire us and transform our world in ways we never expected. ## **Ideas Are Alive** One of the more interesting questions in light of Shakespeare's death a little over 400 years ago is whether ideas survive after their creator dies. Some may imagine that ideas stop living at death, but they don't. In fact, an idea lives beyond its creator in three different ways: 1. Ideas can change people and continue to live through them 2. Ideas can be passed on from person to person, either orally or through writing 3. Ideas get modeled by other people and get copied In this way, there's never just one idea about something — there are many, and these variants proliferate further still when others pass them along. More than just an interesting question for scholars of literature, this issue has important implications for how we think about creativity and the creative process. As long as ideas are alive, there is always hope for a better tomorrow. ## **Optimism For The Future!** With so many incredible ideas out there just waiting to be discovered, I can't help but feel optimistic about the future. Ideas give us hope for a better tomorrow by igniting our passions and inspiring us to take positive action in the world. They remind us that anything is possible if we put our minds to it, and inspire us to believe in ourselves and each other. So don't lose faith in ideas – they hold the potential to create an amazing future for all of us! ### The 7 Essential Ingredients of Agile Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-7-essential-ingredients-of-agile-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:47.000Z It is crucial to stand out among the crowd in a world filled with so many [innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/josh-smith-on-healthcare-innovation-at-richardson-methodist/). Organizations that want to improve their innovation impact need to implement a high-impact strategy. We will be exploring the seven essential ingredients of agile innovation. Agile is the ability to think/understand quickly and move quickly and flexibly. Agile innovation helps teams deliver [high-impact innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/). It consists of constant testing and experimenting to solve a problem. The ultimate goal is to provide innovation that is scalable and sustainable. It is essential to keep in mind that agile innovation is a process. When viewing the agile innovation framework, understand that it’s not a “one size fits all.” It would be best if you adapted this framework to your organization. ## The Seven Essential Ingredients of Agile Innovation The first ingredient of agile innovation is collaborating with stakeholders or those that benefit from what you deliver. Collaborate closely with them because this helps you build a shared [understanding of the problem](https://www.philmckinney.com/brainstorming-problem-statements-as-a-team/). From this, you’ll gain a higher likelihood of success and ensure met needs. The second essential ingredient is focusing on high-impact innovations. Focusing on impact helps ensure the value of impact delivered. The team needs to be on the same page in this process. The third ingredient is a culture of continuous experiments. Continuous experiments help organizations learn fast and make decisions that lead to sustainable results. In 2020, we had [Stefan Thomke](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/) from Harvard Business School on the show, and he wrote an excellent book on this topic. The fourth ingredient is self-organizing teams. These teams are responsible and accountable for their work. They don’t have to wait for permission to take action, which speeds up decision-making and execution. Define and [agree on the problem statement](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think-crafting-the-problem-statement/), and let the team execute. The fifth essential ingredient is a cross-disciplinary team. Teams with diverse backgrounds and skillsets are unique and powerful. The sixth ingredient is the right innovation agility metrics. These are not just usual innovation metrics such as the 3M metric used to ensure that new product revenue grows. An agile-specific metric would be something like how many things are in your innovation queue. Stick with a few metrics, and don’t go overboard with them. The seventh essential ingredient of agile innovation is short iterative ideation, testing, prototyping, and repeat cycles. This is done in a structured way. Keep aggressive schedules with planned [progress](https://beyondtheobvious.com/time-sensitive-customers/?ref=philmckinney.com) towards the execution. Remember that if you run into a wall and something is simply not working, stop. Be willing to kill the project and move on to the next. To know more about the essential ingredients of agile innovation, listen to this week's show: *[*The 7 Essential Ingredients of Agile Innovation*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5F7%5FEssential%5FIngredients%5Fof%5FAgile%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).* \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### I’m Bored!! URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/im-bored/ Last updated: 2021-12-06T14:53:04.000Z Why are we so afraid of being bored — to have that time of stillness? We feel compelled to fill that silence with something. We fill it with screen time or with emails or with phone calls or cat videos. Those moments of silence can be unnerving, but our brains need that solitude for the subconscious to unleash the creative muse. Our creativity depends on it. Boredom is a necessary part of life. Research reveals that when we’re undistracted by external stimuli, our brain responds in a fascinating way: we enter a condition of relaxation where our stream of consciousness wanders, daydreams, imagines, and meditates. Yes, daydreaming is now recognized as an essential experience. ## **Silence** One external stimulus that many assume can be a distraction is sound — so they strive for silence. Physically, silence has a peculiar power to calm the body; it’s been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, alleviate pain, and more. Mentally, the therapeutic effects of quietness can lift mood and increase attention, focus, and creativity. But for others, noise and music can feed their creativity. ## **Noise And Music** Noise and music are two of the most important aspects of our lives. They can affect how we feel and how we work. While noise has been shown to have a negative impact, other research shows that a certain level of noise can have a positive impact on your creativity. White noise is better for general productivity because it produces enough activity to make us feel like we’re being productive, but not enough to make us distracted from what we’re doing. Ambient sounds (e.g. background noise at a coffee shop) have been shown to have a positive effect on creativity. This is because ambient sounds allow us to focus on our surroundings instead of the task at hand. This can help us come up with new ideas and solutions. Instrumental music has also been shown to be beneficial for creativity. This is because instrumental music allows us to focus on the music itself instead of singing along. This can help us come up with new ideas and solutions. The type of noise and music you use is important. You need to find the right balance that works for you. If you’re working on creative projects, ambient sounds or instrumental music are a great option. ## **Boredom = Subconscious Serendipity** So whether you use noise/music or go for silence, the aim is to leave room for the subconscious to experience serendipity. Time for our brains to wander and explore new possibilities — making random connections. When you think about it, the idea of discovering new connections or insights by chance is actually a pretty amazing thing. Those serendipity moments happen all the time to people who are open-minded to letting their subconscious work for them. To encourage mind-wandering so the subconscious can work, we need to take time out of our days for boredom. Our creative subconscious needs the room that boredom creates for serendipity. ## **Examples of Creativity from Boredom** Many creatives have discussed how valuable boredom has been to their creative process. For example (1): - The screenwriter Aaron Sorkin said on a podcast last year that the first time he wrote for enjoyment—and stayed up all night writing—he was driven purely by boredom; his friends weren’t around, the TV and stereo were broken and the only thing in the apartment was a typewriter. If he had come of age during the smartphone era, with constant distractions, things might have been different. Now, he said, “there are too many easy boredom killers.” - J. R. R. Tolkien started writing The Hobbit, he said, when marking exam papers as an Oxford professor, a task that he described as “very laborious, and also very boring.” It was on a blank page of one of these papers that he wrote down the first words of his world-changing book series. - Steve Jobs also said that he was a “big believer in boredom” because of the way that it had pushed him to come up with imaginative ideas. Boredom can promote curiosity, he thought, and “out of curiosity comes everything.” ## **Boredom Is Fuel For Creativity** When people are bored, they often feel like something is wrong with them. Our culture tells us that if we’re not constantly entertained or occupied, there must be something wrong with our lives. But stillness—a period of boredom without any external stimulation—is actually a time when creativity and new ideas can flourish. So next time you're feeling antsy or frustrated because you don't have anything to do, try embracing your boredom instead. Let yourself be still and unoccupied for a while, and see what new ideas form in your mind. It might surprise you how creatively productive being bored can be! > One needs time to be bored — one needs boredom to be creative — one needs creativity to not be bored. Sources: ###### (1) Jessica Holland’s post, [Why Feeling Bored Might be the Best Thing for Your Creative Practice](https://www.skillshare.com/blog/why-feeling-bored-might-be-the-best-thing-for-your-creative-practice/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Stop Acting Stupid and Change Your Mind URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/stop-acting-stupid-change-your-mind/ Last updated: 2021-12-03T15:42:52.000Z As humans, we have a unique superpower. That superpower is our ability to convince ourselves that something is true — when it’s not. We act stupidly. > Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than evil. > > Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian Sometimes stupidity makes people act against their own best interests. When their belief in what is true is challenged by contradictory evidence, stupidity causes people to hold on to those beliefs even more strongly. The source of our acting stupid? From the herd, we align ourselves with. ### We Are All Stupid Numerous scientific studies have shown that our herd can sway how we take positions that go against all logic. In the course of 12 experiments on conformity, 75% of the participants conformed to the herd’s incorrect position at least once. Translation — 3 out of 4 people acted stupidly. To be more precise, you and I will act stupidly about something at some time. So the problem isn't the other herd. It is us. We are the problem. To fight stupidity, we must be willing to listen to those outside our herd and be open to changing our minds — what we call having mental agility. ### Mental Rigidity Instead, society is mostly made up of people who operate with mental rigidity, the stubborn unwillingness to change an opinion or behavior in the face of new and compelling evidence. Mental rigidity is about refusing to listen to new ideas, not considering the evidence before forming an opinion, refusing to consider other points of view. In order for us humans to be successful in life – our careers, relationships with family, and friends – we must think outside our comfort zone else we will never change — never improve. It is tempting to resist changing our minds and instead want others to change theirs instead. Deeply held convictions are hard for anyone to let go of — especially when our beliefs feel like “truths we hold self-evident.” ### Mental Agility To fight stupidity, we must be willing to use mental agility, the ability to change our minds when presented with new information — new perspectives — new understanding. Mental agility involves practicing deep listening — [suspending judgment](https://www.philmckinney.com/find-a-way-to-say-yes-to-non-obvious-ideas/), and digging deep to understand the other person's belief and perspective. It is important to realize that people, including ourselves, don't change their minds easily. “A wise man changes his mind. A fool never will.” Remember that you are your own person; don't let your herd tell you how to think, feel or believe about something. Use your mental agility by being open to new facts, new beliefs, new perspectives. When was the last time you [changed your mind](https://www.philmckinney.com/change-caused-by-innovation/)? ### 9 Characteristics of Successful Innovation Leaders URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/9-characteristics-of-successful-innovation-leaders/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:46.000Z We are finishing up a two-part series on innovation leaders. Innovation leadership skills go beyond the basic skills associated with managing people or processes. They are leadership styles to increase [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/merrick-porcheddu-on-nft-innovation-through-artist-uprising/), competency, and collaboration that result in innovations that contribute to the organization's success. ## The Challenge The Harvard Business Review recently said, "A major paradox managers face is that the systems that enable success with today's model reinforce behaviors that are inconsistent with discovering tomorrow's model." Today's rules and structures for organizations create [innovation roadblocks](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-leadership-roadblocks-to-innovation/). It's vital to appoint a leader with the characteristics to lead your innovation effort. Secondly, it's essential to support them with resources (people, time, and money) and give them space to work. ## 9 Characteristics of Successful Innovation Leaders Let's look at the nine characteristics every [successful innovation leader](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/) needs. 1. **Comfortable With Risk**: An innovation leader must have risk tolerance and analyze potential outcomes to make the best decision. 2. **Effective Communication**: Leaders need the ability to convey visions, command respect, and understand ideas' inherent risks and advantages. 3. **Remain Humble**: Be humble and [open to new ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/). This will help cultivate an innovative organization. 4. **Low Anxiety**: Unnecessary stress depletes creativity. A leader with low anxiety will make their team feel comfortable and secure. 5. The fifth characteristic is self-confidence, as innovation leaders constantly deal with unknowns. An innovation leader believes they'll succeed and stay positive. 6. **Oriented Towards Action**: Innovation leaders feel energized by action and enjoy leading change that produces innovation. 7. [**Active Collaborators**: ](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-leadership-behaviors-for-innovation-leaders/)Proven ability to create a culture of trust, mutual respect, and shared aspiration of a mutual goal. Innovations that come from collaborative sharing can propel organizations to greater heights. 8. **Be a Rule Breaker**: Innovation leaders understand that consistently following the rules can become rigid and put people in a rut. They seek to generate insight and knowledge through non-traditional ways, such as experimentation, free exploration, improvisation, and breaking the rules of doing something. 9. **Be a Keen Observer**: To see new patterns and details. The ability to notice things that may have gone unnoticed helps innovation leaders make accurate assessments and figure out the best solution to a problem. ## Resources - *[10 Innovation Leadership Characteristics](https://yscouts.com/10-innovation-leadership-characteristics/?ref=philmckinney.com)* - *[Why is Collaborative Leadership Important?](https://blog.trginternational.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-collaborative-leadership?ref=philmckinney.com)* - *[Removing Roadblocks on the Road to Innovation](https://workingcapitalreview.com/2019/12/removing-roadblocks-on-the-road-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com)* To know more about the characteristics of successful innovation leaders, listen to this week's show: **[9 Characteristics of Successful Innovation Leaders](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/9%5FCharacteristics%5Fof%5FSuccessful%5FInnovation%5FLeaders.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation in Education: What’s Old and What’s New URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-education/ Last updated: 2021-11-29T15:20:08.000Z The world our kids will need to compete in is radically different from the world ten years ago. The old adage about education that “what was good enough for you when you were a kid is good enough for today” gives comfort and justification that everything is fine. Everything is not fine. Our schools are training students in memorization of information and test-taking as opposed to finding and exercising their creativity and innovation skills to compete in the coming innovation economy. We need innovation in education. > If we are not preparing our children for the future, then we are preparing them for failure. In this article, I will present the need for change, the challenges to changing the education system, what are some steps to encourage teachers, schools, and administrators to change, — and what parents can do today to help their children prepare for the [coming innovation economy](https://www.philmckinney.com/ready-thrive-innovation-economy/). ## **The Need For Innovation in Education** [Education needs to change.](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-classroom-education-needs-innovative/) This is not a new argument. This has been a topic for years. I wrote about it in my first book, [Beyond The Obvious](https://beyondtheobvious.com/education-and-change/?ref=philmckinney.com), back in 2012 and nothing has changed. The education system is doing the same thing the same way they have for decades, if not for centuries. The 21st-century workforce has different requirements than previous centuries did. We no longer can rely on memorization skills as the basis for career success. The challenges we face as a society require us to innovate solutions to problems we are facing here and now — and to be prepared to innovate solutions to problems that don’t even exist using technologies that haven't yet been invented. How do you memorize and test for something that doesn’t yet exist? The skills we need for the innovation economy emphasize collaboration, creative thinking, and problem-solving. ## **What Is This New Innovation Economy?** The innovation economy describes a shift from a traditional manufacturing-based or extractive economy to one reliant on creativity and innovation. The definition used by [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihaly%5FCsikszentmihalyi?ref=philmckinney.com) and others is “the production of novelty through creativity.” It has been referred to as an ‘economy of ideas' or a new cultural economy where businesses and organizations innovate to create new products, services, or processes. We often contrast it with the knowledge economy, which is focused on the use of knowledge and information. ## **Why Is It So Hard To Change Education?** It's difficult to innovate in an educational system that rewards compliance to the rules, competition among student peers, and a student's ability to memorize. As long as students can get A’s by regurgitating facts onto essays, teachers will continue this practice. It requires little thought or creativity by the teacher or student. Educators prefer to maintain the status quo rather than innovate because it is what they know. Sounds like every other business facing the need to innovate. Schools need to innovate or risk becoming extinct. Schools must provide opportunities for students to innovate, create and become industry-ready with the necessary 21st-century skills required by employers. ## **What Steps Can Educators Take To Change?** The simplest way to innovate education would be to encourage and support teachers to innovate themselves. Teachers are the front-line to student education, so if they are not innovative themselves, how can they inspire creativity in their students? There are three things that must happen for schools to change. 1) **Leaders who want innovation** — both administrators and teachers need a firm commitment before anything changes. 2) **Measure Innovation and Creativity** — Move away from test scores as the measurement for teacher effectiveness. Instead measure students, teachers, and administrators on their creativity and innovation skills and usage. As the saying goes, people work to the measurement. 3) **Training and mentoring** — Both teachers and administrators need to see and experience highly innovative, creative environments. Find local internship opportunities where teachers can get immersed and experience what the innovation economy is. The other alternative is to send them to innovation training, such as the Innovation Boot Camp. 4) **Empowerment** — When any teacher has the power and support from institutional leaders who allow her or him with freedom and flexibility where one may innovate without fear of being judged, this will create a culture that can transform a school, a district, and beyond. 5) **Time** — Teachers need time to innovate and innovate again until these new practices become second nature in order for them to stick. ## **What Steps Can Parents Take To Prepare Their Kids For The Innovation Economy?** There are several things that parents can do to help their children prepare for the innovation economy. 1) **Encourage creativity and risk-taking**. Allow children to explore their creative side and take risks. Creativity is the process of generating new ideas. It’s also about having the courage to take risks, to innovate. If they are not willing to risk failure, then their creativity won't flourish. That's why it's important for children to be encouraged and allowed to take risks when exercising their creative side. Creative thinking is a gained skill that needs practice, so if we want children (and ourselves) to innovate education and innovate in other areas of life, they need opportunities where they can experiment without fear of failure or ridicule by others. 2) **Promote collaboration**. Help children learn how to work together and communicate effectively with others. Training children to collaborate is important because it helps them learn how to work together. Collaboration, as opposed to competitive behaviors, has many advantages, including better outcomes. It's also much more fun. There are two principal ways that children can be taught to collaborate in the classroom effectively: 1) allowing students to collaborate on assignments and 2) teaching them the differences between collaboration and competition 3) **Foster a love of learning.** Help children develop a lifelong love of learning, so they will be constantly seeking new knowledge, experiences, and skills. One of the most important things that parents can do is to foster a love of learning in children. A lifelong love of learning will ensure that children are constantly learning and exercising new skills and abilities, which will be invaluable in the coming innovation economy. 4) **Encourage problem-solving**. Teach children how to identify and solve problems, which is essential for innovation. One of the most important skills children need to learn and practice is 1) how to identify a problem, 2) brainstorm possible solutions, and then 3) experiment with the different solutions to solve the problem. This is essential for innovation, as creativity and innovation are all about solving problems in new ways. Problem-solving teaches children how to be innovative, and to come up with creative solutions to difficult challenges/problems. 5) **Support STEAM education**. Encourage your children to study science, technology, engineering, art, and math, which are important for careers in the innovation economy. It is important for students to study all the subjects in STEAM because it gives them a foundation to innovate. Art and math are two subjects that help students innovate because they teach them how to think creatively. Technology is everywhere, and it plays a big role in our economy. Therefore, students need to learn how to innovate with technology by understanding the basics of science and math. ## **Conclusion** The world our kids will need to compete in is radically different from the one we grew up in. Our schools are training students for a career that no longer exists, and they're not teaching them what they will really need. My aim is to convince you why it's so important that we change how schools work to prepare children for an innovation economy by encouraging creativity through art and math coursework, as well as science classes focused on technology. In the meantime, we need to give every child a chance by exposing them to the key skills sets and experiences needed for future success. If you want your child to be prepared for their future or if you know someone who does, share this article with them! As always, reach out anytime if you have questions about changing your schools while preparing your children (or grandchildren) to succeed in the coming [innovation economy](https://www.philmckinney.com/understanding-innovation-economy-impact-world/). ### 8 Leadership Roadblocks to Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/8-leadership-roadblocks-to-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:46.000Z Innovation is the [secret sauce to success](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-success-skill-or-luck/). Unfortunately, efforts to create innovative products or services often get derailed by good intentions, market factors, or other roadblocks holding us back. ## Leadership Alignment Business leadership has spent billions searching for innovation. From creating Innovation Centers to investing in incubators, organizations continue on a snipe hunt for innovation. It must be a snipe hunt because 94% of executives say they are frustrated with their company's efforts to harness innovation. The prominent paradox managers face is that systems enabling success based on today's management model reinforce behaviors inconsistent with an innovation culture. [Innovation leadership](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-leadership-behaviors-for-innovation-leaders/) must remove the inertia barrier as a first step toward embracing innovation. To do this, start at the top with leaders that welcome and support new and more innovative ways of thinking. Leadership must lead with bold, creative ideas first. This will inspire the spark that can spread into a cultural conflagration of innovation over time. ## 8 Leadership Roadblocks to Innovation Let's get specific on the eight leadership roadblocks that prevent organizations from achieving innovation success. Firstly, [groupthink](https://www.philmckinney.com/groupthink-kills-innovation/) occurs when everyone makes the unspoken decision to follow the group's thinking. Groupthink stunts innovation and prevents some of the best ideas from being presented. Secondly, there is burnout, which comes from firing on all cylinders, killing creativity. Innovation depends on creativity, so make sure to find time to rest. The third roadblock is a lack of resources, coming in time, people, and money. When innovation teams lack resources, it's hard to go past the ideas and into execution. The fourth roadblock is insufficient trust, which is especially essential to innovation efforts. When trust within organizations is lacking, teams will be skeptical that their ideas will be executed and won't even try. The fifth roadblock is stopping at ideas.Ideas have to come with action by inspired and engaged employees. Letting good ideas die in the pipeline is a common innovation pitfall. Avoid that. ## Roadblocks 6 to 8 Next is preferential treatment, stemming from managers not valuing diverse opinions or only valuing one person's opinion. This results in fewer ideas and low-impact innovations. The seventh roadblock is a lack of collaboration, which comes from leaders giving individual credit for ideas. This creates an unwillingness to collaborate with others. Without a strong culture of collaboration, an organizations' innovation efforts will fail. Lastly, there is [the roadblock of fear](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/). It's not safe to fail when there isn't any trust that failure is a normal part of the innovation process. Sometimes, the riskiest ideas end up being the best, and innovation efforts suffer without them. [Leaders who promote an innovation-friendly workplace](https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/) culture are crucial in today's world. Doomed leaders and organizations are those who don't innovate. ## Resources *[6 Potential Roadblocks to Innovation](https://innovationmanagement.se/2017/06/28/6-potential-roadblocks-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com)* *[Navigating Innovation Roadblocks](http://cclinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/navigating-innovation-roadblocks.pdf?ref=philmckinney.com)* *[Why is Collaborative Leadership Important?](https://blog.trginternational.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-collaborative-leadership?ref=philmckinney.com)* To know more about about leadership roadblocks, listen to this week's show: [**8 Leadership Roadblocks to Innovation**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/8%5FLeadership%5FRoadblocks%5Fto%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Best Creative Thinking Tool You Probably Haven’t Tried URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/best-creative-thinking-tool/ Last updated: 2022-05-30T00:13:40.000Z While we all have a go-to creative thinking tool that always works for us, we should always be open to trying new tools. I'm sure you've met a humorless person before. They're those people that take everything far too seriously and never find humor in life or other people. If you want to be creative, then it's important to learn how to laugh at yourself and not take things so seriously all the time! But if you meet a humorless person on your way out of this article, don't worry about him or her because we have some brilliant advice for them later down below! ## **Humor – A Creative Thinking Tool** The humor and laughter of a good joke can be the catalyst for the most profound moment of creativity. When humor is used as an instrument to generate ideas, it can produce surprisingly novel insights that prompt new connections between seemingly unrelated concepts. And when humor is used as an instrument to evaluate ideas, it can help people see problems in new ways or identify better solutions more quickly than they otherwise would have. How? Laughter can help people solve problems that need creative solutions, by making it easier to think more broadly and associate ideas more freely. Recent research shows that people in a lighter mood experience more creative moments and greater inspiration. So if you want better results at home or on the job this week, try injecting humor more often into your conversations with colleagues and loved ones. Your creativity will thank you! ## **Laughing While Brainstorming** The hallmark of [really effective brainstorming](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-bizarre-new-perspective-on-brainstorms/) is an abundance of genuine and heartfelt laughter. When humor is present in a brainstorming session, it can help the group come up with different non-obvious solutions/ideas that are not usually considered. It also makes it easier for individuals to come up with unusual associations across distant mental areas (e.g., linking astronomy with economics). This ability facilitates the discovery of new ideas that aren’t available using other methods alone. Research has shown that when people have experienced humor and laughter in a brainstorming session, they experience more eureka! moments. Ideas usually start flowing when humor is present because humor increases the probability of cross-boundary thinking, which produces new ways of creatively solving a problem or achieving a goal. ### **How do you bring humor into a brainstorming session?** Be playful with [humor in brainstorm sessions](https://killerinnovations.com/companies-use-improv-comedy-skills-boost-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com). Start by asking participants about their favorite humorists and what they like to laugh at and watch and read and then set out to provide humor that matches these likes. Have group members share humor, jokes, or stories before engaging in any creative work. Taking part in humor can help a group let go of inhibitions and more easily find humor in their own work. ## **Humor Can Fix Creativity Killers** Creativity killers are bad habits that people have learned, typically in their childhood, and then carry into adulthood. They can be broken, but it requires effort and humor is one way to break these habits. The common creativity killers that humor combats include: ### **Fear of failure** [Fear of failure](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-fear-of-failure-killing-your-creativity-and-hindering-your-success/) is one of the most common creativity killers. This fear can be so powerful that it prevents people from trying to solve problems in the first place because they are afraid they will fail and embarrass themselves. Laughter can help people overcome this fear by making them feel more comfortable exploring new ideas and seeing the humor in mistakes. Humor can be an encouragement to explore (and to even make mistakes). The laughter may come easily or hard-won, but its power lies in how it makes you feel about yourself when you laugh at your own missteps rather than berating yourself for failing. When you add humor to your creative process, such as a [brainstorming](https://www.philmckinney.com/brainstorming-for-fun-and-profit-5-tips-for-teams/) session, you can get past the fear of trying and failing. ### **The need to be perfect** Expecting every outcome to be perfect is another creativity killer that humor combats. [Perfectionistic standards](http://Perfectionistic standards) often lead people to reject ideas out of hand because they don’t seem good enough—even if those ideas actually have a lot going for them and just need some minor adjustments instead of major overhauls. It can also cause groups working on joint projects to shut down prematurely without reaching their full potential because no one wants to waste time polishing something that could still use improvement when it should already be “perfect” by now (a concept that doesn’t exist in reality). Laughter helps people feel less pressure from these expectations, so they can relax and be open to new ideas. ### **The need for approval from others in a group setting** Laughter makes teamwork easier by putting everyone on an equal footing—a great way to break the tension between people who might disagree with each other or who worry how their opinions will come across. If humor allows people to let go of their fears and self-doubts and be more open with their ideas, it will increase the chance that everyone in a group setting can build on one another’s thoughts. Instead of worrying about how your contributions might be received by others (which takes away from thinking creatively), humor allows people to focus on generating new solutions. The alternative is that everyone is focusing on themselves or what they think someone else wants them to say which kills the creative spark. ## **Conclusion** In order to be successful, innovators need to think creatively. The best creative thinking tool you probably haven’t tried is humor. Laughter can help people solve problems that demand creative solutions and make it easier for them to associate ideas and relationships more freely. So next time you want your team brainstorming that next great innovation, consider breaking out some humorous videos on YouTube or playing a funny game like Cards Against Humanity together. It may just lead to an epiphany of sorts! ### Eric Yuan and the Future of Zoom URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/eric-yuan-and-the-future-of-zoom/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:45.000Z Eric Yuan, the CEO of Zoom, is a longtime friend of mine whose leadership has positively impacted countless people. Zoom is a sponsor of the show, and we are honored to have Eric join us to discuss [game-changing innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/kevin-spencer-on-disability-innovation-through-magic-tricks/). During COVID-19, [Zoom saw explosive growth](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-become-the-innovation-challenger/) from schools, businesses, and individuals alike. Eric attributes two factors to Zoom’s success: the product’s architecture that supports a hybrid model and the ability to increase servers as more traffic arose. If more bandwidth were available, new features would be better, and quality would be higher. Eric believes increasing bandwidth will be vital to [Zoom’s future innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/). Zoom’s original goal was to create a quality video conferencing app, which they accomplished. In the future, Eric wants to transform Zoom into a platform company. He envisions bringing third-party contexts to the interface, such as games and other consumer apps. ## Healthcare and Education Innovation Eric believes Zoom will be able to deliver a better meeting experience than face-to-face meetings. The opportunities are endless, from language translations during business meetings to doctors supporting live surgeries happening overseas. Eric is especially excited about Zoom’s future in telehealth and education. Patients can comfortably receive the care they need when they need it, and this will only improve. Higher education institutions and K-12 schools leverage Zoom across the world. Eric believes the future of education will be a hybrid model, similar to the future of work. Killer innovations come from the right collaborations, bandwidth, and [artificial intelligence integration](https://www.philmckinney.com/ai-opens-on-broadway/). ## The Future of Work and New Features Eric believes the future of work is hybrid because it offers employees flexibility and shields them from mental health problems. When Zoom creates [new features](https://www.philmckinney.com/idea-hacking-feature-innovation-versus-function-innovation/), they always ask if the features will support a hybrid work system. Different businesses are trying different setups for their hybrid work models. Focusing on making remote workers feel connected is a guiding principle for Zoom’s innovations. Recently, Zoom announced some exciting new features at Zoomtopia. They announced a live language translation feature. They also announced a Docusign integration and the adoption of other apps into the Zoom ecosystem. ## About our Guest: Eric Yuan Eric Yuan is the billionaire founder of Zoom, a popular video communications tool that took flight during the coronavirus pandemic. Eric was previously one of the founding engineers at WebEx, which Cisco Systems acquired in 2007\. He went on to become the VP at Cisco Systems. Eric is a Chinese native that moved to Silicon Valley in 1997 after eight failed attempts to obtain a visa. *Business Insider* named Eric one of the most influential people in enterprise technology. In 2018, Glassdoor voted him as the number one CEO of large companies and added him to the *Bloomberg* 50 Most Influential list. To know more about about what's in store for Zoom in the future, listen to this week's show: **[Eric Yuan and the Future of Zoom](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Eric%5FYuan%5Fand%5Fthe%5FFuture%5Fof%5FZoom.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The False Theory of Idea Scarcity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/false-theory-of-idea-scarcity/ Last updated: 2021-11-15T17:34:38.000Z “The world has a limited amount of resources.” While there are many resources that are finite, some believe there is a finite number of ideas. But, in reality, this theory of idea scarcity is a myth. When an idea creates the spark that leads to something new being created, it takes the place of something old and the creative cycle starts again with a new idea. The only way to run out of ideas is to stop creating. Ideas are the most valuable thing in existence. Some say ideas are worth more than money, land, or even oil and coal because they can create something new from nothing! Ideas give life and meaning where there was none before the idea came along. The creative process can be long and difficult, but it's always rewarding. But there are roadblocks that can impede the creative cycle. These roadblocks fall into two categories: internal and external. Internal roadblocks are self-imposed or self-inflicted because of fear and pressure while external ones come in different forms such as burnout, criticism, rejection, negativity, etc… Let's look at the two most common roadblocks. ## **Creative Pressure** I was talking to someone I've been mentoring the other day about how he had been struggling with his creative work. I asked him if he felt like he had been running into the constant criticism that creatives often face. He said he was under a lot of pressure to create something new on a regular basis, even though he wasn't feeling inspired. The pressure had been building since people were giving him more attention than they ever had before because of his creative work. Success sets the expectation for more success. One way that creatives can get away from the constant pressure is by removing themselves from any outside influences so they have time to be inspired again. By simply ignoring what others say, you create the mental space to find inspiration. There is nothing wrong with taking a break now and then, but it shouldn't become a repeated excuse because we all know what happens when we do this: we fall behind! If others are waiting for us to come up with something, they will eventually tire of waiting and look elsewhere for their inspiration. ## **Creative Burnout** What some call idea scarcity results from creative burnout, which can be hard to avoid when you are working with creative endeavors. It's the point where you are so exhausted that everything seems too hard. You are void of new ideas. Creative burnout is an important issue, but it does not have to be a terminal one. You can get your passion back and return to being creative again by taking some time off. Sometimes taking a day to recharge will give you the motivation and energy that you need to create new things. Having supportive people is also important because they can help motivate us when we are feeling down. If your family or friends want what's best for you, then why not let them know how much this means? ## **Finding Your Creative Inspiration** If you feel your creativity running dry, then you need to find inspiration and get back into your flow state. It could be helping someone else with their creative project or taking some time to learn new things. Being around like-minded creative individuals who keep you accountable to reach your creative goals will always be a source of inspiration; even if it is just brainstorming or bouncing new ideas off each other, this creativity breeds more creativity. ## **Avoid The Trap** Don't fall for the false theory of idea scarcity — because it's all in your head! The only way to run out of ideas is to stop creating. Therefore, the next best step you can take to feed your creativity is to share your work. Take the advice of famous author Arthur Edward Waite: “No belief is more powerful than an idea when it is truly shared.” So what are you waiting for? Share what you are creating with the world! ### Kevin Spencer on Disability Innovation through Magic Tricks URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/kevin-spencer-on-disability-innovation-through-magic-tricks/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:45.000Z We are back to discuss impactful [healthcare-related innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/josh-smith-on-healthcare-innovation-at-richardson-methodist/), specifically disability innovation. Kevin Spencer is an award-winning magician who is passionate about developing children with autism. ## Disability Innovation through Magic Tricks Kevin is a magician known by many as “the kid whisperer.” Years ago, Kevin had a brain and spine injury from a motorcycle accident. During the therapy process, he started learning magic tricks to keep himself busy and motivated. After seeing how well it worked, he developed Magic Therapy, a program that uses simple magic tricks to boost motivation, curiosity, and [creative expression](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-creative-expression-is-important/). When first testing the program, Kevin worked with adults but felt intimidated by children. He was hesitant to work with a child but took on the challenge. At first, his tricks weren’t doing anything, but the child became curious and engaged after the second trick. After the session, Kevin noticed the child’s father crying. The father told him that was the first time he had ever heard his child speak. After that experience, Kevin committed to developing children who have [autism](https://philmckinney.com/spark-your-innovation-by-hiring-people-on-the-autism-spectrum-neural-diversity/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Hocus Focus Kevin always wanted to be a magician and feels very privileged to use his passion in a way that impacts others. For kids told that they can’t do things, performing magic tricks gives them the ability to do something that a peer or sibling can’t do. Kevin’s team created an [innovative program](https://www.philmckinney.com/bryan-chambers-and-joel-radtke-on-fintech-and-venture-capital-innovation/) designed for a school system called Hocus Focus. The magic tricks address the objectives of a child’s education program that develops functional skills. The tricks connect to a common core standard of learning. A teacher can use the trick to deliver academic content, and occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists can use the same trick to work on the child’s functional aspects. ## Unlocking Creativity Through the Arts Kevin and a colleague developed an assessment for teachers to measure the impact of the Hocus Focus program. Dozens of school districts in the U.S use the program, but the most significant market is overseas. There is a greater appreciation of the arts in foreign countries. I believe we need to bring back the arts to the U.S school system. There are so many things to be learned from the arts with no other way to learn it. Magic tricks give those on the autism spectrum the opportunity to think with flexibility. There is amazing [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/) buried inside them, and they need a way to express it. If we can find a way to support them and [bring them into organizations,](https://www.philmckinney.com/does-neural-diversity-hiring-impact-your-innovation-success/) they can unlock unbelievable amounts of innovation. ## About our Guest Kevin Spencer Kevin Spencer is the Director at the Center 4 Creative Arts, a Fulbright Specialist & Subject Matter for the U.S Department of State, a Research Consultant for the UAB Arts in Medicine and Occupational Therapy Programs, and a Faculty member at Carlow University. Kevin is an award-winning performing magician who has toured the world with his wife and partner for over 25 years. He also serves as a Teaching Artist through the Hocus Focus and Magic Therapy programs. To know more about disability innovation, specifically on children with autism, listen to this week's show:*[ *Kevin Spencer on Disability Innovation through Magic Tricks*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Kevin%5FSpencer%5Fon%5FDisability%5FInnovation%5Fthrough%5FMagic%5FTricks.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Bryan Chambers and Joel Radtke on FinTech and Venture Capital Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/bryan-chambers-and-joel-radtke-on-fintech-and-venture-capital-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:45.000Z We are back in [Texas](https://www.philmckinney.com/merrick-porcheddu-on-nft-innovation-through-artist-uprising/) with a venture capital firm and its FinTech portfolio company. Bryan Chambers and Joel Radtke join us to discuss venture capital innovation and the journey of an up-and-coming Texas startup. Capital Factory is a firm that connects investors with new companies and talent. Texas has five of the twelve largest and fastest-growing cities in the U.S, making it a hot area for startups and investors. When it comes to raising capital, many middle-market companies struggle. They often run into various credit risks leading to rejection by banks. Raising capital is where Joel Radtke and Collateral Edge come into play. Collateral Edge is a [startup that uses technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/startup-meets-bigco-the-confluence-of-innovation-in-cincinnati/) to mitigate risk, allowing the borrower to secure needed bank loans, aiding both the lender and the borrower. Because of Collateral Edge’s technologies, banks can form new relationships that benefit them and their community. ## Essentials of Venture Capital Innovation When it comes to startups like Collateral Edge, people often make the mistake of failing to plan around their ideas. The value is not in the idea. [It’s in the execution](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/). It is vital to build a relationship with investors and help them fully understand the vision before asking them for money. The team at Collateral Edge was patient in the process and built solid relationships. As a result, Collateral Edge has gained large Texas investors, [New York](https://philmckinney.com/ny-times-article-watch-concept-device/?ref=philmckinney.com) investors with massive capital pools, Silicon Valley investors who have grown billion-dollar companies, etc. They intentionally targeted investors who could help with bank relationships, capital, and technology, which has paid off. Bryan’s advice for innovators with ideas but no connections are simple. If you live in or near a large metropolitan area, you need to seek out the startup community. Looking for a community sounds easy, but it requires a lot of effort. Step two is to work for somebody else who is building a startup. Building a startup is a complex and challenging thing to do. When you [work for someone else’s startup](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-learned-to-be-an-entrepreneur/), you will gain a wealth of knowledge that you can apply to your future startup efforts. ## About Our Guests: Bryan Chambers and Joel Radtke Bryan Chambers is the Vice President of Ventures at Capital Factory. He manages the statewide accelerator and investment operations for the venture capital firm. He is a founding member of Venture Dallas, a venture capital conference in Dallas, Texas. Bryan is also a Professor of Entrepreneurship at UT Dallas and the Director of the UT Dallas Seed Fund for technology startups founded by students. Bryan holds a B.A. in Business Marketing and an M.B.A in Entrepreneurship from UT Arlington. Joel Radtke is the Co-Founder, President, and Chief Operating Officer at Collateral Edge. Collateral Edge provides banks with an innovative, automated solution to bolster credit profiles on individual loans to allow greater underwriting flexibility while mitigating risk. He is the former Co-Founder and C.F.O. at United Orthopedic Group. Additionally, Joel has worked in the investment banking and private equity industries. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government from Harvard University. To know more about FinTech and venture capital innovation, listen to this week's show: **[Bryan Chambers and Joel Radtke on FinTech and Venture Capital Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Bryan%5FChambers%5Fand%5FJoel%5FRadtke%5Fon%5FFinTech%5Fand%5FVenture%5FCapital%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Merrick Porchéddu on NFT Innovation Through Artist Uprising URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/merrick-porcheddu-on-nft-innovation-through-artist-uprising/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:44.000Z Artist Uprising connects [creative talent](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/) with large corporations and businesses. The company started with Merrick’s passion for artists and her desire to see “starving artists” get paid. Many talented artists lack business skills. There is a need for them to bridge the gap between their work and the business world. Both sides have a hard time communicating their needs. Merrick comes in and helps them get on the same page. When it comes to finding artists, Merrick does a lot of work through Instagram. Her team focuses on acquiring talent that isn’t mega-famous yet but still has large followings. Having consistent content that has a purpose is very important as well. Merrick refers to word of mouth as one of the best ways to find solid talent, similar to how the corporate world operates. ## Artist Uprising and Innovation When the conversation of NFTs started getting popular, Merrick got flooded with requests from artists wanting to collaborate. NFTs are digital assets that are purchased and represent things like pieces of art. Artist Uprising eventually hosted the first NFT pop-up gallery in the [Richardson area](https://www.philmckinney.com/richardson-innovation-quarter-iq/), the third in the country. The event was successful and boosted the business. In Richardson, Artist Uprising pulls in local artists to work on murals, [augmented reality](https://www.philmckinney.com/robert-scoble-on-virtual-reality-and-augmented-reality-s11-ep51/) murals, live music activations, live music festivals, etc. For businesses, they even bring in musicians to perform at monthly happy hours. During COVID, murals were the company’s principal work. Since musicians couldn’t play live shows, they augmented pre-recorded concerts within art murals. ## Collaboration Success Now more than ever, Merrick believes that brands want to connect with creatives. Last year, Artist Uprising collaborated with Cannon USA when they were coming out with a poster printer. The commercial was artist-focused rather than product-focused, which promoted the printer in perfect light. [Large collaborations](https://www.philmckinney.com/dr-whitney-snider-on-collaborative-campuses-that-fuel-innovation/) are often challenging to make authentic, but they can be done with the right people and focus. Artists live and breathe [ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/), but when companies are over-controlling, they [halt that creativity](https://philmckinney.com/the-one-thing-that-will-kill-an-innovation-and-what-you-can-do-to-avoid-it/?ref=philmckinney.com). Artist Uprising educates and brings both parties together, resulting in unique innovations that benefit everyone. ## About our Guest: Merrick Porcheddu Merrick is the Founder of Artist Uprising, a business resource for talent and a talent resource for business. They focus on abolishing starving artistry by curating and booking talent and creative experiences for brands and organizations. Merrick is becoming an NFT expert in Richardson, Texas. She is passionate about bridging the gap between creatives and the corporate world. To know more about Artist Uprising and NFT innovation, listen to this week's show: **Merrick Porchéddu on**[ **NFT Innovation Through Artist Uprising**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Merrick%5FPorchddu%5Fon%5FNFT%5FInnovation%5FThrough%5FArtist%5FUprising.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Walter Voit on Adaptive 3D and Microarchitecture Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/adaptive-3d-and-microarchitecture-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:44.000Z Adaptive 3D is an innovative company that partnered with [Desktop Metal](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-use-nature-to-innovate-manufacturing/) and UT Dallas. Walter Voit discusses the innovation behind microarchitecture within material manufacturing and how partnerships in Richardson, Texas, have created a thriving innovation ecosystem. ## Innovating 3D Printing and University Research At Adaptive 3D, Walter focuses on using [3D printing](https://www.philmckinney.com/covid-19-innovations-from-scuba-to-medical-face-mask-with-3d-printing/) to produce additive materials. The company recently joined Desktop Metal to mass manufacture durable materials rapidly. Printing is often limited to small parts, so the company focuses on manufacturing large materials. In companies like Adaptive 3D, a new generation of designers [uses AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/human-creativity-and-ai/) to enhance the manufacturing process. Materials are more intelligently architected, resulting in lower costs, lighter materials, increased sustainability, etc. Microarchitecture is what drives these innovations. As technologies scale, the ability to build large microarchitecture inexpensively becomes a reality. In the past, there has always been a tradeoff between going green and being cost-efficient. The goal of Adaptive 3D is to have a balance of both. If, by the power of microarchitecture, turning cost structure on its head, it will benefit both the internal supply chain and external customers. ## Adaptive 3D with UT Dallas Adaptive 3D is a few miles from UT Dallas. Walter is an associate professor of material science and engineering and mechanical engineering at the university. Even though it’s a young university, UT-Dallas has been a [pioneer](https://philmckinney.com/the-one-thing-that-will-kill-an-innovation-and-what-you-can-do-to-avoid-it/?ref=philmckinney.com) in tech transfer and the original location for the core technology. In Dallas, there is an incredible drive to [solve practical problems](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-wicked-problems/) for industries. Since the tech transfer program emerged, the university has supported founders and inventors and flourished innovation. Part of this is because local industries and UT Dallas have such close ties. The university truly understands what the industry needs to survive and thrive. ## The Richardson IQ [The Richardson IQ](https://www.philmckinney.com/richardson-innovation-quarter-iq/) is the real deal when looking at public and private cooperation. UT-Dallas, Texas Instruments, Raytheon, etc., has created a merging ecosystem of startups and seasoned experts who want to change the game. In Texas, people don’t look to the government to solve their problems. Instead, they do it themselves. Government leadership has established a system that supports this mindset, allowing the ecosystem to thrive. ## About our Guest: Walter Voit Walter Voit is the President and CEO at Adaptive3D, the premium Additive Manufacturing polymer resin supplier. Walter leads one of the new University of Texas – Dallas research centers in the IQ, focused on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Desktop Metal recently acquired adaptive 3D. To know more about Adaptive 3D and the innovation behind microarchitecture within material manufacturing, listen to this week's show: [**Adaptive 3D and Microarchitecture Innovation**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Adaptive%5F3D%5Fand%5FMicroarchitecture%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Richardson Innovation Quarter (IQ) URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/richardson-innovation-quarter-iq/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:43.000Z Joining us are three guests who [lead innovation efforts](https://www.philmckinney.com/industry-innovation/) in Richardson, Texas, known for the "Telecom Corridor." The Richardson Innovation Quarter (IQ) lies within the city, a 1,200 acre area where innovative companies and entrepreneurs collaborate. ## The Richardson Innovation Quarter Paul Voelker has been in the [Richardson, Texas](https://www.philmckinney.com/josh-smith-on-healthcare-innovation-at-richardson-methodist/) area for over thirty years. To Paul, being mayor is his way of giving back to the community. Richardson has a wealth of innovation history behind it. At the time when Paul became Mayor, Richardson's innovation focus was on large companies. He and his team decided to shift the focus from large companies to entrepreneurs and startups. Doug McDonald leveraged Richardson's history and the city's connection with the University of Texas – Dallas. His task was implementing the mayor's vision to bring new innovative companies and individuals to Richardson, ## Innovation Partnership An [innovation partnership](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-tips-to-innovating-with-a-co-innovation-partner/) with UT Dallas has been a key factor in IQ's growth. Dr. Joseph Pancrazio is the Vice President for Research at UT Dallas in Richardson and is part of the Innovation Quarter. The partnership's primary focus is revitalizing the IQ through specialized innovation efforts. The university believes that its partnership with the City of Richardson is the beginning of something unique. Paul and the city team understand and embrace the fact that they live in a global marketplace. UT-Dallas exemplifies this marketplace with the diversity of its students. Dr. Pancrazio says that UT-Dallas has 200 national merit scholars and that the students have created a culture of excellence. Paul emphasizes the diverse group of talented students in the city during talks with businesses about moving there. In my opinion, it is that diversity that often brings excellent ideas. ## Vision of the Richardson Innovation Quarter In terms of [selling the vision](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-leadership-behaviors-for-innovation-leaders/) of the new IQ, the biggest obstacle that Doug deals with is running a major hub to showcase the area's uniqueness. Through the partnership with Dr. Pancrazio and UT-Dallas, this hub is in the works. UT-Dallas offers the companies in Richardson the opportunity to acquire research from them, often sparking innovations. In Richardson, places like the Richardson Innovation Quarter [create value](https://www.philmckinney.com/creating-customer-value-through-cost-innovation/), culture, and ultimately wealth. This wealth is what drives many innovative ideas. It then gets reinvested back into institutions, companies, and the highly educated workforce in the area. There is power in the vision held by both teams; Mayor Voelker's and the University of Dallas, Richardson's. ## About our Guests: Paul Voelker, Doug McDonald, Dr. Joseph Pancrazio Paul Voelker is the current Mayor of Richardson, Texas, and a Business Development Executive at Lone Star Analysis. After receiving his BA in Business Administration from William Penn University, Paul went to work for HP, where he took on numerous roles in his twenty-eight years with the company. He is a sales and marketing executive with experience in business development, marketing, and portfolio and alliance management. Doug McDonald is the Strategic Initiatives Manager at the City of Richardson, under Mayor Paul Voelker. Dr. Joseph Pancrazio is the Vice President for Innovation & Research at the City of Richardson under Mayor Paul Voelker. To know more about the Richardson Innovation Quarter (IQ), listen to this week's show: **[Richardson Innovation Quarter (IQ)](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Richardson%5FInnovation%5FQuarter%5FIQ.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The One Thing That Will Kill An Innovation And What You Can Do To Avoid It URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-one-thing-that-will-kill-an-innovation-and-what-you-can-do-to-avoid-it/ Last updated: 2021-10-11T15:53:31.000Z When most innovators pitch what they think is the next brilliant innovation, I’m shocked by how many of the innovators will make what sound like extreme claims without taking take the time to fact-check. While fact-checking is most commonly applied to journalism. There have been many public reveals where a newspaper or magazine failed to fact-check a story such as the New York Times and [Jayson Blair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayson%5FBlair?ref=philmckinney.com) and who could forget The New Republic and [Stephen Glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen%5FGlass?ref=philmckinney.com). So egregious are these two examples that the stories behind the fraud became movies (“[A Fragile Trust: Plagiarism, Power, and Jayson Blair at the New York Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%5FFragile%5FTrust?ref=philmckinney.com)” and “[Shattered Glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shattered%5FGlass%5F%28film%29?ref=philmckinney.com)”). I’m proposing that [fact-checking can and should apply to innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-requires-getting-the-facts-right/). # The Risk From Not Fact-Checking In both cases, the journalist straight out plagiarized or made-up stories. A failure by their publication to fact-check resulted in them missing the ruse. There are similar parallels to recent high-profile failures in innovation. Failing to fact-check the innovation behind Theranos has resulted in bankruptcy, humiliation to several high-profile investors (e.g. former Secretary of States George Shultz and Henry Kissinger along with VC Tim Draper at Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ)), while the Theranos leadership faces fraud charges. To avoid the embarrassment of getting it wrong in my writing, podcast, and innovations, I will sometimes hire fact-checkers. My eyes were open to the impact and benefit fact-checking could have during the writing of my book, [Beyond The Obvious](https://beyondtheobvious.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). # My Experience With Fact-Checking My Book When I was nearing the completion of my manuscript in late 2010 and early 2011, I was also the [CTO at Hewlett-Packard](https://www.wired.com/2011/11/hp-phil-mckinny/?ref=philmckinney.com). When drafting stories to add depth to the book, I realized that some stories I would love to tell I couldn't because of non-disclosure agreements. How was I going to ensure that I didn’t accidentally include some detail or story that was legally barred from being shared? My publisher wasn’t much help, as they didn’t see it as their responsibility. My solution was to ask my agent to find me the best fact-checker, which he did. The fact-checker I chose to work with was a fact-checker at one of the leading newspapers. At first, I thought it was a frivolous cost that I was funding out of my pocket but, I am a “belt and suspenders” kind of guy. I shipped off the draft version of the manuscript and instructed her that only items that could be 100% independently verified with public information could be included in the book. And off she went. It wasn’t long before the benefit of a fact-checker became clear. # Fact-Checking The Apollo 13 Story The fact-checker sent me a one-line email question related to a story I included in the book about Apollo 13. During the Apollo 13 mission, where there was an explosion on the spacecraft and the mission became one of bringing the astronauts home safely. To achieve this, the NASA team had to come together and innovate solutions under intense time pressures. The particular story was about crafting an air scrubber filter for the lunar module. As a result of the explosion on Apollo 13, they transformed the lunar module into a lifeboat. However, the lunar module wasn’t designed to provide life support for three astronauts, who were producing more carbon monoxide than the two astronauts the module was designed to support. To remove the build-up of this dangerous gas, the ad-hoc scrubber filter had to use items they had with them and time was the innovation constraint. “You wrote the Apollo 13 story based on the movie – correct?” The movie in question was “Apollo 13” starring Tom Hanks. I thought about the question and replied, “Not sure. Why?” “The movie listed a rag as one item used. I confirmed with NASA that it was a sock. I’ve made the edit.” A rag versus a sock! Does that level of detail really matter? For writing and innovation, the answer is YES. The fact-checker applied the same level of detail and verification to the entire book and was worth every penny paid. Since then, I always have a fact-checker as part of my team when working on my books and other significant writing projects. I’ve also now expanded it to include fact-checking innovations before I do any endorsements. # Is Fact-Checking Innovation The Same As Due-Diligence? Some will look at the term fact-checking, and assume that “due diligence” is the same thing. They are not the same. I have been a member of teams and have also led many due diligence efforts during my executive career. It is a crucial step in important transactions, such as acquisitions and, joint-ventures. The fundamental flaw in due diligence is — bias and expertise. The team performing the due diligence is part of the team behind the transaction and their aim is to say “yes” to the deal. Therefore, the bar is low. And let’s not overlook that the purpose of acquiring or partnering with a company is to gain the expertise they do not have, which means the team doing the due diligence lacks the expertise to fact-check the innovation they gain from the transaction. # What is the Aim of Fact-Checking Innovation? The aim of fact-checking innovation is to validate **all** claims, promises, and projections made about an innovation. In the excitement, inventors and leaders (especially in Silicon Valley) can get caught up and express claims that are not technically workable, or sometimes, are just not true. The fact-checking process, just as they do it for journalism, it is to ensure everyone involved, including potential investors, partners, and supporters, clearly understands what they know and what is unknown. # How Do You Fact-Check Innovation? A reliable fact-checking of innovation requires two elements: completeness and expertise ## Completeness Just as fact-checking for publication looks at every statement/claim/quote made in the article or book, an innovation fact checker is to fact check EVERY claim made internally (presentations, notes, briefings, etc) and externally (confidential and non-confidential information shared with outsiders of the organization). ## Leveraged Experts Journalistic fact-checkers leverage outside experts to validate (e.g. NASA and the sock) each statement or claim made in an article or publication. Innovation fact-checkers do the same with experts from industry, government, and academia. The fact-checker is looking to identify claims as validated, and not validated. If innovation is an exceptional forward-looking innovation, there will be claims that cannot be validated. The parties involved should monitor this list of not validated claims for progress as they develop the innovation. # What Does An Innovation Fact-Checker NOT do? While we’ve discussed what they should do, it is just as important to understand what they do not do. A journalistic fact-checker does not pass judgment if a book will be a New York Times Best Seller. of if an article will get a million views. Innovation fact-checkers do not pass judgment on the market potential for the innovation. That is to be done by the investors, backers, and partners. The output from the fact-checking process is one of many inputs investors should consider before deciding to invest/support an innovation. # Next Step on Fact-Checking To avoid the next Theranos or Enron, investors and backers should secure the services of an outside independent innovation fact-checker who has proven experience, expertise, and resources to fact-check internal and external claims with well-qualified experts. This allows everyone to go into the relationship with eyes wide open and with full transparency, thus avoiding another Theranos, Enron, and let’s not overlook [Volkswagen](https://www.cpajournal.com/2019/07/22/9187/?ref=philmckinney.com), who made unvalidated claims of an advanced “clean diesel” exhaust innovation that turned out to be a fraud. # Conclusion It is not uncommon to have an innovation fail and fact-checking by itself will not guarantee success. Fact-checking will validate the claims made by the team and allow investors and backers to understand what they are backing and the risk involved. As Ronald Reagan said, “Trust but verify”. ### Josh Smith on Healthcare Innovation at Richardson Methodist URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/josh-smith-on-healthcare-innovation-at-richardson-methodist/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:43.000Z Today, we see an emergence of technologies in healthcare. Richardson Methodist Medical Center is at the helm of breakthrough [medical innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/medical-innovations-amidst-a-global-pandemic/). Josh Smith joins us to discuss his work at the medical center around cardiology and electrophysiology. ## Technology Breakthroughs and Challenges Technology has allowed physicians and scientists to explore sub-specialties of specialties like cardiology. Josh is a cardiologist specializing in electrophysiology, the study of the heart's conduction, and correct abnormal heart rhythms. Fifty years ago, there wasn't a lot that cardiologists could do to help those with heart issues. Partnerships between physicians and companies aided in [accelerating](https://www.philmckinney.com/do-faster-release-cycles-hurt-innovation/) healthcare innovation. Due to these partnerships, many of the technologies created are available to consumers. One ongoing challenge for hospital systems is acquiring technology and staying up to date with it. Eight years ago, at the Cable Labs, the healthcare industry asked us to create a cable lab. We had to get the hospitals and the manufactures to work together to standardize the operation. This task was very complicated because it required several different components to work together. Josh has noticed how more people are now researching the health issues they are having. The availability of information empowers people to do their research. Growing up, my mom would avoid the doctor at all costs, but with personalized healthcare, there is now so much good that can be done. The evolution of technology has opened up the door for life-changing treatment. My dad had a severe heart issue in the [1970s](https://philmckinney.com/innovation-in-america-how-the-government-helps-and-hurts/?ref=philmckinney.com), and the technology at the time left him in the hospital for three or four days. Now, top cardiologists can perform certain operations in ten minutes. Years ago, Josh had a pain in his chest and went to get it checked. It turned out he had a blockage and had to get two stints. He is thankful that he went because he protected his heart for the long term. None of this would have been possible if it weren't for [innovators in the medical field](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-healthcare-in-america-s12-ep11/). ## Richardson Methodist Medical Center People often think that all innovation happens in Silicon Valley. In reality, there are innovators all over the U.S and all around the world. The people at Richardson Methodist Medical are doing some groundbreaking innovations. A typical open-heart surgery would take seven to ten days. At Richard Methodist Medical Center, a device bypasses that process. About four years ago, the medical center launched the TAVR Program, which deploys a valve within your heart's valve, resulting in the valve functioning again. This procedure drastically improves the lives of those suffering from heart issues. The [outcome](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-future-look-top-innovations-teaching-the-future-tomorrows-healthcare/) of this healthcare innovation is truly amazing. ## Future Healthcare Innovation Currently, pacemakers have a life of 7-10 years. Innovators in the medical world are currently working on making chargeable pacemakers, which Josh is excited about. Josh is also excited about the possibility of 3D-printed organs and things of that nature. [Dean Kamen,](https://www.philmckinney.com/dean-kamen-on-making-life-better/) who was previously on the show, is currently creating that technology with his team. Josh is also really excited about the potential of telehealth. Due to COVID, telehealth accelerated, and I believe it will continue to grow. Josh thinks the next big one will be something related to telehealth when it comes to healthcare consumer devices. ## About our Guest: Josh Smith Josh Smith is a U.S Army Veteran and an Invasive Cardiologist, Electrophysiologist, and Radiologist at Methodist Richardson Medical Center in Richardson, Texas. Josh joined the team at Methodist Richardson Medical Center in 2015 and is passionate about advancing healthcare innovation through technology and evidence-based practice. To know more about the innovations in healthcare at Richardson Methodist Medical Center, listen to this week's show: **[Josh Smith on Healthcare Innovation at Richardson Methodist](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Josh%5FSmith%5Fon%5FHealthcare%5FInnovation%5Fat%5FRichardson%5FMethodist.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Misused Innovation Buzzwords URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/misused-innovation-buzzwords/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:42.000Z In today's world, buzzwords are everywhere. Within the realm of [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-success-skill-or-luck/), the misuse of these innovation buzzwords runs rampant. Often, these words and phrases push people away from innovation as they perceive it to be too complex. ## Buzzwords: What are they? Often used to impress something upon someone, buzzwords can be technical or specific to a particular industry. Common buzzword examples are synergy, clickbait, and growth hacking. Synergy means something that works together. Clickbait refers to content developers such as Youtubers who exaggerate what their videos are about. [Growth hacking](https://philmckinney.com/joining-cablelabs-as-the-president-and-ceo/?ref=philmckinney.com) means finding different ways to grow a business. Initially meant to simplify things, more often than not, buzzwords complicate them. Within the world of innovation, there are many existing buzzwords that people dislike. The most common one I hear is design-thinking, which has been around for a while. Originally, this term referred to devising the user's needs at the beginning of a project and carrying that approach to the end. Unfortunately, this buzzword has been misused and turned into something different. ## Misused Innovation Buzzwords Let's look at an innovation buzzword I often use, *ideation.* At The Innovators Network, we teach workshops on the [ideation process](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/). Ideation is the process of generating more and better ideas. At the end of it all, ideation is a made-up word that means relatively the same thing that brainstorming does. Another innovation buzzword is a *disruptor—* someone or something that shakes things up when entering an established industry. This shakeup is through the usage of different techniques and approaches. An excellent example of a [disruptor](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) is when Uber entered and changed the ride-hailing services industry. Another buzzword that I use often is *innovator.* An innovator is simply one who presents a new product, service, or a new transformative technique. The issue that arises with this term is that so many people call themselves innovators when they don't offer anything innovative or perform innovation. Because of its rampant misuse, it has become harder to identify the real innovators from the fake ones. ## Other Buzzword Examples Next up is the term *system-thinking.* Top consulting firms often use this buzzword. Companies use the term in attempts to [differentiate](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-become-the-innovation-challenger/) the services they offer from their competitors. System thinking means looking at things as systems rather than established processes. At its core, this term, like other buzzwords, is an overcomplication of something simple. *Pain points* is another buzzword that refers to things that drive customers crazy. Another commonly used innovation buzzword is *social innovation.* This one is self-explanatory. It means using innovation to [solve social problems](https://www.philmckinney.com/social-innovation-creativity-improve-charity-impact/). When it comes to innovation, buzzwords create a barrier between those inside and outside the innovation space. While buzzwords aren't inherently wrong, their misuses often lead to confusion and misguidance. I hope that misuse of these buzzwords will start to diminish, creating more apparent openings for others to participate in genuine innovation efforts. To know more about the misuse of innovation buzzwords, listen to this week's show: **[Misused Innovation Buzzwords](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Misused%5FInnovation%5FBuzzwords.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### What Is the Optimal Innovation Team Size? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-optimal-innovation-team-size/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:42.000Z When studying different companies and their cultures, you will notice different team structures. The question of which structure is the best may eventually cross your mind. Some companies have large teams, while others operate with small, close-knit groups. I believe there is an optimal innovation team size that leads to killer ideas when it comes to innovation. ## Studies on Team Size The question of the day is this: Does team size genuinely have an impact? I reviewed a collaboration study done a while ago by the Kellogg School of Management and Northwestern University. The premise: large teams are problem solvers, and small teams are problem generators. The study showed that as the teams grew from one member to fifty members, their [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/) decreased. The large teams focused on developing already known ideas, and the small teams focused on ideating new ideas. As teams grew in size, different things impacted them. Firstly, team members suffered relational losses. They felt disconnected from other team members. Secondly, there was a tendency for the individual to contribute less on a large team than they would in a smaller one. Thirdly, when it came to large teams, they often sought out a leader to guide them. The smaller teams did not have a main leader but functioned off trusting each other and focusing on a common mission or vision. A great way to combat innovation team size issues is through Multi-Team Systems (MTS). This process breaks down larger teams into smaller ones and establishes a structure. Utilizing MTS will lead to better team efficiency, which will lead to [better ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/walt-disneys-plus-it-approach-to-better-ideas/). ## My Experience and Other’s Allow me to share my experience with team sizes. I started my career at Deltek, which functioned with large teams. I later joined Thumbscan, which had medium-sized teams that were not the most efficient. When I left this team to build my product, I realized how hard it was to develop something without a team. This taught me the importance of being [part of a team](https://www.philmckinney.com/brainstorming-problem-statements-as-a-team/) and the importance of that team’s size. One outside example that shows the importance of team size comes from Apple in the 1980s. The company was utilizing large teams, coming out with the Apple 1, 2, and 3\. These efforts had turned out unsuccessful. As a result, Steve Jobs picked a small exclusive team to work on MacIntosh. He did this to avoid any outside influence from the company. This move led to enormous success for Apple. The bottom line, when teams are separated and given a specific mission to focus on, they reach a point of efficiency, leading them to achieve their goal. ## What is the Optimal Innovation Team Size? From my experience with teams, I have concluded that the optimal innovation team size is 6-8 people. Any more than that, and the team members might lose focus and feel disconnected. In my opinion, nobody should have more than twelve people that directly report to them. Not only is the team size important, but the makeup of the team as well. A team needs [visionaries](https://philmckinney.com/vision-video-of-the-near-future-diverse-thinkers-wanted/?ref=philmckinney.com), leaders, energizers, designers, etc. A team with the right [combination of skillets](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/) will cultivate innovation success. To know more about the optimal innovation team size, listen to this week's show: **[What Is the Optimal Innovation Team Size?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/What%5Fis%5Fthe%5FOptimal%5FInnovation%5FTeam%5FSize.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Human Creativity and AI URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/human-creativity-and-ai/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:41.000Z AI has become very popular in the world today. With its transition from a dream to reality, one must wonder what future outcomes will come of it. Is human creativity at the core of AI? Some may wonder whether AI can possess the same creative abilities. ## Human Creativity and AI Learning and experiences lead to innovation and creation. With every new creation comes inspiration from something else. [When it comes to AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/transcribing-your-brainstorm-with-otter-ai-interview-with-sam-liang/), there is a difference between being inspired and being invented. The need for input and experience is key. AI is composed of training data that recognizes patterns and finds the best solutions. Training data, or machine learning, is vital to the makeup of AI. In the past, the common thought was that humans had a unique advantage over this area. Some instances have said otherwise. Is Artificial Intelligence growing smarter than humans? That depends on your definition of smarter. Do you define smart by critical thinking skills or IQ? In the case of chess, the key is to recognize patterns and to be able to look at the number of steps ahead. These are two skills that computers have become quite good at through the utilization of machine learning. The question then becomes whether those skills are what we define as smart. ## Innovations From AI Technologies Let’s look at an example of AI from the work of the Associated Press, which generates millions of news stories for several different industries. It utilizes the Wordsmith tool to perform deep learning. As a result, AP outpaces the news outputs of all the major media companies out there combined. Trained on successful articles that people have written, Wordsmith has a downside. The issue with AP’s process is that there is no specific writing style, lacking human creativity. Instead, the platform produces media based on things like news releases by newscasters or online outlets. As a result, Associated Press’s Wordsmith tool couldn’t write the script for my show or other similar shows. In my spare time, I like to write instrumental music. Magenta Studios has an AI plugin that I like experimenting with. This tool offers a simple way to utilize AI to develop something. The use of AI tools like AP’s Wordsmith or Magenta’s plugin conjures up some questions. We can't help but wonder who gets credit for the articles published or music created. ## Can AI Replace Human Creativity? You may still wonder if AI applications can replace human creativity. You may also wonder if AI can create new ideas leading to killer innovations. I don’t believe AI can replace the unique creativity of humans. AI utilization is most successful as a tool to enhance ideas. It can be used as an aid to get past the [mental block](https://philmckinney.com/how-protocol-bureaucracy-and-turf-wars-block-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) encountered while [brainstorming ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-steps-to-brainstorming-ideas-on-demand/). Human creativity is also evolving as AI grows. Appreciation and experimentation is the key to AI success. I believe AI will play a significant and positive role in our future. To know more about AI and human creativity, listen to this week's show: **[Human Creativity and AI](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Human%5FCreativity%5Fand%5FAI.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 3 Steps to Brainstorming Ideas on Demand URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/3-steps-to-brainstorming-ideas-on-demand/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:41.000Z Let’s be honest with ourselves. Being [creative](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/) is hard. Suppose a crisis within your organization happens, and you need to come up with ideas on demand. How do you respond? While this situation sounds scary, there are steps you can take to respond successfully. ## 3 Steps to Brainstorming Ideas on Demand I use three steps to brainstorm ideas on demand. The first step is to create a [problem statement](https://www.philmckinney.com/brainstorming-problem-statements-as-a-team/). Define the problem before you start collecting solutions. Focus on answering the following: *who is being impacted by the problem, what is [the problem](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think-crafting-the-problem-statement/), and why is it important to solve*. I lead a project solving a problem involving broadband for those living in rural areas. In this situation, those impacted were the people in rural areas. The problem was the lack of access to broadband for those living in low population areas. The impact was the inability to work at home, access various information, and engage in entertainment. Step two is to ideate through [brainstorming](https://philmckinney.com/a-bizarre-new-perspective-on-brainstorms/?ref=philmckinney.com) ideas. Since this is an on-demand situation, I focus on two dimensions, the first being time. Does your innovation save people time or make them more efficient? The second dimension is money. Can your innovation help save money, make more money, or make people efficient with money? ## Final Steps Step number three is to share your raw ideas with others who can join you. Please invite others to build upon your ideas, or [plus it](https://www.philmckinney.com/walt-disneys-plus-it-approach-to-better-ideas/). Next, you share the problem statement, describe the two dimensions, and present your ideas. Then, [rank your ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-must-have-features-of-your-ims-idea-management-system/) and select the best ideas to dig into. By the end of ninety minutes to two hours, you will come up with a handful of good ideas to move forward with. Remember, this is just a starting point. You will not have fully developed ideas, but you will have enough to get started. The first time you try this, you may be nervous and stressed. Don’t your emotions filter your ideas because you are trying to create ideas on demand. The crazier, the better. To know more about brainstorming ideas on demand, listen to this week's show: [**3 Steps to Brainstorming Ideas on Demand**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/3%5FSteps%5Fto%5FBrainstorming%5FIdeas%5Fon%5FDemand.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Contentment: Virtue or Enemy of Innovation? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/contentment-virtue-or-enemy-of-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:41.000Z In life, it is essential to be content when it comes to certain things. However, when dealing with [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-success-skill-or-luck/), that is far from the case. When an innovator decides they are satisfied with their product or idea, they will be in for an unpleasant surprise. This contentment can be the ultimate enemy of innovation. ## Virtue or Enemy of Innovation? The state of contentment is a state of peace, satisfaction, and acceptance of a situation, outcome, or circumstance. While this sounds great, issues arise when one becomes so content they give up. When people choose contentment, they often [avoid any conflicts](https://philmckinney.com/vision-video-of-the-near-future-diverse-thinkers-wanted/?ref=philmckinney.com) or challenges. Innovation is all about finding ways to improve things. When an innovator is content with where they are, they develop a false feeling that change is slowing down. This false sense causes the innovator to miss warning signs of an incoming change. Contentment will lead you to avoid risk and change. The contentment then acts as an [innovation antibody.](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/) Now you can see how contentment is the enemy of innovation. True innovators are never content with where their products or ideas are. Instead, they are constantly working to improve them. ## My Experience with Contentment During my life, there have been a few times where I fell into a state of contentment. I allowed myself to check out and remain on autopilot. I was satisfied with my successes, but my state of contentment was short-lived. These phases were because of some [disruptive shocks](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) that occurred in the world around me at these times. When these changes happened, they shook me up, and my contentment rapidly disintegrated. It was then that I learned how contentment is the enemy of innovation. ## Avoiding Innovation Contentment Here’s what you can do to avoid the enemy of innovation. Firstly, challenge yourself to [do things that make you uncomfortable](https://www.philmckinney.com/getting-comfortable-being-uncomfortable/). Try a new hobby, learn a new instrument, play a new sport, etc. This challenge will give you a new perspective and keep you from being stagnant. Secondly, you can change up the way you do things. This change can be simple, like switching up your morning routine or driving a different way to work. Thirdly, you can try some creative muscle exercises. Start with challenging yourself to come up with five [problems that need solving](https://www.philmckinney.com/customer-support-innovation-solving-problems-faster/). These can be personal things, work or school-related, things for a non-profit, etc. There will never be a shortage of issues that need solving. Doing these things will keep you creative and alert, avoiding the enemy of innovation known as contentment. To know more about contentment and why it is the enemy of innovation, listen to this week's show: [**Contentment: Virtue or Enemy of Innovation?**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Contentment%5F-%5FVirtue%5For%5FEnemy%5Fof%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Top Questions to Ask Your Employees URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/top-questions-to-ask-your-employees/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:40.000Z A vital function of an innovation leader is to motivate, support, and point their team to good habits. Doing this should be a daily activity. Modeling [leadership habits](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-leadership-behaviors-for-innovation-leaders/) and exhibiting leadership skills inspires employees to become leaders. With [inspiration](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-inspiration-is-everywhere/) and a list of questions to ask your employees, they will become more efficient and innovative. ## Questions to Ask Your Employees The first question on my list is, “What went well last time we met?” Once you ask this question, it is crucial to be a good listener. Next, offer them your appreciation for their work, and provide your support. Focus on reinforcing the idea that [innovation is about the team](https://www.philmckinney.com/brainstorming-problem-statements-as-a-team/). The second question on the list is, “What went wrong and what was the lesson you took from it?” When dealing with innovation, we can’t always be in complete control of the situation. Failures are bound to happen. As an innovation leader, you must encourage your employees to share their failures and learnings. Having a culture that embraces experimentation leads to more significant innovations. The organization can [learn from that failure](https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/) and avoid it altogether in the future. Number three on my list of questions to ask your employees is, “What did you find that could be improved, and what did you do to improve it?” This question is vital because it permits employees to fix things. In doing so, the employees learn some critical lessons. Firstly, they understand that everyone in the organization is in it together. Secondly, they know not to throw their problems on someone else, but to take the initiative. ## Creating a Motivating, Clear, and Honest Environment The fourth question is, “how can I create a motivating environment?” In my organization, we give out gift cards to recognize employees’ reasonable efforts and innovation habits. To create a motivating atmosphere, you need to be approachable and listen actively. Additionally, it would help if you recognized when someone does something well by publicly acknowledging it. The recognition shows others what habits and actions to strive for in their team and [organization](https://www.philmckinney.com/6-innovation-metrics-kpis-every-organization-should-use/). The fifth question I ask is, “What roadblocks are you facing, and what can I do to clear them?” As a leader, your job is to sift out things that hinder productivity. Roadblocks can be significant or minor issues. Leaders should remove barriers so that their teams can stay focused on what’s important. Lastly, I ask my employees if there is anything else they want to talk about. This open-ended question allows employees to share other things on their minds. One of my organization’s core values is “candor with respect.” This value gives employees the confidence to be transparent and frees them from concern about negative reactions. Protect [confidentiality](https://beyondtheobvious.com/house-outsource-needed/?ref=philmckinney.com) so employees feel they can open up. I’ve had employees present challenges in their personal lives. In some cases, I’ve been able to help. The results have improved employee morale and generated positive change for the organization. To know more about the top questions to ask your employees, listen to this week's show: **[Top Questions to Ask Your Employees](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Top%5FQuestions%5Fto%5FAsk%5FYour%5FEmployees.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Brainstorming Problem Statements as a Team URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/brainstorming-problem-statements-as-a-team/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:40.000Z Let’s say your organization tasks your team to [generate a new product or service idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/). You gather your team together and get ready to brainstorm, thinking you can’t go wrong. Contrary to common thought, when brainstorming problem statements, things can go wrong. Often, teams will jump into brainstorming sessions, forgetting a vital step of the process. This step is known as the area of focus. When it comes to assembling your team to brainstorm problem statements, developing the area of focus is beyond critical. As a team leader, it is essential to explain a few key things to your team. Firstly, you need to explain who has the problem. Secondly, it is crucial to lay out what the problem is. Lastly, you explain why the problem is [essential to solve](https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-success-by-pivoting-your-innovation/). ## Elements of A Good Problem Statement When brainstorming problem statements, a set timeframe will help a team put all their energy and attention into creating that area of focus. This time is vital because a well-defined focus from a solid problem statement will generate more and [better ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/). A well-thought-out problem statement either solves a problem, removes a barrier, or improves an experience. Don’t forget that problem statements need to be concise without implying or stating a solution. It is also crucial that they are specific enough to the point where they are solvable by your organization within that timeframe. This process is not easy. As a result, I spend four to eight hours crafting, testing, and validating a problem statement. ## Generating As A Team There are a few key steps needed when successfully brainstorming problem statements. Firstly, you need to get together and [brainstorm the problem](https://www.philmckinney.com/transcribing-your-brainstorm-with-otter-ai-interview-with-sam-liang/). This step includes gathering a list of problems and challenges, any organizational friction or [barriers](https://beyondtheobvious.com/explore-observe-ask-before-you-innovate/?ref=philmckinney.com), and unmet needs within the organization. The second step is to have your team answer the “what, who, and why.” Thirdly, you need to take the gathered data and plug it into one of the templates to generate the problem statement. Next, repeat the “[who, what, and why](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think-crafting-the-problem-statement/),” drafting multiple versions of the problem statement. Lastly, test it with the “who,” or your organization’s target segment. Once you have a version of the problem statement you think works, test it with others. The test is best done by writing it out and making it concise. Like I always say, never use yourself as a proxy. Next, ask your organization some questions to validate the problem and problem statement. Once validated, you are ready to present your problem statement to your team so they can begin brainstorming. To know more about team brainstorming, listen to this week's show: **[Brainstorming Problem Statements as a Team](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Brainstorming%5FProblem%5FStatements%5Fas%5Fa%5FTeam.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation Success, Skill or Luck URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-success-skill-or-luck/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:39.000Z Many people spend years of their lives searching for the [secrets of success](https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-success-by-pivoting-your-innovation/). Most people believe success comes from doing what successful people do. 1986, “In Search of Excellence” came out, which sought to identify shared practices of 10 successful companies and publish them. This book was the first one in its genre. Did these companies become successful out of luck? Let’s try this strategy by taking fifty firms featured in three best sellers in this genre – *In Search of Excellence*, *Good to Great*, and *Built to Last*. Of the firms covered by these books, sixteen failed within five years, twenty-three underperformed the S&P 500, five became exceptional, and the remaining six became average. Only 10% of these “role model” companies became successful. Now let’s look at the area of music. If you look at an artist that had a top 20 song, should you sign that artist? Your gut would probably say yes. A study looked at 8,300 artist’s songs from 1980-2008\. It concluded that rather than signing the artist in the top twenty of 100 songs, you would have better market success picking the artist ranked between 22-30. In many cases, songs that get top spots are “one-hit wonders.” The artists that tended to have more career success were the second-best to start with. Smart agents sign artists in the [mid-twenty](https://philmckinney.com/lion-lights-a-young-boys-creative-solution-to-the-lions/?ref=philmckinney.com) to thirties range because they got there by skill and not luck. ## Luck’s Role in Innovation People often confuse luck with taking a risk—I mean going from good to great out of nowhere. The difference between an okay innovation and a [breakthrough](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-from-frustration-s11-ep4/) is all about the right timing. Some levels of success can be attributed to the innovator, but luck often plays a big part. When I think of luck, I think of it in the construct of a 2x2 matrix. The horizontal axis is the level of luck, the left side being zero (no luck), and the right side being 100 (every perfect condition). The vertical axis is your [innovation capability](https://www.philmckinney.com/elastic-innovation-a-needed-innovation-capability/), the lower part is zero (no innovation capability), and the top is 100 (innovation perfection). In the lower left-hand corner, with no luck and no innovation capability, you have no chance. If you don’t innovate and leverage any form of luck, competition will eat you up. In the upper left, where you have great innovation but no luck, you might have some mediocre success, break even, or get acquired by someone. With unbelievable luck but no innovation capabilities in the lower right-hand corner, you have “blind luck.” Many people think they can consistently achieve success through luck, but it is not a strategy. In the upper right-hand quadrant, you have unbelievable innovation capabilities, and luck comes along. ## Final Thoughts In some cases, you can position yourself to achieve breakthrough success. It’s important to know when to pause an idea. When luck raises its head, you can take advantage of it and create that innovation success. Don’t think that you can do whatever someone like Elon Musk did and achieve the same level of success. It would be best if you recognized that you aren’t in complete control. Don’t try to control luck, but use your innovation capabilities to create ideas and have them ready to move forward with them [when the timing is right](https://www.philmckinney.com/get-innovation-timing-right/). To know more about achieving innovation success through luck and skill, listen to this week's show:[ **Innovation Success, Skill or Luck**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FSuccess%5F-%5FSkill%5For%5FLuck.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Become the Innovation Challenger URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-become-the-innovation-challenger/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:39.000Z A challenger is someone who ignores old thought patterns, doesn't let others hold them back, and confronts the dominant player. In the story of David and Goliath, David defeated the giant because he approached him differently. As an organization, you need to think differently to challenge a well-accepted market leader. Challengers fight smarter, with focus and a clear purpose. Being a challenger is a [mindse](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-and-the-creative-mindset/)t as much as anything else. ## How to Become One History is full of innovation challengers that upset prominent industries. Take Google, for example. Yahoo had 95% of the market share when Google started. Google's success came when they [pivoted their innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-success-by-pivoting-your-innovation/) to an automated page rank algorithm. The most popular pages floated to the top, which people loved. Google stayed focused and had a purpose, resulting in a David and Goliath type of victory. They currently have around 92% of the market share. Another example is SpaceX. Space exploration and travel used to be strictly government-based. In 2006, SpaceX challenged the space launch monopoly that Lockheed Martin and Boeing held. As a result, SpaceX went from a 1.5% market share in 2008 to roughly a 22% market share in 2020\. How does SpaceX differentiate itself? By reusing rockets after launches, saving millions of dollars. Google and SpaceX are now Goliaths because they became innovation challengers. ## Establishing an Innovation Challenger Mindset Firstly, you need to understand the Goliath deeply. It would help if you studied the culture, organization, key influencers from the inside and out, investors, board, company history, etc. If possible, buy and use their products. Follow them on social media, sign up for newsletters, call their support line, buy through their sales channels, etc. Secondly, accept all negative feedback as opportunities. Don't rationalize away people's complaints about your products or ideas. Use them as ways to improve. Practice active listening and address feedback. An excellent example of this is Zoom. At the beginning of COVID, [Zoom](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/) quickly rose to the top but started having issues. To address these issues, they did regular meetings to gather feedback from people. They responded successfully to the problems, leading them to where they are today. Thirdly, look for other parallel industries that have challengers. It is surprising how many ideas you can take from totally unrelated areas. Figure out how to apply what you have learned from other industries to your own. Number four is to build an "innovation red team, " a team of outsiders that challenges your assumptions. You want these people to be brutally honest with you and to point out your blind spots. I still have [blind spots](https://philmckinney.com/should-you-use-a-data-driven-approach-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com), even though I've been in the innovation game for forty years. It is vital to permit these people to challenge you. Doing this will make you more successful as an organization. Lastly, encourage your team to [experiment](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/) and try new things. Have a culture that teaches [failure as a learning experience](https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/) and not a negative thing. To know more about becoming an innovation challenger, listen to this week's show: **[How to Become the Innovation Challenger](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FBecome%5Fthe%5FInnovation%5FChallenger.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Elastic Innovation - A Needed Innovation Capability URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/elastic-innovation-a-needed-innovation-capability/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:55.000Z Innovating in the face of the unexpected can stretch the most decisive innovation leader. COVID taught us that flexibility and adaptability is the name of the game. This is especially true within an organization’s innovation efforts. A new capability is needed to respond to these [disruptive shock](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) situations effectively. I call this capability “elastic innovation,” or the ability to innovate in the short-term while still managing innovation efforts in the long term. During these unexpected times, it is often necessary to innovate within a 0-48 hour timeframe. I became aware of this concept in 2015 when I read the Elastic Innovation [Index](https://www.swift.com/resource/innovation-financial-services-elastic-innovation-index-report?ref=philmckinney.com). This index looked at the financial tech world and focused on how quickly companies could adapt to sudden changes. Recently, John Bremen wrote [an articl](https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbremen/2021/06/28/elastic-innovation-to-thrive-amid-disruption/?sh=6d0d01085824&ref=philmckinney.com)e called Elastic Innovation related specifically to COVID. Today, I will be combining thoughts from these two articles with my own. ## Impacts of Elastic Innovation Elastic innovation impacts different practices companies use. Firstly, it impacts an idea pipeline. Most companies have some form of [Idea Management System (IMS).](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-must-have-features-of-your-ims-idea-management-system/) Forced to take an idea from your pipeline, you skip standard processes and immediately implement it. Elastic innovation may also impact your people. To succeed with elastic innovation, you need to have a culture that allows for a high decentralization of decision-making and resources. The best ideas usually don’t come from senior executives. When in an elastic innovation situation, you need to empower your team to move quickly and create a diverse approval process. Approve it, fund it, and get moving. Thirdly, elastic innovation impacts your operating pace. Typically your process and pace are set based on approval processes. Significantly accelerated, this is the pace in the case of an elastic innovation. Things are tested and launched to respond to disruptive shocks adequately. Lastly, elastic innovation impacts the framework a company is following. It would be best if you were willing to drop some elements of your framework. Keep in mind; you should maintain your quality and safety standards and protect your brand. ## Examples from COVID During COVID, perfume manufacturers transformed their manufacturing systems to make hand sanitizer. They leveraged their capabilities in a short-term effort to create an entirely new product. Restaurants shifted to using mobile ordering and curbside pickup to get people their meals safely. The gig economy saw a rise in its grocery delivery services. Musicians adapted and started doing virtual concerts for their fans. If you keep an elastic innovation approach, you will deal with complexities and balance response tradeoffs. Most importantly, you will [react quickly and decisively](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-hyper-adoption-of-innovation-a-competitive-advantage/), which will lead to your organization’s success. To know more about this needed innovation compatibility, listen to this week's show: **[Elastic Innovation - A Needed Innovation Capability](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Elastic%5FInnovation%5F-%5FA%5FNeeded%5FInnovation%5FCapability.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Unexpected Way to Predict the Future URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/unexpected-way-to-predict-the-future/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:38.000Z In past episodes, I’ve discussed [science fiction](https://www.philmckinney.com/incremental-innovations-role-of-sci-fi/) stories as tools to predict the future. H.G Wells wrote about atomic bombs and the fallout - thirty years before Nagasaki and Hiroshima. In 1968, John Brunner predicted the European Union, China’s rise to power, and Detroit’s economic downfall. You can probably take any existing technology and find a book or article that predicted something like it in the past. If you want to spark an idea, the most crucial part is understanding the timing. ## An Unexpected Way to Predict the Future Writers of fiction bring something to those whose jobs it is to predict the future. Writers bring the sensory talent. To be a great writer, you need to be aware of things others don’t see and pick up on different trends and moods. The ability for a writer to convey a picture of what could be generates that “what if” spark. Writers can create and invent emotions, worlds, structures, political parties, and., eliciting a response from the reader. It’s all about imagining what it will take to get from point A to point B. This episode was inspired by an [article written by Philip Oltermann](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jun/26/project-cassandra-plan-to-use-novels-to-predict-next-war?ref=philmckinney.com) discussing novels to predict crises such as genocides or civil wars. The project, called “Project Cassandra,” was run by Jurgen Wertheimer, a professor of comparative literature in Germany. The overall goal was to figure out if you could predict the unpredictable. They discovered that authors in a given country were writing fiction tied to their country’s circumstances and forecasting what they believed would happen based on the patterns they saw. Some people refer to a crisis as a black swan, which is an event you can’t predict. On the contrary, the project showed that a few years before a crisis, local authors offered a sense of what was coming. These predictions weren’t based on extensive data collection but more focused on people’s feelings. Those running the project focused on the literary infrastructure, asking whether the - was the book was being censored or if it did elicit extraordinary reactions. ## Predicting as an Innovator I tend to use a similar process when it comes to predicting the future. On top of looking at reactions, I take interesting writings and search out the people involved in them. Firstly, I ask the writers what [barriers](https://philmckinney.com/short-term-thinking-is-a-barrier-to-innovation-in-americas-private-sector/?ref=philmckinney.com) are keeping their predictions from happening. I also check what the dependencies are, and most importantly, I ask what the intended and unintended consequences are. No matter what you are doing, it is vital to ponder these things. The Cassandra Project was looking to predict crises five to seven years out. The early stages of this project were successful in predicting things one year out. The next stage was five to seven years out. The early successes came from giving off strong hints, but this is hard to make actionable. In the case of innovators, hints are interesting, but they have to be translated. This is a challenge for any innovation. Ultimately, Project Cassandra was killed in 2020 by the German government. Do you think reading the writings of authors can be possible sources of predicting the future? Prediction is challenging and often viewed as the holy grail for innovators. The one guarantee is that you will never be 100% right. This shouldn’t cause you to make us give up, as a prediction can create that little spark that will lead you to the next big thing. To know more about unexpected ways to predict the future, listen to this week's show: ***[Unexpected Way to Predict the Future](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/An%5FUnexpected%5FWay%5Fto%5FPredict%5Fthe%5FFuture.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Achieving Success by Pivoting Your Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/achieving-success-by-pivoting-your-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:38.000Z To me, pivoting is making a significant change in direction. Many people are not aware that some of today's products result from a pivot. We'll look at seven companies that made [meaningful, significant changes](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/) resulting in ultimate success. ## Achieving Success by Pivoting Your Innovation PayPal started as a digital "I owe you" platform. Today, it is a major payment transaction platform that gave birth to the "PayPal mafia, " including Elon Musk. The successful pivot was Airbnb, which initially offered housing for conferences and air mattresses. The third company is Twitter, which started as a podcast platform called Odeo. I was on show five or six in the early days of the platform. When iTunes came out with their podcast app, they put similar platforms such as Odeo out of business. As a result, Jack Dorsey and his team brainstormed, found [inspiration,](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-inspiration-is-everywhere/) and pivoted, coming up with Twitter. Next up is Western Union, which was a telegram company founded in the 1800s. In recent years, the company pivoted and became a money transfer company. Today, the company handles shy of $9 billion a year. I use Western Union for non-profit and for-profit work in Rwanda. The next company that has done major pivots is Slack, which I am an avid user of. Slack started as a video game venture called Glitch. When they couldn't get any interest in their idea, they switched to a messaging platform and found success. ## Nintendo and Pivoting [Nintendo](https://philmckinney.com/better-ideas-can-completely-change-the-face-of-your-business-and-thats-not-a-bad-thing/?ref=philmckinney.com) has been around since the 1880s and has been in many different businesses. They started off making playing cards and then pivoted to taxi services. Next, Nintendo made instant rice cookers and then pivoted to hourly hotel rooms. Eventually, they pivoted into the early video game space and became the company we know today. Developed initially to clean up coal dust off walls, Playdoh pivoted to a toy that I grew up using as a kid. Heat sources switched from coal to oil, gas, then natural heat, the market for Playdoh dried up. The company realized teachers were [getting creative](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/) with Playdoh in the classroom and pivoted their business to a different target market. ## Important Steps To pivot successfully, you should treat it like any other area of innovation. First, find your [area of focus and ideate](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/). Next, rank your ideas and [execute](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/) them. Pivoting is better than going bankrupt. I did thirteen startups before my first IPO at Telligent. Pivoting is a skill that innovators need to have and an action they need to be willing to take. Additionally, it would be best to be dedicated and on the same page as your team to pivot successfully. Next, you need to be willing to change. Don't fall in love with your innovation and refuse to let go. Thirdly, you have to move very quickly to pivot successfully. Lastly, please choose what you will be doing and commit to it. To know more about achieving innovation success by pivoting, listen to this week's show: **[Achieving Success by Pivoting Your Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Achieving%5FSuccess%5Fby%5FPivoting%5FYour%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation Inspiration is Everywhere URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-inspiration-is-everywhere/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:37.000Z Let's talk about some non-obvious sources of my innovation inspiration. Recently, we spoke about [seeing with fresh eyes](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/) and how important that practice is. Fresh eyes need innovation inspiration to guide them towards that next [game-changing innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/impostor-syndrome/). ## The Power of Unexpected Conversations The first source of my innovation inspiration is unexpected conversations. I like to talk with interesting people who have different backgrounds than I do. I often do this on airplanes or at rest stops, as well as at large events like TED. My goal of these conversations is to walk away with at least one exceptional idea. I have a [set of questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-questions-every-ceo-should-answer-about-innovation/) that I ask people in unexpected discussions, such as, "What are you curious about?" or "What innovation do you want to see come to fruition during your lifetime"? In the 90s, my uncle owned Macarthur Fish and Poultry in the heart of Oakland. One thing that frustrated him was missed phone calls that often led to missed opportunities. During the holiday seasons, it was hard to keep up with numerous calls. At the time, I was in the telecoms business, and I figured out that it was recorded every time a phone number was called. We decided to look up the callers' information from these missed calls and put it into emails. We would then send it to the store owner to call back, which led to more business. The product was called Imagine and went on to amass a ton of success after its launch in 1998\. The success of Imagine eventually became the cornerstone of Telligent, which then grew to be a $3.1 billion business. All of this resulted from a few unexpected conversations with my uncle and fellow shop owners on Macarthur Boulevard in Oakland, California. Never underestimate the power of an unexpected conversation. ## Observe and Erase Annoyances The second source of my innovation inspiration is being observant of what annoys me. We all have things that bother us. It is essential to ask what is causing these annoyances and how they're erased. I've been in the mobile phone industry since the late 80s, so I have many experiences with smartphones. In the early days, smartphones could only run single apps at a time. A group called [Palm](https://philmckinney.com/3-businesses-creating-killer-innovations-design/?ref=philmckinney.com) had developed a new system called webOS which could run multiple applications simultaneously. I loved webOS so much that I convinced HP to buy it for $3.5 billion. They created what I would call the best smartphone approach out there, which was way ahead of Apple at the time. Now, all smartphones have the system that webOS developed. All of this was a result of an annoyance that [a team](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/) decided to erase. ## Asking Deep Questions The third source is asking the "who, what, when, where, why" questions and applying them to your area of focus. For instance, I am currently reading "This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends" by Nicole Perlroth. Through [reading this book and others](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-books-my-library-of-inspiration/), I've come up with a way to generate ideas by asking these questions. Ask yourself what the more profound thing is that will allow you to dig deeper. I have come up with [tons of ideas based](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/) on what Perlroth shares in the book. My objective is to come up with at least one interesting idea from every chapter. Ultimately, it is essential to remember that inspiration is everywhere, no matter where you are or what situation you find yourself in. To know more about finding innovation inspiration, listen to this week's show: [**Innovation Inspiration is Everywhere**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FInspiration%5Fis%5FEverywhere.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Overcoming Innovation Regrets URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/overcoming-innovation-regrets/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:37.000Z Regret is one of those emotions that can derail your future success. As innovators, regrets can be things like someone else launching an idea you had before you were able to [execute it](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/). Today, I will share three of my innovation regrets and how to move past them to continue achieving success. ## My First Innovation Regret During the early days of computer viruses, I was Director of Product Development for ThumbScan. We offered a fingerprint biometric device under $1,000, which was the first at this price that could attach to a PC. Since this was before PCs were common, people didn’t see much value in the company. During this time, I was making headlines for my work on [computer viruses](https://www.philmckinney.com/10-inventions-i-would-uninvent/) and had written down a ton of ideas about them in a notebook I had. Then, [Thumbscan](https://philmckinney.com/press/?ref=philmckinney.com) started struggling, and sales were dropping. I ended up setting aside my notebook of ideas and focusing on other things. Next thing you know, Norton and McAfee came out with products similar to my ideas and became very successful. I made a few big mistakes in this situation and [learned some lessons](https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/). Firstly, I went wrong when I correlated people’s interest in the product to an entire industry segment. I also looked at the “now” instead of looking at what could happen if viruses became a major issue. My other big mistake was that I didn’t go back and present my ideas to McAfee and Norton. At this time, I was well-known and could have successfully leveraged my reputation. Instead, I chose not to do it because I didn’t want to be the second or third guy coming out with the idea. I wanted to be the first. Another innovation regret is that typically, the first people who come out with something don’t create the best product. ## Second Regret My second innovation regret comes from a project I called “the six degrees of separation.” This idea states that you are only no more than six people away from everybody else. A group of consultants and I were sitting around one day and came up with the idea of this project. We were trying to figure out if we could connect people through their work experience, employers, and the likelihood that they knew somebody to create a connected introduction network. This concept was two years before LinkedIn offered any product or service. We put the idea up but got distracted by a new idea and ended up dropping it. LinkedIn came out two years later and became a huge success. Here, I learned that I did not lack ideas, but I lacked a [ranking process for my ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/). New ideas always look shiny, and we often gravitate to them, which causes us to lose focus on older and potentially successful ideas. ## Regret #3 When I was at a company called Omnipoint, we came up with the idea of prepaid mobile. This was the very first prepaid mobile as the existing mobile required built-up credit. We set it up to be an easy process and sold at locations selling Omnipoint phones. There was no account information necessary to purchase the service. We got flooded with people using the prepaid service, and it became very popular. Then, criminals discovered our anonymous phones. The popularity became the launching point for “burner phones.” The U.S government was not happy with what we were doing, and I had a lot of conversations with different agencies. From this innovation regret, I learned to look for the [unintended consequences of my innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/unintended-consequences-innovation-adoption/). Nowadays, I write out my regrets and jot down what I would have done differently. After this, I move on and let go of the past. Moving on is vital because if you dwell on your regrets, they will take your energy and focus away from future innovations. To know more about innovation regrets, listen to this week's show: **[Overcoming Innovation Regrets](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Overcoming%5FInnovation%5FRegrets.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Is Hyper-Adoption of Innovation a Competitive Advantage? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/is-hyper-adoption-of-innovation-a-competitive-advantage/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:37.000Z Previously we talked about innovation adoption and the importance of getting across the [innovation adoption curve](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-is-the-innovation-adoption-curve-important/). Let’s shift our conversation to innovation adoption as a competitive advantage. There is a new category of innovation adoption that is on the rise. This category is known as the hyper-adoption of innovation. The category describes the propensity to adopt and adapt to innovation at a speed and skill unmatched. Adopters in this category are willing to change everything very quickly to be successful. The best example of this is to look at the economies of countries that have become hyper-adopters. Here is some information and statistics on China from a [Harvard Business Review article](https://hbr.org/2021/05/chinas-new-innovation-advantage?ref=philmckinney.com) by Zak Dychtwald. In China, we have seen explosive growth in business and infrastructure. The country has a resource that no other country has: a vast population that has lived through an unprecedented amount of change. China’s innovation ecosystem of millions of hyper-adoptive consumers makes the country so globally competitive. The Chinese people know change is good and are willing to change when it is necessary for growth. ## The Lived Experience and Hyper-Adoption The “lived experience” has shaped China’s unique attitude towards adoption. Looking at lifetime per capita GDP, the U.S has grown roughly 2.7 times from 1990, while China’s has grown 32 times. In 1990, China’s GDP represented less than 2% of the global total, but by 2019 it represented nearly 19%. From 2011-2013, China poured more concrete than the U.S had poured in the entire 20th century. In 1990, China’s rural population had one refrigerator per one hundred households. Today, that number is ninety-six per one hundred households. In 1990, China had 5.5 million cars on the road, and today they have 270 million. 3.4 million of these cars are electric, representing 47% of global electric cars. In recent years, the [Chinese have had to adapt](https://www.philmckinney.com/india-china-and-the-creative-economy-how-to-compete-in-the-creative-economy/) to radical change more than any other country in the world. Because they constantly implement hyper-adoption, China is poised to take the lead in the innovation arms race. ## How to Become a Hyper-Adopter of Innovation Becoming a hyper-adopter of innovation means remaining open to trying new things and being willing to change yourself. This includes looking at things with [fresh eyes.](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/) When teaching workshops, I often ask organizations if they are eager to change. Typically, individuals in the group will say they are fine but point out someone else they think needs to change. You need to evaluate yourself and take the necessary steps to [adapt](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-wicked-problems/). If you want to create an unfair advantage, you need to be willing to change yourself and decide on your own. To know more about the hyper-adoption of innovation, listen to this week's show: ***[Is Hyper-Adoption of Innovation a Competitive Advantage?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Is%5FHyper-Adoption%5Fof%5FInnovation%5Fa%5FCompetitive%5FAdvantage.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Why is The Innovation Adoption Curve Important? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-is-the-innovation-adoption-curve-important/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:36.000Z Once you've developed an excellent [breakthrough innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/), the next step is figuring out how to get it adopted. Innovators have created numerous helpful models over the years, but most use the innovation adoption model. ## The Innovation Adoption Curve The innovation adoption model is the framework that lays out the audience, such as the late adopters or early adopters. This framework assumes that you are the innovator trying to sell innovation. Today, we will be laying the framework for innovation adoption. Innovation adoption is a model that classifies the adopters of innovation based on their levels of readiness. ## Innovation Adoption Groups There are specific characteristics and groups when it comes to innovation adoption. The first group is the innovators, who are the risk-takers, willing to be the first ones to try anything. This group is a small segment but is much more prominent in influence. These early innovators are the ones other people tend to follow. The next group is the early adopters, who are visionaries that rely on their gut and experience. While they aren't on the bleeding edge, they are on the leading edge. Early adopters may not get it right out of the gate but jump aboard shortly after. Next, the early majority is the more mainstream market segment and is more prominent than both previous groups combined. Those in this group like new innovations but prefer to wait and see if innovation is successful before adopting it. They look at innovations not just because they are new but because they perceive value in them. Next, the late majority holds the same portion of the market as the early majority. These people only adopt innovation when it is their last option (Ex. people who had Blackberrys as long as possible). This segment is harder to persuade as they don't like to try new things. They have high regard for advice from friends and colleagues but not traditional advertising. The last group is the laggards, which are the same size as the innovators and early adopters. These people are the [naysayers](https://philmckinney.com/six-practices-of-successful-innovators/?ref=philmckinney.com) of any change. They only adopt things when it is necessary, and no options are left. ## Why is it Important? It is essential to have a unique strategy for approaching each phase of the innovation adoption curve. This strategy comes from [author Geoffrey Moore](https://www.philmckinney.com/geoffrey-moore-what-it-takes-to-be-an-innovation-leader/), a friend who has been on the show multiple times. In his book "[Crossing the Chasm](https://www.philmckinney.com/interview-with-geoffrey-moore-part-1-of-2/), he states the chasm between the early adopters and the early majority. This crossing of the chasm is necessary to have a widely successful innovation. To do that, you have to target the market segments and create some excitement over what you have developed. You can't just advertise or market your way over the chasm. It would be best if you had a strategy to find what will provide that needed momentum. Geoffrey has another strategy he calls the bowling pins. If you think of bowling pins as different industries and solve one industry's problem, it knocks down a bowling pin. In turn, this will bump into another similar industry problem/bowling pin, and it will get knocked down, thus continuing the cycle. This strategy will create excitement and energy, which will [help you cross the chasm](https://www.philmckinney.com/interview-with-geoffrey-moore-part-2-of-2/). The chasm is the biggest struggle for 99% of innovations that could be breakthroughs. You will fail if you don't develop an approach to cross the chasm. 95% of all innovations fail when they neglect the chasm. To know more about the importance of the innovation adoption curve, listen to this week's show: [**Why is The Innovation Adoption Curve Important?**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5Fis%5Fthe%5FInnovation%5FAdoption%5FCurve%5FImportant.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Finding Creative Ideas with Fresh Eyes URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-creative-ideas-with-fresh-eyes/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:11.000Z It's hard to believe that I've been in the [innovation game](https://www.philmckinney.com/creating-time-for-innovation/) as long as I have. I've been thinking of creative ideas, inventing, launching services, and teaching others to do the same for many years. While this experience is good, it can sometimes be hurtful. Finding yourself doing the same thing over and over again can be tedious. We all fall into this type of rut. People often do this with morning routines. The good part is you know what step is coming next. The bad part is when something happens to throw you off, you might overlook things. Routines are problematic when [dealing with innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-creative-expression-is-important/). To successfully find creative ideas, you need to look at things with fresh eyes constantly. By looking with fresh eyes, I mean seeing something as if you are seeing it for the first time. ## Breaking The Rut with Creative Ideas How do you break the rut to cause your brain to think differently? You need to observe things, not just look at things and take in information. [When I was at HP](https://philmckinney.com/goodbye-hp-2/?ref=philmckinney.com), I would observe customers while shopping for products at BestBuy. When they picked one that wasn't an HP product, I would walk up to them and introduce myself. I'd ask them what made them choose that product over the HP one to understand their reasoning. Observing isn't just about seeing with your eyes. It is also about asking questions and having an inquisitive nature. ## Innovation Example In some cases, solving problems with fresh eyes doesn't work. In this case, you may have to bring someone in from the outside who has fresh eyes. Here is an example of this. A major manufacturer of potato chips was struggling with a problem: their chips were too greasy. They previously had too much salt on the chips, so they shook them. Tried this with the grease, but it did not work as well. They tried to shake the chips even harder, and it left them with broken products. They finally decided to [crowdsource](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-from-associative-fluency-s11-ep5/), soliciting ideas from people on how to get rid of excess oil on the chips. The solution came from a concert violinist who realized the problem resembled something they had seen. When a violin hits a precise tone, the resonance of the tone will cause water to dance. The violinist proposed they play a specific note to get the oil to jump off the chip, and it worked. Here was a solution not found by those with years of experience but from an unexpected source. ## 3 Steps to Seeing with Fresh Eyes 1. Be aware that you are seeing with old eyes. 2. Build up the habit of looking at everything with fresh eyes. This means doing this differently, [asking things differently](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-creative-thinking-based-on-nature-or-nurture/), and asking different people. 3. Ask for fresh eyes from non-experts. It is crucial to get in the habit of exercising your observation skills. Drive a different way to work or challenge a process you've used for a while. Ask someone who isn't an expert to give you feedback, such as the potato chip manufacturer did. You can learn from people with different expertise, country, background, age, etc. After implementing these things, you will begin to see with fresh eyes, which will lead to the [creation of new ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-afraid-of-running-out-of-ideas/). To know more about finding creative ideas with fresh eyes, listen to this week's show: **[Finding Creative Ideas with Fresh Eyes](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Finding%5FCreative%5FIdeas%5Fwith%5FFresh%5FEyes.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Creating Time for Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/creating-time-for-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:36.000Z Last week, I wrapped up a workshop I was teaching innovation leaders on [the 7 laws of innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-laws-of-innovation-and-benefitting-from-coaching-insights/). At the end of every workshop or session I teach, I conduct an "AMA" or ask me anything time. There seems to be a recurring question I get from leaders who have taken the [Innovation Bootcamp](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-bootcamp/) and the 7 laws workshop. The question is, "Creating time for innovation, is it possible?" ## Time for innovation as an Organization Now I will share some examples of how organizations have created time for [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-isnt-just-about-new-products/). The first example occurred in the early days of HP, long before I was CTO. Bill Hewlett would set aside time for the engineers to work on side projects they wanted to prioritize. Friday from noon till the end of the day was where this typically went down. All HP's part cabinets would be open and available, with the rule that you had to demo what you created at the end. In the early days of this show, I interviewed [Art Fong, employee #9 at HP](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-2/). He got recruited by Bill directly while doing radar work for the military in WW2\. During these times, he worked on putting together one of the first radar guns for measuring vehicle speed. This work led to the development of new test gear and resulted in employees feeling like they had time and permission to create new ideas. This mindset became part of the culture at HP. Another example of how you can create time for innovation has to do with project planning. Most organizations focus all 40 hours of the week on getting projects done for clients. A disciplined organization will schedule 35 hours a week for projects and leave an extra five hours for innovation/think time. Some organizations use what I call "innovation vacations." This spare time allows employees to refresh and think of new ideas outside of their scheduled work time. I do "trend safaris," where I hunt for the latest things at significant events. I would do this at The Hanover Furniture Fair, New York Fashion Week, the world's fair in [Tokyo](https://philmckinney.com/a-twist-on-creating-a-new-business-idea-take-something-old-and-make-it-new-again/?ref=philmckinney.com), etc. ## Creating Time as an Individual You may still be wondering what you as an individual can do to create time for innovation. The first thing you can do is [prioritize](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-elements-of-a-successful-innovation-brief-creative-brief/). Innovation requires time and commitment. As an innovator and an author, I've learned that consistency is more important than quantity. If you spend an hour a day innovating every day, you will make a lot of progress. You can even spend fifteen minutes a day working on something if you're consistent. Next, you can find an innovation accountability partner. I had a dream of writing a book for many years but didn't do it till an agent approached me with the idea and kept me accountable. You can also talk to your boss and show them the work you are doing. Ask them for guidance on how you can fit innovation time into your schedule. Once you have innovation time allocated, protect it. Just like going to the gym, it becomes a habit if you do it for enough days. Similarly, if you start skipping it, eventually, you will stop it altogether. Creating time for innovation is so important because, without it, you will have zero ideas. If you are a [leader](https://www.philmckinney.com/9-leadership-behaviors-for-innovation-leaders/), you need to give explicit permission to everyone in your organization to innovate. This move can be something like a one-day-a-month innovation day. At the end of the day, you can't create time. When it's gone, it's gone, and it is constrained. By prioritizing your innovation, you will be one step closer to coming up with that new idea. To know more about creating time for innovation, listen to this week's show: **[Creating Time for Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Creating%5FTime%5Ffor%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Groupthink Kills Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/groupthink-kills-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:35.000Z In this show, we will discuss how groupthink kills innovation. Groupthink is thinking or making decisions as a group. This way of thinking [discourages creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/) or individual responsibility. A downside of groupthink is that it can create blind spots resulting from not listening to dissenting opinions. Groupthink tends to end in unintended negative consequences because everyone thinks alike and agrees with each other. ## 8 Symptoms of Groupthink In 1972, Irving Janis developed the eight symptoms of groupthink. The first symptom is the illusion of invulnerability, which creates excessive optimism. This toxic optimism encourages [taking extreme risks](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-strength-acquiring-innovation-avoiding-the-biggest-risks-to-innovation/), which always has a downside. Second symptom is collective rationalization. Members discount warnings and dismiss assumptions immediately. Inherent morality is the third symptom. Here, members ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions. Number four is the stereotyped views of the outgroup. Here, members tend to [stereotype](https://philmckinney.com/if-you-want-to-innovate-then-dont-go-with-the-herd-groupthink-leads-to-bad-decisions/?ref=philmckinney.com) people that are not in the group. The fifth symptom is direct pressure on dissenters, where members are pressured not to disagree with the group’s views. Symptom six is self-censorship. Members don’t say certain things to avoid reactions from people. Number seven is the illusion of unanimity or the idea that the majority view is unanimous. In most cases, this is just an assumption. The eighth and final symptom is self-appointed mind guards. These members protect the group from information that is contradictory to the group’s cohesiveness. ## Examples Here are two examples of the negative consequences of groupthink. Swiss Air was a Swiss airline that was so financially stable. People referred to it as the flying bank. In July of 2001, the company collapsed. Right before this, they got rid of any industrial technical expertise from its governing board. The company wanted to reduce anything that threatened the cohesiveness of the [board of directors](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-the-role-of-the-ceo-board-and-the-innovation-advisory-board/). Insider groupthink took over and led the company to failure. In 1999, fifty-four members of the Major League Baseball Umpires Association resigned in mass. The umpire did this to influence the ability to renegotiate new contracts. Ultimately, the MLB hired new umpires and decertified the entire union. ## Combating Groupthink That Kills Innovation Innovation is all about doing something new and unique and taking risks. Groupthink is all about conformity, thinking the same, and being in alignment. If you fall into this trap, it turns into an [innovation antibody](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/), and innovation antibodies block new ideas. There are several ways to combat groupthink. Firstly, you can formalize the questioning process. A group should have a process that gives questioning permission to those within the group. There should also be people from outside the group challenging it. Another way to fight groupthink is to institute anonymity. Make people more comfortable giving their opinion. Bring in outsiders such as consultants and encourage them to point out problems. Lastly, allow extra time so things can be questioned and challenged. To know more about how groupthink kills innovation, listen to this week's show: **[Groupthink Kills Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Groupthink%5FKills%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 9 Elements of a Successful Innovation Brief – Creative Brief URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/9-elements-of-a-successful-innovation-brief-creative-brief/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:35.000Z Like I’ve discussed in a previous show, [innovation mentoring and coaching](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-coaching-and-innovation-mentoring-what-is-the-difference/) are two different things. Coaching is when working on a project, while mentoring is more long-term and focuses on one person. When directing teams on [innovation efforts](https://www.philmckinney.com/dr-whitney-snider-on-collaborative-campuses-that-fuel-innovation/), the secret to success is a well-thought-out innovation or creative brief. ## The Creative or Innovation Brief I’ve done a lot of coaching and mentoring over the years. In one example, I helped design the new media exhibit in the Newseum in Washington D.C. I’ve done hundreds of similar projects, whether it’s working on a project that is already started or helping conceive a new one. The innovation brief is information you share with your team or preparing to deliver to an innovation coach. The brief explains the ins and outs of a project and is a key document that saves a lot of time. It aids in discovering and understanding the overall goal of the effort at hand and the attached expectations. ## 9 Elements of a Successful Brief There are nine essential elements of a successful innovation brief. The first element is to describe your organization. The innovation brief should include history, projects, programs, what the organization does, etc., to provide context. The second element is to summarize the project and why you need it. Is it new, or is it enhancing an existing product or service? Summarize why you are doing what you are doing and all it entails. The third element is to [explain the objectives,](https://www.philmckinney.com/setting-innovation-objectives/) which is the most crucial part. It would be best if you thought through your strategies and goals thoroughly. Here, you need to describe the problem you are trying to solve. As an organization, don’t be afraid to share the reality of your situation with your innovation coach. The fourth element is to define the target audience. This audience will be the group that will be benefiting from your efforts. ## Elements Five through Nine The fifth element is to define the deliverables or the result of the effort. Recently, I was working with the [U.S Marine Corps](https://philmckinney.com/what-is-your-creative-inspiration/?ref=philmckinney.com) on reducing time for procurement. I was also teaching them how to use the [FIRE framework](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-isnt-just-about-new-products/). The deliverables were training and a prioritized list of ideas. We did both simultaneously and came up with some exciting [ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-afraid-of-running-out-of-ideas/). The sixth element is to identify your competition. Figure out what products or services they have and discover the point of differentiation. It is also essential to observe what trends are occurring. The seventh element is to provide the timing of the project. You must be realistic and listen to your innovation coach. Element eight is to specify the project budget. Set this budget upfront and be realistic about your expectations before you get started. The ninth element is to list the key stakeholders. Either you are developing this brief to give to your team or an innovation coach. In either situation, it is vital to know the key stakeholders involved. To know more about creating a successful innovation brief — creative brief, listen to this week's show: ***[9 Elements of a Successful Innovation Brief – Creative Brief](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/9%5FElements%5Fof%5Fa%5FSuccessful%5FInnovation%5FBrief%5F%5FCreative%5FBrief.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation Isn’t Just About New Products URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-isnt-just-about-new-products/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:35.000Z Innovation isn’t just about creating new products or services. While this is critical to an organization, it is also essential to look at other areas such as business model innovation, process innovation, and marketing innovation. ## The Framework for New Products We use the [FIRE framework](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/), which we have discussed many times on the show. The primary goal of this framework is to think about innovation with a full 360 view. The framework looks at three dimensions: the who (the customer), the what (the new product or service), and the how (ex., supply chain). Everybody tends to focus on “the what,” but all three are vital to successfully doing innovation. ## Business Model Innovation Business model [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-avoid-innovation-burnout/) focuses on the mechanism of exchange of your product or service with the customer. One business model we have all seen is a subscription model. I pay monthly for my Adobe Creative Cloud subscription and receive many apps in return. Bundling is another business model in which a company combines various things to offer more value. Freemium is another where mobile apps offer something for free but give more capabilities for a price. Razer and blades model is another one, where a company sells something for a low price, but a complementary good is needed to use that product. An example of this would be printers and ink. Leasing a car is another popular [business model](https://www.philmckinney.com/cyril-bouquet-better-innovation-with-alien-thinking/). Lastly, crowdsourcing is where a company builds excitement around a product by offering pre-order and then manufactures the product based on the interest level. ## Process Innovation Process innovation deals with delivering a product or service to the customer. It also deals with the sequencing, information, and communication aspects of the process. Ultimately, you need to figure out how to deliver more cost and time effectively to the customer. How you provide the product can be just as important as the product itself. For example, the people who built the MINI cars used to keep the customer updated on the vehicle’s [manufacturing process](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-use-nature-to-innovate-manufacturing/). They would also personally sign a letter for the customer that bought the car. This move created an emotional attachment for the customer and the company. ## Marketing Innovation This process is what we call the “how” dimension. In today’s world, it is hard to break through the noise level and make something exciting. [Packaging](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-wine-bottle-ripe-for-packaging-innovation/) is one area of marketing that is a prime example of innovation. At HP, we tested our packaging a ton to make sure it arrived successfully to the customer. In one situation, we partnered with a university to have students create packaging designs. One group of students created a design that we loved, and we cut a deal with them to use the packaging for the company. Another area is product placement, or how you get your product noticed. At HP, we did product placements on [movies](https://philmckinney.com/sundance-and-3d/?ref=philmckinney.com), tv shows, and even with the NBA. Lastly, it is essential to innovate on the pricing model and product promotion. To know more about other aspects of innovation besides new products or services, listen to this week's show: **[Innovation Isn’t Just About New Products](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FIsnt%5FJust%5FAbout%5FNew%5FProducts.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Are You Afraid Of Running Out Of Ideas? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/are-you-afraid-of-running-out-of-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:34.000Z When I run into fellow innovators, they often want to share their ideas with me and get advice. In many cases, they have an idea that they believe is the pinnacle of ideas. They love their idea to death and hold it close to them. While they may have a great idea, it has no value in this state. ## Running Out of Ideas? Having a mind-blowing idea without any execution is pointless. When I question these “idea hoarders,” I often discover a similarity. They are afraid they only have a limited number of great ideas in their lifetime. Fearing that somebody steals their idea, they don’t want to share it with anyone else. ## My Experience The fundamental idea here is that once you succeed with that great idea, it will never happen again. This thought process is wrong. How many ideas did people like Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and Elon Musk create? They created tens if not hundreds of ideas that have changed our lives. Some people say these people are just special, but I say otherwise. I believe we are all able to innovate multiple [game-changing ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/game-changing-esport-innovations-during-covid-19/) in our lifetimes. Let me share my own experiences. I started off developing computer-based training for Deltek and Individual Software. At Individual Software, I created a product called Typing Instructor, which was my first award-winning product. Next, I worked at a consulting company started by my [mentor](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-coaching-and-innovation-mentoring-what-is-the-difference/) Bob Davis. I ended up doing software for Apple on contract and developed some software for the original Macintosh. Next, I did consulting work for HP on the HP 9000, the first commercial computing platform built on a risk processor. The project was a big breakthrough. Next, I became president at Teraplex, where we made a supercomputer. Then I went to Thumbscan and worked on biometric security technology. Next, I went to Telligent and built a product called Imagine, one of the first web-based online billing platforms. ## My Two-Step Process to Successful Ideas All these products I listed were award-winning products. You may look at me and think I am special, but that is not the case. Firstly, I did not do all of this on my own. I had the right teams in place to aid me. So how was I able to accomplish these feats? There is a two-step process that I use. The first step is, whatever idea I have, I either [execute on it](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/) or share it with others. I don’t hoard ideas for myself. [Elon Musk](https://philmckinney.com/the-overlooked-secret-to-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) is someone who also does this. While he was in the middle of dealing with SpaceX and Tesla, he came up with the idea of a hyperloop, which he shared with the public. As a result, we saw an explosion of hyperloop companies. It would be best if you wanted to inspire others with your ideas as Elon did. If your motivation for innovation is solely money, then you have the wrong idea. My view is that if you do innovation for the right reason, the rewards and recognition will come. The second step of the process is that when you’ve given them all away, then you’ve made room for more ideas. Your [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-creative-thinking-based-on-nature-or-nurture/) will fill the vacuum you created by giving away and sharing ideas. I have found that when I give away ideas, its result is similar to exercise. When you work out, your muscles get bigger each time. The more ideas you give away, the better your next idea produced becomes. This practice becomes a never-ending cycle that leads to success. To know more about creating successful ideas, listen to this week's show: **[Are You afraid of Running Out Of Ideas?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Are%5FYou%5Fafraid%5Fof%5FRunning%5FOut%5FOf%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 9 Leadership Behaviors for Innovation Leaders URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/9-leadership-behaviors-for-innovation-leaders/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:34.000Z While innovation leaders have the same core behaviors all great leaders have, they carry crucial additional behaviors. Let’s discuss the leadership behaviors for innovation leaders, inspired by an [article on *Forbes* by Jack Zenger](https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackzenger/2015/05/14/9-behaviors-that-drive-innovation/?sh=3c9be0537593&ref=philmckinney.com). Applied to the topic is my own forty years of experience in the innovation space. These behaviors are foundational for innovation leadership success. ## Fundamentals of Any Leadership Activity Let’s start with the two fundamentals of any leadership activity. Every leader is there to bring together the right people to achieve an objective. Typically, a leader brings in people with different skills and abilities like finance and software engineering. When it comes to [innovation,](https://www.philmckinney.com/cyril-bouquet-better-innovation-with-alien-thinking/) you’re bringing in people with different perspectives and thinking styles. It is critical to understand how to build teams to generate the next great idea. The following fundamental comes from a quote I often use, “Leaders deserve the teams they get based on the worst actions they allow other team members to get away with.” If you allow your team members to get away with things like disrespect or not being a team player, it will infiltrate the rest of your team. The negative result of this will be your fault as a leader. ## 9 Leadership Behaviors for Innovation Leaders For the first behavior, innovation leaders have a vision of the future, not just the goals of the present. You have to look at both the short and long-term goals and convey a vision that gets people excited. Secondly, innovation leaders establish trust in their team. Building trust is paramount when it comes to innovation. The need for trust is because of how risky and scary innovation can be. Without it, a team will not take the risk of putting their ideas out there. Thirdly, innovation leaders challenge the status quo, refusing to rely on what is safe and comfortable. As an innovation leader, you need to try new things instead of sticking to the same processes. For the fourth behavior, innovation leaders are curious. They ask intelligent, strategic, thoughtful, and targeted questions to gather input. Spending the extra time to [craft better questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-ask-questions-to-find-new-ideas/) will lead to uncovering many ideas. They also listen carefully to responses to questions. For the fifth behavior, innovation leaders set aspirational goals or [BHAGS](https://www.philmckinney.com/inside-the-box-thinking/) (Big Hairy Audacious Goals). In this position, expect the delivery of breakthrough achievements and ideas. It is essential to challenge your team to do better by giving more autonomy. If you are a micromanager, either break that habit or don’t be an innovation leader. ## Behaviors Six through Nine The sixth [innovation leadership](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-and-going-beyond-the-obvious/) behavior is that innovation leaders move quickly. Studies have shown a clear correlation between the speed of execution and the degree of innovation. The 10% fastest leaders were also in the top percentile of innovation effectiveness. The seventh behavior is that innovation leaders crave information. They need input and things where they can let their conscience work. For me, I am always reading blogs, magazines, books, etc. I find that the things I read help me connect dots to things that I come across at different times. The eighth behavior is that innovation leaders excel at teamwork. They put their self-interest to the side and focus on creating collaboration. One challenge I’ve seen within organizations is competition between different groups. Avoid unnecessary competition needs to have success as an organization. The ninth behavior is that innovation leaders value diversity and inclusion. If everyone on your team acts, thinks, and has the same background as you, you will have the same thinking style. Similar viewpoints lead to the danger of groupthink, where everyone is thinking and doing the same thing. Differing opinions fuel the [creative process](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/). To know more about leadership behaviors, listen to this week's show: **[9 Leadership Behaviors for Innovation Leaders](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/9%5FLeadership%5FBehaviors%5Ffor%5FInnovation%5FLeaders.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Avoid Innovation Burnout URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-avoid-innovation-burnout/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:33.000Z What comes to mind when you hear the term innovation burnout? Webster's dictionary says that burnout is the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive or prolonged stress. Burnout occurs when we feel overwhelmed, drained, and unable to meet that constant demand. ## Innovation Burnout For innovators, it's that constant demand for coming up with new ideas. Being in the innovation game for some forty years, I have often gone through the burnout stage. Burnout can [kill your creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/) that drives innovation. Over the years, I've learned that there are things you can do to avoid it. If you face burnout, it is essential to talk to somebody about it, whether your spouse, boss, or friend. If you don't address burnout, it can impact your career, family, and even happiness. ## Dealing with Innovation Burnout as a Leader The first thing you can do to deal with burnout as a leader is to eliminate time wasters. While at HP, when I asked my team to update me on something, they would often lose weeks of productivity preparing to present to me. Included in this time was preparation, meetings, etc., all leading up to a one-hour session with me. In my organization now, when I ask someone for something, I have a conversation with them that does not need wasteful preparation. This meeting helps my team avoid burnout and keeps them focused on their projects, collaborations, etc. The second thing leaders need to do to avoid burnout is to establish priorities. In my organization, I am a big believer in utilizing [OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).](https://www.philmckinney.com/setting-innovation-objectives/) Having set priorities helps people know what order they need to do things in. Thirdly, leaders need to encourage and, at times, force downtime. By taking breaks, you replenish that energy required for the next project. At CableLabs, we offer unlimited paid time off (PTO) to our employees. If our managers see an individual struggling or just came off a big project, they often force them to take PTO. ## Time Out We also shut down our teams periodically, allowing them to rest and avoid innovation burnout. By disconnecting, I found that my teams come back with better [solutions to problems](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-wicked-problems/). The fourth thing leaders need to do is allow employees time to disconnect at the office. Employees shouldn't have to be on call at all times. Having stress from their boss constantly messaging them will fuel their burnout. Leaders also need to set boundaries for their employees. When you are outside of work, you should disconnect from work. While this is not realistic with all jobs, it makes a big difference when implemented. When a leader does these five things, it gives their team time to recharge and avoid innovation burnout. ## Avoiding Burnout as an Individual The first thing you can do is invest in your physical and mental health. You are an innovation athlete expected to perform at a high level. Athletes exercise physically and mentally to stay in shape and get more vital and more innovative. As innovators, it is essential to eat well, exercise, and do things that [feed your creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-tools-i-use-for-innovation-and-creativity/). This podcast is one of my creative outlets as I do it outside of work. The second thing you need to do is take ownership of recharging your batteries. Don't wait for your boss to force you to take a vacation. Even as a startup guy, it is essential to take breaks to recharge. If you are struggling, don't be afraid to share your struggles with your leaders. If you are feeling this way, other people in your organization are probably feeling the same. The last thing you can do as an individual is to find a community of fellow innovators. Within this community, you can find help from innovators who have experienced the same struggles. Check out the Innovators Community [here.](https://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) To know more about avoiding innovation burnouts, listen to this week's show: ***[How to Avoid Innovation Burnout](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FAvoid%5FInnovation%5FBurnout.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 3 Tips to Innovating with a Co-Innovation Partner URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/3-tips-to-innovating-with-a-co-innovation-partner/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:33.000Z Co-innovation is a common term used in the innovation space. It describes two organizations of any kind that come together to innovate in an area of common interest. I am not only talking about collaboration. Co-innovation seeks to deliver a result such as a product or service. There is a 50-50 contribution with this model, whether that’s money, people, labs, etc. ## Co-Innovation Partner: Corning During my tenure at HP, co-innovation played a vital role in the company. The amount of money it took to accelerate acted as a barrier to innovation. Corning was the co-innovation partner in this case. The project we did with Corning was around gorilla glass, which we improved and expanded for more uses. Next, we worked on bending glass displays to limit eye strain. We built a frame and figured out how far we could bend the glass before it would break. This project led to the curved displays, which are now commonly used. With the constant acceleration of time and costs, finding partners with the knowledge you don’t readily have is key to [fueling innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/dr-whitney-snider-on-collaborative-campuses-that-fuel-innovation/). ## Innovating with a Co-Innovation Partner The first tip is to choose a partner with [strong cultural alignment](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-innovation-culture-innovation-success/). During this time, you will be working very closely with your co-innovation partner. By alignment, I mean how they manage, oversee, and support their teams and what they expect from them. It is also essential that both organizations grant similar autonomy to their teams. If one organization gives a lot of independence and the other micromanages, there will be unneeded friction. Beyond people, you need to look at how the potential partner treats their customers and sells them. At HP, there is a very relaxed selling approach, but not all organizations are like that. You need to think about these things and figure out if you are willing to align with a company that approaches customers differently. Next, it’s crucial to discover what the mission objective of the organization is. If one [organization](https://www.philmckinney.com/6-innovation-metrics-kpis-every-organization-should-use/) is all about numbers and the other is about improving lives, there is no alignment. If you don’t have a strong culture alignment with your co-innovation partner, your chance of success is slim to none. ## Second Tip The second tip is to define the area of focus carefully. There needs to be a substantial overlap of focus. Think of this as a Venn diagram, where your business has an area you want to focus on to achieve success. Your partner also has an area of focus where they want to achieve success. The area where these two spheres overlap is the general area of focus for this co-innovation effort. Both organizations must have a committed interest in the common area and aware of each essential contribution. Co-innovation partners need to bring value and combine them to create a breakthrough. The third part of tip two, which I can’t stress enough, is the need for mutual dependency. It would be best to find an area of focus where you need each other to [solve problems](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-wicked-problems/). If one can do it on their own, then it is not a co-innovation effort. ## My Final Tip Tip number three is to secure proper sponsorship and support. The key here is to create a true partnership built on trust. In the HP and Corning co-innovation effort, I was the executive sponsor and [Wendell Weeks, the Chairman and CEO at Corning](https://philmckinney.com/3-ceos-who-get-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com), was their sponsor. I can tell you that Wendell and I talk regularly and are good friends even to this day. This level of trust and relationship was built from this project and led to [better innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/cyril-bouquet-better-innovation-with-alien-thinking/). Another thing to think about is that patent creation happens during a co-innovation. Intellectual property issues constantly come up when dealing with co-innovation. Keep these legal issues simple. Tackle this with things such as a split license approach or patent sharing. I’ve done about a dozen successful co-innovation projects to this day. The results of which are products that you are most likely using today. Co-innovation is not a quick and easy process and takes at least a year to get a project up and running. Be patient and keep your eyes open because you never know when a co-innovation opportunity may arise. To know more about working with a co-innovation partner: **[3 Tips to Innovating with a Co-Innovation Partner](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/3%5FTips%5Fto%5FInnovating%5Fwith%5Fa%5FCo-Innovation%5FPartner.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Dr. Whitney Snider on Collaborative Campuses That Fuel Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/dr-whitney-snider-on-collaborative-campuses-that-fuel-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:32.000Z Whitney Snider is the Head of Alexandria's LaunchLabs and the VP of Alexandria Venture Investments. Alexandria Real Estate Equities is a real estate investment trust that provides housing and labs for life science and tech companies. Whitney will share what ARE is doing to fuel innovation through collaborative campuses. ## Whitney's Background Whitney works at Alexandria Real Estate Equities and is involved in venture investment activity growing the life science cluster in New York City. Focused on collaborative campuses for life science, technology, and agTech companies, Alexandria brings companies together. They help grow collaborative ecosystems that fuel [better innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/cyril-bouquet-better-innovation-with-alien-thinking/). The concentration of Alexandria's portfolio is in some of the most innovative cities in the U.S. This includes Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, and New York. Alexandria started with a vision to create a new kind of real estate company focused on the life science industry. [Unique team](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/) collaborations contributed to their success as an established leader in the industry. ## Collaborative Campuses Alexandria uses four elements to fuel [innovation through its collaborative campuses](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-through-collaboration/). The first is *vocation*, where they're at locations with quality housing, good transportation, etc. The second is *innovation*, where Alexandria evaluates and searches to find opportunities no one has jumped on yet. Then there is *talent*, where Alexandria focuses on building a solid pipeline to grow the company. Lastly, there is the c*apital*, which is needed to fuel and fund innovation at all levels. You need these elements to support your ideas. Alexandria's collaboration campuses range from some of the world's biggest pharma companies to top-tier upstarts. With this diversity, there is a co-mingling of talent and energy that allows for more growth. Alexandria's venture and investments arm focuses on funding early growth stage companies through a built platform. This venture expands its reach and providing mentorship and capital to cultivate innovation that will improve human health. ## Fueling Innovation with LaunchLabs Alexandria has LaunchLabs sites on many of their major U.S campuses. LaunchLabs looks for up-and-coming companies in their regions. Then, they identify which ones could use their lab and mentoring infrastructure to become a new star. Alexandria tailors what they do to the specific region they are operating in. They work with teams, pinpoint their needs, and find the necessary resources to improve them. They work to push companies into the next stage of growth. Currently, over one hundred of Alexandria's tenants and investments are working on COVID-19 solutions. Due to COVID, they had to adapt their buildings and launch initiatives to enhance their tenants' safety measures. Alexandria formed a dedicated COVID-19 advisory board to improve and provide insights on the pandemic. As I've learned, there is no playbook when it comes to things like COVID. Having good processes and knowing when to change the process is vital to succeeding in times of [disruptive shock](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/). ## The Future of ARE Currently, there are 10,000 diseases known to humankind, with only 10% having some available treatment. Alexandria believes they are on the edge of a biology revolution. They want to find innovative ways to treat the world's major health issues. Through [COVID-19](https://www.philmckinney.com/covid-19-innovations-from-scuba-to-medical-face-mask-with-3d-printing/), it has been amazing to see the development of successful vaccines under high levels of pressure. Please don't underestimate the power of human ingenuity and collaboration when it comes to innovating solutions. If you want to keep up to date with what ARE is doing, check out their website [here](https://www.are.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out Whitney Snider's LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-snider-md-mba-701aba2a/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: Whitney Snider At Alexandria, Whitney supports Alexandria's venture investment activity and other strategic initiatives to grow the New York City life science cluster. She also oversees general management, operations, business development, member recruitment, and programming for Alexandria LaunchLabs in New York City. Whitney was formerly at an early-stage venture capital firm based in New York City. She spent two-and-a-half years at Celgene as Director in the Business Development group. Previously, she was a Consultant at Bain & Company in both its Boston and New York offices. She received her Master of Business Administration degree with High Distinction from Harvard Business School and her Doctor of Medicine degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. To know more about Whitney Snider and ARE listen to this week's show: **[Dr. Whitney Snider on Collaborative Campuses That Fuel Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Dr%5FWhitney%5FSnider%5Fon%5FCollaborative%5FCampuses%5FThat%5FFuel%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Cyril Bouquet – Better Innovation with ALIEN Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/cyril-bouquet-better-innovation-with-alien-thinking/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:12.000Z Cyril Bouquet joins us to discuss "A.L.I.E.N. Thinking: The Unconventional Path to Breakthrough Ideas." His book breaks down five keys to creating disruptive ideas called ALIEN Thinking: Attention, Levitation, Imagination, Experimentation, and Navigation. ## Cyril's Background Cyril is a Professor of Innovation and Strategy at IMD. Growing up, both of his parents were professors, but he had no desire to become one. Cyril had to do French military service, and one way to got about this was through civic service. Through his civic service, he fell in love with being a professor. Cyril Bouquet was a professor in Canada and later came to teach at IMD in Switzerland. He has been an immigrant most of his life, to which he attributes a lot to his passion for [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-definition-of-innovation/). He was raised in tropical islands, lived in France, Canada, and now lives in Switzerland. Through coming to different countries, Cyril has learned that there are many different ways to approaching the same situations. ## Better Innovation with ALIEN Thinking Through Cyril Bouquet's story, it is interesting to see how different parts of the world view things differently. This ties into the new book he co-authored called "A.L.I.E.N THINKING: The Unconventional Path to Breakthrough Ideas." A.L.I.E.N is an acronym for identifying the keys to being highly innovative. It is a metaphor that highlights the need to get rid of our previous assumptions. We have to think like an alien, coming from a different planet, or as I like to say, [thinking outside of the box](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think/). The book explores the A.L.I.E.N acronym that applies to innovation in any field. The A stands for attention, or how you look at the world. Sometimes we need to zoom in or out and switch our focus. In the book, Cyril emphasizes not being too focused, as it can restrict your ability to come up with new ideas. There is a balance where you need to be engaged and concentrated while being attentive to the right things. If you want to develop an [innovative concept](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-tools-i-use-for-innovation-and-creativity/), you need more fluidity than often taught. The L stands for levitation or stepping back, separating yourself, and expanding your understanding. ## Imagination and the Loss of Creativity The I stands for imagination composed of playing with ideas and putting things together. A few weeks ago, I did a [show that talked about a study N.A.S.A.](https://www.philmckinney.com/is-creative-thinking-based-on-nature-or-nurture/) did on kids and adults using their creativity test. 98% of the kids under the age of 6 passed the test, while only 18% of the adults passed it. Above all, much of the loss of imagination comes from schooling that teaches you to stay on specific paths. Moreover, young kids are less afraid of what others think of them. They don't care what they look like and are okay being themselves. As they become older, they start to care more. As they grow older, conformity starts to creep in. This concept is the same when dealing with innovation creativity. The more we think ahead, the less we innovate as we become afraid to play with ideas. ## Experimentation and Navigation The E in A.L.I.E.N stands for Experimentation. The way we test ideas is often wrong, as we do it to prove we are correct. We use data to rationalize the story we have in mind and fail to learn from it. It is essential to be open to learning and discovery within the [experimentation process](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/). The N stands for navigation or finding ways around things that are blocking innovation progress. Cyril believes this is the hardest part of innovation. It is because people often don't understand your idea. We often overestimate the support for our ideas that we will get. Often killed immediately, most ideas scare people when they disrupt existing business models. In other words, the success of any innovation is very low. Innovators have to describe their ideas in a way that resonates with people for them to be successful. The language used to describe your innovation is so incredibly important. If you want to keep up to date with what Cyril Bouquet is doing or grab a copy of the book, check out the website [here](https://alienthinking.org/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About the Guest: Cyril Bouquet Cyril Bouquet is a Professor of Innovation and Strategy at IMD, where he orchestrates all kinds of innovation journeys for companies that seek to create the future. He is the co-author of ALIEN THINKING: The Unconventional Path to Breakthrough Ideas (PublicAffairs; March 16, 2021). As a professor at IMD, Cyril is doing research that has gained significant recognition in the field. His Ph.D. dissertation won the Academy of International Business 2004 Richard Farmer Award. Since then, he's published one book "Building Global Mindsets" (2005), and several academic articles in the most prestigious academic journals, including Harvard Business Review, M.I.T. Sloan Management Review, the Academy of Management Journal, the Journal of International Business Studies, the Journal of Management, and the Journal of Management Studies. To know more about Cyril Bouquet and ALIEN Thinking, listen to this week's show: [**Cyril Bouquet – Better Innovation with ALIEN Thinking.**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Cyril%5FBouquet%5F%5FBetter%5FInnovation%5Fwith%5FALIEN%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Do Faster Release Cycles Hurt Innovation? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/do-faster-release-cycles-hurt-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:32.000Z Have you noticed that there is a constant cycle of new [product releases](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-translating-ideas-to-innovations/)? Organizational quarterly results often drive these releases. Cars, smartphone devices, home automation products, applications all follow this pattern of release cycles. I believe the fear of being left behind is what draws people to upgrades. They don't want to pull out an old generation of a phone or drive an outdated car. ## Fast Release Cycles In most companies, product managers will make incremental changes while portraying them as revolutionary upgrades. They put minor [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-types-of-innovation-institutional-social-technological/)s into releases to get customers to buy the upgraded version nine months later. Companies have made it a standard operating procedure to launch numerous releases of the same product with minor cosmetic changes. One example of this comes by way of Canon's cameras. Canon has a top-rated camera called the Canon Rebel that came out in 1990\. Between 1990 and 2004, Canon released eleven versions of the Rebel. New versions of the product came out in 92', 93', 96', and 99'. The subsequent three releases (2002, 2003, and 2004) went through two releases per year. Here, you can see Canon accelerating releases of the Rebel's next version on an annual basis. Another example of an accelerating release cycle comes from the Apple iPod. From 2002-2007, there was a new release of the iPod every year. The iPhone updates at a similar rate. While these are some common examples, these fast release cycles also occur in other industries. They can be attached to fashion, home appliances, automobiles, and various things besides [consumer electronics](https://www.philmckinney.com/ces-2021-a-virtual-innovation/). ## Do Faster Release Cycles Hurt Innovation? Inside organizations, innovators want to create revolutionary products. The pressure to pump up sales comes from shortening release cycles with recorded quarterly profits. Pumping up products becomes a drug that many organizations get hooked on. It conveys a false sense of innovation capability to shareholders and investors. Organizations that get hung up on fast releases fail to make [long-term investments into revolutionary products](https://www.philmckinney.com/short-term-thinking-is-dangerous-to-innovation/). They feed into the next release cycle, hurting innovation efforts along the way. Here is a personal example of a product I was involved in that was negatively affected by fast release cycles. The product was the 2011 HP Touchpad, based on some ongoing tablet work. As the [CTO](https://philmckinney.com/forbes-video-interview-role-cto/?ref=philmckinney.com), I pushed for the creation while leading the Palm acquisition's due diligence. After the 2011 HP Touchpad was released, the board of directors discontinued it seven weeks later. Internal organizational fighting is what led to the ruin of the product. Proponents for traditional product release cycles were firmly anti-new products. They came out in force, preventing dollars from going to new products. They wanted the spending dumped into traditional HP laptop and printer products. These conventional products are low risk but don't add much value to products. At this time, HP valued good quarterly numbers over long time growth and the transformation of lives. Ultimately, this mindset resulted in the death of many other innovative products. ## Advice for Innovation Leaders As an [innovation leader](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-and-going-beyond-the-obvious/), you need to avoid falling into this trap. Incremental changes to existing products are not innovation but artificial marketing. Following the discontinue of the Touchpad, I announced that I was leaving HP. Dealing with the innovation antibodies in this situation was very frustrating. While this case was extreme, this is often the reality of innovation efforts. As we have seen, faster release schedules hurt innovation. The law of patience says that innovation takes longer than you think. Trying to force it into a release schedule is incrementalism, not [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-has-innovation-changed/). The law of resources says that you should not tie your resource commitment to a release or budget cycle. An organization that focuses on accelerating release cycles is not doing proper innovation. As an innovator, it is crucial to fight the urge to be like everyone else. To know more about release cycles, listen to this week's show: [**Do Faster Release Cycles Hurt Innovation?**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Do%5FFaster%5FRelease%5FCycles%5FHurt%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovating Wicked Problems URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-wicked-problems/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:32.000Z Wicked problems are problems that are extremely difficult or impossible to solve. The best example of this type of problem comes from a project I did with the Department of Education. ## Wicked Problems This project aimed to [innovate](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-tools-i-use-for-innovation-and-creativity/) kindergarten through 12th-grade education in the U.S. We ran a series of workshops in our attempt to transform education. The project turned out to be an extremely frustrating endeavor. Looking back, I realize that this qualified as a wicked problem. This type of problem is something that is inconsistent and changes over time. People's opinions on the problem also change over time. The ecosystem of people interested in education, such as policymakers, teachers, unions, and students, have different opinions and think theirs are superior. A wicked [problem](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think-crafting-the-problem-statement/) also has a sizeable economic burden or risk. If you mess up education, you impact a generation of people and how they compete in the marketplace. Entangled with other problems by nature, wicked problems are complex. ## Challenges Wicked problems can often be overwhelming due to their size and complexity. The complexity of the problems comes from these entanglements. For example, if you look at the poverty problem, it is linked to education and linked to nutrition. Each wicked problem has a set of organizations that are trying to solve the problem. Some try to solve poverty, education, nutrition, economic disparity, etc., from their perspective. Each group believes their approach is the right one. This process becomes part of the overall challenge in finding [innovative solutions](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-tools-i-use-for-innovation-and-creativity/) to these wicked problems. Wicked problems are unique, and everyone frames them differently. Other things that challenge the solving of wicked problems are restraints and limited resources. These can come in the form of laws and contracts and limited finances and time limits. Wicked problems are never entirely solvable. The education problems today are just different than the issues that existed when I was in school. ## Strategies and Keys to Success There are two keys to success when finding innovative solutions to these types of problems. Firstly, there is multi-disciplinary collaboration. There need to be experts in many different fields involved in these efforts. If you want to solve education, you need parents, nutritionists, economists, educators, etc. The second key to success in this area is to have perseverance. Wicked problems are never done and require continuous improvement. There are a few strategies to tackling wicked problems. The first strategy is an authoritative strategy, which gives a group or individual the responsibility of making decisions. This process simplifies the complexity problem, but some perspectives of the problem are left out. The second strategy is a competitive strategy that puts opposing points of view against each other. This way presents many different solutions but creates a confrontational environment that reduces knowledge sharing. The third strategy is collaborative, which consists of getting people to discuss and share their knowledge. The con here is that a [collaborative approach](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-through-collaboration/) takes a lot of time. Remember, don't think about solving wicked problems. Instead, seek to find the proper intervention that will improve them and continue that cycle of improvement. ## Summary Let's recap the discussion on wicked problems. The first element to innovating this type of problems is to recognize that there is an adaptive vision. It's not about finding a solution but applying that intervention. The second element is creating an idea-safe environment that brings people together. It is essential to experiment and try new ideas while encouraging social bonding. The third element is to enable [knowledge sharing](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-books-my-library-of-inspiration/). People often approach wicked problems with biases that don't help the situation. It's vital to encourage differences and frame them as strengths. One way to do this is to force face-to-face interaction. This type of interaction is the most beneficial for collaboration. The last element is recognizing that execution is learning. Don't focus on timelines and blueprints when dealing with complex problems. These things are often changing, so you need to be ready to adapt through each step you take. To know more about innovating huge unsolvable problems, listen to this week's show: ***[Innovating Wicked Problems](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovating%5FWicked%5FProblems.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Is Creative Thinking Based on Nature or Nurture? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/is-creative-thinking-based-on-nature-or-nurture/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:31.000Z Is creative thinking based on a born ability, or can you learn it like any other skill? Is it nature or nurture? There is research that argues both cases, and I believe you can do both. I would say that we are all born highly creative. ## Creative Nature vs. Creative Nurture Children use problem-solving and their imagination every day. Here's some insight into this creative transition from child to adult. In 1968 George Land tested 1,600 kids to analyze their creative transformation. He focused on three-five-year-old kids and used a creativity test developed by [NASA](https://www.philmckinney.com/apollo-11-moon-landing-the-innovation-that-gave-nasa-and-the-world-the-view/). This test helped identify highly creative engineers, thinkers, and problem solvers. It had proven to be incredibly valuable in NASA's recruiting process. George Land tested the same kids when they were five, ten, and fifteen years of age. 98% of the five-year-old kids passed the test, 30% of those same kids passed the test at ten years old, and 12% of them passed the test at fifteen years old. Two hundred eighty thousand adults took the NASA [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/will-ai-replace-human-creativity/) test, and only 2% of them passed. The result of the study was the realization that non-creative behavior is learned as people age. ## Unlearning Non-Creative Behavior Non-creative behaviors fall into two categories: [rules and regulations](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/). The educational model that we use today originated in the Industrial Revolution. The purpose of schooling during this time was to produce good workers who followed instructions. The question then becomes, can you teach creative thinking? I believe you can teach and learn creative thinking. However, you cannot use traditional learning methods like lecturing, reading, testing, memorization, etc. There are many "creative thinking" courses out there that I would call traditional such as one-day courses, talking head on a YouTube video, or a "guru" speaking on stage. When it comes to [creative learning skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/), you first must unlearn by breaking old habits and patterns. Intensify the[ breaking of old habits](https://beyondtheobvious.com/step-outside-ask-killer-questions/?ref=philmckinney.com) by creating new muscle memory. Getting out of the comfort zone is also a big part of this, and it starts with humility. People often come into my workshops with an ego problem stemming from prior successes. Ego is one of the most significant barriers that leaders have when trying to rediscover their creative thinking. Overall, it's an unlearning process, not a learning process. ## Unlocking Creative Potential You don't become a Marine by reading a book. Instead, you go through intense boot camp experiences. Likewise, you don't learn to be creative. You become creative from intense experiences. Becoming creative entails various challenges and tests that put you under stress. Remember the military model and how you can apply it to teaching and learning creative thinking skills. You should also hang out with creative people that have experience because it creates community. In the [Innovation Boot Camp](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-bootcamp/) course, we give those who complete the course a callsign— which signifies the experience they went through and achieved. The callsign is a symbol to wear. When we run into someone who has taken the course, we share that common experience of creating community. The Innovation Boot Camp is a great way to unlearn bad behavior stemming from rules, regulations, and assumptions. The boot camp puts every student into a very intense experience. We start with a blank sheet of paper on Monday and a finished product to pitch on Friday. To know more about creative thinking, listen to this week's show: ***[Is Creative Thinking Based on Nature or Nurture?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Is%5FCreative%5FThinking%5FBased%5Fon%5FNature%5For%5FNurture.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 10 Inventions I Would Uninvent URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/10-inventions-i-would-uninvent/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:31.000Z If only innovations that had unintended negative consequences could be uninvented, we can fix our mistakes. Let's look at a list of past [innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-types-of-innovation-institutional-social-technological/) that I would uninvent if I could. ## The Invention of Robocalls The first invention that I would like to uninvent is robocalls. These calls include anything from selling automobile maintenance contracts to various telemarketing campaigns. In our office, our employees get eight to twelve robocalls every day. Robocalling results from telephone calls going digital and the creation of voice over IP. This technology opened up the door for the invention of robocalling. The inventors of voice-over IP did not think their invention would be this widely misused. Misuse of the technology has spread more widely, as regulators haven't been able to keep up with it. ## The Atomic Bomb, Speed Cameras, and Social Media The second invention I would uninvent is the atomic bomb. Atomic energy has been very beneficial to society. The creation of the atomic bomb is an excellent example of the harmful use of good innovation. If I could, I'd keep using atomic sciences for medicine and energy but get rid of the bomb. The next thing I would uninvent is speed cameras that clock your vehicle's speed and send you tickets. These have some positive uses, such as license plate tolls that mail a bill to your address and improved road safety. The bad thing about the speed camera technology is that many third-party companies install cameras and split the toll money with the municipalities. With a third party in the picture, it opens the door for many unethical practices for these companies. The fourth technology I would uninvent is social media. I believe social media creates an amplification effect of similarities. Social media algorithms misuse and manipulate data and information and place things in your feed. I prefer to spend my time on LinkedIn and the Innovators Community, which are more professional and don't artificially put stuff in your feed. ## Tobacco, Plastic, and other Chemical Weaponry Number five on my list is tobacco, a hard one for me as the family on my grandmother's side were tobacco farmers in Kentucky. I remember helping with the tobacco harvest in the summers as a kid. The fundamental role of tobacco is damaging, as it is addictive and bad for one's health. My mom was a heavy smoker, so I would love to get rid of tobacco if I could. The sixth invention I would love to get rid of is chemical weaponry, which started with mustard gas before WW1\. Many more dangerous weapons came about because of this invention. Now the world is forced to form treaties to deter abuses of these technologies. The next thing I would love to get rid of is plastic. Plastic has had many positive uses, especially in healthcare. The early versions of plastic that never decompose are genuine problems. Here's an example of an invention with unintended consequences. We encouraged innovators to [solve the problem](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-types-of-innovation-institutional-social-technological/) and resulted in bio-degradable products that are very useful. In the past, I've shared our work with Lakeside Fish Farm in Rwanda, the largest fish farm in the country. Rwanda has a stringent no-plastic policy. Packaging fish without plastic has proved a challenging task. As a result, there has been a lot of work done on creating alternative packaging that reduces the need for plastic. ## Computer Viruses and Chemical Ingredients Another unintended consequence I wish I could erase is the invention of computer viruses and malware. Many of you may not know that I was doing work in [computer viruses and had some engagement with Dr. Fred Cohen](https://go.gale.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE%7CA6598407&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=00368075&p=AONE&sw=w&ref=philmckinney.com) in my early days. My work on computer viruses focused on cutting down illegal software copying. The intentions were good, but over time, they [led to malware](https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/31/business/computer-systems-under-siege.html?ref=philmckinney.com) and other dangerous things. The next on my list is the overuse of chemicals in foods. I've gotten into the habit of reading ingredient lists on the foods I eat and liquids I drink. When looking at the ingredients of food and drink, many chemicals' inclusions solely benefit the producer. These chemicals make foods last longer, cost less to produce, etc. One example is high-fructose corn syrup, a common replacement of sugar that is very unhealthy. ## What Invention Would You Like to Uninvent? For the tenth and final invention, I want the listeners to think of something they want to uninvent and add to the comments. To know more about the inventions that I would like to uninvent, listen to this week's show: **[10 Inventions I Would Uninvent](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/10%5FInventions%5FI%5FWould%5FUninvent.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Why Creative Expression is Important URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-creative-expression-is-important/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:30.000Z We often wonder if people will accept our ideas or criticize them. This fear can halt us from utilizing our creative expression, which ultimately affects how we innovate. When our creativity is encouraged, it can have a positive impact. ## Creative Expression When coming up with [new ideas](https://www.philmckinney.com/walt-disneys-plus-it-approach-to-better-ideas/), early encouragement gives you the motivation to repeat them. In my seventh-grade art class, my teacher was showing us how to cut linoleum blocks. Being a boy scout, this was a natural thing for me, and I enjoyed experimenting with it. With the knife and the block, I constructed a dragon’s head that I used for stamping. The teacher liked the dragon head I created and showcased my work to the entire class. Unknown to me, she submitted one of my prints to a local art contest, and I placed towards the top of the competition. I still have that linoleum block on my bookshelf, and it continually reminds me of that first level of encouragement I received. What she did can be applied to putting innovative ideas out there. ## The Power of Encouragement The question of today is how to encourage creative expression. Showing people that linoleum block I made was [risky](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/), as students could have laughed at it. However, I am glad my teacher showcased it because it encouraged me in a way that I didn’t think it could. I would love to go back to jr. high and thank my teacher for her encouragement, but unfortunately, I cannot. I can, however, pass on what she did for me by paying it forward to others. When you see someone being highly creative and coming up with ideas, be encouraging to them. It would help if you were an encourager of others as it holds a lot of value. People don’t often realize that words go a long way. However, keep in mind that you should refrain from false platitudes as they decrease the value of your encouragement. When giving an encouraging word, remember to explain why you are giving this encouragement. Ask questions such as how they [came up with the idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-select-the-best-ideas/). Please provide feedback on how they can do it better but do so in a positive way. Don’t be afraid to spread awareness about other people’s ideas as well. ## Imposter Syndrome While encouraging creative expression is essential, being able to receive it also holds importance properly. Many people suffer from [imposter syndrome](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-ways-to-deal-with-fobo-fear-of-a-better-option/), which makes it hard for them to receive encouragement. People with this syndrome are afraid of taking any credit for their successes. These people feel as if they just got lucky and don’t deserve any of their accomplishments. In this occurrence, our irrational mind tries to credit something else with our success. I am a big sufferer of imposter syndrome and gave a TEDx talk on the syndrome years back. The experience is where I draw my knowledge on this topic. When people encourage your creative expression, it is crucial to avoid this pitfall. It would be best if you assumed people have positive intent when encouraging you. Ask why they responded the way they did about your ideas and use it as a learning experience. ## Conclusion At this point in my career, I am not the one coming up with many ideas. I build teams and encourage those teams to come up with [ideas that turn into innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/). My role is attracting the right talent, creating a solid funding base, protecting from outside antibodies, and being an encourager to my team. You may think of me as an extroverted person. I’ve done [speeches](https://philmckinney.com/be-willing-to-be-weird/?ref=philmckinney.com), hundreds if not thousands of YouTube videos, a radio show, this podcast, etc. The reality is that I am an introvert and am happy being a homebody. I have to work extra hard to be the encourager to those doing interesting work. Encouraging people online tends to be a lot easier but can lead to comparison, which leads to discouragement. We discussed not letting social media be your validation on a recent show. My friend Ernie, who worked with me at HP, is a great photographer. He spends a lot of time travelling and taking extraordinary photos. I follow him on Instagram, where I post photos that I take as well. When Ernie likes my photos, it is a form of encouragement to me. Encouragement is a learning opportunity. Remember that you should not expect anything in return for giving out encouragement. Focus on genuine encouragement because it holds meaning. I challenge you to take the next step and encourage people’s creative expressions wherever you find yourself today. To know more about the power of creative expression, listen to this week's show: ***[Why Creative Expression is Important](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5FCreative%5FExpression%5Fis%5FImportant.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### What is the Biggest Killer of Creativity? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-biggest-killer-of-creativity/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:30.000Z We all struggle with being creative from time to time. We may feel like we have lost something, and nothing seems to spark that [creative flow](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-tools-i-use-for-innovation-and-creativity/). What is killing your creativity? Your ego is the biggest killer of creativity. The struggle tends to become an issue for people in the middle and later years of their career. ## The Biggest Creativity Killer When you are called upon to be highly innovative and creative, the fear of failure can often step in and stump you. You might subconsciously have a bias towards making yourself look good and feel good. This bias feeds your ego and vanity and turns into a vicious cycle. I have seen many people get caught in this cycle and eventually get stuck in a rut. If you look at highly [innovative](https://www.philmckinney.com/3-types-of-innovation-institutional-social-technological/) individuals, they tend to be most prolific in their early thirties. This cycle happened to breakthrough artists and inventors such as Ansel Adams, Thomas Edison, Nicola Tesla, and many more. As you achieve success, it becomes more challenging and more problematic as it feeds the ego. Naturally, you will act in ways that fit into how you want to be perceived by others, resulting in a creativity killer. For example, if you are a top innovator, you will fall into the trap of keeping that specific image or brand. When this happens, your lifestyle, identity, social status, reputation, etc., will impact the creative risks you are willing to take. ## My Experiences You may wonder how I came across all this knowledge of the topic. The knowledge I have comes from what I experienced in my own life. I had great [success in the innovation space](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-innovation-culture-innovation-success/) early on in my career. In my mid to late twenties, I won two best product of the year awards two years in a row. Three times I led teams that won Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Teams” awards, I did numerous products, had a radio show, and now a podcast. Looking back at how I used to be versus how I am now, I realize I am completely different. I now have a brand, a reputation, accolades, and an ego. I recognize that I have let that get in the way of things and hold me back in the past. Everyone wants people to like them and to keep giving them positive feedback. The more we build up those accolades, the fewer risks we start to take, opening up room for a killer of creativity. To achieve [creative success](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-and-the-creative-mindset/), you need to be aware of your vanity and let go of your ego. Disconnecting your ego from creativity enables you to take risks, which opens up the opportunity for outside success. Taking risks is essential for innovation success. Without it, you are not going to make progress. Taking risks open up previously unconsidered areas. When you stop caring about what people perceive to be true about you; then you will see success. While this concept is simple, it is not an easy thing to do. ## Keeping Your Ego at Bay The most significant way to keep your ego at bay is to stop comparing yourself to others. Each of us is on a different creative journey. The path I’m on is not the path you should be on, as no two paths are the same. If you keep comparing yourself to others, you are feeding that ego and will end up disappointed. In my opinion, social media hurts a lot in this area, primarily through how it impacts your ability to be creative. Social media is not reality, and often give us the idea that we are not as good as others. Don’t try to be somebody else, rather be the best version of yourself. Don’t shy away from your natural gifts and talents because you will get into a state of self-doubt if you do. Once this happens, you lose your ability to be [creative and innovative](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-books-my-library-of-inspiration/). We are currently in a transition from the information and knowledge economy to the creative and [innovation economy](https://philmckinney.com/ready-thrive-innovation-economy/?ref=philmckinney.com). Allowing room for a creativity killer will halt your creative potential. You need to find ways to continually nurture your creativity and keep that ego at bay, to be successful going forward. To know more about the biggest creativity killer, listen to this week's show: ***[What is the Biggest Killer of Creativity?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/What%5Fis%5Fthe%5FBiggest%5FKiller%5Fof%5FCreativity.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 5 Tools I Use for Innovation and Creativity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/5-tools-i-use-for-innovation-and-creativity/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:30.000Z I enjoy reading as well as listening to podcasts and audible books. With all the information I come across, I have to capture, organize, and recall to use them. I'm currently working on a new book as well as some [disruptive innovation courses and workshops](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-create-a-disruptive-ideation-workshop/). The real challenge for me is finding a single tool that solves the issues stated. ## The Importance of Utilizing Tools Over the last six months, I challenged myself to find the right tools for innovation. I combined them in a way that I can capture the input, organize it, and make it easy to retrieve. The criteria I emphasized was usability on a mobile phone and desktop. I carry an Android, iPhone, and laptop on me, as well as an iPad Pro. I need tools to collect from books, podcasts, websites, magazines, and emails—information collection with minimal manual steps. The tools also need to adapt as the content focus shifts. As of late, [ethical innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/copycat-innovation-ethical-innovator/) is my focus. Sometimes my focus shifts to discussing the digital divide and other things. I also need to be able to find information without remembering exact wording. I need tools that create the serendipity effect. ## The 5 Tools I Use - [reMarkable 2 tablet](https://remarkable.com/store/remarkable-2?ref=philmckinney.com) - [Kindle Oasis](https://www.amazon.com/All-new-Kindle-Oasis-now-with-adjustable-warm-light/dp/B07L5GDTYY/techtrend-20?ref=philmckinney.com) - [Otter.ai](https://otter.ai/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [Readwise](https://readwise.io/?ref=philmckinney.com) - [Roam Research](https://roamresearch.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) ## Tools for Information Collection The first tool I have used for innovation is the Moleskine notebook, which I have thousands of. Recently I have shifted to the reMarkable 2 tablet. Using the tablet is like writing on paper but better. There is a pen for writing and erasing, and it stores and exports all my information to my mobile phone and desktop. I actually wrote out the entire script for today’s show on my tablet. On top of my writing, I read a lot of information from RSS news feeds. I am a big user of [Feedly](https://feedly.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)— for access to its [AI engine](https://www.philmckinney.com/ai-opens-on-broadway/). Very trainable, it interprets sentences to see what concepts are being talked about. I scan through 500-600 articles a day and save different feeds that I like to the [Pocket](https://getpocket.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) app. The Pocket app is a collection of things that you save to read at a later time. Another tool I get information from is through my Kindle Oasis. In the Kindle, I can highlight things I like. They are automatically fed into my workflow for future inspiration. Podcasts are also things that I capture content from. Using an app called [Airr](https://www.airr.io/?ref=philmckinney.com), I use their podcast snippet that can capture interests with a touch of the screen. [Otter.ai](https://www.philmckinney.com/transcribing-your-brainstorm-with-otter-ai-interview-with-sam-liang/) is another tool I am experimenting with to help me capture ideation sessions. ## Organization/Combination, and Serendipity Tools One tool that I found recently was Readwise. It collects and combines everything from my Pocket, podcasts, Kindle, [hardcover books](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-books-my-library-of-inspiration/), articles. It also points out things in your collection that you might not have picked up. Readwise may trigger [serendipity](https://philmckinney.com/dont-hang-your-innovation-programs-on-the-false-hope-of-serendipity/?ref=philmckinney.com). While Readwise is great, it only [prepares information](https://www.philmckinney.com/so-who-won-the-innovation-competitions-s11-ep41/) for what I am looking for. I also found an impressive tool called Roam Research. It takes everything from Readwise and organizes them. It connects words and concepts for you. Roam Research runs very well on mobile phones. I use the software for my show content, books, articles, as well as my project work. To know more about tools for innovation and creativity, listen to this week's show: ***[5 Tools I use for Innovation and Creativity](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/5%5FTools%5FI%5FUse%5FFor%5FInnovation%5Fand%5FCreativity.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Transcribing Your Brainstorm with Otter.ai | Interview with Sam Liang URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/transcribing-your-brainstorm-with-otter-ai-interview-with-sam-liang/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:36.000Z Sam Liang is one of the key innovators behind the scenes in [Silicon Valley](https://www.philmckinney.com/decoding-silicon-valley-best-practices/). He is one of the founders of Google's location services and is on the Google Blue Dot patent. He is the co-founder and CEO of Otter.ai, which specializes in live transcription services. ## Sam Liang's Background Sam Liang earned his Ph.D. at Stanford in hopes of becoming a professor. While in school, he met many smart people working on startups, which influenced him to go that route. He went on to work at Cisco, worked on a startup, and then joined Google for four years. While at Google, Sam and his team created the Blue Dot and started the Google location server project, which became location services. While we use these services daily, we often don't think of the behind the scenes work that goes into them. When the [technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-ethical-boundaries-of-technology/) first started coming out, everyone was so amazed by it. Now the market has matured to the point where it is an intrinsic part of daily life. While Google maps have gone through this process, AI and [speech recognition](https://philmckinney.com/government-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com) is currently going through it. Even though voice recognition and automatic transcription systems have advanced a lot, there is still more to come. ## The Birth of Otter.ai When using Alexa or Siri, you ask a question or give a command, often taking little time. When using [Zoom](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/) or similar platforms, there are multiple speakers engaged in a potentially more extended interaction. People often have different accents, speaking styles, and background noises. The technology doesn't handle complicated conversations effectively. In 2010, we started transcribing the Killer Innovations show using an offshore transcribing service. Even though a human was transcribing it, they couldn't get it right. Human involved transcribing required a lot of effort to go back and clean up the mistakes on my team's part. After a while, we stopped using this service for the show. For Sam, he realized this was a problem when he always forgot things from meetings. Eventually, he brought a team together to find a solution to this problem. He surveyed the top transcribing technologies of the day and was disappointed by their low quality. The survey opened up an opportunity for his team to [create something better](https://www.philmckinney.com/using-strategy-to-create-innovation-advantage/). ## Transcribing your Brainstorm I am a customer of Otter.ai and am impressed with the transcription accuracy no matter the environment. I use it while in my studio as well as on my phone for capturing notes. Otter offers a system that [adapts](https://www.philmckinney.com/ces-2021-a-virtual-innovation/) to people's natural speaking styles automatically. It works in the background no matter how many people are speaking or the speed of their words. Many people use Otter when they are in restaurants, driving a car, or walking their dog. Otter.ai has created a new feature that allows the software to hook up to Zoom when used automatically. When using the software, you can highlight important things that were said to remember them. For those wanting to skip meetings but still get the information, Otter offers that chance as well. The software also identifies the speakers at the end of the session to connect them with what was said. Otter has released a product that allows people to experience it for free. There are also pro and business versions of Otter for those interested in regular usage. ## Moving forward From what I've observed, people these days are hesitant when being recorded. As being recorded becomes more common, I believe the issue of concern will go away. I predict that it will get to the point where it will be rare not transcribing every meeting. The future of work is going to be through [virtual](https://www.philmckinney.com/ces-2021-a-virtual-innovation/) meeting systems such as Zoom. Currently, Otter is working on a lot of things both on the technology and product side. Different words, names, terminologies, and acronyms are a big focus at the moment. On top of that, they are working on better understanding conversations and their context. ## About our Guest: Sam Liang Sam Liang is the CEO and Founder of Otter.ai, an AI-powered live transcription and collaboration app. Before founding Otter.ai, Sam became CEO and Founder of Alohar Mobile in Palo Alto, which Autonavi and Alibaba acquired in 2013\. Before that, Sam led the location platform team at Google on the patent for the "blue dot" in Google Maps. Sam has a Ph.D. from Stanford in Electrical Engineering and studied under Professor David Cheriton (first investor in Google and VMware). To know more about transcribing your brainstorm through Otter.ai, listen to this week's show: **[Transcribing Your Brainstorm with Otter.ai | Interview with Sam Liang](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Transcribing%5FYour%5FBrainstorm%5Fwith%5FOtter%5Fai%5F%5FInterview%5Fwith%5FSam%5FLiang.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 3 Types of Innovation - Institutional - Social - Technological URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/3-types-of-innovation-institutional-social-technological/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:18.000Z We will pick up from the previous show's topic, "What is Innovation?" and talk about innovation types. There are three types that I use. These are institutional innovation, social innovation, and technological innovation. ## Type of Innovation: Institutional Institutional innovation is the type that is most commonly overlooked by organizations. Institutional innovation applies to organizations, teams, companies, industries, and governments. This type can have several applications to different industries and co-innovation opportunities within those industries. Based on how an institution operates and covers things (like policies, procedures, structures etc.), institutional innovation tends to get overlooked because it encompasses day-to-day things that we usually take for granted. Improving institutional innovation can have a significant impact on an organization. There are a few different ways to do it when it comes to funding institutional/organizational innovation. Firstly, you can do it through [entrepreneurship](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-learned-to-be-an-entrepreneur/), consisting of going out and finding investors or customers to provide funding. Another way is to be an intrapreneur, coming up with ideas and securing funding from your organization. These are the two funding models within institutional innovation that have the potential to make a significant impact. ## Social Innovation [Driven by social priorities](https://www.philmckinney.com/social-innovation-creativity-improve-charity-impact/), social innovation has a positive social impact. Employment, quality of life, equality, or environmental efforts like providing clean water, are only some of the many goals. It is the innovator's passion that often drives these social innovations. Funding can come from social impact investments. These investments don't seek a return on their investments. Instead, they seek to further a cause wherein they share a similar passion. Finding those who are passionate about the same thing is an effective way to fund this type of innovation. Another way to fund is through angel investors who want a smaller return than usual due to their passion for the cause. Grants from government agencies, philanthropists, World Bank, etc., can also be a great way to fund social innovations. When working with social innovation, you have to be creative with fundraising efforts to achieve your financial goals. ## Technological Innovation The most commonly thought of the type of innovation is technological innovation. It comes in the form of new technology such as phones, tablets, software, etc. This type can also be in the form of scientific know-how, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing processes, etc. In many cases, technological innovation comes from a unique combination of background or expertise that creates something new. The technology doesn't have to be invented from the ground up but requires the dots to be connected. The funding opportunities for technological innovation are many. First, there are [angel investors](https://philmckinney.com/ingenuity-in-africa-is-alive-and-well/?ref=philmckinney.com) such as friends and family that invest in you. Next, there are venture capitalists that invest in companies as a profession. These two types of investors fall into the equity category, as you sell a percentage of your company to them to receive their investment. Another option is corporate venture capitalists, which invest in areas of interest that could impact their corporate entities. There is also customer funding, where a customer interested in buying the product invests early on in it. I made many investments like this while I was at HP and got priority access to a lot of products. Lastly, there are grants such as Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from the government. ## 3 Elements When it comes to ideas, it can be hard to make them sound interesting to investors. There are three elements I teach to those wanting to pitch their ideas. Firstly, there is the "what," which should be a description of the idea. The next element is the "who," or who the innovation is for, and who the innovation impacts. There can be multiple "whos" when it comes to ideas. It could be a customer, a government, etc. The third area is "why," or why the investor should care about your idea. I get pitched hundreds of times a month with new ideas. The one area that most innovators do not think about is the "why." You need to think about all three of these elements to pitch ideas and gain funding. To know more about institutional, social, and technological innovation, listen to this week's show: **[3 Types of Innovation - Institutional - Social - Technological](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/3%5FTypes%5Fof%5FInnovation%5F-%5FInstitutional%5F-%5FSocial%5F-%5FTechnological.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### What is Innovation? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/what-is-the-definition-of-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:29.000Z Innovation is a term often abused through [advertising](https://killerinnovations.com/advertising-syndication/?ref=philmckinney.com), marketing, and business meetings. Innovation means to introduce something new. A more expansive definition of innovation is — the result of a multi-stage process whereby organizations, teams, and individuals take an idea and transform it to make an improved product, service, or process to compete in the marketplace. ## Definition of Innovation Ideas made real— that is my definition of innovation. Without execution, ideas are just hobbies, not innovation. A spark that turns into an actual product, service, or capability, innovation is about making life better. Grouping innovation can be done in many different ways, starting with the uses/context of innovations. It can also be grouped by departments of organizations such as marketing, IT, sales, R&D, etc. Another way to categorize it is by looking at who is implementing the innovation. There are thousands of different ways to organize innovations. I’ve spent forty years of my career in the innovation game, and there are always new academic papers trying to categorize it. We will boil it down to the uses of innovation and the impact of design to give you a simple mental picture. ## The Uses of Innovation The uses of innovation break down into a couple of different groups. Firstly, institutional innovation deals with organizations focused on changing their policies, processes, business models, regulations, etc. The second area is technological innovation: the scientific know-how, expertise, chemistries, and anything that involves technology. The last area is [social innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/social-innovation-creativity-improve-charity-impact/), which focuses on improving how we respond to social needs in an organization, affecting employment, ecology, social purposes, and quality of life. ## The Impacts of Innovation The impacts of innovation fall into three categories. Firstly, incremental innovation is a series of improvements made to a company’s products or services. These are typically low-cost and low-risk innovations but can have a significant impact if done correctly. Next, there are breakthrough innovations, which create new markets and value networks, and disrupt established markets. These get the attention of the marketplace and set a new player as the [market leader](https://killerinnovations.com/quotes/usa-is-ok/?ref=philmckinney.com). Thirdly, there are [disruptive](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) or killer innovations, which are technologies or any form of innovation that significantly affects the way a market or industry functions, typically involving some element of technology, science, or materials that people build on top of. These are things that significantly alter what you or your competitors will be using going forward. An example of a killer innovation would be the invention of silicon microprocessors. People have created software, browsers, and AI on top of these processors, but the processors themselves are the [killer innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/looking-back-at-15-years-of-killer-innovations/). To qualify as a disruptive or a killer innovation, you have to create a barrier of entry. Your competitive success is somewhat based on the fact that you have created a foundational position difficult for others to compete. When it comes to innovation impacts, you will most often see incremental innovation. Breakthroughs are much less frequent, riskier, and have a higher investment level but yield a higher reward. For most of us, it is more useful to build on top of these breakthrough innovations and take advantage of what they offer. ## The Relation of Innovation Uses and Impact I think about the relation of innovation uses and impact in a 3x3 format of what I call the “innovation matrix.” The innovation matrix breaks it down horizontally into social innovation, institutional innovation, and technological innovation. Going vertically on the left-hand side, I label it as an incremental, breakthrough, and disruptive/killer innovation. Now, to use this matrix, take your pipeline of innovations and place them in the grid, you think they fit in. This may challenge you to think differently when it comes to making innovation investments. Another way to use the matrix is by taking a new idea, placing it into the matrix, and narrowing down the impacts and uses it has. I have also used this innovation matrix to break down investment spend on each of the areas. The innovation matrix helps put the uses and impacts of innovation into context. I use the innovation matrix for [my organization](http://theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) and [coaching or mentoring](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-coaching-and-innovation-mentoring-what-is-the-difference/) CEOs and CTOs. To know more about what innovation is, listen to this week's show: [**What is Innovation?**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/What%5Fis%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### CES 2021 – A Virtual Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ces-2021-a-virtual-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:29.000Z The [Consumer Electronics Show](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/) 2021 (CES) will be fully digital due to COVID-19\. The show will be available online and in seventeen different languages, a virtual innovation to say the least. If you are registered, you get thirty days to view all of the available content. Karen Chupka, the Executive Vice President of CES, joins us to discuss what we should look forward to at CES 2021. ## Physical to Virtual CES Transitioning from a physical show in Las Vegas since 1978 to a virtual show has been interesting. The decision to go digital was made in July 2020 after the pandemic started to pick up. With a ton of innovation happening throughout the year, CES 2021 had to go on. Everybody who is in the online collaboration space has seen such an explosion in usage due to COVID. These collaboration tools are now being used for doctors' appointments, family visits, schooling, etc. A year ago, nobody would have thought this would be a reality. Consumers were able to adapt to this virtual innovation a lot faster than they would have without the pandemic. ## CES 2021 Trends The traditional technologies that are always at CES will still be there this year. As far as new trends, there have been many digital health advancements in wearable technologies that help people better monitor themselves. On top of that, there are many new diagnostics equipment that will help doctors have more effective tele-visits. Advancements in driverless technologies and AI technologies have been popping up and new desktops, laptops, television, and [gaming technologies](https://www.philmckinney.com/bringing-the-game-to-gaming-tech-innovation-ces2020/). In my organization Cable Labs, we worked from home in March of 2020 and recently announced that all of our staff would be doing so until May. With innovation being done virtually, productivity and [R&D](https://beyondtheobvious.com/understand-the-needs-of-customers/?ref=philmckinney.com) have increased. There is a loss in collaboration, and it is harder to fix specific problems virtually. Even with the increase in technology, there is a decrease in group creativity. Karen believes the trend of improving the work from the home environment will continue, but we need to get back to working in-person to achieve the best results. ## Features of the Virtual Show With the show happening virtually, many people who usually couldn't make it, now can. As a new virtual feature, CES 2021 offers the ability to opt-in to an attendee directory so people can communicate back and forth with others at the show. CES is partnering with [Microsoft](https://www.philmckinney.com/using-strategy-to-create-innovation-advantage/) to power the show this year and create the best possible experience. They created product showcases for exhibitors to show off their products in various capacities. About 1,800 companies are attending the show, and about 100 different conference sessions will be going on during the show and covering many topics. This year, there will be a live anchor desk for two days broadcasting product announcements, hot topics, and interviews with different executives. On top of that, the digital platform will be available for thirty days to those registered, offering opportunities to see more content from the show. Closed captioning will also be available in seventeen different languages. ## About Our Guest: Karen Chupka Karen Chupka is executive vice president, CES for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). She oversees the sales, marketing, conferences, operations and management of CTA's events including its annual tradeshow. CES is the largest annual North American tradeshow by Tradeshow Executive Magazine and Tradeshow Week under her leadership. Chupka has been with CTA for 30 years. She has held numerous roles within the organization. Karen has been vice president of business development, director of industry relations and education, and director of marketing for CES. To know more about virtual innovation at CES 2021, listen to this week's show: **[CES 2021 – A Virtual Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/CES%5F2021%5F-%5FA%5FVirtual%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Power of Human Ingenuity URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/human-ingenuity-solves-problems/ Last updated: 2021-01-10T18:19:00.000Z “What are you going to do about it?” My grandmother was chastising me for whining about how life wasn’t fair – or some other perceived injustice. What could I do about it! I was only a kid. It’s someone else's job to fix it! Or at least I thought so. Instead of letting me pass off responsibility to fix my issue, [she asked me question](https://beyondtheobvious.com/bad-questions-good-questions/?ref=philmckinney.com) after question, leading me to discover what and how I could fix it. This became the routine between my grandmother and me. I would raise a problem and she would start asking me her endless questions. I thought it was quite annoying until it became core to my own creative process. The life lesson — Never underestimate yourself or the power of [human ingenuity](https://www.philmckinney.com/ingenuity/). When you see a problem in the world, [unleash your creativity](https://killerinnovations.com/five-ways-to-generate-new-ideas/?ref=philmckinney.com) and innovate a solution. > With everything that is wrong in the world, one step to take is to create, invent, and thereby solving problems. Devote yourself to the creative process, no matters life distractions, and you might fix the problems. Less talk. More do. ### Innovation Books | My Library of Inspiration URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-books-my-library-of-inspiration/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:29.000Z Building a library of inspiration in your innovation studio is what ensures you have a ready source of ideas. This inspiration library can come in the form of a collection of innovation books. I am a visual learner, so reading books is where I often find [my inspiration](https://www.philmckinney.com/creative-inspiration-outside-of-work/). I am going to walk you through some essential books I have and explain why I value them. ## My Design Innovation Books The first book is “*Frank Lloyd Wright: A Visual Encyclopedia*.” I grew up in Chicago, where the author started and became popular. Personally, this book reminds me to create my style. Frank Lloyd Wright separated himself from others. He created his [own style](https://philmckinney.com/i-have-a-question/?ref=philmckinney.com) and put a different spin on the design of his buildings. The next book is called “*A Pattern Language*” by a professor at UC Berkeley, Christopher Alexander. Used by the original Sims game developers, the author breaks down patterns found through building houses, cities, and various other buildings. While you can’t take what is in this book and apply it directly to a product or service, the book does teach an important idea. You can generate a [certain feeling or experience](https://www.philmckinney.com/donald-rattner-on-design-of-a-place-and-its-effect-on-creativity/) through the patterns and designs that you use. “*Designing Interactions*” by Bill Moggridge is the third innovation book in my library of inspiration. The author focuses on designing experiences and offers important insights into the origins of Google and others. The fourth book on my list touches on what to do with design, where problems can occur, and how to avoid them. It is “*The Universal Principles of Design*” by William Lidwell. ## My Creative Innovation Books The fifth book is “*Thinker Toys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques*” by Michael Michalko. In my opinion, this is a book that every innovator should have. The book brings together all of the tools, approaches, [ways to brainstorm](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/), uses of SCAMPER, etc., that are very useful for innovators. Pretty much anything that Michael puts out, I buy. Another book is “Six Thinking Hats” by Dr. Edward de Bono.” I got introduced to the innovation and creativity space by watching his TV show on PBS back when I was a kid. Over six or seven shows, Dr. de Bono taught viewers about unleashing their [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/will-ai-replace-human-creativity/), which sparked something inside me. The book is a great reminder to [change your perspective](https://www.philmckinney.com/being-content-is-the-enemy-of-innovation/) and keep a fresh mind and is a great piece to have in your library of inspiration. ## Fun Books I Keep Now I’m going to share with you some fun books I keep that make me laugh. The first one is “*The World’s Worst Inventions: The Craziest Gadgets and Machines Ever Made*” by Jack Watkins. This book discusses some inventions that have been deemed stupid by many. Ironically, some of these inventions have gone on to be successful after this book was published. The next book is “*Fail Harder: Ridiculous Illustrations of Epic Fails*” by Failblog.org Community. This book humorously discusses human failings and reminds us of our human nature. To know more about creating your own library of inspiration, listen to this week's show: **[Innovation Books | My Library of Inspiration](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FBooks%5F-%5FMy%5FLibrary%5Fof%5FInspiration.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### An Ethics Crisis in 2020 – Here Is To A Better 2021 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ethics-crisis/ Last updated: 2021-01-02T19:14:50.000Z Given the esteem and trust we grant scientists and innovators, how could this happen? How could research fraud, falsified data, and unproven conclusions result in 1,800 papers in leading journals and peer review articles being retracted in 2020? And this is not an anomaly. \[[1](https://retractionwatch.com/2020/12/31/a-look-back-at-retraction-news-in-2020-and-ahead-to-2021/?ref=philmckinney.com)\] Two decades ago, journals were retracting roughly 40 papers per year. Journals now retract about 1,500 articles annually — a nearly 40-fold increase over 2000, and a dramatic change even if you account for the roughly doubling or tripling of papers published per year. The public depends on our work to better society, Everything from vaccines to information privacy and security of our personal information. If society can’t trust us to be [ethical ](https://www.philmckinney.com/everything-i-learned-about-ethics-i-learned-in-boy-scouts/)with today's work, how will they trust us with emerging disruptive innovations such as AI (artificial intelligence) and quantum computing/networking? What can be done? \[[2](https://www.amazon.com/Science-Fictions-Negligence-Undermine-Search/dp/1250222699?ref=philmckinney.com)\] - Publicly share the research so that others can validate the results. Do not trust work unless multiple researchers can replicate the results. - Be skeptical. Research is not immutable. If it sounds too good to be true, or too obvious as to the expected result, we should validate the work before jumping on the bandwagon. - Restructure research incentives such as “publish or perish”. The drive to achieve incentives can push researchers and innovators to stretch beyond what is ethical. - Be willing to speak up when confronted with unethical research and innovations. 2020 was not a good year for [ethical research](https://killerinnovations.com/innovation-reform/?ref=philmckinney.com). For 2021, let’s each of us strive to do better. --- ###### **Sources/Resources:** ###### \[1\] – “[A Look Back At Retraction News in 2020 – and Ahead to 2021](https://retractionwatch.com/2020/12/31/a-look-back-at-retraction-news-in-2020-and-ahead-to-2021/?ref=philmckinney.com)“. Retraction Watch, December 31, 2020, ###### \[2\] – “[Science Fictions – How Fraud, Bias, Negligence, and Hype Undermine The Search For Truth](https://www.amazon.com/Science-Fictions-Negligence-Undermine-Search/dp/1250222699?ref=philmckinney.com)”, by Stuart Ritchie, July 21, 2020 ### How I Turned my Podcast into a Book and Radio Show URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-turned-my-podcast-into-a-book-and-radio-show/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:28.000Z This episode is the last of Killer Innovations as a radio show. Not an easy decision, but as part of our drive for innovation, we believe this is the best decision. We will discuss the show's history, my book and radio show deal, and what Killer Innovations will look like moving forward. ## Making the Switch Throughout the show, we have talked about how important it is to re-evaluate and try new things. This occurrence is a challenge that many organizations encounter as they have processes that often keep them narrow-minded. Our decision to leave the Biz Talk Radio format will open up opportunities for us to be more flexible, creative, and [innovative](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-coaching-and-innovation-mentoring-what-is-the-difference/). With the coming change, I know that listeners will have a ton of questions. We will still be a weekly show, but will be shorter and have no interruptions. We will also be using a podcast-only format. We're hoping that you will continue to support us. ## Killer Innovation's History Let's jump into the history of the podcast. Launched in March of 2005, the Killer Innovations podcast is now on season 16, making us the [longest continuously produced podcast](https://www.philmckinney.com/looking-back-at-15-years-of-killer-innovations/) in history. We were podcasting before iTunes was even a thing. We have averaged around 45-50 episodes per year. The podcast's motivation came from a conversation I had with my mentor Bob Davis, who I have mentioned many times in previous shows. In the exchange, I asked Bob how I could pay him back for all the help he had given me throughout the years. Bob laughed and told me that I couldn't pay him back. Instead, I could only pay it forward. At the beginning of the show, podcasting tools and technology were not nonexistent, so I had to hand-code each show. Following the podcast's launch in 2005, my book deal came about Mark, my agent from New York, approached me. One of his staff was a listener of the podcast and mentioned it to him. I had a meeting with Mark that went well, and he has been my agent ever since. The book proposal was distributed in the fall of 2010 and had about nine interested publishers. I signed a book deal at the end of 2010 and finished writing the book in June of 2011, followed by the release in February of the next year. The content of the book came from the podcast. Doing this book deal was anything but easy and required a lot of lift. As far as the radio show goes, I got approached by [Biz Talk Radio](https://www.philmckinney.com/killer-innovations-is-now-a-syndicated-talk-radio-show/) in 2015 at a tradeshow where I was speaking. They said they liked the podcast and my book, and we ended up launching the radio show in July of 2016. ## My Book Deal I want to give you guys insights into structuring media deals as I have had a very successful nationally syndicated radio show and book deal. Like I said earlier, there were nine publishers interested in the book. After meeting with the publishers, there was an auction to see who the winning publisher would be. Hyperion won, and I committed to doing 75,000 words in eight months, which was a big hurdle. I was lucky to get a significant advancement after [the book](https://beyondtheobvious.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) in 2011\. Publishers get paid back first in book deals, and after you get your advance, the publisher gets all the money to pay costs. After this, the author starts collecting royalties. In my deal, the publisher took control of the audiobook and had a professional voice actor relay it. ## The Killer Innovations Radio Show As far as the radio show goes, Biz Talk radio is a syndicator of the radio, so I had to do everything through them. They distributed the show all across the country as part of their service. As far as constraints, we had to comply with the FCC rules such as political messages, profanity, age appropriateness, etc. We also had to adhere to a time constraint slot as there were commercial breaks. We had four segments. There was also a weekly fee that we had to pay to the syndicator to distribute the show. As part of the syndication deal, we got several ad spots, which we gave away to charity. [Zoom](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/) funds part of the show production and has done so for six years. The sponsorship is what allowed us to give away our ad spots to charities. ## Lessons Learned Let me share some lessons I learned in creating my media platform. Firstly, do what you love. I have been doing [the podcast](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-best-of-killer-innovations-2018-motivating-inspiring-innovating/) for fifteen years, and If I didn't love doing it, we wouldn't have lasted this long. Secondly, please don't do it for the numbers. Contacted by so many, I can't tell you how many times I've heard people discouraged about how many listeners they have for their podcasts. If the numbers drive you, you won't stick with it because the numbers are hard to get. While this show has been around a long time, some people aren't as interested in our content as they are in other people's, and that is ok. If you focus on your new subscriber numbers, you will drive yourself crazy. Thirdly, be open to new possibilities and let your followers aid you in finding what works best. Also, you need to know when to walk away from something like we are doing now. To know more about the Killer Innovations podcast, listen to this week's show: ***[How I Turned my Podcast into a Book and Radio Show](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FI%5FTurned%5Fmy%5FPodcast%5Finto%5Fa%5FBook%5Fand%5FRadio%5FShow.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### I Have a Question… URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/i-have-a-question/ Last updated: 2020-12-27T15:18:38.000Z “Dad – what’s that?” My daughter, 4 or 5, was in her car seat as we were running errands. She grew impatient with my delay in answering her question. “That!” she said as she pointed out her window at the curb. “It’s called a curb,” I explained. “What’s it made of?” “Cement.” “What’s cement?” I was about to enter the zone of never-ending questions from a toddler. I find myself curious about what goes through toddlers' minds as they are taking everything in. Her preferred choice of input was by asking her mom and me an endless string of questions. Questions are not just preferred by kids. For adults, questions are natural every-day occurrences to give and receive information. We create our go-to list of questions and don’t even think about it anymore. Asking questions becomes second nature. > Judge a man by his questions, rather than by his answers. > > Voltaire It is time to [innovate the questions we ask](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-great-reasons-to-ask-questions/). Socrates was the master of asking questions. Socrates believed that “the disciplined practice of thoughtful questioning enables the scholar/student to examine ideas and be able to determine the validity of those ideas,”. The same applies to today’s society. Rather than challenging ideas, we should use questions to examine ideas and determine if they are valid. Excellent questioners (innovators) spend the time necessary to [craft brilliant questions](https://killerinnovations.com/innovation-leadership-skills-6-questions-great-leaders-ask-their-employees/?ref=philmckinney.com) to test ideas. ? *How much time do you spend designing exceptional questions that will give you unique insights?* For more on why questions are important, download the free PDF resource, “[**Why Questions Matter**](https://philmckinney.lpages.co/chap1-video/?ref=philmckinney.com)”, from my book, *Beyond The Obvious*. --- *A post that is less than 300 words is a “micropost.” I am trying out these shorter posts so I can share more often. Please share your thoughts. Post in the comments.* ### How I Learned to Be an Entrepreneur URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-learned-to-be-an-entrepreneur/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:28.000Z This week's topic is an extension of a show I did a few weeks ago about my [innovation self-confidence.](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-built-my-innovation-self-confidence/) Entrepreneurship is a huge part of innovation at any level. We will discuss my learning experiences as an entrepreneur. What were the steps that made me a successful innovator throughout my career? ## Beginner Entrepreneur Entrepreneurship consists of having an idea, being assertive, having a strategy, etc. I quickly realized from my Deltek experiences that I was not ready to jump right into entrepreneurship. After working at Deltek, I went to a company called Individual Software and hired by my previous boss from Deltek, Bob Davis. Having only been around for a few years, Individual Software was small. As a result, my experiences there taught me how to work inside a startup. At Individual Software, I worked on designing and building products through coding. Everybody was a salesman; everybody was the shipping department; everyone was customer service, etc. As an entrepreneur, you have to do everything, literally. There is no time to sit back and work on ideas. Individual Software did a great job teaching me some [basic entrepreneurship skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/no-entrepreneur-is-an-island-mentoring-networking-sharing-s13-ep52/) and how it plays out. ## Early Lessons My involvement in many startups lead to the creation of the first big IPO win to build my career. I realized early on that I would have to go to multiple different jobs to learn other entrepreneurship parts. At Individual Software, my boss Joel was a former executive at a big company in Silicon Valley. He believed that the training technology around the PC was going to be the next big thing. Going in as part of a small team, I quickly realized that I had to do everything as an entrepreneur. The next position I took was with an organization called *Corporate Resource Associates*. Started by two people I worked with at *Deltek*, Bob Davis, my mentor, and Roxie Westfall, I came with the company already established. I wasn't involved in getting the [startup](https://www.philmckinney.com/startup-meets-bigco-the-confluence-of-innovation-in-cincinnati/) running. At CRA, I had my first engagement with [HP](https://philmckinney.com/innovating-the-brand-at-hp/?ref=philmckinney.com) as we developed RISC (Reduced instruction set computing) processors. This job taught me how to communicate and help people understand complex items as we were training HP and others to use RISC. The most important thing I learned at CRA was assertiveness/standing up for yourself. I was still young and didn't have any gray hair, so people sometimes thought I didn't know much. I also learned about strategy for a newly started business, as we try to grow and make it functional. ## Entrepreneurship Takeoff At CRA, we worked with HP, Intel, and Apple, and other smaller companies. Focused on a combination of training and actual development work, it is at CRA that I realized that I was good at taking complicated things and making them simple. The software I worked on was all about putting a face onto technology that was uncomfortable to many people at that time. I liked taking concepts and ideas and turning them into commercially successful ideas. My entrepreneurship bug started to take off. After my time at CRA, I started my own company— *Millenium RAND* (Research and Development). Its mission was to help innovators who had ideas but needed help making them real. The work entailed going in with clients who had a [raw idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/) but didn't have the people, skillsets, and confidence to make something out of it. I started to build my reputation as I did everything from debugging hardware boards, writing embedded apps, writing user interfaces, etc. At Millenium RAND, I had a couple of subcontractors and a couple of employees and ended up creating many products. One product called *Thumbscan* won the *Product of the Year Award* at COMDEX. After that, an entity funded by venture capitalists hired me and created another product of the year award the following year. ## Entrepreneur Experience At this point, I had experienced going to a startup. Then, watched a launching startup. Followed by launching my own company. And lastly, joining an entity funded by venture capitalists. Eventually, Thumbscan got sold off. After that, the founders of the product recruited me to work on another idea around supercomputers. This company was called *Teraplex*. It was a supercomputer company based on a new process called MISC, or minimal instruction set computer. Initially funded by the state of Illinois and some [angel investors,](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-challenges-facing-innovation/) I came in as the company president. It was here that I first learned how to deal with angel investors and was able to secure additional funding for the company. Teraplex was quite successful, and I was also able to secure some technology licensing agreements. Looking back at it all, I found that my skillset was taking an idea and turning it into an innovative product. And that is what I built my career off of. To know more about becoming an entrepreneur, listen to this week's show: ***[How I Learned to Be an Entrepreneur](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FI%5FLearned%5Fto%5FBe%5Fan%5FEntrepreneur.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)***. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### A Job Worth Doing… URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/a-job-worth-doing/ Last updated: 2020-12-19T21:22:00.000Z I looked up and saw that look of disappointment. My 8-year-old self was staring into the face of my father. I had badgered him for weeks to let me cut the grass to earn the same allowance my older brother got for the same chore. My early activism in equal pay for equal work. His look communicated that I had not met his expectations. He sat me down and gave me — the talk. The talk about how the [quality of the work](https://www.philmckinney.com/200-years-of-great-ideas-and-hard-work-led-to-the-overnight-success-of-your-smartphone-2/) will build up or destroy my reputation. He boiled it all down to a simple maxim that I have shared more times than I can count with my kids and my grandkids. > **A job worth doing is worth doing right.** This maxim became my guiding light whenever I take on a task or role. At the end of a project, I will think back to my Dad and ask myself — did I meet his expectations — did I build up or destroy a part of my [reputation](https://killerinnovations.com/how-to-create-a-strong-executive-presence-part-two/?ref=philmckinney.com)? *? What task in the past do you wish you could get a “do-over”?* *? What checks can you put in place to ensure a reputation building result?* Do not misinterpret this as requiring perfection. Perfection is impossible. After my Dad gave me that first talk, I apologized and fixed my mistakes. I learned and made sure to not repeat them. As a nod to this life lesson, I shared the following on the dedication page of my book, [Beyond The Obvious](https://beyondtheobvious.com/?ref=philmckinney.com): To my parents Bill and Arlene McKinney, for teaching me the rule of success: “Any job worth doing is worth doing right.” I wish you were here to see this. --- *A normal post on this blog is 1,000 words. Anything less than 300 words is a “micropost.” I am trying out these shorter posts so I can share more often. I would love to hear your thoughts. Post in the comments.* ### Innovation Coaching and Innovation Mentoring - What Is The Difference? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-coaching-and-innovation-mentoring-what-is-the-difference/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:19.000Z The topic this week is one that I have touched on over the years in various ways. People reach out to me all the time asking about this. Coaching, as well as mentoring, often get placed [in the same category](https://www.philmckinney.com/valuable-secrets-from-innovation-coaches-and-mentors-s11-ep52/). In reality, they are different. We will discuss the differences between innovation coaching and mentoring and will run through some application scenarios. ## Innovation Coaching When it comes to the topic of coaching and mentoring, many people often find themselves confused. They don’t understand that innovation coaching and innovation mentoring are not the same. Coaching is the most common activity when it comes to innovation. In general, coaching and mentoring are two of the top five most popular jobs out there. Innovation coaching is kind of like a sports coach. In baseball, there is a pitching coach who trains pitchers to improve in their craft. Pitching coaching is just like innovation coaching, as it seeks to [help one improve in a specific area](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-laws-of-innovation-and-benefitting-from-coaching-insights/) based on an assessment. It tends to be limited in duration. Also, it only works best with measurable and tangible improvement opportunities. A good innovation coach will offer clear direction for improvement based on an assessment of one’s needs. Coaching can be on the individual level, team level, or for an entire organization. An innovation coach should be able to assess and tell you what area you need to improve. They should lay out a plan for improving and being more successful in a specific area. ## Innovation Mentoring Mentoring is a less specific and tangible area that looks at the big picture, such as your career. An innovation mentor is a trusted advisor that crosses personal and professional lines and might be with you for many years. They help craft broader goals along with the skills and experiences to achieve them. When looking for an [innovation mentor](https://www.philmckinney.com/no-entrepreneur-is-an-island-mentoring-networking-sharing-s13-ep52/), choose someone you can learn from. You want one that has achieved innovation success in their career. Usually focused on the individual, I have done long-term mentoring for innovation teams as well. Mentoring sessions are less formal than coaching sessions and are on an as-needed basis. Fees for mentoring most likely come from the individual. A successful mentoring role should last many years and stay constant no matter if the organization you’re in changes. There may be no fees required in rare cases if you become close to the mentor. Don’t expect mentoring to be free just because some mentors might typically do it out of the kindness of the heart. Remember, mentoring relationships require time and transparency to be successful. A mentor can’t do their job if you are not honest with them, and vice versa. ## Coaching vs. Mentoring One of the best ways to show the differences between an innovation coach or mentor is to run through some scenarios. First scenario: Your team is struggling to create a pitch for an idea to secure funding from your organization. You need to figure out the best way to structure your pitch to secure the funding*. Is innovation coaching or mentoring the best way to aid you in your pursuit?* In this situation, you could hire an innovation coach because it is a specific issue you are trying to resolve. You want to find a coach that has an excellent track record of helping teams craft pitches. Be sure to pay the coach for the work they are doing, rather than saying you’ll pay them upon success. Second scenario: Your CEO has asked you to develop innovation leaders within your existing staff. *Would this be innovation coaching or mentoring?* With a longer-term goal that is not tangible, so in this case, it would be innovation mentoring in a team setting. Third scenario: Your team is running up against internal and external [innovation anti-bodies](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/) (naysayers), and you need help in crafting a strategy to win the organization’s support. In this situation, you need help with a specific issue within your organization, so this is an innovation coaching opportunity. You need a strategy coach to help deal with the anti-bodies and win your organization’s support. Fourth scenario: You have decided to improve your innovation abilities and skills to be more successful. This scenario is a textbook case of innovation mentoring. Here you need help in establishing your long-range career to have a successful career in innovation. ## Summary Today, we talked about the differences between innovation coaching and innovation mentoring. As we discussed, there is a difference between coaching and mentoring. Coaching is about solving particular issues such as communication skills, deliverables, executive presence, etc. Mentoring comes with long-term career advice. [My first mentor](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-built-my-innovation-self-confidence/) was my boss at Deltek, Bob Davis. Bob hired me and put me into the first management role of my career. He knew I could be a great software engineer, but as my mentor, he told me I had broader skills than that. I had to put in a lot of extra work to develop myself under Bob’s mentorship. He put me on a career rotation, placing me in finance, marketing, advertising, sales, and IT, which helped me grow. Bob helped me think through my long-term goals and what opportunities I should look out for. Today, I do innovation coaching and mentoring and have done small companies up to Fortune 10 companies. I’ve coached and mentored CEOs, CTOs, and CIOs, some lasting up to seven years long. Check out the [Disruptive Ideation Workshop](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) that acts as a long-term investment for you or your team’s success. To know more about the difference between innovation coaching and innovation mentoring, listen to this week's show: **[Innovation Coaching and Innovation Mentoring – What is the difference?](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FCoaching%5Fand%5FInnovation%5FMentoring%5F%5FWhat%5Fis%5Fthe%5Fdifference.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Effectiveness URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/effectiveness/ Last updated: 2020-12-12T20:49:29.000Z No matter how much the boss or the customers yelled or threatened, the locomotive pulling freight and passenger cars refused to move. They were dead in the water. The day started out as planned, but then went from good to bad. The train lurched to a stop without warning. Upon investigation, the engine had somehow lost a required part – a single screw. A screw they did not have and one not stocked at the closest repair depot. A locomotive that costs $6M was unusable for a 1 cent part. > Effectiveness is the understanding of what it takes to achieve the mission. Most think that [career achievement](https://www.philmckinney.com/six-strategies-to-lead-innovation-from-the-top/) comes from succeeding at high-profile tasks and responsibilities. I’ve seen promising careers get derailed by overlooking insignificant items that turned out to be critical – like the screw. ? What are you overlooking, because you think it is insignificant, that could cause major issues? Effectiveness is the understanding of what it takes to [achieve the mission](https://killerinnovations.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com). --- *A normal post on this blog is 1,000 words. Anything less than 300 words is a “micropost.” I am trying out these shorter posts so that I can share more often. I would love to hear your thoughts. Post in the comments.* ### How I Built My Innovation Self-Confidence URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-i-built-my-innovation-self-confidence/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:27.000Z People are always asking me how I made it to the point I'm today in my career. While I can't cover my career's full extent, I want to share some valuable learning experiences. This week, we will discuss how I built my [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-80-percent-of-innovation-consultants-are-not-worth-the-money/) self-confidence and what I learned early on in my career that shaped the future of my career. ## Self-Confidence and Soft Skills Looking back on my career, I realize it is all about building self-[confidence](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-build-innovation-confidence/). I am very thankful for those early leaders and organizations that invested heavily in me. Despite being a "know-it-all," they didn't put me down but taught me how to be a leader and encouraged me to pursue my passions. Wherever you are in your career, elements are existing that build up self-confidence. The first area revolves around team spirit and knowing how to build a team. Your self-confidence isn't about showing people up or being the smartest person in the room. It's about being a part of a team, knowing how to build a team, and leading a team. In the innovation game, there is no such thing as the lone innovator. Early in my career, I fed [off the press](https://philmckinney.com/press/?ref=philmckinney.com) when they mention my name. As I progressed in my career, I learned just how important the team is over the individual. The second self-confidence building element is the belief that you can achieve and build things from what you have learned. The third area is confidence in your communication skills and knowing how to communicate effectively. Another key area of self-confidence is being able to empathize with people. The last one is assertiveness, which is standing up for your ideas. ## Anchor Industries Like I said earlier, I want to walk you guys through some of my own experiences. My wife and I met when we were young and got married in our sophomore year of college. The summer after our wedding, my wife helped me get an internship at Anchor Industries, one of the largest producers of canvas products. My wife knew the family that owned the company and had mentioned that I was looking for an [internship](https://www.philmckinney.com/preparing-the-next-generation-for-the-innovation-economy-s11-ep26/). My initial job at Anchor was to go through and reverse-engineer the blueprints of their products as they were outdated. I started off doing drafting but also learned how to do time studies. One of the things Anchor built was pool covers. In the 1980s, they would get a blueprint of the pool cover and hand draw the pool on the factory floor. Then they would lay out edges, lay the fabric, stitch or weld it, and add other things to it. This process was slow, and I felt like I could do something better. After my internship, I went back and designed an automatic pool cover layout plan for a project class I had at school. This project had a significant impact on Anchor's ability to make pool covers. I ended up working for Anchor and building out this program for a year. Because of my self-confidence in trying new things, I impacted Anchor Industries and built a lasting relationship with the company. To this day, Anchor Industries is still one of the biggest producers of pool covers. ## Deltek Microsystems After working with Anchor Industries, I worked with Deltek Microsystems, a subsidiary of Deltek. The company focused on the early stages of PCs and sought to create training materials for new PC users. I ended up there due to my success at Anchor. At Deltek, I learned a lot about [teamwork](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/) as it was a new company. Hired on as a manager of the company, this was my first time to experience leadership. Deltek pushed me to give talks and speeches and built my communication skills up. I also experienced failures at Deltek that taught me a lot. I learned assertiveness in this position, as I had to express my opinions and ideas to those around me. Asserting was new to me as it was only my second real job. My boss at Deltek Microsystems, Bob Davis, my first mentor, taught me how to be a manager, take risks, and get back up after a failure. He also taught me to be self-aware and learn my strengths and weaknesses. Bob taught that if I wanted to be a good leader, I had to experience running the business and not just doing the software. I sat in just about every leadership seat at Deltek, from Finance and Marketing to IT. ## Innovation Self-Confidence My early career experiences built my innovation self-confidence. Each experience contributed to all the soft skills I needed to become the leader I am today. When looking at team spirit, both Anchor and Deltek had a massive impact on my understanding. It is vital to provide feedback to others and contribute your expertise to the team's ideas. Both Anchor and Deltek impacted my self-confidence by giving me the chance to [go out and try things.](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-and-the-creative-mindset/) Deltek helped me approve my communication skills in a way that I could adapt my language to my audience. In the case of empathy, I learned to empathize with customers as well as employees. Deltek taught me to be assertive in pushing and selling your ideas. All these soft skills learned from these two companies were vital in future success with my innovation self-confidence. To know more about how you can build your innovation self confidence, listen to this week's show: **[How I Built My Innovation Self-Confidence](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5FI%5FBuilt%5FMy%5FInnovation%5FSelf-Confidence.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** ***.*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Why 80 Percent of Innovation Consultants Are Not Worth the Money URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/why-80-percent-of-innovation-consultants-are-not-worth-the-money/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:27.000Z This show might come off as controversial to those who are innovation consultants. However, these are my personal views on the subject. Consultants can have a significant effect on an organization for better or worse. We will discuss innovation consultants and why I believe 80% of them are not worth the money. ## Innovation Consultants A consultant has some expertise and is getting paid for sharing it with a client. I started my career early on doing consulting for a company called CSC. I was working heavily in the wireless and mobile arena. In my case, I had very deep expertise in the mobile space before being a consultant. Most people hire consultants because they lack expertise in specific areas, and this effort is becoming ever so popular in the innovation space. I get calls all the time from people asking for recommendations on consultants. Based on what I have observed, 80% of [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/medical-innovations-amidst-a-global-pandemic/) consultants are not worth the money. Why am I saying that? You don't become a driving instructor after reading a book on how to drive cars. Instead, you drive the car and then teach others how to do it. There are loads of innovation consultants out there that have never actually done it. Today, I'm going to share the four questions you should ask innovation consultants before hiring them. Firstly, "is this innovation consultant a proven innovator?" Like innovation, you can't teach people how to drive if you haven't done it before. You need to ask if the consultant has led innovation for organizations known for innovation success. Have they been a CIO, led innovation teams that have delivered, or are they credited for creating successful innovations in the marketplace? Does the industry recognize them for innovation leadership? If they don't check these boxes, they try to teach how to drive without ever doing it themselves. ## Previous Clients Question number two is, "Who else have they been hired by?" Assuming they have the expertise and have successfully done [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/5-questions-every-ceo-should-answer-about-innovation/), you need to look at who has hired them. If they are endorsed by those who are known for their innovation efforts, they will have more credibility. It's a good sign if a company, known for its innovation efforts, still felt the need to hire this person. If they have zero experience working with a company with an innovation reputation, that is not necessarily negative, but is something to look at. Another thing to look at is whether they completed any projects for their clients and have been brought back by their clients multiple times. This precedent shows that the consultant does excellent work and is getting the company success. The last thing to look at is whether you can call up the clients they mentioned in their [proposals or pitches](https://www.philmckinney.com/making-the-innovation-pitch/). If the consultant hides the company name from you but mentions their work, I count it as a negative mark. Despite all that I have said, don't hire someone solely because they have done work for a well-known company. Dig deeper and validate whether they did the work and were successful or are lying about it. It amazes me how many organizations fail to do reference checks for employees and consultants. If you choose the wrong innovation consultant, your credibility goes down, and you can turn your organization off to innovation. ## Evaluating a Consultant's Success The third question to ask is, "What about this innovation consultant attracts their following?" It is essential to evaluate why a successful consultant is successful with its clients. Firstly, look at the number of clients they have worked for/use their process or framework and whether they can prove it. An example of this is the [FIRE framework](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/), where about 2,000-2,500 organizations use it. Secondly, evaluate whether or not they are willing to share the details of their approach. I am a big believer in paying it forward and giving it away. With that being said, I don't use this to make a living while most consultants do. Your organization is unique, and you need to know that a consultant's approach will work for you and your organizational needs. If you bring in a consultant that is not a match, you will run into some big problems. ## Ask an Innovation Consultant Question four is, "Can you adapt and adopt the approach from the innovation consultant?" You would not believe how hard this is to do. When hiring an innovation consultant bringing an [approach](https://www.philmckinney.com/walt-disneys-plus-it-approach-to-better-ideas/) to the table, it is crucial to know where they stand. Do you get granted the rights to use their method within your organization or offer a training class? Are they willing to adapt it to your organization's culture, approach, and language? An example of this is how Kroger implements the FIRE framework while using their own Kroger language. I started today's show off on the premise that 80% of innovation consultants are not worth the money. Let's recap the four questions you should ask an innovation consultant before hiring them: - Is this innovation consultant a proven innovator? - Who has hired them? - What about their innovation consulting attracts a following? - Can I adapt and adopt the innovation consultant's approach to my organization? If you are looking for an innovation consultant and aren't so sure about it, drop me an email or hop over to [The Innovators Community](https://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) for feedback from other innovators and myself. If you are interested in the FIRE framework for your organization, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about why many innovation consultants are not worth the money, listen to this week's show: ***[Why 80 Percent of Innovation Consultants Are Not Worth the Money](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Why%5F80%5FPercent%5Fof%5FInnovation%5FCoaches%5Fare%5FNot%5FWorth%5FThe%5FMoney.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Walt Disney's Plus It Approach To Better Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/walt-disneys-plus-it-approach-to-better-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:26.000Z Innovations can happen in any industry and a variety of different ways. We are going to take a deeper dive into part of the FIRE framework known as [ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/). We will focus on combining individual ideation and team ideation. On this week's show, we will discuss Walt Disney's "Plus it" approach and how it changed the customer entertainment experience. ## Disney's "Plus It" Walt Disney used a concept known as "plus it" to improve his company's ideation. He would tell his Imagineers (people who design the Disney experience) to "plus it" as a way to motivate them to take their work to another level. He challenged them to see what was possible and then encouraged them to take it a few steps further. "Plus it" is a technique to iterate on ideas without using any harsh criticism. It's about finding what is good about an idea and tweaking it to make it even better. The question is, how do you do it? The first step you need to do is to conduct [brainstorming activities](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/) and set up a quota of ideas to iterate. You need to come at the problem from different angles. Good ideas will get people excited so keep an eye out for reactions. Remember, evaluation happens after, not during this process. After brainstorming, grab some sticky notes and crank out unique ideas. Cranking ideas is when individual ideation comes in to play. Do this for about twenty minutes and come up with a minimum of twenty ideas. ## Team Ideation The next step is to post and group ideas. Each team member posts and shares their ideas to the rest of the group. Done through a short and quick process, it involves posting a sticky note on a board. During this time, one idea may trigger another's idea. If this happens, write down the new idea and post it. If two people have similar ideas, post those ideas next to each other. The next step is to do team ideation or "plus it". One at a time, everyone chooses somebody else's idea that they like. Then, they ideate and build upon that idea and have others jump in. Throughout my work, I have found that around 30% more and better ideas come from this combination of [team and individual ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/individual-ideation-versus-team-ideation/). I've also found that there is an elevated collective ownership aspect to this. People feel like more of a team and are more passionate and energized through this combination. ## Examples Walt Disney focused on making ideas better for many years and made it fundamental to Disney's culture. Many other organizations have embraced the "plus it" and have applied it to their organizations. Walt Disney made breakthroughs using his "plus it" method in many different ways. Walt applied *plussing* it early on at Disney with the idea of [Disneyland](https://philmckinney.com/showing-the-future-at-the-disneyland-dream-home/?ref=philmckinney.com). He came up with the idea for a Christmas parade going through the park. The financial people at Disney disagreed with Walt's idea as people were already going to the park and didn't expect anything different. Walt wanted to deliver a never-before-seen experience. Despite what the finance people had thought, the idea became a huge success and drew many more people to the park. Another example of *plussing* the experience happened for Disneyland's 50th anniversary. They rebuilt the Space Mountain ride by synchronizing audio, creating a completely new experience. The third example of *plussing* a product was when the Apple iPod and the iPhone came about. Steve Jobs cited the influence of Disney on his work many times. It comes down to the little things that most people overlook yet make Apple products stand out. Another example is Elon Musk's company, Tesla. The company has [breakthrough features](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) such as the summon feature. This feature allows you to call your car to come to a different spot and pick you up. The company is continuously improving and adding features to their products. Disney is also continually improving and innovating and will never stop *plussing* it. The last company we will discuss is Zoom, a sponsor of our show. In the previous year, Zoom averaged 300 new features and did so every year. Eric and his team are always asking how to make the experience bigger and better. ## The Plus It Key Today we discussed Walt Disney's approach to "plussing it", which is significantly improving ideas and products by thinking differently and pushing the limits. Walt applied the concept to his early work at Disneyland and seen all over the Disney experience to this day. The concept is about using each other's ideas for inspiration and building upon them without using harmful criticism. Improving someone's challenge instead of being an [innovation antibody](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/) is key to *plussing* it. This all starts with individual ideation and combining it with team ideation to make ideas that stand out and are better. To know more about the "plussing it" approach, listen to this week's show: ***[Walt Disney's Plus It Approach To Better Ideas](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Walt%5FDisneys%5FPlus%5FIt%5FApproach%5FTo%5FBetter%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Medical Innovations Amidst a Global Pandemic URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/medical-innovations-amidst-a-global-pandemic/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:26.000Z Throughout the show’s history, we’ve done interviews with medical professionals and those pursuing [innovations in the medical field.](https://www.philmckinney.com/covid-19-innovations-from-scuba-to-medical-face-mask-with-3d-printing/) This week’s guest created a breakthrough product used during this global pandemic. Clive Smith, the CEO and founder of Thinklabs joins us on the show. We will discuss a medical innovation and what he’s doing to disrupt the field. ## Clive’s Background Clive grew up in South Africa. Greatly influenced by the moon landing as a kid, which showed that technology happens in the United States, he knew where he needed to be. Clive studied for his masters at the California Institute of Technology and focused on analog electronics and signal processing. After finishing school, he worked in the corporate world for a few years but realized that was not what he wanted to do. While he didn’t stay there, he is grateful for what he was able to learn. After leaving corporate America, Clive started *Thinklabs*. The context was that it would be an [incubator](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-select-the-best-ideas/) for Clive’s and other people’s ideas. He had a long-term interest in medical devices, and while at his undergrad in South Africa, he developed an electrocardiographic device with a friend. On top of that, many of Clive’s friends from school went on to become doctors. Clive’s brother was also a cardiologist, so being surrounded by the medical professionals boosted Clive’s interest. ## Stethoscope Medical Innovation Clive stumbled across an article in a cardiology journal about the stethoscope. The journal people measured the acoustics on stethoscopes and studied the original stethoscope made by Rene Laennec. They realized that the acoustics of the original was almost the same as the modern stethoscope. The device hadn’t had a performance improvement for nearly 180 years. Clive decided that he was going to fix the issue and started prototyping in his garage. He came up with a unique sensor for the stethoscope. After talking with cardiologists and comparing his medical innovations to others, Clive started talking with HP medical. They ended up funding his product, but while they were funding it, another company bought the healthcare division. Due to Clive’s contract, he could leave and put all the technology out on the market himself. The first version of the stethoscope came to the market in 2003 and manufactured in China. In 2013, the production of the product moved from China to the U.S. ## Manufacturing and Product Use Clive made himself more vertically integrated when he moved from offshore [manufacturing](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-use-nature-to-innovate-manufacturing/) to onshore. He did this because he wanted to be able to innovate quickly. Outside manufacturers like the ones in China want to crank out a product efficiently and keep things moving. It’s not that easy to make changes with all of that. Another part of it was 3D printing. 3D printing offers flexibility because it is mostly software. Moving onshore wasn’t mainly for the cost nor “for American manufacturing”. Many of the suppliers in the U.S had a hard time making high-quality products that Clive wanted. He ended up with a global supply chain as he does assembly in the U.S but gets some components from Japan, China, etc. With regards to Clive’s digital stethoscope, some physicians are particularly interested in listening to sounds. Many people still use conventional stethoscopes, and if they hear something that sounds weird, they pass it on to a specialist. Users of the digital stethoscope use it to get a more thorough read upfront. On top of that, regular stethoscopes are known to carry diseases and pathogens and not useful in infectious situations. Called on to help doctors in 2014, Clive and his team listened to patients remotely when they were in isolation during the Ebola outbreak. Fast forward to COVID, and they were able to create a process that uses remote Bluetooth transmitters and headphones to listen to patients in isolation. ## Summary The [future](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-future-look-top-innovations-teaching-the-future-tomorrows-healthcare/) is going to include a lot of remote healthcare. It is an incredible enhancement to the quality of life, especially for older people. Clive says the hospital at home is going to continue to grow. The internationalization of healthcare will be a massive change as we advance with borders broke down. In the past, Mayo Clinic ran into problems as doctors licensed in Minnesota weren’t able to practice healthcare in different states. Due to COVID, many states have gotten rid of that requirement, which will significantly impact healthcare and policymakers. Government rules and regulations need to find ways to keep up with the fast-growing innovations of this day and age. Policy always follows technology. If you want to keep up to date with Clive and what he is doing at Thinklabs, check out their website [here](https://www.thinklabs.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About Our Guest: Clive Smith Clive Smith founded Thinklabs in 1991, a company developing electronic products and systems. He released the first Thinklabs stethoscope in 2003 and held numerous patents in the stethoscope technology field. He was profiled in the annual 2013 Caltech Alumni ENGenious publication. Raised in Johannesburg, Clive spent his early life in South Africa. He received a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Wits University, where he first developed his interest in medical electronics. He and classmate David Cohen received the Siemens Prize for Best Thesis for their research on multi-channel electrocardiography. Smith came to the United States for graduate study, receiving an MSEE from the California Institute of Technology, focusing on various electronics design disciplines including analog, integrated circuits, digital signal processing, and power electronics. To know more about Clive Smith's digital stethoscope and other medical innovations listen to this week's show: ***[Medical Innovations Amidst a Global Pandemic](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Medical%5FInnovations%5FAmidst%5Fa%5FGlobal%5FPandemic.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 5 Questions Every CEO Should Answer About Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/5-questions-every-ceo-should-answer-about-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:26.000Z For the first time, we are recording a show in the mobile studio in Austin, Texas. Once we get past [COVID](https://www.philmckinney.com/game-changing-esport-innovations-during-covid-19/), we plan to travel a lot more and visit different innovators in various areas of the country. This past week, I interviewed three CEOs of billion-dollar companies for a virtual event online. I asked them a set of questions and on today’s show I am going to ask and answer those same questions. ## The Invention Question The questions will get people to think and share things that they usually wouldn’t share. I’m going to run through and randomly pick these questions out of a notebook I have. This notebook contains creative and exciting questions that I have collected over the years. The first question is: *What is the most important invention in the last five years?* I think [electric car](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) vehicles are fascinating, and I’ve had the benefit of spending some time with Elon Musk. An invention has a massive impact if it has become something that is commercially available. I think electronic vehicles fall right into this category. There are also a lot of spinoffs that have come from the development of these vehicles. The spinoffs include “battery technology,” which is very important. With products like electric cars, there will be a push in the battery industry to create more improvements. ## Rethinking Education The next question is: *What is your dangerous idea?* The answer to this question pertains to an idea that is disruptive and turns everything on its head. My dangerous idea is to [rethink education](https://www.philmckinney.com/do-we-have-what-it-takes-to-innovate-the-education-system-s11-ep21/) on a global scale. It’s no longer about memorizing formulas, facts, or figures. It is about teaching future generations how to think, solve, and have a passion for lifelong learning. Whatever skill we’re teaching in the classroom today won’t apply in five or ten years due to the rapid change of technology. There needs to be some rethinking done on traditional education structure to promote teamwork, collaboration, empathy, ideation, experimentation, etc. That’s the work environment students will be entering into when they join the workforce. Years ago, I did some work with the Singapore government and the state of Ohio building textbooks that included innovation and creativity. Some school districts wanted to treat innovation the same as reading, writing, and arithmetic. We must think of innovation as creative reading and apply it to those topics. [Innovation and creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/will-ai-replace-human-creativity/) need to go across all the subject matter. Step two is to create school environments where there are team projects, creative problem-solving, and experimentation. The key with experimentation is that not all experiments are successful. Whatever the result, you have completed the work and learned in the process. The mindset that you passed or failed needs to be changed. We have to develop ways to experiment and fail while still getting an A in the [classroom](https://philmckinney.com/innovation-classroom-education-needs-innovative/?ref=philmckinney.com) because you learned from it. ## Optimism The third question is: *What are you optimistic about?* During the time of this recording, there are many uncertainties. Examples of this would be COVID, the election, social unrest, etc. Despite these issues, there is still a lot of optimism. As humans, we can come together and get through these times using our ingenuity. Look back at the time of the polio epidemic. There was a consorted effort on the issue, and scientists came up with a vaccine and tamed the disease. I think the same thing will happen with [COVID](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/). When we are face to face with crushing problems, we will innovate around them. We can solve these problems when we come together and attack them as one. We have done it for thousands of years and will continue to do it. Another question I posed is: *What have you changed your mind about?* There have been many times I changed my ideas, such as when I thought certain technologies were going to be successful, and they weren’t. The most challenging changes are when you have to consider somebody’s perspective on politics, beliefs, sports teams/players, etc. I ask this question because people are often so locked in one idea that they don’t even consider the other options. We all need to change in different areas, no matter what they are. ## Wrap-up and Final Question There is one question that gets an interesting response, no matter who interviews. That question is: *What should be the role of government in encouraging innovation?* Looking back on my own life, I’ve seen some phenomenal things come about due to government research and development. This includes the space program and Neil Armstrong walking on the moon, which I watched live as a kid. The blood oximeter, which tells how much oxygen is in your blood, is a spinoff of the NASA program. Another example is the origin of the internet. The internet came from [DARPA](https://www.philmckinney.com/untold-stories-of-darpa/), which the government designed to use should Russia nuke the U.S. Governments invest in areas that are transformative to their people and their economies, which will improve the lives of the people. To know more about the important questions that every CEO must be able to answer, listen to this week's show: ***[5 Questions Every CEO Should Answer About Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/5%5FQuestions%5FEvery%5FCEO%5FShould%5FAnswer%5FAbout%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 6 Innovation Metrics (KPIs) Every Organization Should Use URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/6-innovation-metrics-kpis-every-organization-should-use/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:25.000Z This week, we look at an old show that has recently come up. It is a show I did in February of 2012 about innovation metrics. We'll discuss the core set of innovation metrics that every organization should use. ## Bad Metrics Before we get started, I want to address one thing: bad metrics. They are very prevalent and extremely popular in areas such as Wall Street and publicly traded companies. These metrics get defined by analysts who have never run any innovation efforts or businesses. The most popular bad metric that Wall Street has is the percentage of revenue spent on [RND](https://www.philmckinney.com/industry-innovation/). They try to rank organizations based on this metric. I have run tests and trials, collected data from public companies coached and mentored CEOs, and CIOs worldwide from various industries. This is a bogus metric that is not predictive of future success. If this metric was true, if I spent 50% of my RND revenue, I should be two times better than somebody who only spends 20% of their RND revenue. False. It varies by industry and company. I spent a lot of time trying to convince the board of directors at HP that this is a bogus metric and not useable. When it comes to good metrics, I look at it from input, output, outcome, and impact. I spend the most time on input and impact. When it comes to innovation, the impact your innovation is making, and the input you are investing in is key. ## Innovation Input Metrics Let's look at what innovation input metrics you should consider having as part of your success measurement. The first one is the number of new ideas in the [funnel](https://www.philmckinney.com/dont-let-the-funnel-dry-up-create-an-innovation-challenge/). It would help if you kept the funnel full of ideas. This metric is about keeping your organization focused and continuously developing new ideas. At my current organization, we sit down twice a year and look at everything in the funnel. You want to find ideas that are reasonable for your organization. The next metric is the acceptance/idea kill rate. Acceptance is the number of ideas that make it to the funding phase. You want that acceptance rate to be anywhere from 10-30%. The idea kill rate is when you decide to kill an idea rather than move it forward. At HP, we had a four-phase funnel to managing ideas and turning them into products. At each phase, there was about a 55% kill rate. We would start with ten, go to five, go to two or three, and finish with one. You need to look at your current acceptance and kill rate and set a target, possibly putting it into your [Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).](https://www.philmckinney.com/setting-innovation-objectives/) The third metric is a balanced investment. This metric is how you will use your innovation spend to influence your organization. This metric has products and services across the bottom, and vertical is your customers and markets you serve. 70% of the innovation spend should be in the core. The 20% should be in new products to existing customers and existing products to new customers. And lastly, 10% in new customers, new markets, new technologies, etc. ## Innovation Impact Metrics The first one is the 3M metric, which is the percentage of revenue from new products. 3M has an innovation metric they have tracked for decades. The metric is what percentage of their revenue that comes from products produced within the last three years. The revenue percentage forces them to come up with new ideas constantly. The second metric is the quality of your patents, which differs from the number of patents. When I first went to HP, Carly Fiorina was the CEO. She pushed us hard to ramp up the number of [patents](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-must-have-features-of-your-ims-idea-management-system/). Organizations get ranked based on how many awarded patents. She wanted HP to have as many patents as possible to get on the list. I argued that having a large number of patents does not add to your innovation value. We eventually shifted the focus at HP to the quality of patents. Measured through the Chi Index, look at all your patents. Then look across your industry at other patents that referenced them. The more times your patent gets referenced, the more value it has. The third metric is the innovation impact on gross margin. I got HP to replace the RND metric's revenue with this, which is the gross margin impact for every dollar spent on RND. Very important, because if you do good innovation on products, your customers will reward you with a margin premium. ## Summary Today we talked about the six-innovation metrics every organization should use. The input metrics are the number of new ideas in the [funnel](https://www.philmckinney.com/fuzzy-front-end-innovation-funnel/), the acceptance and the kill rate, and balanced innovation investment (70, 20 10). The impact metrics are the percentage of revenue from new products (3M metric), quality of the patents (quality over quantity), and innovation impact on gross margin. Look at these six-innovation metrics and figure out how you can apply them to your organization. If you want to learn more about metrics and apply them to your organization, check out the [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), now done virtually. If you are interested in learning more about the innovation metrics or want information from previous shows, check out all the free downloadable material I put together here. [Download FREE Resources on Ideation](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com) To know more about Innovation Metrics (KPIs), listen to this week's show: **[6 Innovation Metrics (KPIs) Every Organization Should Use](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/6%5FInnovation%5FMetrics%5FKPIs%5FEvery%5FOrganization%5FShould%5FUse.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 7 Must Have Features of Your IMS - Idea Management System URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/7-must-have-features-of-your-ims-idea-management-system/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:56.000Z This week, we will continue the discussion on the [FIRE framework](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/) and expound upon it. We will discuss a technology that will enable your FIRE framework, known as an Idea Management System (IMS). ## Idea Management System The Idea Management System supports everything from the focus, ideation, and ranking, to managing your funnel for the [execution phase](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/). I deployed my first IMS in 2008 while I was CTO at HP. Not known as IMS yet, we chose a particular platform back then. Every IMS system has its built-in assumptions as part of its basic platform. They have to work on enhancing their platforms due to competition continuously. If you have procured an IMS, are building one, or are integrating one with other systems, there are seven must-have features you need. The first feature is known as the ease of idea capture. This consists of getting all of your ideas captured and putting them into your IMS. The key here is to get every idea you have into this system. It is also important to track who came up with each idea for legal reasons. ## Support for Innovators The second feature is all about the support for your community of innovators. Especially critical for IMS because it brings all of your innovators together in a common system. It becomes a back and forth communication process between innovators. Most IMS systems don’t grasp the idea of bringing people together. People often take it as a passive process, observing but not engaging. A common feature needed is the ease of how you “plus an idea.” When someone creates an idea, you want other innovators to build on it. You want a way to communicate feedback on ideas as well. An IMS is also a great way to celebrate an idea, whether it got funding or ended up stopped. The next feature is to enable an open innovation opportunity. This feature consists of allowing people outside of your organization to contribute. It includes things like [public competitions](https://www.philmckinney.com/mistakes-innovation-competitions/) for the best idea and rewarded with a prize. Another feature that I am a big believer in is university joint ventures. These are opportunities where you fund PHDs or grad students who work in your focus research area. ## Workflow and Life Cycle The next feature on my list is what I call a flexible and powerful workflow. In many cases, designed enterprise applications have a particular philosophy in mind. While not intentional, they inherently create a step of workflows that enable the feature set within that IMS. In reality, you want an Idea Management System that adapts to you, not the other way around. It would help if you defined the workflow for your innovation framework and all the tools and processes you use to build upon it. When selecting your IMS, make sure you allow for the system to be easily updated. Next is a must-have feature; the management of the entire idea life cycle. Ideas get touched by many people and may get funded, stopped, or even resurrected in the future. An example of managing the idea life cycle revolves around the [selection](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-select-the-best-ideas/). We talked about this on some previous shows on ranking. In your IMS, you want to capture the answers from the process of ranking. Years later, the scoring for these ideas could be completely different due to innovations. ## Protect and Recognize The next vital feature is protection or how you protect your catalog of ideas. This feature can be basic security and encryption, which is very important. In this case, however, I am talking about [patents](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lean-canvas-a-one-page-innovation-plan/). I am not aware of any IMS systems that have a built-in patent management system. In this case, you need to interface your IMS platform with the system you are using to track the patents you are submitting to or want to submit. The seventh must-have feature is incentives and recognition. People don’t participate in innovation efforts out of the goodness of their hearts. Some organizations I have been a part of pay for patented ideas that are submitted. Use your IMS system to track this. Award badges for the ideas that people submit. Incentives and recognitions are a great way to get people to get engaged. ## Summary The seven must-have features in your Idea Management System are: - Ease of Idea Capture - Support the Community of Innovators - Enable Open Innovation Opportunity - Flexible and Powerful Workflow - Manage the Idea Life Cycle - Protect the Catalog of Ideas - Incentives and Recognition I based these features on my dozen years of employing these systems and helping CIOs or CEOs find what they want in their systems. This platform is a tool that supports the overall framework. We discuss and teach all these things in our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), whether virtually or in-person. ## More information on FIRE and IMS If you are interested in learning more about the idea management system or want information from previous shows, check out all the free downloadable material I put together [here](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com). [Download FREE Resources on Ideation](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com) To know more about Idea Management System (IMS), listen to this week's show: **[7 Must Have Features of Your IMS - Idea Management System](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/7%5FMust%5FHave%5FFeatures%5Fof%5FYour%5FIMS%5F-%5FIdea%5FManagement%5FSystem.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation Lean Canvas - A One Page Innovation Plan URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lean-canvas-a-one-page-innovation-plan/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:08:58.000Z This week's show is a follow-up to the *[Execution](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/)* show where I did a one minute intro to the Innovation Lean Canvas. *If you haven't listened to that episode, make sure to click *[here](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/media/killerinnovations-com/execution-ep.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.* The innovation lean canvas is a structure that we teach in all of our Disruptive Ideation Workshops. It is an innovation plan that offers an overview of your best idea all in one place. ## The Innovation Lean Canvas The lean canvas replaces a typically created business plan. We print this out on a huge poster-sized paper and tack it to the wall in our workshops. It allows you to look at your best idea and the critical areas around it, all in one glance. Updated as you acquire more learnings, you'll be able to see these ideas and critical areas on the paper. I would encourage you to customize your lean canvas to your own organization's needs. Don't be afraid to try something different that fits you. Let's walk through my lean canvas so we can get a feel for it. Starting, we talk about the [problem statement](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think-crafting-the-problem-statement/), and what makes this idea different. We discuss who the customers are and what the key metrics are. The steps and activities that are needed, as well as the resources needed, are discussed. With this framework, you get a perfect snapshot view of the problem, the solution, and how it all works. It helps you pinpoint areas that need work. ## Breaking Down the Lean Canvas The problem statement: you may have different variations of this, and you want to put them all on your lean canvas. Next, you want to discuss the solution. This statement is your [idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-select-the-best-ideas/) that was ranked the highest, and you and your team feel it is ready to go forward. Now, you want to define who the customers are and discuss their personas. Everything must be crystal clear, and if not, you may need to investigate and validate the customer segment. Next is the unique value proposition. *Why is the customer going to find value in this? Why is it going to be unique compared to what is already out there?* It would be best if you define why your idea is better and why the customers will want it. The problem, the solution, and the customer are tightly linked and foundational to execution. You have to be able to answer these areas. At this point, you need to define some key metrics. *What are the criteria for success? What constitutes you're making progress?* An example of this would be asking five questions to twenty-five customers and bringing those answers back. The questions get tied to the key activities. The activities would be preparing the survey of questions for the customers to answer. ## Unfair Advantage I challenge you to spend some time thinking about improving your idea to create a sustainable advantage. Once you launch, you will have many copycats if you don't have a barrier to entry. The fast rise of copycats is due to low-cost [manufacturing](https://www.philmckinney.com/manufacturing-innovation-using-ai/). It would be best if you found a way to have an unfair advantage that is defensive. Patents are costly, averaging around $30,000-$35,000, including the legal work and working with the patent office. There are other ways for you to create barriers to entry, such as trade secrets. You need to find out what resources you need. Find resources in technologies, expertise, access to a sales channel, etc. You will have to [pitch your idea](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-parts-to-an-innovation-pitch-for-your-idea-s11-ep50/), so you need to be crystal clear on what resources you will need to make it happen. Next, focus on funding requirements and costs. When most people [pitch](https://www.philmckinney.com/making-the-innovation-pitch/) ideas, they put the funding cost upfront. On *lean canvas,* we talk about the problem, solution, and how you will accomplish it before talking about the funding. Once you have evaluated these other areas, then you can talk about the funding. Lastly, discuss the revenue stream. The revenue stream is more about the economic value sources rather than just looking at a spreadsheet. ## Conclusion We walked through all of the lean canvas elements such as problem, solution, customers, unique value proposition, key metrics, key activities, thinking through unfair advantage, resource partners, funding requirements/costs, and revenue streams. This innovation lean canvas is one that I use and teach in all of my [workshops](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-create-a-disruptive-ideation-workshop/). Once a team fills it out, we have them pitch from their lean canvas. I like this approach because it makes sure they cover all of the key areas for successful innovation. The lean canvas gives you a structure to make sure you don't miss any vital areas. I have found this to be hugely valuable and adaptable. Don't be afraid to adapt it to you and your organization's needs. We use the lean canvas in all of our [ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/) workshops and teach it to our customers. When you leave our workshops, you go with a filled-in lean canvas of your best idea, ready to be pitched to your management team. Check out the Disruptive Ideation Workshop [here](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) to learn the lean canvas for you and your team. If you are interested in learning more about the lean canvas or want information from previous shows, check out all the free downloadable material I put together [here](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com). [Download FREE Resources on Ideation](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com) To know more about the innovation lean canvas, listen to this week's show: [**Innovation Lean Canvas - A One Page Innovation Plan**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FLean%5FCanvas%5F-%5FA%5FOne%5FPage%5FInnovation%5FPlan.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Execution - Turning Ideas Into Innovations URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-turning-ideas-into-innovations/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:08:32.000Z On this week's show, we will wrap up the series of shows on the innovation framework known as FIRE. We will discuss the part of the innovation framework known as execution. Execution is composed of making your best ideas into something real. ## Execution I have used the FIRE (Focus, Ideation, Ranking, Execution) framework for more than 20 years, and thousands of organizations use it. *Focus* is defining where your problem area is. *[Ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/)* is the process of creating ideas to address your problem areas. The process consists of individual and team ideation, which, when combined, generates 30% more ideas than when done individually. *[Ranking](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-select-the-best-ideas/)* is where you prioritize your ideas. This process is through dot/wow voting and criteria ranking. *Execution,* the last element of the FIRE framework, is how one turns ideas into innovation. Done through two phases; it involves testing and validation and launching the MVP (Minimum viable product). Execution is not easy. 92% of CEOs say innovation is critical to their organization, but only 35% of them have confidence in executing these ideas. ## What to Expect In my opinion, innovation consists of ideas made real. One quote I repeat all the time is, "ideas without execution are a hobby, and I'm not in the hobby business." At this point, you've ranked your ideas, but need to figure out how to make these ideas a real innovation. Going into this, you won't know all of the answers. Expect a very messy process because there might not be a clear path from point A to point B. It would help if you were adaptable and ready to learn things. It would be best if you innovated around the idea frequently. Be ok with an unexpected outcome, as it is an experiment. Innovation projects have to be measured differently than a typical product development project. One of the measurements of success is learning throughout the process. Stay away from [innovation antibodies](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/). Innovation causes conflict, prompting these antibodies to come out. These include ego response (stepping on someone's toes), fatigue (people who have tried and failed at it before), no risk response (CFO or legal counsel), comfort response (we don't need to change). ## Steps of Execution The first step to making an idea real is creating the pitch. The pitch is your way to tell the story around your idea, also known as [strategic storytelling](https://www.philmckinney.com/better-ways-to-co-innovation-and-strategic-storytelling/). The key is to tell your idea's story so that they see what life will be like when your idea is delivered. The second step is to create the funnel. There are four funnel gates: *market validation, customer validation, limited launch, and global launch*. The key here is to convey the point that not all the ideas will go forward. *Market validation* is where you ask if the problem exists. One way to do this is through gorilla idea validation. Talk to people you don't know to get brutally honest feedback rather than people you know, who might tell you what you want to hear. *Customer validation* is where you see if your idea solves the customer's problem. I use the Michelle test. I would take a product we built at HP and bring it home and leave it on the counter for my wife. She would take it out of the box and use it, giving it her honest evaluation. My wife is not a technology person to receive some solid feedback from a different perspective. A *limited launch* is where you launch in a limited space. I use the buy test to build a product and advertise it, putting it into retail stores like a real launch. When people try to buy it, you give it to them for free in return for their feedback. *Global launch* is where you put your pedal to the medal and push the product out. At this point, you've gone through all of the steps and should have confidence in your product's success. ## Summary This week's show focused on taking all of your ideas and making them real. Many innovators have great ideas but struggle to find funding. There could be an issue with their [pitch](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-parts-to-an-innovation-pitch-for-your-idea-s11-ep50/). Learn and readjust the pitch, and understand all of the elements that go into it. When Steve Jobs and Apple worked on the iPhone, the product was ready three years before the launch. They knew that they needed to wait to get a faster processor and another generation of touch screens. They had the discipline and patience to wait, which paid off in the long run. I use the lean canvas to help me and my team stay on track and stay focused. The innovation lean canvas is in place of a typical plan. It is an overview of the critical areas at a glance, which frequently updates as the product evolves. We will discuss the lean canvas in a further episode of the show, so stay tuned. Check out the Disruptive Ideation Workshop [here](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) to teach your team the FIRE framework. If you are interested in learning more about execution or want information from previous shows, check out all the free downloadable material I put together [here](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com). [Download FREE Resources on Ideation](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com) To know more about ranking and prioritizing the best ideas, listen to this week's show: [**Execution - Turning Ideas Into Innovations**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Execution%5F-%5FTurning%5FIdeas%5FInto%5FInnovations.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Select the Best Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-select-the-best-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:25.000Z This week's show is a continuation of the series I've done on the innovation framework [FIRE](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/). We have discussed focus and ideation in previous shows. We will discuss the part of the innovation framework known as ranking, which helps you prioritize the best ideas you or your team generate. ## Ranking Innovation is about challenging an industry's assumptions, questioning what we think we know about our customers, and being open to new ideas. When it comes to the framework, it is not the process. Instead, it defines the elements that you need to structure your process around. We use the **FIRE** framework. The focus area has to be defined or come up with ideas that aren't impactful. Next is [ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/), which is generating ideas. **Ideation** establishes the framework, and you can use whatever process you want to generate those ideas. The use of **ranking** is for identifying the best ideas out of the group. Ideas without **execution** are a hobby, and we are not in the hobby business. So why is ranking so important? Let's say management asks your team to come up with some new ideas. You write some things down on a flip chart, and someone types them up and emails them out. Typically, this method results in nothing, as there are too many broad ideas. Ranking helps you find the best ideas and zeroes you in on them. ## Ranking Selection Process The purpose of [ranking](https://beyondtheobvious.com/idea-ranking/?ref=philmckinney.com) is to identify the best ideas to execute and move forward. The first key to ranking is leveraging the wisdom of the crowd. First, make sure to select a [diverse group](https://www.philmckinney.com/does-neural-diversity-hiring-impact-your-innovation-success/) of people who have had different experiences. I have my teams ideate and rank at the same time. I have found that you get the best results with a minimum of eight people. The key to ranking is to avoid bias by eliminating executive influence. Vote unanimously. There are two types of ranking: dot voting (where you put a dot on the idea you think is most important), and criteria ranking (defined set of selection questions with some scoring structure). Dot voting is done within fifteen minutes and without talking. Each person gets four dots and places them wherever and however they want. Select the four to five ideas with the most dots and move forward with them. ## Criteria Ranking The first part of criteria ranking is to define the criteria. Firstly, you need to find the must-have elements of your idea. One way to do this is to look back on your products or services that were successful. Think about what questions you would have asked yourself to give you the ideas that led you to that successful product or idea. Secondly, you need to ask what elements your leadership team is going to look at. Your [leadership team](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-leadership-struggles-i-had-to-overcome/) is going to be part of this, so you need to meet their criteria. It needs to be constrained and structured the right way with a small number of questions (4-6). I use five questions: the first three are the must-haves for the product's success, and the bottom two are the questions that leadership will use to constitute success. - Question 1: Does this idea improve customer experience or expectations? Does it solve a problem, save money, create money, etc.? - Question 2: Does it fundamentally change the companies place competitively in the market? - Question 3: Does this idea radically change the economic structure of the industry? You'll rarely have an idea that is a "yes" for all three. - Question 4: Does your company have a contribution to make? - Question 5: Will the idea generate a sufficient margin? Score each question from zero to five, zero being a no, and five a resounding yes. You can apply this process by setting aside thirty minutes and assigning a value of 1-5 to each of your questions. Transfer your score to the team's ranking board and total up the score. ## The Best Ideas Ranking is critical in making sure you are working on the right and best ideas. Let's recap the key ideas of ranking. Firstly, leverage the wisdom of the crowd. Get a diverse team if you can. If you are a lone [innovator](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-and-the-creative-mindset/), recruit some people you respect and bring them together to help you. You want a minimum of eight people, and you want to avoid bias within the group. Voting should be anonymous, so people feel like they can give honest and good feedback. Establish your criteria, which will help you make a selection that increases the likelihood of your success. Use the two types of ranking in conjunction (Dot and criteria). Trust the wisdom of the crowd and the criteria you have established. All of this fits into the FIRE framework, which is utilized by more than two thousand organizations. If you are interested in learning more about ranking or want information from previous shows, check out all the free downloadable material I put together [here](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com). [Download FREE Resources on Ideation](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com) To know more about ranking and prioritizing the best ideas, listen to this week's show: *[*How to Select the Best Ideas*](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FSelect%5Fthe%5FBest%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*.** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation and The Creative Mindset URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-and-the-creative-mindset/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:24.000Z This week’s guest is also an [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-5g-capabilities/) guru, and has been around for years. Jeff DeGraff, known as the “Dean of Innovation,” is a business professor at the University of Michigan, He is an author and a respected thought leader on innovation. We will discuss social responsibility and his new book, “The Creative Mindset.” ## Jeff’s Background After graduating from grad school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Jeff met a man who worked for someone who owned a twenty-million-dollar pizza company— *Domino’s*. He turned down a job offer from an Ivy League school to join the team. Five years later, they sold the company for five-billion-dollars to Mitt Romney. Not long after, Jeff was recruited to teach at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He didn’t want to teach MBAs because he thought they were dull and drab, but that is why they wanted him there. ## Two Faces of Innovation Innovation creates concave value or things that are presently manifesting and convex value—long-term issues. These types have to be measured entirely differently. People tend to think about innovation from the tangible side of it. In places like Iowa State, they have substantial innovation impacts, but no one sees them because they are research influence-based and not tangible products. Consumers tend to see only the result. When it comes to a [COVID-19](https://www.philmckinney.com/covid-19-innovations-from-scuba-to-medical-face-mask-with-3d-printing/) vaccine in the U.S, many different startups and big pharmaceutical companies have been working and building off of old research to create one. They have to figure out how to make billions of doses of the vaccine once completed. It’s a lot more complicated than people think it is. Big innovation is composed of a lot of moving parts. ## The Creative Mindset Jeff grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood and in an age of innovation viewed as a social responsibility. There are many creativity books out there nowadays. They are what Jeff calls “new age-y.” In his book, he took what he thought was the real research on [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/will-ai-replace-human-creativity/) and put it in layman’s terms for everyone to use. *The Creative Mindset* focuses on taking ordinary things and making them extraordinary. Jeff wants to re-install the old way of building things through developing learning and trying new things. He uses what he calls the six skills through the mnemonic device CREATE (Clarify, Replicate, Elaborate, Associate, Translate, and Evaluate). The book gives tools in a simplified form to somebody trying to grow and make something better. I got invited to do a keynote speech for Vail Resorts several years ago. With a raise of hands, I asked how many people think of themselves as creative. It was quite a shock to see that many people didn’t raise their hands. People think it takes a select type of person to be creative, which is not true. We all have natural strengths that vary from person to person. The object is to [recognize your strength](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/), build on it, and find other people with different strengths. ## Advice for the Listeners People refer to Jeff as the “Dean of Innovation.” When he went to work at Domino’s, people often threw challenging problems at him. When he got to the University of Michigan, some of his students went on to be famous. The name stuck. As far as advice goes, Jeff says that [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/6-hour-workday-better-innovation/) happens from the outside-in, like a bell curve. Its easier to change 20% of the company’s 80% than changing 80% of its 20%. Secondly, diversity your gene pool. All the people in Jeff’s labs are different than him. Thirdly, give as much as you can away to people. By doing this, you'll build a network and become a better human being— and fulfill your social responsibility. If you want to keep up to date with what Jeff DeGraff is doing, check out his website [here](https://jeffdegraff.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out Jeff’s LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/degraffjeff?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out his new book on creativity [here](https://jeffdegraff.com/book/the-creative-mindset/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: Jeff DeGraff Jeff DeGraff is both an advisor to Fortune 500 companies and a professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. His simultaneously creative and pragmatic approach to making innovation happen has led clients and colleagues to dub him the “Dean of Innovation.” He has written several books, including *Leading Innovation, Innovation You*, and *The Innovation Code*. He has a regular segment on public radio called The Next Idea. Jeff also founded the Innovatrium, an innovation consulting firm focusing on creating an innovation culture, capability, and community. Inc., Fortune, and Psychology Today, hve covered his thoughts on innovation. Jeff earned his nickname, the “Dean of Innovation,” while working as an executive for Domino’s Pizza in his youth, where he accelerated Domino’s growth from a regional success story to an international franchise phenomenon. To know about the social duty of innovation and the creative mindset, listen to this week's show: **[Innovation and The Creative Mindset](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5Fand%5FThe%5FCreative%5FMindset.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation in 5G Capabilities URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-in-5g-capabilities/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:24.000Z Our guest this week comes from a similar industry as mine. We share many mutual connections. Mo Katibeh, the EVP-Chief Product & Platform Officer of AT&T Business, joins us to discuss 5G innovations. He's on the show to discuss about what is real versus what is hype when it comes to innovation in 5G capabilities, as well as give some advice for the listeners. ## Mo's Background Mo's parents left Iran right before the revolution in 1978 and came to the U.K. He moved to the U.S in 1991, where his parents bought and ran some sandwich stores. From the age of 13, he was working at the stores and learned about working with customers. Fast forward to today, Mo has been with AT&T for almost nineteen years. He loves AT&T because of how diverse they are with what they do. You can do something different every single year, and you are always learning new things. For Mo, that has included managing call centers, construction, and engineering, building up the LTE network, financial planning, product management for cybersecurity, marketing, etc. Similar to Mo, my employment started at a young age. My mom managed a bowling alley and was a professional bowler. I worked at the alley often. It was great to see what working was about at such a young age, and I gained great experience. Always heavily invested in innovation, AT&T has an astounding legacy. They were one of the first companies in the world to put a lot of work into a corporate research group/fundamental science outside of product development. They pioneered these processes for the sake of advancing the knowledge of humankind. ## AT&T and COVID-19 Voice, arguably the oldest innovation when thinking about communications network, experienced skyrocketing growth due to [COVID-19](https://www.philmckinney.com/game-changing-esport-innovations-during-covid-19/). Peak use days are usually holidays such as Mother's Day or New Years' Eve. During the beginning of COVID, that level of network usage was seen[ every day](https://www.philmckinney.com/6-hour-workday-better-innovation/) across the country. Humans are social beings naturally, so when you're sheltering in place, you tend to get lonely. Work also shifted from central to distributed locations, which added to the high level of network usage. When the movement started in China, AT&T was able to get a heads up on what was coming before it shifted into Europe and the U.S. They were able to prepare and work with their large enterprise customers to help with the oncoming challenges of COVID. ## Innovation in 5G When people think about innovation in 5G, they often think of speed. Speed is a part of it, but when thinking about it from an innovation and business lens, it's essential to look at the other capabilities. The first one is latency or how quickly the network responds to a command. One promise of 5G is driving down latency from hundredths of milliseconds to sub-ten milliseconds. Another key promise is massive connectivity, where you can connect a million things per access point. This technology will genuinely reshape the fabric of this next decade. Many people think about innovation as that next big thing but often done in incremental steps. When it comes to 5G, there has been a lot of "hype" around it. In healthcare, a robot doing surgery on someone would be hype because it is far in the future. What is available now is moving around large files more effectively from an MRI machine to a doctor using a cellular connection. In a post-COVID world, there are things like connected medicine boxes that track what medicine was used and recognizes the doctor using 4K video computer vision. Kids hate wearing medical bracelets at hospitals and like to take them off. 5G brings an [IoT](https://www.philmckinney.com/where-is-iot-going/) bracelet that offers peace of mind to the parent and has different fun designs. ## Advice for the Listeners If Moe went back to the beginning of his career, he would tell himself three things. Firstly, in everything you do, look for how you drive step-function improvement. Find how to materially change the outcomes in every job tied to whatever your key performance indicator is. Secondly, make sure you communicate how you drive that improvement inside your specific role. Lastly, be a good human being. Look out for the people you work with and share what you have learned. When you become a leader, look out for your [team](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/), and create a culture that is balanced and flexible. If you want to keep up to date with what Mo is doing at AT&T, check out his LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mokatibeh?challengeId=AQHJ5zBhd-PV5gAAAXSzbV79vZ8eMPnoipq7SO2uaWnTVMkl8PrEO%5FUMqKBr-bcNWFi7yTHzdajKOmaWbD3ejumfrExpeD7jRw&submissionId=8cd04990-d7f6-3616-ef1b-e0b745d01014&ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: Mo Katibeh Mo Katibeh is the EVP-Chief Product & Platform Officer of AT&T Business. He has responsibility for the group's portfolio-wide P&L with $36 billion of annual revenue and its cutting-edge integrated platforms, products, and solutions, including Mobility, 5G, Edge Compute, Internet of Things, SD-WAN, cybersecurity, cloud connectivity, and wholesale. He also oversees pricing, distribution [strategy](https://www.philmckinney.com/using-strategy-to-create-innovation-advantage/), compensation, analytics, and AT&T Business's digital platforms and portals. Previously, Mo served as EVP-Chief Marketing Officer for AT&T Business, where he was responsible for marketing strategies, including branding, advertising, and global events. His team created the award-winning Edge-to-Edge advertising and marketing campaign, highlighting AT&T Business's ability to provide an entire range of services to business customers. During this time, Mo was named to Forbes The World's Most Influential CMOs 2019 list, citing his work around 5G in business. A 19-year veteran at AT&T, Mo draws on a wealth of experience in technology. The expertise ranges from cybersecurity, omnichannel digital strategy, long-range technology, and financial planning. There's also deep operational expertise across call centers, field force management, construction and engineering, and customer experience improvements. To know about the latest innovation in 5G capabilities, listen to this week's show: **[Innovation in 5G Capabilities](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5Fin%5F5G%5FCapabilities%5F.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Ideation - How to Generate More and Better Ideas URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-how-to-generate-more-and-better-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:08:58.000Z This week’s show covers an area that is critical to your innovation success. Ideation is the act of generating ideas, which is part of the FIRE ([Focus, Ideation, Ranking, Execution](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/)) framework that we use to help discover ideas and lead to disruptive innovations.We will break down FIRE and discuss ideation and the process of our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-create-a-disruptive-ideation-workshop/). ## FIRE In the past, we have covered the four elements of the innovation framework, consisting of focus, ideation, ranking, and execution. Focus is the area that you set up processes and ways of collecting info that identifies problem areas. Ideation is where you create a funnel of ideas and collect them. The Ranking is where you take this collection and score the ideas based on their impact and importance. Execution is where you take the best ideas and experiment to see what your outcome can be. FIRE is a framework that is used by many organizations that tailor it to their specific wants and needs. We will discuss the ideation aspect of FIRE. ## Ideation Ideation needs to consist of a type of idea that is being targeted. There are killer ideas, which are breakthroughs and create an advantage that makes the entire marketplace react. These are giant leaps forward and will shock the existing market. Incremental ideas are improvements in product quality, new features, etc., and happen over time. You need to be clear with your team where your focus will be on the type of idea. I like to use tools that help trigger ideas. We use the [Killer Questions Card Deck](https://innovation.tools/products/killer-questions-card-deck?ref=philmckinney.com) that focuses on questions based on the who (customer), the what (innovating product), and the how (organizational transitions that need to be made). Think about the questions you want to ask in ideation activities. You need to prepare for this and come to it from multiple different angles. There is feature versus function ideation. An example of a feature is to design a better cup. An example of a function is to design a better way to carry liquids. It would be best if you focus on coming up with complete ideas. ## Ideation Workshop Process Let’s walk through the exact process I take people through during our ideation workshops. Firstly, we start with [individual ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/individual-ideation-versus-team-ideation/). We use sticky notes and put one idea on each sticky note. We spend about twenty minutes working on this, and you want to get 20 good ideas. Next, we use a process called SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse). Search SCAMPER under Google for more info or check it out on [Killerinnovations.com](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-use-scamper-to-greatly-improve-your-product/). At this point, it is still an individual activity. Done for about ten minutes, you will want to come up with five more ideas here. Now, you take your twenty-five ideas and briefly explain them to everyone else in your group or team. If there are two similar ideas, clump them together. If someone’s idea triggers a new idea, add it to the group of ideas. Now we move on to team ideation. One at a time, someone chooses another’s idea that they think is important and exciting. Then, they build upon that person’s idea and help improve it. The process should be done quickly and without any form of criticism. ## Conclusion At this point, you should have a collection of good ideas grouped by similarity. When you combine a tool like SCAMPER (individual ideation) with team ideation, you will generate around 30% more ideas out of your ideation- as compared to doing team ideation and individual ideation separately. If you are interested in learning more about ideation or want information from previous shows, check out all the free downloadable material I put together [here](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com). If you want to host a disruptive ideation workshop for your organization, check out the website [here](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). [Download FREE Resources on Ideation](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com) To know about generating more and better ideas, listen to this week's show: **[Ideation - How to Generate More and Better Ideas](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Ideation%5F-%5FHow%5Fto%5FGenerate%5FMore%5Fand%5FBetter%5FIdeas.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 6-Hour Workday = Better Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/6-hour-workday-better-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:24.000Z This week’s guest offers some excellent knowledge about productivity and having your priorities in place. Steve Glaveski, CEO and Co-Founder of Collective Campus, joins us to discuss prioritizing high-value work. We talk about his view of the 6-hour workday, and [how it helps](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/) to better innovation. ## Steve’s Background Steve went through the motions of getting his degree and climbing the corporate ladder, chasing what society associates with success. He worked for companies such as KPMG and Ernst and Young and found himself miserably comfortable while in his late twenties. Despite reaching these levels of success, but Steve felt it wasn’t doing what he was called to do. He decided to give it all away and pursue [entrepreneurship](https://www.philmckinney.com/no-entrepreneur-is-an-island-mentoring-networking-sharing-s13-ep52/), which led him to co-found Collective Campus, launch other ventures, and write multiple books. The inspiration behind the work he does is helping organizations and people unlock their potential to create an impact in the world and lead more fulfilling lives. One of his ventures is a company called Lemonade Stand that donates a license to children from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas for every license they sell to the developed world. It works as a software service platform that walks kids aged 10-15 through the entrepreneurial life cycle. When it comes to licenses, they work with schools, governments, and individuals. ## The 6-hour workday Steve has a lot on his plate with all the ventures he runs. People often say you can’t do more than one thing if you want to do it well. According to Steve, it is based on how you go about doing things. If you are intentional about getting rid of unnecessary tasks and [focus on the high-value work](https://www.philmckinney.com/using-strategy-to-create-innovation-advantage/), you will get a lot done and innovate better. Steve reflects monthly and quarterly on how he spends his time, whether it’s his daily tasks or when he’s working on products. A couple of years ago, Steve and his team ran a 6-hour workday experiment to get more done in less time. The shorter timeframe forced them to do away with meetings/outsource and focus on the high-value work. After the experiment, they discovered that productivity was the same if not higher. People had more time to do things outside of the office. ## Time Rich: Do Your Best Work, Live Your Best Life Steve’s book is about changing the 8-hour workday. This workday traces back to the last eighty years or so and has acted as a baseline. As the recent times, the nature of work has changed. Work has shifted to more of a cognitive work over purely physical work. A recent study on scientists found that the ones who worked 20 hours a week were twice as [productive](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-optimal-innovation-team-size-is/) as their peers who worked 35 hours a week. Even less productive were the scientists who worked 60 hours a week. You might think more hours equals more output, but in reality, you aren’t able to recover and recharge to innovate better. There are many distractions these days, such as social media, which tends to distract us and hinder our productivity. At CableLabs, we have an unlimited vacation policy for our staff. With this option, people can manage their own time and schedules, so they don’t get burned out and lose focus. ## Advice for the Listeners Money can always be earned back after it gets spent, but time cannot. When you say yes to something, you are saying no to a whole lot of other things. We need to be frugal with how we spend our time. A lot of people say yes to everything which causes them problems. The key to saying no is based on what you truly value and what your goals are. Stay aligned with your values and plans to be successful and innovate better. ## About our Guest: Steve Glaveski Steve Glaveski is an entrepreneur, author, and podcast host whose mission is to unlock the latent potential of people so that they can create more impact for humanity and lead more fulfilling lives. He is the CEO of Collective Campus, an innovation accelerator based in Melbourne and Singapore. He also founded Lemonade Stand, a children’s entrepreneurship program, and edtech platform, and during COVID-19 lockdowns, established NOFilter Media. Steve is the author of multiple books and hosts the award-winning podcast the Future Squared. If you want to keep updated with what Steve and Collective Campus is doing, check out his website [here](https://www.steveglaveski.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out his book [here](https://www.timerichbook.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about time, productivity, and the 6-hour workday, listen to this week's show: **[6-Hour Workday = Better Innovation](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/6-Hour%5FWorkday%5F%5FBetter%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### AI Opens on Broadway URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ai-opens-on-broadway/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:23.000Z This week's guest applies [AI innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/) to an industry where you usually wouldn't think it can be possible. Micah Hollingworth, the CEO & Co-founder of Broadw.ai, joins us for a discussion. On the show, we will discuss AI in the theater industry and what Micah and Broadw.ai are doing to change the game. ## Micah's Background Micah grew up in rural Massachusetts and had a passion for theater at a young age. He ended up attending UMass Amherst, which was the total opposite experience of his rural upbringing. His time at UMass Amherst set him up on a path to entrepreneurship and technology. The program wasn't focused on performance but took a more generalist approach, which was similar to starting a startup. From an initial idea, raising capital, and then working to find the audience. [Working together as a team](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/) is very important because even if one show isn't successful, there is no knowing if the next one will be as well. Everyone always thinks there is a secret formula to success, but in reality, there isn't. One can never know what the audience will think about a product until it is put out there. Look at the famous show Hamilton for example. If someone pitched it to investors in an elevator, they would probably have no interest in it. That's just how the industry works. Being comfortable in uncertainty is key. ## AI in the Theater Industry Differentiating the experience is key to drawing in crowds. When the theater industry looks to [innovate](https://www.philmckinney.com/using-strategy-to-create-innovation-advantage/), they are often stuck with a lot of constraints. They have limited space and often have old, worn-down buildings. They focus on creating a special experience that is deep and powerful so that the fan is willing to accept things like waiting in lines to get tickets. There is a lot of competition for live events. People only have so many hours in the day and a limited attention span. You have to be where your fans are. It's not as simple as just putting up a website. Shows are typically not selling their shows directly. They often rent a property, like a stadium, and use a ticketing system that they don't have full control over. Broadw.ai helps partners find what they are looking for in tickets and at a specific price-point in a personalized way. In most cases, the partner is the event producer of a show. They aren't a ticket reseller or broker. They are just facilitating the sale and generating data for the event producer to see what most people are looking for. ## Broadw.ai Micah never thought he would end up in the tech field, given his background. His last employment opportunity was with Jujamcyn Theaters as the VP of Company Operations. During this time, he met a company called Satisfi Labs that pitched them an idea for an [AI product](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/) in large arenas. This product would use location services to help people find things near them or ask questions if needed. They didn't have much of a use of this product, as Broadway theaters are generally tiny. His current partner, Jon Scott, asked what would happen if they used this approach for selling tickets. Micah jumped on the idea and got to work. He brought it up to the owner and was encouraged to take steps to do it. Micah and his team branched off and raised funds to launch their own company and invested some of the funds into Satisfi and their partnership. ## Advice for the Listeners Micah says that any good idea will take time. One needs to be [patien](https://www.philmckinney.com/patience-15-years-bring-innovation-market/)t. In the tech world, processes are rarely complete. It would help if you had a long-term focus to get to where you want to be. As innovators, we can often see the result. However, the path to get there is never straight. It would be best if you worked with people that are smarter than you and often challenge you to keep up. ## About our Guest: Micah Hollingworth As CEO and Co-Founder of Broadw.ai and two decades of experience in creating, operating, and marketing live events, Micah is an innovator in the entertainment space. With Broadw.ai, Micah has recreated the audience experience, moving the customer conversation to the web from the box office window. If you want to keep up with what Micah is doing, check out his [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollingworth?ref=philmckinney.com) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/BroadwaiNYC?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out his website [here](https://www.broadw.ai/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about the applicable use of AI in the theater industry, listen to this week's show: **[AI Opens on Broadway](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/AI%5FOpens%5Fon%5FBroadway.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 4 Required Elements of an Innovation Framework URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/4-required-elements-of-an-innovation-framework-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:23.000Z Many organizations have weak innovation frameworks, which weaken their overall effectiveness. Innovation efforts require a structure (framework) to stay organized and for successful execution. This week, we'll look at an innovation framework that I use and have used throughout my career, known as FIRE. We'll also discuss how you can use this framework within your organization. ## Framework Versus Process Think of a framework as the components needed to empower your team to be highly successful within innovation. Innovation frameworks and processes are not the same things. A framework is a construct that all organizations understand they need to have. A [process](https://www.philmckinney.com/importance-of-the-innovation-process/) is built on top of the framework to do the individual elements. I am not a big fan of processes as they rarely work because they require tailoring to the individual organization. In the past, organizations have tried to use the process that I used at HP. Kroger used it, and Stanford and Harvard's business schools teach it. If you pick up this process and use it, you will not be successful. The process needs specific tailoring to work for you. Each organization requires a unique procedure, as each one has unique structures, needs, and resources. ## FIRE A framework gives your team a mental model for conversations, motivation, and overall understanding. Here are four vital elements needed in every innovation framework: ### Focus: Focus defines and researches the opportunity or problem area where you are going to point your team. It would be best if you investigate and determine the focus area. I create a list of 4-6 areas of focus with my team. Next, you need to create a [problem statement](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think-crafting-the-problem-statement/) that drives people to find a solution. Creating a problem statement is not a straightforward task, but it is vital. With a problem statement, you will increase the quantity and quality of your ideas. ### Ideation: Based on your focus, create a funnel of ideas that address the opportunity or problem. The funnel is where you generate your ideas. Step one is to do both individual and team ideation. I have found that when you combine both [individual and team ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/individual-ideation-versus-team-ideation/), you increase the quality of your ideas by 30%. Step two is grouping the ideas. You can use Jamboard or post-it notes to bring those ideas together and generate that funnel. You want to capture all those ideas and make sure nothing gets thrown out. ### Ranking: This is the element that most innovation frameworks leave out. The driver for [ranking](https://www.philmckinney.com/ranking-your-ideas-how-to-make-sure-you-are-working-on-the-best-ideas/) is to use it to identify the best ideas based on specific criteria. The goal is to create criteria to identify a ranked list so that you can take the top two or three ideas. I teach a two-stage ranking process. The first stage is what I call the "wow stage." We give everyone five dots and walk up to the list of ideas and puts their dots on ideas they think are the best. Next, you have criteria ranking, which varies by organization. It would help if you did the ranking in the same session as the "wow stage." ### Execution: You have to drive [execution](https://www.philmckinney.com/execution-translating-ideas-to-innovations/), which is very specific to an organization. It would be best if you had a test/experimentation on the idea. Next, have an experimentation culture that is continuously experimenting and getting feedback. Last, get a minimally viable product into the customer's hands. ## Innovation Framework Let's review what we learned about the innovation framework. I refer to this framework as the FIRE (Focus, Ideation, Ranking, and Execution) framework. When you bring these elements together, you have all the components needed to be effective in your innovation efforts. Each of these requires a process that is unique to your organization. If you don't have these four elements, you are fooling yourself. Used by thousands of organizations around the world, this framework is what I use and teach. A part of the bigger picture known as [box think](https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think/) where the framework shows us to view things through fresh eyes. If you want to check out the diagrams from this show, as well as other materials from previous shows, click the link [here](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about innovation framework and FIRE, listen to this week's show: **[4 Required Elements of an Innovation Framework](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/4%5FRequired%5FElements%5Fof%5Fan%5FInnovation%5FFramework.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Box Think - Crafting The Problem Statement URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think-crafting-the-problem-statement/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:20.000Z Crafting well-written problem statements that focus the idea of creation are critical. Albert Einstein said, "If I only had one hour to save the world, I would spend fifty-five minutes defining the problem, and five minutes finding the solution." This week, we will discuss combining [out of the box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-1/) with [inside the box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/inside-the-box-thinking/), and how this can be used to create problem statements and solve your problems. ## Problem Statements Well-defined problem statements are freeing because they allow a team to innovate within certain guardrails. [The goal](https://www.philmckinney.com/four-steps-to-better-brainstorm-problem-statements/) of a problem statement is to solve a problem, remove a barrier, or improve an experience. One key characteristic of a problem statement is that it has to be solvable. It's not just about solving the problem but being able to define it within the confines of your resources. Some problem validation questions need to be applied. Firstly, do you think it is a problem or is it a problem? If you think it's a problem, chances are it might not be. You are not a proxy for your customers. You have to prove that it is a problem by getting feedback from your customers. Secondly, find out how often this problem occurs and how long it has been occurring. The elements of a problem statement focus on three key areas: who the customer is, what the problem is, and why it is important. - **Who is the customer –** Who is the target? Outline the broad or narrow customer segments. You need to define and describe the customer. - **What is the problem** – Define the problem that is occurring. - **Why –** Find out why it is crucial to solving the problem, and why you are spending time on it. ## Examples Let's look at an example of a first draft problem statement. *Middletown Hospital's current diagnosis protocol and tools are resulting in low diagnosis effectiveness/efficiency causing up to 40% of its critical care patients painful extended treatments while substantially reducing the hospital's earning potential and resource efficiency.* Let's try to make this statement more concise. M*iddletown Hospitals' current diagnosis protocol and tools are resulting in low diagnosis effectiveness/efficiency, substantially reducing the hospital's earning potential and resource efficiency.* This statement is better as effectiveness and efficiency stand out, but we can do better. *Middletown Hospitals' current diagnosis protocol and tools are resulting in low diagnosis effectiveness and efficiency, causing up to 40% of its critical care patients painful extended treatment periods.* I think this one is good because it defines the problem and why it is essential, but we're going to try to make it a little better. Up to 40% of critical care patients are experiencing painful extended treatment periods due to low diagnosis effectiveness and efficiency of current diagnosis protocols and tools. The one characteristic seen through these four examples is that they are getting shorter and more precise each time. Spending time thinking about the problem statement and making it efficient and crisp is critical. The example was an actual problem statement used to help an organization for [ideation sessions](https://www.philmckinney.com/individual-ideation-versus-team-ideation/) they wanted to host. Here is a template that I use when crafting my problem statements. The **what** (describe the problem) effects the **who** (describe the customer), **resulting in** (Describe why it's important/what the benefit is). ## Box Think Box think is doing both inside the box thinking and [out of the box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-2/). Using this process, an organization can create a complete collection of ideas that lead to better innovations. The first step of box think is to define the problem statement. Secondly, you need to identify your industry/company constraints. What are the operational rules of your company and industry? For inside the box thinking, you want to operate within those constraints. For out of the box, you want to remove those constraints and modify the problem statement accordingly. Now I am going to walk you through a real example from [when I was at HP](https://philmckinney.com/goodbye-hp-2/?ref=philmckinney.com). Our laptops are highly personal items, therefore, need to be designed and marketed to target demographics to increase sales in next year's peak selling season. The first constraint here was a time constraint. The peak selling season for laptops is the Christmas holiday season. The second constraint was the demographic that was going to be targeted. The product that ended up coming from this problem statement was a digital clutch designed by Vivienne Tam. ## Recap It would be best if you took the time to understand the problem before you expect your team to be effective at generating ideas. If you aren't sure what problems to target, you need to ideate on the problems. People tend to seek solutions when they find problems, which can be difficult. You need to ideate problems and then rank them accordingly. Set aside an hour to identify the top one or two problems, which will turn into problem statements. Crank out as many problems that you can find without worrying about solutions. Rank your problems and then allow your team to vote. After you identify your problems, choose the goal and timeline that you will apply to move forward. To know more about box think and crafting problem statements, listen to this week's show: **[Box Think - Crafting The Problem Statement.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Box%5FThink%5F-%5FCrafting%5FThe%5FProblem%5FStatement.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Box Think – Combining out of the Box and Inside the Box Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/box-think-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:22.000Z **Box Think** is doing both [inside the box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/inside-the-box-thinking/) and [out of the box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-2/). As we discussed in past shows, out of the box thinking is what most people use when they think of creative thinking. People often overlook what I call inside the box thinking and try to stay away from it. ## Out Of The Box Thinking The term “out of the box thinking” is a metaphor that means to think from a new perspective. It originally came from some management consulting firms that were trying to solve problems in new ways. The term was attached to a concept known as the nine-dot problem. When challenged to do “out of the box thinking,”, you need to utilize risk-oriented thinking. You need to take all the risk constraints out of the scenario, whether it is financial, technology-based, etc. Next, you need to rely on shared thinking. Shared thinking can be hard but is necessary to accelerate your ability to “think outside the box.” Lastly, practice reflective thinking. We all love our ideas, as they are our “babies.” In some cases, we need to take a step back and take our emotions out of it. We need to distance ourselves from our ideas and look at other views as well. Set aside time to practice all of these thinking processes, and you will be able to successfully “think outside the box.” ## Inside The Box Thinking ‘Inside the box thinking' means to innovate within the constraints defined by the box. It is more generally described as constraint-based innovation. The idea behind it is understanding your constraints and utilizing those constraints to innovate beyond the box. The box can be an organization, government, or even a team. It defines where you are operating here and now. The box can contain inside constraints that you can change. Most people tend to think that good ideas only come from out of the box thinking, which is not true. Inside the box thinking is to constrain the problem but not the potential ways of solving it. Inside the box thinking is also to constrain the atmosphere, but not the team. Inside the box thinking is [restricting the resources](https://beyondtheobvious.com/finding-ways-offer-underused-resources/?ref=philmckinney.com) but not the ways to utilize them. Constraint-based innovation is hugely powerful in limiting resources and can empower a team to create something novel. ## Box Think Box Think is the process of combining BOTH outside the box and inside the box thinking. To ensure you have a complete view of all possibilities for innovation, you need to do both and this is done by crafting problem statements that challenge the teams during ideation/brainstorming to look at the problem in both ways. For more on Box Think, then [download the free resources here.](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com) [Download FREE Resources on Box Think](https://killerinnovations.com/download-bonus-material/?ref=philmckinney.com) To know more about box think or combining BOTH outside the box and inside the box thinking, listen to this week's show: **[Box Think – Combining out of the Box and Inside the Box Thinking.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Box%5FThink%5F%5FCombining%5Fout%5Fof%5Fthe%5FBox%5Fand%5FInside%5Fthe%5FBox%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Overlooked Secret To Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-overlooked-secret-to-innovation/ Last updated: 2020-08-10T16:14:21.000Z **Note*: The following post was inspired by a series of talks I heard from [Earl Nightingale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl%5FNightingale?ref=philmckinney.com) on his monthly Insight program produced by [Nightingale Conant](https://www.nightingale.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) back in the early 1980's. I adapted and expanded his message specifically for innovators. We can all benefit from being reminded by this overlooked secret.* As a society, we have a problem. Some years ago, the late Nobel Prize winner Dr. Albert Schweitzer was asked by a reporter, “Doctor, what’s wrong with people today?” The famous doctor was silent for a moment, then he said, “People simply don’t think!” Why do some not use our brains and think? The brain is a fabulous mechanism. It is capable of processing eight hundred inputs per second for seventy-five years without exhausting itself. Scientists tell us that humans use approximately 2 percent of the brainpower available to us. We are all equal. We all have the same 2%. As a society, some of us have chosen not to use this powerful tool. We let others do our thinking for us. Why? ## **Conformity** Rollo May, the distinguished psychiatrist, wrote a book called “Man’s Search From Himself,” and in the book, he says, “The opposite of courage in our society is not [cowardice](https://www.philmckinney.com/be-brave-to-innovate/) .. it is conformity.” And there you have the reason why some people choose not to think for themselves. Conformity. > If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking. They handed over their ability to succeed and fail by conforming to others. Conformity allows them to coast through life or so they believe. They wonder why they are not as successful as others. Have you wondered why innovators are different? Innovators are anything but conformists – coasters. Innovators are driven to solve problems, to invent, to make life better for everyone. Why do innovators seem to have the magic touch? Why are Elon Musk or Dean Kamin so successful? They didn’t start out as billionaires. They started out just like the rest of us. Being a highly successful innovator is available to everyone. No constraint. No skill or ability beyond what you have available to you right now. ## **Overlooked Secret** So what is the overlooked secret to being a successful innovator? Having goals. Innovators with goals succeed because they know where they are going. They have a focus to apply their 2% of brainpower. Think of driving a car. If every time you come to a red light you make a left turn, green light you go straight, and at stop signs, you turn right. Where would you end up after driving for an hour? Who knows. Your path is randomly chosen by the timing of lights and the appearance of stop signs. If on the other hand, you have a destination and load the address into the GPS. You now have a plan to get there. While you may run into obstacles such as traffic or road closures, you can adjust your plan and still arrive at your destination. Having a goal, like a destination, is the overlooked secret to [success for innovators](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-attitude-innovation-success/). Without it, your success is based on random chance. So decide now. What is it you want? Plant your goal in your mind and commit to applying your brain’s 2% to achieving it. Do you want to invent a solution to a specific problem? Do you want to be an entrepreneur and start a business around one of your innovations? Do you want to be a famous innovation coach? To succeed, commit to that goal. Reflect on it every day, and it will become a reality. It not only will — there is no way it cannot become real. ## **Don’t Settle For Less** We are where we are, because we were willing to settle for less. What is it you are settling for? Each of us lives off the fruit of our goals, because the goals set today, tomorrow, next month, and next year will move your life and determine your future. You are guided by your goals. The moment you decide on your innovation goal, you are instantly stepping ahead of most everyone else, and you are in that rare group of people who know where you are going. You have set your destination. Do not concern yourself on how you are going to achieve your goal. Leave that to your human ingenuity, and the power of the self-conscious. All you have to do is know where you are going. The answers as to what to do next will come to you at just the right time. Setting a goal and having the tenacity to stick with it is hard. Conformity will look easy while [sticking to your goal](https://killerinnovations.com/preparing-the-next-generation-of-innovators-3-critical-skills-s11-ep2/?ref=philmckinney.com) will have its struggles and frustrations. As Frederick Crane said, “Individuality is the mark of genius. Mediocrity finds safety in conformity.” You deserve what you are willing to settle for. Are you willing to be mediocre or are you out to change the world with your ideas? ### The Overlooked Secret to Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-overlooked-secret-to-innovation-2/ Last updated: 2020-08-10T07:00:00.000Z As a society, we have a problem. Some years ago, the late Nobel Prize winner Dr. Albert Schweitzer was asked by a reporter, “Doctor, what’s wrong with people today?” The famous doctor was silent for a moment, then he said, “People simply don’t think!” Why do some not use our brains and think? The brain is a fabulous mechanism. It is capable of processing eight hundred inputs per second for seventy-five years without exhausting itself. Scientists tell us that humans use approximately 2 percent of the brainpower available to us. We are all equal. We all have the same 2%. As a society, some of us have chosen not to use this powerful tool. We let others do our thinking for us. Why? # **Conformity** Rollo May, the distinguished psychiatrist, wrote a book called “Man’s Search From Himself,” and in the book, he says, “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice .. it is conformity.” And there you have the reason why some people choose not to think for themselves. Conformity. \[QUOTE\] If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking. \[QUOTE\] They handed over their ability to succeed and fail by conforming to others. Conformity allows them to coast through life or so they believe. They wonder why they are not as successful as others. Have you wondered why innovators are different? Innovators are anything but conformists - coasters. Innovators are driven to solve problems, to invent, to make life better for everyone. Why do innovators seem to have the magic touch? Why are Elon Musk or Dean Kamin so successful? They didn’t start out as billionaires. They started out just like the rest of us. Being a highly successful innovator is available to everyone. No constraint. No skill or ability beyond what you have available to you right now. # **Overlooked Secret** So what is the overlooked secret to being a successful innovator? Having goals. Innovators with goals succeed because they know where they are going. They have a focus to apply their 2% of brainpower. Think of driving a car. If every time you come to a red light you make a left turn, green light you go straight, and at stop signs, you turn right. Where would you end up after driving for an hour? Who knows. Your path is randomly chosen by the timing of lights and the appearance of stop signs. If on the other hand, you have a destination and load the address into the GPS. You now have a plan to get there. While you may run into obstacles such as traffic or road closures, you can adjust your plan and still arrive at your destination. Having a goal, like a destination, is the overlooked secret to success for innovators. Without it, your success is based on random chance. So decide now. What is it you want? Plant your goal in your mind and commit to applying your brain’s 2% to achieving it. Do you want to invent a solution to a specific problem? Do you want to be an entrepreneur and start a business around one of your innovations? Do you want to be a famous innovation coach? To succeed, commit to that goal. Reflect on it every day, and it will become a reality. It not only will -- there is no way it cannot become real. # **Don’t Settle For Less** We are where we are, because we were willing to settle for less. What is it you are settling for? Each of us lives off the fruit of our goals, because the goals set today, tomorrow, next month, and next year will move your life and determine your future. You are guided by your goals. The moment you decide on your innovation goal, you are instantly stepping ahead of most everyone else, and you are in that rare group of people who know where you are going. You have set your destination. Do not concern yourself on how you are going to achieve your goal. Leave that to your human ingenuity, and the power of the self-conscious. All you have to do is know where you are going. The answers as to what to do next will come to you at just the right time. Setting a goal and having the tenacity to stick with it is hard. Conformity will look easy while sticking to your goal will have its struggles and frustrations. As Frederick Crane said, “Individuality is the mark of genius. Mediocrity finds safety in conformity.” You deserve what you are willing to settle for. Are you willing to be mediocre or are you out to change the world with your ideas? ### Using Strategy to Create Innovation Advantage URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/using-strategy-to-create-innovation-advantage/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:22.000Z This week’s guest has been around in the [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-use-nature-to-innovate-manufacturing/) industry for quite some time. We know a lot of the same people as we were at two companies that worked closely together. Brad Chase is an author and a former Senior VP at Microsoft. We will discuss innovation advantage through strategy and insights from his book, *Strategy First: How Businesses Win Big*. ## Early Years Brad’s stepfather used to go to Heathkit stores to find computer parts and build computers. Through this, Brad saw a lot of future potential in personal computers. He ended up going to business school, and after finishing, he interviewed with companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and HP. He ended up landing a job with Microsoft, where he spent 14 years exploring innovative advantages. While at [Microsoft](https://www.philmckinney.com/steve-guggenheimer-on-accelerating-ai/), Brad led the marketing efforts for the Windows 95 launch. It was the first operating system to help PCs go mainstream. Windows 95 ushered personal computers, Microsoft and Bill Gates into the mainstream media and technology world. ## Exploring Innovation Advantage [Brad learned a lot](https://www.philmckinney.com/why-do-87-percent-of-companies-fail-to-execute-their-strategy-s11-ep34/) about strategy from Bill Gates. At Microsoft, he learned how the company had bet on the PC. They believed there would be a PC in every home on every desk, running Microsoft software. Right away, he learned that making bets is vital to success. If you bet on the wrong thing, you fail, but if you bet on the right thing, you will have a chance at success. When Brad first started, Microsoft was doing poorly on word processing and spreadsheets and was behind its competitors. Microsoft decided to bet on a GUI (Graphical User Interface) and made a big risky bet on Windows, which turned out to be very successful. They eventually went on to become the leader in applications by using innovation advantages. Microsoft built most of their applications from the ground up. A significant difference between Microsoft and Apple was that anyone could build a Windows computer as well as applications for it. Apple was a closed ecosystem where the users were not able to do that. ## Strategy First: How Businesses Win Big When Brad was talking strategy to different businesses and MBA students, people would always ask him if he had a book. He did some research and found out there were no books that talked about strategy in a clear and easily understandable way, and that is how his book was born. The purpose of the book is to show that strategy is the most important thing to the success of a business leader and to give a model and tips about how to build a good strategy. In many organizations, the strategy can mean a thousand different things. Brad defines strategy as a plan to compete with three key elements: execution, market potential, and customer value. Customer value is the inherent value of a product or service to a customer. The market potential is generally about how much profit you can make. At [the Innovation Bootcamp](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-bootcamp/), we don’t look at financials first when evaluating an idea. We say to value the idea first on the standpoint of impact and to achieve the objective. Once you’ve identified those ideas, you build a hypothesis on what the market potential is. Some people lose focus on the idea and don’t add the strategy in, which is a bad idea. ## Advice for the Listeners Brad gives five key tips for building a new strategy in his book. The first is to seek change. Whenever there is a change in the market, such as COVID-19, there is a strategic opportunity to put innovative advantages into play. The internet, as an example, has made some businesses fail, and others succeed. Secondly, mind the gaps. Minding the gaps is about looking at the key areas of strategy and seeing where people aren’t doing well, then filling those gaps. Lastly, do a strategy off sight. First, assess your current strategy. Then, discuss where you want to take your [strategy with your team](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/). Talking things out and being aligned with a strategy is so very important. Leaders not aligned with a strategy will fail. No team sport will succeed unless everybody is on the same page. ## About our Guest: Brad Chase Brad Chase has advised leaders of businesses of many different sizes, from startups to Fortune 500 firms. Some of the companies he has worked with include GE, Telstra, VMware, Mozy (a subsidiary of EMC), Blucora, Sonos, Vizrea, and Crisply. He has also held leadership positions on the boards of many companies and nonprofit organizations, including Expedia, Ooyala, DreamBox, Brooks, Boys and Girls Clubs of King County, and The Nature Conservancy. As a public speaker, Brad has spoken about his particular theory on business strategy, Strategy First. He has talked about this innovation advantage to executives at large and small businesses, incubators, at conferences, and to students at top-flight MBA programs. Before consulting, board work, and speaking, Brad spent 14 years at Microsoft finishing his tenure as a Senior Vice President and Executive Officer managing a team of over 4,000. If you want to keep updated with what Brad is doing, check out his website, and book [here](https://www.bradchase.net/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out his LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradchase2?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about using strategy as an innovation advantage, listen to this week's show: [**Using Strategy to Create Innovation Advantage**.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Using%5FStrategy%5Fto%5FCreate%5FInnovation%5FAdvantage.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### How to Use Nature to Innovate Manufacturing URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-use-nature-to-innovate-manufacturing/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:21.000Z This week’s show is a follow up of a recent episode we did about [3D printing](https://www.philmckinney.com/covid-19-innovations-from-scuba-to-medical-face-mask-with-3d-printing/). A lot of the listeners were interested in learning more about the overall tools and techniques of 3D printing. Andy Roberts, Vice President, inventor, and lead developer of Live Parts™ at Desktop Metal, joins us to discuss 3D printing and how they seek to innovate manufacturing processes. ## Background Andy Roberts was in the software industry for many years before getting involved with 3D printing. Eventually, he wanted to be involved in something more tangible, like [manufacturing.](https://www.philmckinney.com/manufacturing-innovation-using-ai/) When Desktop Metal started, he saw an opportunity to innovate manufacturing by mixing software with hardware through 3D printing technology. I have a little background in subtractive manufacturing, or building by removing material. My father worked at an old milling machine company. I find additive manufacturing, or construction by adding material, very interesting. The technology allows parts to be made in ways that they weren’t able to be made before. The creation of finished or near-finished products makes the technology quite sophisticated. Desktop Metal is building printers for the creation of products, as well as the software for people to use them properly. Good software is essential. If a user is not from a manufacturing background, the software will still allow them to create quality parts. ## Live PartsTM Andy was interested in innovating manufacturing by creating new design tools for engineers. One day, he was looking out a window and watching trees blow in the wind. Thinking about nature, he asked how no one designs a tree. One plants a seed, then it grows and adapts on its own. Andy started studying cells and how individual cells grow and take the form of different shapes. He created a prototype design tool based on this process. While it seemed like a cool idea twelve years ago, the [technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-ethical-boundaries-of-technology/) was not there, so Andy put it on the shelf and pursued other ventures. Desktop Metal started four years later. He reached out to them to help build this software through 3D printing. The process begins with an assembly of existing parts. You then designate the regions that have to connect to different parts and send the information to the system. You need to specify the material which defines the strength of the parts. The system knows to get rid of excess material for less weight or to add material for more strength. ## Innovating Manufacturing Processes Andy walked us through a video showing the process of a skateboard being created by Live PartsTM. The parts were shown growing to fill in the regions connecting the pieces. Next, they went through a process of adapting, in which old cells were killed off, and new cells were spawned. The analysis of the part simultaneously takes place as the part grows, similarly to what happens in nature. When it comes to different materials, the parts can be very different. Engineers have the opportunity to choose different materials and change them during the process based on their wants. The parts react just like living cells and adapt accordingly, which is how Live PartsTM has innovated manufacturing through 3D printing. ## Advice for the Listeners In the innovator space, there is a lot of interest in rapid prototyping [to get ideas tangible](https://www.philmckinney.com/inside-the-box-thinking/). Many innovators have the ideas but don’t have a mechanical background or any experience with 3D printing. Andy recommends that innovators get their feet wet with 3D printing in some capacity. If you work for an organization that has access to printing materials such as plastic or polymer, start using them. Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of using 3D printing technologies. A common misconception is that you push a button and it starts printing things. There are a lot of details and constraints that will affect your design when you are attempting to [innovate](https://www.philmckinney.com/audio-innovations-you-can-hear/) manufacturing. Involvement in not about buying a 3D printer. There are a lot of places that have access to 3D printers so you can get started. ## About our Guest: Andy Roberts Andy Roberts is Vice President, inventor and lead developer of Live Parts™, a new generative design tool at Desktop Metal. The tool uses morphogenetic principles to enable engineers and designers to quickly realize the benefits of additive manufacturing, including material and cost efficiency, and design flexibility. A graduate of Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology with extensive experience at leading technology innovators such as Parametric Technology Corp., Ab Initio, Azuki Systems, and IBM, Andy has a proven track record of bringing to market successful products for engineers and developers. If you want to keep updated with what Andy is doing with Live Parts, check out Desktop Metal’s website [here](https://www.desktopmetal.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about 3D printing and using nature to innovate manufacturing, listen to this week's show: **[How to Use Nature to Innovate Manufacturing](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/How%5Fto%5FUse%5FNature%5Fto%5FInnovate%5FManufacturing.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Audio Innovations You Can Hear URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/audio-innovations-you-can-hear/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:21.000Z Download [Audio\_Innovations\_You\_Can\_Hear.mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Audio%5FInnovations%5FYou%5FCan%5FHear.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) This week’s guest [innovates](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lessons-from-bose/) in an area that most view as already being innovated to its max potential. This view can’t be further from the truth, as this innovator and his team have made game-changing new products. Dave Fabry, Chief Innovation Officer at Starkey, joins us to discuss the innovation of hearing aids. We will discuss audio innovations and what Dave and Starkey are doing to advance hearing aids technology. ## Dave’s Background Dave is not the typical CIO, as he didn’t come from a tech background. Growing up, he wanted to be a veterinarian and found audiology while on that path. In the early 1980s, Dave went to the Mayo Clinic as an extern, and fell in love with clinical practice and working one-on-one with those who suffered from bad hearing but were reluctant to use aids. After getting his PHD., he went on to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he got direct exposure to acoustic pathology that many soldiers struggle with. Later in his career, he switched over from the clinical side of audiology to the industry side, and that eventually lead him to Starkey. ## Hearing Aid Technology In the U.S, only one in three people that need hearing aids wear them. If people become complacent with that, they leave room for a newcomer to disrupt. The mission at Starkey is to self-[disrupt](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) the market while still focusing on its core strategy of better hearing. They wanted to provide the first hearing aid with employed sensors connected to the internet. Starkey aims to turn hearing aids from something that people have to wear, into something they want to have and wear. On the show, we have talked about battling [innovation antibodies](https://www.philmckinney.com/8-ways-to-deal-with-innovation-antibodies-who-are-blocking-you-s12-ep10/), and how people deal with their innovation antibodies in an organization. At Starkey, Dave challenges himself to look at what the needs of the patient are rather than what his perspective would lead him to believe. He wears the products at times and works directly with patients when working on new technology. Many organizations view innovation programs as lab-oriented activities. You need to get out there and [see first-hand what the customer is interested in](https://www.philmckinney.com/inside-the-box-thinking/), to fill their needs and wants genuinely. ## Starkey’s Audio Innovations Dave has a relatively young staff under him at Starkey. The average first-time hearing aid user is 67 years old. Starkey continually has to adjust their perspective to that of the end-user as they do not see things the same way as their older users might. On top of that, they have to care enough to learn about the patient’s situation. They are increasingly taking in consideration of other elements that the family and users need. One challenge of innovating for an aging population is the intimidation factor. For me, I had my Starkey’s custom-built to help me hear questions coming from large audiences, and I’m a tech-savvy person. If it were my grandparents in the same situation, it would go right over their heads. Starkey focuses on creating hearing that is useful and effective without much effort from the user. They recently introduced Edge Mode that uses [AI technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/) that provides an acoustic analysis of the situation by just tapping on the device. Starkey has partnered with companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon to take advantage of cloud computing. They also have a feature called thrive care that allows the family to monitor the user’s activity from an app with the user’s permission. They also have Bluetooth features that are compatible with iPhone and Android platforms. ## Challenges/Changes Starkey is continuously working on multi-functionality for its users. One unique challenge is similar to a problem I had at HP, which is battery life. A little bit of optimization makes a big difference, as battery life is only going up 10% a year. At Starkey, they have rapidly changed from regular batteries to rechargeable batteries that give more efficiency to their product. Innovation isn’t about reinventing the wheel but instead thinking about what is in front of you differently. ## About our Guest: Dave Fabry Dave Fabry, Ph.D., is the Chief Innovation Officer at Starkey leading end-to-end innovations within the clinical audiology department. Dave received his Ph.D. in hearing science from the University of Minnesota. Subsequently, he divided his career between academic/clinical roles at the Mayo Clinic, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the University of Miami Medical Center, and several industry positions. He served as President and Board Member of the American Academy of Audiology, and recently, elected to the Board of Directors of the American Auditory Society. Dave has served as Editor-in-Chief of Audiology Today since 2008 and is a past Editor of the American Journal of Audiology and Section Editor of Ear and Hearing. He is a licensed Audiologist in Minnesota, Florida, and Rwanda. His 30+ years of industry experience and proven ability to implement forward-thinking concepts are instrumental in shaping future innovations at Starkey. If you want to keep update with what Dave and Starkey are doing, check out their Facebook [here](https://www.facebook.com/starkeyhearing/). Check out Starkey’s website [here](https://www.starkey.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about hearing aid technology and other audio innovations, listen to this week's show: **[Audio Innovations You Can Hear](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Audio%5FInnovations%5FYou%5FCan%5FHear.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Inside the Box Thinking URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/inside-the-box-thinking/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:20.000Z Over the last few weeks, we have been focusing the shows on different thinking styles, such as [out of the box thinking](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-2/). This week's topic is a different twist on what we have been recently discussing. People often overlook what I call inside the box thinking and try to stay away from it. On today's show, we will discuss inside the box thinking and how it can be utilized in any team or organization to boost innovation success. ## Inside the Box Thinking 'Inside the box thinking' means to innovate within the constraints defined by the box. It is more generally described as [constraint-based innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/thoughts-on-innovation/). The idea behind it is understanding your constraints and utilizing those constraints to innovate beyond the box. The box can be an organization, government, or even a team. It defines where you are operating here and now. The box can contain inside constraints that you can change. It may also include outside the box constraints that are out of your control. Let's look at what those constraints can look like: - **Strategy/Vision –** Going into a particular market with a fixed and specific plan. - **Policies/Procedures –** Depending on how these are set up, they can be very constraining. - **Decision Making –** Who makes the decisions? What are the decision-making criteria? - **Resource Allocation –** How does your organization allocate resources (time, people, money, equipment)? ## The Seven Laws of Innovation Dealing with inside constraints can be a tough task. What I like to call the seven laws of innovation *\[1\]*, are laws that are critically important for inside the box thinking. Here's what the seven laws mean: - **Leadership –** Having leaders within an organization that support [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lessons-from-bose/) is critical. An alignment amongst the organization must happen to achieve innovation success. - **Innovation Culture –** Culture is key because an innovation culture encourages people to get out and try new ideas. Likewise, a bad culture can drag an organization down. - **Resources –** It is critical to have resources that are devoted to innovation, and to use your best resources. - **Patience –** Inside innovation takes time. Stay committed. - **Innovation Framework Process –** You need to have an innovation framework process that is tailored to your organization's culture. - **Big Hairy Audacious Goal ([BHAG](https://philmckinney.com/create-bhag-will-motivate-team-drive-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com)) –** What is the colossal objective that you are going to pursue? The goal needs a timeline and plan of execution. - **Execution –** Remember that ideas without execution are hobbies. There is no value without execution. ## Outside Constraints These can include competition, outside investments, partners/suppliers, government regulations, etc. I've worked in regulated industries, which have given me a good perspective on what this is all about. Outside constraints are typically outside of your control and have been imposed upon you. These don't always have to be negative and can often be used to your advantage. Let's look at what these are: - **Competition –** If your competitor is much larger than you, they can invest and fund a lot more than you. You can innovate around the economy of scale by blowing it up. Look at what Uber and Lyft did to the taxi and rental car industry. - **Outside Investments –** Innovation requires capital. It is challenging to do [game-changing innovations](https://www.philmckinney.com/game-changing-esport-innovations-during-covid-19/) without capital these days. That being said, there are a ton of different ways to get capital. - **Partners/Suppliers –** If you combine your innovation efforts with partners, you can bring products to market faster. I call this co-innovation, and I have done this a lot throughout my career. A common interest and culture are vital when partnering with someone. - **Government Regulations –** Governments can define regulations that restrict your access to raw materials/different markets. Sometimes you have to meet specific requirements to operate in a particular market. ## Constraint-based Innovations Like I mentioned earlier, people tend to think that good ideas only come from out of the box thinking, which is not true. Inside the box thinking is to constrain the problem but not the potential ways of solving it. Problem statements are critical because they radically increase the quantity and quality of your ideas. Inside the box thinking is also to constrain the atmosphere, but not the team. This is around [culture](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideas-innovation-culture-innovation-success/) and giving permission and autonomy to innovate. You don't want to limit the team so that they can't innovate ideas. Another part of inside the box thinking is restricting the resources but not the ways to utilize them. Constraint-based innovation is hugely powerful in limiting resources and can empower a team to create something novel. To know more about inside of the box thinking or innovating with inside constraints, listen to this week's show: [**Inside the Box Thinking**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Inside%5Fthe%5FBox%5FThinking.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ##### Source: ##### [https://philmckinney.com/the-7-immutable-laws-of-innovation-follow-them-or-risk-the-consequences/](https://philmckinney.com/the-7-immutable-laws-of-innovation-follow-them-or-risk-the-consequences/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Affordance URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/affordance/ Last updated: 2026-09-05T19:10:19.000Z On January 13, 2018, the people of Hawaii woke to a shocking alert on their phones and TVs. An incoming ballistic missile was on its way and that the warning was not a drill. It was 38 minutes later that the alert was retracted. During those 38 minutes — panic set in. People were trying to figure out what to do. People drove their families to highway tunnels in hopes it would protect them. We can only imagine the fear that raced through the population of more than a million people. How did this happen? ## Hawaii Emergency Alert System The alert was accidentally triggered by a state employee who was attempting to perform an internal test. As the Washington Post reported, the user interface for the [emergency](https://killerinnovations.com/save-kids-left-in-the-car/?ref=philmckinney.com) management system had a drop-down menu with two choices — TEST MISSILE ALERT and MISSILE ALERT. The two options worded almost identically and with no confirmation required. It is harder to erase a photograph from your phone that it was to scare the citizens and tourists in Hawaii. The designer did not consider the confusion of choosing the wrong menu option. There were no signals to the user about the action they were about to take. What if the same lack of thought and consideration has been applied to airplanes, water treatment facilities, or nuclear power plants? It isn’t restricted to exotic or high-risk areas. You experience these signals every day. ## Office Affordance Have you ever walked up to a door and instead of a door handle, you were presented with a flat panel area where the door handle would normally be? What do you do? You push and the door opens. This signal of the properties of the door, in this case, to push, is called affordance. Affordance can also signal what not to do with the door. With no handle, you are not to pull on the door. In our office, there is a conference room near my cube. On the glass doors are handles. I invariably grab the handles and pull. What happens? Nothing. To open the door you need to push. So after I pull, then I push. While I’ve been in this conference rooms hundreds of times, I pull each and every time. The visual queue, affordance, overrides [my memory](https://www.philmckinney.com/everything-i-learned-about-ethics-i-learned-in-boy-scouts/) of the last time I tried to enter the conference room — and I pull on the handle. While we may chuckle at these design oversights, the use of affordance can give customers a clear signal of how-to, and how not to, experience a product or service. ## Sony Walkman Affordance In 1980, I got my first Sony Walkman. This innovation had quickly become “the tech” everyone had to have. It allowed you to take your music with you. At the time, I was into DJing and making my version of mixtapes. The walkman allowed me to enjoy my music wherever I went — to the annoyance of the then-girlfriend and now wife. What I found intriguing with the Walkman was what it didn’t do — as much as what it did do. Yes — it was the first highly portable way to listen to recorded music. What it did not allow you to do was record music. That’s right — you could listen to music but you could not record it. Why? Up to that time, every cassette player allowed you to record. Sony made the clever design decision to not have a feature to signal to customers what it was — a portable music player. This decision had other benefits including reducing complexity and lower intimidation that technology can sometimes cause. This design decision by Sony is another example of affordance. It signed what you can and cannot do with a Sony Walkman. Affordance applies to all kinds of products and services. ## McDonald’s Affordance Have you ever wondered why McDonald’s does not offer cutlery? I can honestly say that I’ve never been tempted to use a fork and knife to eat a Quarterpounder. In its early days, McDonald’s didn’t offer cutlery as an affordance signal to its customers in how they were to enjoy their meal — with their hands. For companies, paying attention to affordance can create highly differentiated customer experiences that create brand loyalty. ## Apple Affordance Apple is one such company. By limiting options, radical simplicity, and clear signaling of what every action will be, Apple has created a cult following. Ignoring affordance can lead to customer confusion and frustration which will open the doors to others to your market. Ask yourself — what affordance signals are you sending to your customers? Maybe it is the front door? Or a user interface in your mobile app or website? Or maybe a feature available or unavailable with your product? How do you find these affordances that you can fix or leverage? By testing with your customers. Remember, you are not a proxy for your customer. Affordance is in the eye of the customer. Be more like Apple – and less like the Hawaii Emergency Alert system. [/content/media/tonewideas/tni-affordance\_-\_s3ep04.mp3](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/media/tonewideas/tni-affordance%5F-%5Fs3ep04.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Podcast: [Play in new window](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/media/tonewideas/tni-affordance%5F-%5Fs3ep04.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) | [Download](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/media/tonewideas/tni-affordance%5F-%5Fs3ep04.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) | [Embed](#) Subscribe: [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5-minutes-to-new-ideas-with-phil-mckinney/id1385128619?mt=2&ls=1&ref=philmckinney.com) | [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL3RvbmV3aWRlYXMuY29tL3Jzcw&ref=philmckinney.com) | [RSS](http://killerinnovations.com/feed/podcast/?ref=philmckinney.com) | [More](http://tonewideas.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### TNI-Affordance URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/tni-affordance/ Last updated: 2020-07-13T07:00:00.000Z On January 13, 2018, the people of Hawaii woke to a shocking alert on their phones and TVs. An incoming ballistic missile was on its way and that the warning was not a drill. It was 38 minutes later that the alert was retracted. During those 38 minutes -- panic set in. People were trying to figure out what to do. People drove their families to highway tunnels in hopes it would protect them. We can only imagine the fear that raced through the population of more than a million people. How did this happen? ## Hawaii Emergency Alert System The alert was accidentally triggered by a state employee who was attempting to perform an internal test. As the Washington Post reported, the user interface for the emergency management system had a drop-down menu with two choices -- TEST MISSILE ALERT and MISSILE ALERT. The two options worded almost identically and with no confirmation required. It is harder to erase a photograph from your phone that it was to scare the citizens and tourists in Hawaii. The designer did not consider the confusion of choosing the wrong menu option. There were no signals to the user about the action they were about to take. What if the same lack of thought and consideration has been applied to airplanes, water treatment facilities, or nuclear power plants? It isn’t restricted to exotic or high-risk areas. You experience these signals every day. ## Office Affordance Have you ever walked up to a door and instead of a door handle, you were presented with a flat panel area where the door handle would normally be? What do you do? You push and the door opens. This signal of the properties of the door, in this case, to push, is called affordance. Affordance can also signal what not to do with the door. With no handle, you are not to pull on the door. In our office, there is a conference room near my cube. On the glass doors are handles. I invariably grab the handles and pull. What happens? Nothing. To open the door you need to push. So after I pull, then I push. While I’ve been in this conference rooms hundreds of times, I pull each and every time. The visual queue, affordance, overrides my memory of the last time I tried to enter the conference room -- and I pull on the handle. While we may chuckle at these design oversights, the use of affordance can give customers a clear signal of how-to, and how not to, experience a product or service. ## Sony Walkman Affordance In 1980, I got my first Sony Walkman. This innovation had quickly become “the tech” everyone had to have. It allowed you to take your music with you. At the time, I was into DJing and making my version of mixtapes. The walkman allowed me to enjoy my music wherever I went -- to the annoyance of the then-girlfriend and now wife. What I found intriguing with the Walkman was what it didn’t do -- as much as what it did do. Yes -- it was the first highly portable way to listen to recorded music. What it did not allow you to do was record music. That’s right -- you could listen to music but you could not record it. Why? Up to that time, every cassette player allowed you to record. Sony made the clever design decision to not have a feature to signal to customers what it was -- a portable music player. This decision had other benefits including reducing complexity and lower intimidation that technology can sometimes cause. This design decision by Sony is another example of affordance. It signed what you can and cannot do with a Sony Walkman. Affordance applies to all kinds of products and services. ## McDonald’s Affordance Have you ever wondered why McDonald’s does not offer cutlery? I can honestly say that I’ve never been tempted to use a fork and knife to eat a Quarterpounder. In its early days, McDonald’s didn’t offer cutlery as an affordance signal to its customers in how they were to enjoy their meal -- with their hands. For companies, paying attention to affordance can create highly differentiated customer experiences that create brand loyalty. ## Apple Affordance Apple is one such company. By limiting options, radical simplicity, and clear signaling of what every action will be, Apple has created a cult following. Ignoring affordance can lead to customer confusion and frustration which will open the doors to others to your market. Ask yourself -- what affordance signals are you sending to your customers? Maybe it is the front door? Or a user interface in your mobile app or website? Or maybe a feature available or unavailable with your product? How do you find these affordances that you can fix or leverage? By testing with your customers. Remember, you are not a proxy for your customer. Affordance is in the eye of the customer. Be more like Apple - and less like the Hawaii Emergency Alert system. ### Innovation Lessons from Bose URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-lessons-from-bose/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:20.000Z This week we are joined by a guest who has helped a wide range of companies speed up the process of innovation. John Carter, an inventor of Bose’s Noise Cancelling Headphones, designer of Apple’s New Product Process, and founder of TCGen Inc., joins us to talk innovation. We will discuss the [lessons John learned](https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/) while working under Dr. Bose that can help you better your innovation pursuits. ## Background John believes that viewing things as a system rather than individual components helps achieve more profound innovations. By system, John means a collection of components that lead to consumer value. He found his interest in systems while studying engineering at Harvey Mudd College. His attention was focused on sound systems, so he pursued a master’s degree at MIT after graduating. While at MIT, he got connected with Dr. Bose and went on to work at Bose for 15 years. John learned many life-changing lessons from Dr. Bose that greatly impacted his career. ## Lessons Learned at Bose While at Bose, John worked on noise-canceling headphones for seven years. He learned an important innovation [lesson](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-1/) right away while working on microphones for headphones and quality loudspeakers. His first two sole projects were with Dr. Bose and a technician. During the first couple of months, they were making significant progress on the headphones but were having some challenges. Dr. Bose decided to drop the other program and focus on the headphones. While focusing on improving the base and distortion of the headphones, they realized that the customers wanted noise cancellation. As the inventor, they thought they knew how the customer would like the product, and they were dead wrong. John and his team made the mistakes of not understanding the actual benefits of the product and overengineering. When I was at HP, there was a lot of overengineering with our printing business. We were engineering way out on the curve, while the customers couldn’t even tell the difference that we thought was noticeable. John says that Bose was able to beat its competitors by not focusing on improvements that aren’t very noticeable. ## Importance of Marketing In the last segment, we talked about the patience required through the innovation process. The noise-canceling headphones have always impressed me, not just the product, but how it was brought to the market. $300 noise-canceling headphones were so new and radical to the market. Some of the greatest innovations at Bose were done on the marketing and sales front, not the product. They used simple product mission statements such as “great sound from small packages.” While John was developing products in the lab, Dr. Bose was focused on retail and marketing experiments. He used an innovation process of successive refinement and [thought outside the box.](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-2/) First, Dr. Bose tried selling their products door to door. Then he went to direct mail by putting coupons in magazines. Lastly, he went through a radio station that covered various products. This process allowed Bose to build a dedicated fan base and taught John the importance of third-party credibility. Having someone else in a position of authority talk about you in glowing terms is very impactful. Dr. Bose was a fantastic innovator when it came to marketing. His willingness to [experiment](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/), fail, and try again is what brought Bose to where they are today. Failure is education and is about cutting out dead alleys to find the right way. ## Innovation Lessons and Advice One common question I get is around [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/thoughts-on-innovation/) investment. In John’s experience, you should spend about 10% of your budget innovation three-five years into the future. When I first got to HP, innovation was a low percentage of the budget. Over time, we shifted to using 10% of our budget on innovation as well. For smaller organizations, John says a rule of thumb is to fund about ten to twenty thousand dollars a year of every technical person you have on board as an investment. Many organizations hurt themselves by not hiring the right people and not letting them do their thing. Having small teams and a high focus is very important for innovation success. If you want to keep updated with what John is doing, check out his website [here](https://www.tcgen.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out his book [here](https://www.tcgen.com/book?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: John Carter John Carter is a widely respected expert on product development. He is an inventor of Bose’s Noise Cancelling Headphones and designer of Apple’s New Product Process. As Founder of TCGen Inc., John has consulted for Abbott, Amazon, Apple, Cisco, HP, IBM, Mozilla, Roche, and 3M. He is the author of “Innovate Products Faster,” featuring more than 40 tools for accelerating product development speed and innovation. John has an MS in Engineering from MIT. To know more about John Carter and the lessons he learned at Bose, listen to this week's show: **[Innovation Lessons from Bose](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FLessons%5Ffrom%5FBose.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Out Of The Box Thinking - Part 2 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-2/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:38.000Z We are picking up from where we left off on [last week's show](https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-1/). We discussed out of the box thinking, which means to think from a different perspective. In Part 1, we discussed thinking differently and thinking unconventionally. On this week's show, we will discuss thinking specifically from a new perspective. ## Recap of Part 1 We started last week talking about [thinking styles](https://www.philmckinney.com/different-thinking-styles-improve-your-creativity/). Some of us may have multiple styles, such as myself. I like to come up with creative ideas, but also tend to be an analyst that likes collecting information. Next, we talked about thinking differently. We discussed seven different ways that are vital to thinking differently. You want to practice strategic, inquisitive, big-picture thinking, focused, risk-oriented thinking, shared-thinking, and reflective thinking. As I shared last week, one of these is not better than the other. You should do all seven of these in some scheduled way. Set some time on your calendar to utilize each of these seven types of thinking. Set an hour a week for strategic thinking, then another hour for inquisitive thinking. Ask what questions you should be asking of your team or customers. Step back and take some time to look at the big picture. Go somewhere isolated where you can focus on an opportunity area. Find someone more willing to take the [risks](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-strength-acquiring-innovation-avoiding-the-biggest-risks-to-innovation/) that you won't. Collect ideas from people. Set aside all of these times to reflect on new ideas. ## New Perspective One key area of thinking outside the box is to think from a new perspective. It would be best if you change your perspective by taking a different route than your current one. One challenge that I give my staff is to take a different path to work. Sometimes we get in the zone and don't notice new things as we are stuck in the same route every day. Firstly, we need to get a new perspective *\[1\]* to help us see customers, products, and opportunities differently. Let's look at five ways to do this: - **Naturalism –** This is an approach where one sits back and observes. At HP we did a project on lower-middle-class members in India. The project was looking at communication with family members that had gone to college and moved to Europe or North America. Instead of asking questions, we stayed in people's homes. We observed how they interacted and communicated right then and there, which was an eye-opening experience. - **Participant Observation –** This is observing while asking questions. The best example of this is when I would go into Best Buy to observe and ask customers why they chose a product other than HP's. - **Interview –** This is a large observation. We do this for our [Innovation Bootcamp](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-bootcamp/), where we bring customers to dinner, and the students in the class ask the audience questions. - **Survey –** This is gathering information about the group. The best way to do this is by asking questions of different types. A variation of this is focus groups. I am not of a big fan of focus groups and surveys because I think bias can be injected into the surveys based on the questions asked. - **Archival Research –** There is a ton of work that has been done by other researchers. You can learn from others, so find research that may disagree with you and look at it transparently. Get out of your comfort zone, because changing to a new perspective can help you find that next great idea. ## The Customers Perspective Now we will discuss how to [walk in your customer's shoes](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/). The best way to do this is to create a customer journey map. This tool examines how your customers interact with you. Let's look at what is needed to do this: - **Establish User Personas –** This is a semi-fictional character based on your prospective and current customers. You take a collection of your customers from surveys or observational studies and categorize them. Allow yourself to think about it in the context of that customer. - **Understand Your Customer Touch Points –** How will your customers interact from start to finish? You need to understand their perspective of your ads, websites, product quality, etc. - **Actors Who Influence Your Customers –** These are people out of your control who can influence a positive or negative experience. If I am at Best Buy observing/talking to people and someone brings a friend with them, that friend can have a significant impact on what product they end up buying. The first thing you want to do when you have all of this is to create an empathy map. An empathy map examines [how the customer feels](https://beyondtheobvious.com/products-make-customers-say/?ref=philmckinney.com) during each interaction. An example of this is Chick-fil-A employees saying my pleasure after serving you. Next, you want to sketch the customer's journey on a whiteboard, post-it notes, mind map, etc. This process helps create innovations that will have a considerable impact. ## Think Out of the Box This two-part series was about out of the box thinking. In part one, we discussed different thinking styles. It is crucial to understand how others think and to have people with varying styles of thinking on your team. Next, you want to think differently through all seven of the styles previously stated. In part two, we discussed getting a different perspective. Do interviews, invite prospects to dinner, do surveys, etc. Next, create a customer journey map and personas to get into the customer's shoes. Then, understand how customers interact and how they are influenced. Lastly, create a customer empathy map and sketch your customer journey to find how to make their experience better. To know more about out of the box thinking and thinking with a new perspective, listen to this week's show: **[Out Of The Box Thinking - Part 2](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Out%5FOf%5FThe%5FBox%5FThinking%5F-%5FPart%5F2.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ##### Source: ##### [https://www.formpl.us/blog/ethnographic-research](https://www.formpl.us/blog/ethnographic-research?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Out Of The Box Thinking - Part 1 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/out-of-the-box-thinking-part-1/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:09:38.000Z This week, we will cover a topic that is a bit of a spin-off from a show on [buzzwords](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-buzzwords/)that I recently did. A listener of the show was confused about buzzwords and buzzphrases often used in the innovation space and sent me an email. We will discuss the buzzphrase “out of the box thinking,” analyze it, and discuss how you can think outside of the box to gain an edge in the world today. ## Out of the Box Thinking The term “out of the box thinking” is a metaphor that means to [think from a new perspective](https://www.philmckinney.com/global-perspective-on-changing-innovation-landscape/). It originally came from some management consulting firms that were trying to solve problems in new ways. The term was attached to a concept known as the [*nine-dot problem*](https://www.artofplay.com/blogs/articles/history-of-the-nine-dot-problem?ref=philmckinney.com). The idea is a 3 x 3 grid of dots formed in the shape of a square, equaling nine dots. The challenge is to draw a line through all nine dots without retracing over a previous line or lifting your pen. You need to use out of the box thinking to solve this problem. Initially, four lines in sort of a triangle shape were commonly used. Next, someone came up with drawing three-wide lines going around the box, touching all the dots. Then, someone solved the problem with one very fat line. If you’ve been a long-time listener of the show, you have heard me give the challenge of answering what half of thirteen is. If you answered 6.5, you’d get an A on your math test. On an innovation test, I’d give you a C-, because you solved it with one easy answer. You could write it out as 1 and 3 and split it vertically, creating two digits. You could also write it out as Roman Numeral thirteen and split it vertically, which gives you eleven and two. There are thousands of different ways to answer these types of questions. The key is to [not stop at the most obvious answer](https://beyondtheobvious.com/typing-instructor-forget-obvious-solution/?ref=philmckinney.com) or to say it does not have an answer. Part of thinking out of the box is to think differently and understand the problem from a different perspective. ## Thinking Styles and Types We each have our natural thinking styles. It’s important to know what your preferred style of thinking is, and if you are a mix of different styles. Let’s dig into what those thinking styles *\[1\]* are: - **Synthesist –** These people are creative and open to a wide range of ideas. The *synthesist* is an interesting type of person that is always exploring new things. - **Idealist –** These people are always working towards a big goal. They set the bar high for themselves and others around them. Idealists are great at achieving things that nobody thought could be done. - **Pragmatists –** These people take the logical approach to problem-solving. They tend to be focused on immediate results and driven by quarterly or annual achievements. - **Analysts –** These people are interested in the facts and data points. *Analysts* have a clear procedure for doing things. They love data and are big on metrics. These people get satisfaction from achieving success by using defined processes. - **Realist –** These people tackle problems head-on. They don’t feel challenged by everyday ambiguity. These are the people who get stuff done in an organization. Once you know [your style](https://www.philmckinney.com/different-thinking-styles-improve-your-creativity/), you need to figure out how you can think differently to achieve success. ## Thinking Differently ‘Thinking differently’ *\[2\]* is the key question to tackle once you know your thinking style. I’m now going to share seven ways you can think differently. The key is to utilize all seven of these approaches to be free of blind spots: - **Strategic Thinking –** This helps prepare for uncertainty. It gives you a plan to prepare for the what-if situations. Strategic thinking puts you ahead of every situation that could occur. - **Inquisitive Thinking –** Question everything. This causes people to think differently and look at problems differently. This can be applied to everything. Ask questions to gain knowledge. - **Big-Picture Thinking –** This applies heavily to analysts. Think about the situation from another person’s lenses, whoever that may be. This gives you a different and valuable perspective. - **Focused Thinking –** This shuts out the operations and takes away distractions. You need time to think away from the everyday busyness of society. - **Risk-Oriented Thinking** \- Think big and keep pushing the envelope. - **Shared Thinking** \- We don't know everything, so listen to what others are saying. Listen to what other people are thinking. - **Reflective Thinking** \- This allows you the bandwidth to see what's going on without getting emotional. You'll be able to see things with a fresh set of eyes. ## How to Think Differently When challenged to do “out of the box thinking,” there are a few ways you can approach it. Firstly, you need to utilize risk-oriented thinking. As a leader, you need to dream bigger than most. Whether you are a leader of teams or ideas, you need to think big. We tend to mentally apply a risk model to these situations, which needs to be eliminated from the thought process. You need to take all the risk constraints out of the scenario, whether it is financial, technology-based, etc. Once this is done, you will be more comfortable [taking the necessary risks](https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/) to be successful. Next, you need to rely on shared thinking. Collaboration in the [innovation space](https://www.philmckinney.com/thoughts-on-innovation/) is critical. You need to get input from others because you are not always the smartest person in the room. Shared thinking can be hard but is necessary in some cases to accelerate your ability to “think outside the box.” Lastly, practice reflective thinking. We all love our ideas, as they are our “babies.” In some cases, we need to take a step back and take our emotions out of it. We need to distance ourselves from our ideas and look at other views as well. Set aside time to practice all of these thinking processes, and you will be able to successfully “think outside the box.” To know more about your thinking style and how to think outside the box, listen to this week's show: **[Out Of The Box Thinking - Part 1](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Out%5FOf%5FThe%5FBox%5FThinking%5F-%5FPart%5F1.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ##### Sources: ##### [https://thriveworks.com/blog/what-are-the-five-thinking-styles/](https://thriveworks.com/blog/what-are-the-five-thinking-styles/?ref=philmckinney.com) ##### [https://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/7-ways-super-successful-leaders-think-differently-than-the-rest-of-us.html](https://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/7-ways-super-successful-leaders-think-differently-than-the-rest-of-us.html?ref=philmckinney.com) ### Top Ideas and How to Execute Them URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/executing-top-ideas/ Last updated: 2020-06-18T18:31:35.000Z ## ***Which Top Ideas to Pitch?*** The next stage is to consider how these ideas might be implemented by your organization. Look at the top ideas and say to yourself as the leader, “These are great ideas—how can we execute them?” The following questions will help you get to your answer: > > > *Can we get our [teams](http://killerinnovations.com/can-you-create-high-performance-teams-that-deliver-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com) passionate about working on this idea?* > *Do we have the skills and abilities to do this? Can I get senior management on board with this?* > Senior executives are show-and-tell. In other words, you need to supply information to support the good ideas, but you also have to show them that people will care on an emotional level. So before you select the final two or three ideas that you are going to fully develop and present, ask yourself whether this idea is one that you’re going to be able to create some sizzle with and get people excited about? Will you be able to create a vision that people are going to fall behind and want to be a part of? These questions are about the potential difficulties of selling the idea internally. It’s important to know that I don’t ask all groups these questions. These questions can be very politically sensitive, and asking them to the wrong mix of people can provoke arguments and problems. You need to use your own judgment about whether asking these questions helps your group or will derail it. You as the leader need to make the call as to which two or three top ideas should be pitched to senior management. Before doing so, the ideas need to be turned into a proposal. Before [the workshop](https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-workshop-game-plan/) ends, assign teams to each idea, and set deadlines for when the pitch needs to be ready. Give the team clear guidelines on the structure of the pitch. ### Thoughts on Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/thoughts-on-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:20.000Z This week’s show is a little different than usual. I will be discussing some of my thoughts on innovation, mainly on what’s going on, the current events. I will also be responding to some fan feedback. ## SpaceX One thing that has recently piqued my interest was the SpaceX Dragon demo launch. I was glued to the NASA stream and was quite impressed. The stream offered a great look at the inside of the rocket, and I got to watch the rocket launch into space. As a kid, I watched Apollo’s launch and Neil Armstrong taking steps on the moon, which excited me. I am a big believer in space due to the history of the U.S space program. It is an excellent catalyst for innovation. I believe all governments have a role in encouraging innovation. Technology, such as a sensor to monitor blood or oxygen levels, is just one of many creations that came from NASA. An innovative friend of mine, [Gretchen McClain](https://www.philmckinney.com/getting-comfortable-being-uncomfortable/) (former AD for NASA ISS), started a public-private partnership where the U.S paid others to build capabilities. The Russians built the U.S module that is part of ISS. I had the distinct privilege to be Gretchen’s guest at NASA to see the U.S module go up to be part of the ISS. Gretchen realized that to explore space better, it was essential to co-innovate. We are seeing more and more of this being done by our government today. The key is to [define a problem](https://www.philmckinney.com/four-steps-to-better-brainstorm-problem-statements/) in such a way that people feel like they can solve it. ## The Future of Businesses Over the weekend, a friend sent me an article due to my interest in “megatrends” over the years. It was from the [Charter Tribune by Chris Jones](https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/ct-ent-cities-coronavirus-arts-recovery-0606-20200604-y23n7xypo5d6nchdeztjd6ue5m-story.html?ref=philmckinney.com). The article was looking at the impact of COVID-19 on cities and asked whether they would recover. My friends asked me what I thought about all of this based on my megatrends research. My research always focuses on 10-20 years out and is constantly changing. No one can predict anything too accurately, but it is more about laying out the range of possible futures to be better prepared. In the case of COVID, schools were out, businesses went to working from home, etc. Luckily, 80% of U.S homes have access to broadband services at home and have tools like Zoom to assist them. Zoom has turned out to be the tool that a lot of people are using for school and work purposes. We are learning how to work at remote locations other than the office. In my case, I have run the radio show from many places such as Florida, Kentucky, Las Vegas, D.C, etc., and have done it with similar efficiency as in the studio. I see a future model of working from anywhere springing up rapidly due to COVID. ## Virtual Brainstorming Last week, I took a meeting request from a key government agency in the U.S. They heard about the work I’ve been doing with the Marine Corps, VA hospitals, and in the past, the U.S Department of Education. They wanted to take what we have been doing with other agencies and apply it to them. I ran them through what we had done in the past and how we do our one-day [Ideation Workshops](https://disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). One question that was posed was, “can this be done virtually?”. My answer was yes. It can be done just as good virtually. Since COVID, I have been putting out “[Virtual Brainstorming Demonstrations](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/)” on YouTube and have been hosting [virtual brainstorms](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/). The process has been made easy with tools like Jamboard. Through doing this, I have found that it can be more inclusive and diverse. You can invite anyone from the world to join the session without the cost of travel and extra constraints. A virtual workshop opens up more opportunities to build a better team. Another benefit is the fact that it requires less time. It takes little time to fire up a Zoom or Jamboard session and get working. More people will be willing to join in a session like this because of how hassle-free, efficient, and convenient it is. ## Thoughts on Innovation Misconceptions I received an email from a listener asking if it is a good time to start a business or invent a new product or service. This is tied to the question around COVID-19\. I’ve heard all kinds of excuses and have had tons of conversations about this. People often have a great idea but haven’t done anything about it. It is often thought that innovation is for the young, but that is not the case. Vera Wang, a fashion designer, didn’t start innovating till she was forty. Colonel Sanders of KFC didn’t get to franchising till his sixties. Henry Ford didn’t start his motor company until his forties. Age is not a constraining factor, and you can’t let it stop you from innovating. People often say, “don’t start a business in a recession/depression.” Companies like Disney and HP both started in a depression. Some think you need a special degree, which isn’t the case either. Some think you have to have all the contacts and a ton of money. There are many ways that you can work around those factors. Maybe you don’t know where to start. Firstly, you should find a community of people with similar passions. If you are an innovator like myself, join [The Innovators Community](https://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com). Share your own thoughts on innovation. We have about one thousand members range from high-up CEOs to innovators working out of their garage, who are supporting each other. My final question to you, “What are you waiting for”? What are your thoughts on innovation? To know more about my opinion on recent events, listen to this week's show: [**Thoughts on Innovation**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Thoughts%5Fon%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Killer Questions and Stepping Outside URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/step-outside-ask-killer-questions/ Last updated: 2020-06-11T18:55:41.000Z Once you have assigned your Killer Questions, briefed your group, and set the date for the innovation session, it’s time for everyone involved to do observational homework. This is exactly what it sounds like. You need your team to get out of the office, into the real world, and make as many observations as possible related to the Killer Questions. Your team can make these field trips as individuals or pairs, but they should avoid big groups. Big groups allow people to hide and not participate, and a larger-size group can be slower and lethargic compared to smaller groups. The first thing to decide on is where your observational session will be most useful. For example, if you are focusing on your consumers then you must head to where your consumers generally experience or purchase your product. One there, you should talk to them. For some questions, you might want to talk to salespeople as well as your internal marketing and sales teams—the people making purchasing orders for distributors. ## Get Out There and Ask the Killer Questions [So where exactly do you go?](http://ow.ly/W1m430fvxk0?ref=philmckinney.com) You could start in the mall, or your offices or factories—anywhere you or your customers conduct business. Wherever it is, get out there and really engage them. Remember that the dynamic between an organization and its customer is as complex and nuanced as any other relationship. In order to sell to a person you need to understand the details of their life. Are they in groups or shopping alone? How do they appear? Are they ambling contentedly, or do they appear in a state of distress? Do they make purchasing decisions quickly or spend ten minutes wavering between shampoo brands? What is your gut feeling about the people you are observing? Does their physical appearance match the image you have in your head? What is their emotional state, their financial security? What can you tell about their priorities and beliefs? Is there anything here that surprises you? ## Observe Your Customers When we were developing our tablet device, we went to coffee stores in New York City and recruited members of the laptop-and-latte world, asking them to allow us to conduct in-home observations. This was several years ago, in the [pre-Kindle era](https://www.philmckinney.com/stay-relevant-changing-nature-products/), and we were still investigating what customers would actually do with a tablet. We knew it could work as a digital book, but limiting it to that use seemed constraining. A digital book was a good idea, but could we press further and come up with an even better idea? For a few weeks our researchers shadowed the volunteers around their homes. We photographed their book and music collections and noted their magazine subscriptions and TV habits. We figured out what people were really doing with their free time versus what they told us they were doing with their free time. This investigation showed us that what our consumers needed was a device for media consumption across a wide range of media types (books, magazines, music, movies, TV, etc.). This kind of discovery is why you need to get out there in the field and observe your customer. Doing so can completely reshape your understanding of what they actually want from you and your product. ## From a Fresh Perspective If your area of investigation is not [focused on consumers](https://www.philmckinney.com/time-sensitive-customers/)—heavy manufacturing, for instance—you will need to tailor your homework to focus on this instead. Go to the plant and see how the factory operates. Talk to the guys on the line. Try ordering your product, try using it. Do whatever it takes to step outside of your experience and see your area of investigation from a fresh perspective. Have your group note everything they see, learn, and think in relation to the Killer Questions. It could be totally left-field and seemingly unrelated to your bigger problem. Nonetheless, write it down. Take pictures, videos, or audio recordings. Collect evidence and create artifacts that you can share with the team in the workshop. This may feel uncomfortable, and if so, great! The idea here is for everyone involved to step outside of his or her experience and biases and see the customer or product from a neutral perspective. If you’re not working as [part of a group](https://www.philmckinney.com/area-of-focus-workshop-groups/), you can still use other people to *force* yourself to see things differently. In the past I’ve taken along a friend of a different ethnicity, or strong-armed an out-of-town relative or my wife or children into coming on these kinds of field trips with me. When I do this, I observe them as *they* observe others. What are they seeing that I’m missing? The goal of all these exercises is to be a little uncomfortable, because this discomfort means you are shifting your perspective, and, quite literally, getting out of the comfort zone that is stagnating you and your work. ### Lessons Learned from Past Innovation Failures of AI URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/lessons-learned-from-past-innovation-failures-of-ai/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:19.000Z This week's guest comes from my family's neck of the woods, the state of Ohio. Jerry Abiog is the Co-founder and CMO of Standard Insights, an AI service growth platform. We will discuss his learning from past innovation failures, and how Standard Insights [utilize AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact/) to aid the growth of businesses. ## Background and Innovation Failures Jerry and I share a mutual appreciation for Ohio, as both my family and Jerry are from there. While talking about the state, we got into discussing the funding programs for startups that Cincinnati offers. I have been supporting a company from Cincinnati called [LISNR](https://www.philmckinney.com/entrepreneurial-success-through-diapers-s12-ep20/), which is an audio technology that allows you to embed data and audio that humans do not hear. I would describe Cincinnati as a non-traditional high-tech center, not as high up as Boston or Atlanta, but steadily growing in its technology presence. Jerry has about 25 years of experience in sales and marketing. He left the corporate world around nine years ago to help out software companies with sales and marketing initiatives. Working with an AI startup turned out to be on of the innovation failures, but this has taught him a lot. Jerry said he learned that it doesn't matter what software platform you are selling. It has to be easy to use and solve your customer's problems. After this, he ended up meeting his co-founder, and Standard Insights was up and running. ## Lessons from an AI Startup Jerry said that the main lesson he learned from the AI startup failure was that it can't always be about you. No one cares about how good your technology is unless you can solve a problem with it. When It comes to starting Standard Insights, the vision was to help businesses drive buyers with AI. There are great tools out there with regards to AI, but they are not on an easy-to-use platform. Standard Insights helps businesses target the right person with the right product or service at the right time. Standard Insights is different because they incorporate all the text stacks into one, making it simple and easy to email, text, or run social media campaigns. It's not about creating something that is a big breakthrough but [making something that is already out there better.](https://www.philmckinney.com/covid-19-innovations-from-scuba-to-medical-face-mask-with-3d-printing/) ## Standard Insights and COVID-19 In the business world, there has been a new drive for digital transformation. With [COVID](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/), it has become an imperative thing. Grocery stores are taking online orders and doing curbside pickup, as well as restaurants taking orders and payments online. At Standard Insights, they developed a digital menu for restaurants last year, but it wasn't taken too well. Now, they are bringing it back and launching it. You can access the menu on your phone and order from there, making it faster to get your order in. It also benefits restaurants as they don't have to use Grubhub or Uber Eats, which costs them a good amount of extra money. In times of [disruptive shock such as COVID-19](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/), more and more innovative technologies continue to spring up. ## Advice for the Listeners Jerry gave some good advice from his experience as an entrepreneur. He said never to give up and always be open to learning. If it were not for his past innovation failures, he would not be where he is today. He said, try to do something difficult every day, if not professional, personal. He competes in Ironman fitness competitions, which helps him stay sharp for his business dealings. When it comes to being an entrepreneur, failure comes with the territory. I always tell entrepreneurs that innovation failures are part of the experience. Most investors look for entrepreneurs that have experienced failure. ## About our Guest: Jerry Abiog Jerry Abiog is a Co-Founder and CMO of Standard Insights, an AI service growth platform that enables businesses to execute data-driven omnichannel campaigns. Jerry has roughly 25 years of experience in sales and marketing and has been involved in several startups throughout his career. He has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati. If you want to keep updated with what Jerry is doing, check out his LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerryabiog?trk=org-employees%5Fprofile-result-card%5Fresult-card%5Ffull-click&challengeId=AQEEm4zh3ZsR%5FAAAAXKU8KO09yS1-82vVNE7nS7cDa5zVsj7vsKDEDjtQsnIl3Htfv5sfYKciwWb-4%5FnW1bHlZNOWW8TO1DptA&submissionId=142c1e95-24a1-1616-0f39-2fa5f7ca7a26&ref=philmckinney.com). Check out Standard Insights website [here](https://standardinsights.io/?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about utilizing AI to help businesses and learning from past innovation failures, listen to this week's show: [**Lessons Learned from Past Innovation Failures of AI.**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Lessons%5FLearned%5Ffrom%5FPast%5FInnovation%5FFailures%5Fof%5FAI.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovation Mentoring vs. Innovation Coaching: Which Do You Need? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-mentor-vs-innovation-coach-which-do-you-need/ Last updated: 2020-06-03T15:53:51.000Z Mentoring is certainly not a new concept. In fact, the name comes from a character named “Mentor” in Homer's *Odyssey*. He was a trusted advisor to Odysseus' son. Even though its roots run back thousands of years, however, the recent growth of social learning has given rise to a boom in mentoring and coaching programs. In fact, the[ 2014 Global Leadership Research Project](http://chally.com/coachingmentoring-continues-to-be-the-most-popular-practice-for-developing-leaders/?ref=philmckinney.com), for the fourth year in a row, found that coaching and mentoring are the most common practices used by companies to develop leaders. Mentoring and coaching have become such popular buzzwords that they are often used synonymously. However, there are key differences between the two. An analysis of the differences between [innovation mentoring](https://www.philmckinney.com/) and coaching will help you identify which relationship is best for you or your organization, helping you get the most out of the social learning experience. ## **Specific Instruction (Coaching) vs. Big Picture (Mentoring)** A coach provides specific instruction regarding how to improve your performance. For example, a baseball coach will help his team members improve specific functions, like pitching, catching or batting. He will offer clear directives and suggestions for improvement. The degree of improvement is also tangible, easy to measure. In a business environment, a coach will give specific instruction on key areas of improvement or new skills that need to be learned, such as technical processes, management techniques, or strategic planning. Coaching is a great way to come up with innovative solutions for problems with your workflow, processes, or strategies. Instead of lifeless textbook training classes, employees get practical instruction from coaches with real-world experience. Alternatively, a mentoring relationship is less specific and looks more at the big picture. A mentor becomes more of a trusted advisor in areas that can cross personal and professional lines. The mentor may still help you craft specific goals, but those objectives will be centered around broader areas, such as creativity and ideas you’re developing that don’t necessarily have a concrete timeline or structure yet. The mentor looks at the big picture and helps you gain broader skills that will help you innovate throughout your entire career. Mentoring focuses on the individual's needs, not the needs of the organization they work for. The mentor's role is to not only help the mentee now, but help them develop the skills needed for future roles. A mentor offers big-picture advice for the whole person and their ideas, as opposed to just advice about the person’s work performance. Mentors have often had a successful career path, starting in a similar place as the mentee. They offer assistance through sharing their own experiences, providing valuable feedback and giving the mentee access to their personal network. > Innovation coaching/mentoring gives you the opportunity to retain your staff and improve your innovative efforts. ## **Short and Sweet vs. Long-Term Relationship** Coaching is often a short-term relationship. Coaching sessions are structured and have specific durations with either an individual or a group. Some coaching relationships may last longer, but they still have a definite end, usually when the original objectives have been accomplished. When a coaching need is identified, such as when a team needs help overcoming a specific challenge in developing a new product, competencies are quickly assessed and a coach is matched for the task quickly. A timeline and plan of action is used to guide the relationship. Mentoring is more of a long-term relationship. Much thought is put into the design phase to identify the best mentoring model and to match the best mentor. Building the mentor/mentee relationship requires time to establish trust and open communication. The mentor endeavors to create an atmosphere where the mentee feels free to share his or her concerns confidentially, both personal and professional. There is no specific timeline or end date, and interactions are less formal and on an as-needed basis. ## **How Much is the Employer Involved?** Employer involvement is another key differentiator between mentoring and coaching programs. Managers and employers are a critical part of the coaching process. They know the specific skills that need to be improved upon and which employees need coaching the most. Managers often communicate regularly with the coach about their employee's progress. With mentoring, however, managers and employers are usually much more hands-off. There is a bond of integrity and trust between mentor and mentee that requires this. While managers may recommend a mentor or offer ways to use the mentoring program, they do not generally communicate with the mentor themselves. ## **Assess Your Needs and Take Action** Still need help determining which relationship dynamic would work best for your innovation needs? Is your goal to develop specific skills or overcome a specific challenge? Coaching is your best option. Are you seeking to develop innovation leaders among your current staff as part of their professional development, or develop as an innovator yourself? Then, choose a mentoring program. Other areas where coaching is beneficial might be when a group of employees are not meeting job expectations, need training on a new process or software system, or when someone has taken on a new role and needs to improve certain skills. Mentoring should be considered when the areas of improvement are less specific. Maybe you notice an employee who always seems to have great ideas but struggles to follow through on them. You may want to develop talent from within the organization by using the experience of long-time employees to help younger, less experienced ones. Developing leaders involves more than just teaching new skills. A mentor relationship molds today's up-and-comers into tomorrow's great innovative minds. **Coaches and mentors have specific roles that are vital to the development of an innovative organization. While different, both relationships give you the opportunity to retain the most talented staff and continually improve your innovative efforts.** **[Contact me](https://www.philmckinney.com/contact) to learn more about the benefits of mentoring and coaching.** This post was originally published on January 21st, 2016. ### Game-Changing Esport Innovations During COVID-19 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/game-changing-esport-innovations-during-covid-19/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:19.000Z While I was CTO at HP, I had the gaming division reporting to me. Also, I used to be a hardcore gamer, so gaming is something that has always held my interest. This week’s guest does an exciting twist on the typical gaming strategies/approaches. Austin Smith is the Co-founder and CEO of Mission Control. We will discuss esport innovations, and what his company is doing to [change the esports](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovations-using-edge-computing/) world. ## Gaming Austin found his passion for gaming while growing up and gaming with his brother and his friends. He does not consider himself a hardcore gamer but engages in gaming for social interaction and fun. Austin used to view gaming as something you either do on your own or occasionally with friends, but that changed. He sees esports as very similar to recreational sports. The social and community aspect of sports is what inspired Mission Control. You don’t have to be a [hardcore gamer](https://www.philmckinney.com/bringing-the-game-to-gaming-tech-innovation-ces2020/) to enjoy game-changing esports with your friends. I, too, realized how big the gaming market was when I attended a huge gaming event in Korea. This was in 2006, and there was around 45,000 people in attendance. The experience changed my view of gaming from a strictly social activity to a competitive sport. ## Mission Control Austin came from a line of business owners, so creating a business was natural to him. While in college, he befriended his co-founder, Byron. They worked on a lot of things together in college. They ended up getting hired and worked together professionally after college, growing their friendship and teamwork. Austin says they have overlapping values and visions, but also have very [different personalities and skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/) that help them excel in their business. Austin said that he and his partner noticed how esports was growing and wanted to dive in and build something. They couldn’t walk away from it, and in late 2018 they left their jobs to pursue Mission Control. Byron is very focused and is the one who executes, while Austin is more creative and acts as the visionary. Their team reminded me of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Jobs was the visionary, and Steve Wozniak put the vision into play. It is vital to find that compatible partnership early on in a business pursuit to be successful. ## Esport Innovations [COVID-19](https://www.philmckinney.com/covid-19-innovations-from-scuba-to-medical-face-mask-with-3d-printing/) has given Mission Control an advantage as they provide social interaction but on a digital level. Gaming offers interaction and community through our rec-games, and they gained a lot of attention as soon as things started shutting down. Mission Control focuses on the micro-community. We gather those micro-communities from all over the place and create a social community of those people. We don’t focus on gathering the best players around the world but focus on having fun as a group. Mission Control has been around for about a year now and launched a beta in 2019\. Austin says they launched their product to a larger group and started scaling it in early 2020\. In the past months, they have had 3 times the amount of plays than in their whole history. Duke University, MIT, and GameStop are some notable groups that use their product to create community experiences. Austin says that Mission Control’s biggest hurdle is giving everyone what they want. They are so many game-changing things you can add to a platform, so that is where it gets tough. Players do have a mobile app that they can download and schedule games. They can also communicate with other teams, similar to a fantasy league, but they are many other things that can be future add-ons. When looking back, Austin said there are some things that they could’ve have done differently. Over planning is one thing that Mission Control struggled with early on, as they focused more on planning than executing. Austin says it is essential to have good people that [specialize in different things](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/) around you. Austin found his staff while looking for intelligent, open, kind, and curious people. If you want to keep track of Mission Control's esport innovations, check out their website [here](https://missioncontrol.gg/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out Austin Smith’s LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinmilessmith?challengeId=AQGmciuhXmoSQAAAAXJwslurCFXNmJtgpF00RQbSsX-F5nYuamZdYRwopTOandDzQ6paOYlLM3SV5jbQgaRiqolAylOpwTwsFw&submissionId=9793d7ef-1c78-1416-f165-de8ba5e29e31&ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: Austin Smith Austin Smith is the Co-founder and CEO of Mission Control, a platform for rec league esports, similar to a local adult softball league or college intramural — but video games. Mission Control manages the league schedule, validates scores, and determines the champion while serving as a community forum for league members and friends. Austin attended St. Louis University, where he studied Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Service Leadership. To know more about esport innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic, listen to this week's show: ***[Game-Changing Esport Innovations During COVID-19](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Game-Changing%5FEsport%5FInnovations%5FDuring%5FCOVID-19.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Individual Ideas in Workshop Groups URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/individual-ideas-workshop/ Last updated: 2020-05-28T12:34:03.000Z At the end of the [ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/stupid-ideas-dont-give-up/) part of the workshop, have the team members briefly talk through their individual ideas. Have them take their Post-it notes and place them on a flip chart or other surface that everyone can see. Get through this process quickly. You don’t need master’s dissertations. Start to group the Post-its together if two or more people have a similar idea. Once everyone has their individual ideas posted, have the groups come up and finish “grouping” them into common categories, which they should then name. Pick the person who is clearly the most passionate about the idea to give it a descriptive name, and sum up the concept in a sentence. Get rid of any duplicate ideas at this point, and get to the core list of ideas. Why is this reset important? Your subconscious will continue to work on it, even when you are not aware of it. In the mid-1800s Elias Howe was struggling to invent a machine that could industrialize sewing, just as the new spinning and weaving machines had revolutionized the textile industry. He tried for years to create a machine that could stitch two layers of fabric together, but he could not find a solution. One night he fell into a deep sleep, and had an exceptionally vivid dream that spear-carrying savages were attacking him. When he looked at the spears, he noticed a hole in the tip of each spear. [Eureka!](http://killerinnovations.com/5-myths-of-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) The next morning he began work on a sewing machine with a needle that was threaded through the sharp tip rather than its rounded end, and his invention led to a complete shift in how clothing was manufactured, marketed, and purchased. Howe’s idea may seem like it [came out of nowhere](https://www.philmckinney.com/that-sputnik-moment/), but in reality his subconscious had done the work of making the connections between everything he had been observing and thinking about. Like Howe, you sometimes need to just let the brain do what it wants to do and not stress about thinking about things all the time. If nothing is coming to you, step away from the process and let your mind relax before you try again. ### How Competition and Gamification Can Spur Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/how-competition-and-gamification-can-spur-innovation/ Last updated: 2020-05-27T14:25:10.000Z The concept of gamification is increasingly popular as a means of motivating employees, increasing productivity, and moving ideas forward. This trend is one driving force behind the proliferation of innovation competitions around the world, but it’s also true that these kinds of competitions aren’t anything new. The concept[ dates back to the 1700s](http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/spurring-innovation-through-competitions/?ref=philmckinney.com) when governments and leaders were known to offer prizes in exchange for solutions to problems. For instance, Napoleon is believed to have given a substantial financial prize to the person who could come up with the best idea for food preservation. That isn't much different from some of the innovation prizes offered today. Our problems have just become more complicated. Can competitions really spur world-changing innovation in the 21st century? ## **What Is an Innovation Competition and What Is The Role of Gamification?** These competitions take many forms, from small challenges within companies or even departments, to international idea contests to solve pressing global issues. There must be a set of rules or parameters, and also some kind of reward for the winner or winners. It may be a cash prize, seed money to advance a startup, or simply industry recognition or attention from consumers. There are competitions of this nature bringing new ideas to life in every industry imaginable right now. Some of the more prominent innovation competitions in 2015 included: - [Insight Innovation Competition](http://www.iicompetition.org/?ref=philmckinney.com) – Driving innovation in the marketing research field - [Extreme Tech Challenge](http://extremetechchallenge.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) – Giving startups a boost through vendor sponsorship and other lucrative rewards - [Imagine Cup](https://www.imaginecup.com/competition/17193?ref=philmckinney.com) – Sponsored by Microsoft, this competition challenged students aged 16 and up to create new, innovative software - [European Social Innovation Competition](http://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/innovation/policy/social/competition/?ref=philmckinney.com) – The European Commission's attempt to find new ideas to help Europe grow sustainably - [NOVA Innovation Competition](https://www.nova-saint-gobain.com/en/NOVA-Innovation-Competition/Competition2015/?ref=philmckinney.com) – Rewarding innovative startup companies in the fields of renewable energy, high-efficiency products, sustainable products, and habitats But there are also plenty of smaller competitions that happen within organizations and communities that can be just as effective (if not more so) in solving specific problems and spurring innovation and progress. There’s also gamification, another side of the same coin: while there may not be a prize for the best idea, gamification turns innovation into a game, setting many minds to the same task and transforming a group of disparate people into a [“swarm” that is focused on a common goal](http://www.forbes.com/sites/gartnergroup/2014/08/06/how-to-gamify-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). One example of this is the online game called Foldit created by AIDS researchers, whose players solved a puzzle about the structure of an enzyme involved in the production of HIV. A problem that had scientists stumped was solved by the gamers [within three weeks](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/foldit-gamers-solve-riddle/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## **How Competitions and Games Can Spur Innovation** A competition that is well designed and thoughtfully executed can both prompt new ideas and accelerate good ones that are already out there. At its core, it is an excellent way to bring attention and resources — both monetary and intellectual — to problems and spaces that might not draw those resources without some kind of external force to help. Innovations that don’t necessarily have immediate or lucrative market value, for instance, might may have trouble getting off the ground without the extra push and reward that a competition or game provides. Innovation competitions and games can set many creative minds to the task of solving a tough problem, a problem that the competitors may not have even heard of before they heard about the challenge. It can also bring together creative thinkers who may not have met or collaborated otherwise. Essentially, competitions and games can artificially create the conditions that have fostered some of the greatest innovations in history. When [many great thinkers come together](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-from-associative-fluency-s11-ep5) to attack a problem, good things tend to happen. > When a group of great thinkers come together to attack a problem, good things tend to happen. > > Phil McKinney Within organizations, competitions open to third parties are often designed to[ challenge the status quo](http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/spurring-innovation-through-competitions/?ref=philmckinney.com) in order to think beyond structures that have always existed. Many executives hold tight to the way things have always been done, and innovative ideas are often shut down if they challenge the current system or approach new market needs rather than focusing solely on current customers. When companies are really ready to change, allowing creative thinkers to compete with the intention of embracing winning ideas is a great way to stimulate that change. **It really comes down to identifying problems or opportunities for progress and setting many minds to the task of coming up with solutions and ideas.** While most competitions only award one prize, many of the creative ideas and products featured along the way will receive media attention, increased consumer awareness, and investment propositions due to their participation. ## **How Innovation Competitions and Games Can Be Most Effective** You don't need thousands of entrants from around the world, tons of media attention, and $50,000 in the prize bank to create a successful challenge that highlights creative solutions to a problem. What you need is all of the following: - A problem that is difficult to solve or an area in need of improvement and growth: [open-ended competitions will likely produce vague results](https://hbr.org/2014/11/to-encourage-innovation-make-it-a-competition?ref=philmckinney.com), so it’s important to make the challenge or question as specific as possible - An identified group of people with the expertise and creative powers to come up with new ideas in that identified space - Some kind of incentive that encourages innovators to bring their best ideas forward - A system for advertising the competition and getting the word out to the right communities - Plans for pushing the winning ideas forward to implement solutions to your problem or bring world-changing concepts to life Competition between your employees to solve internal problems can be just as rewarding as massive competitions open to entrants from around the world. Allstate, for instance, has “innovation blitzes” that invite all employees to submit ideas for how to solve pressing business problems, and the best ideas are chosen for follow-through by the innovation lab. That’s an important key: to make sure the competition is just the start of the innovation process, not the end in itself. The prize package or goal should be more than just an incentive to get participants interested in the contest. It's also a strategy for turning the ideas reality. Innovative ideas are great, but that follow-through to implementation is critical. Ideas themselves don’t change the world — [people working hard to implement those ideas do](https://www.philmckinney.com/the-recipe-for-innovation-success). If you can successfully bring creative entrepreneurs or innovative minds to the table and connect them with investors and industry professionals, you can create new relationships that take ideas from the drawing board into the real world. Since innovators don't always have the ability to[ fully implement and market their creations](http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232847?ref=philmckinney.com) effectively, networking is one of the biggest advantages to participating in this type of competition. This not only means that entrepreneurs are connected with other thinkers that can help them accomplish their goals, but also that a swarm of creative minds is connected to a problem they might not have otherwise used their skills to address. **Are you intrigued by the concept of competition-generated innovation? Feel free to[ contact me](https://www.philmckinney.com/contact) with your ideas, questions, and suggestions when it comes to putting creative ideas into the world.** ### COVID-19 Innovations: From Scuba to Medical Face Mask With 3D Printing URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/covid-19-innovations-from-scuba-to-medical-face-mask-with-3d-printing/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:18.000Z This week’s guest on The Killer Innovations Show has innovation experience in a variety of different industries. Jonah Myerberg is the CTO at Desktop Metal, a company that specializes in metal and carbon fiber 3D printing technology. We will discuss 3D printing and the COVID-19 innovations that Desktop Metal is doing during this pandemic. ## Jonah’s experience Jonah started at Black & Decker, making power tools. He went on to work at Bose Corporations, which exposed him to a high level of [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-buzzwords/). The creation of A123 Systems reintroduced him to engineering, which his team eventually sold to a Chinese conglomerate. While at HP, I had the benefit of getting a personal demonstration from Dr. Bose himself. He spent 20 plus years of research on a suspension system, leading a great example of innovation. I don’t know any other organization that was committed to innovation on that scale for that amount of time. In the innovation game, some people tend to focus on the present rather than what can come in the future. Dr. Bose set a great example of how important long-term innovation is. 3D printing is an excellent example of this, as it came from “traditional” printing to the 3D printing technology we have available today. Jonah states that the huge killer innovation does not necessarily have to be *your invention*, but your invention can enable the next killer innovation. ## Desktop Metal Jonah was designing high-performance batteries for racing teams. While working with these racing teams, he saw how they efficiently and effectively used [3D printing](https://www.philmckinney.com/bringing-the-game-to-gaming-tech-innovation-ces2020/) to optimize their performance. He thought this technology was something that everyone should use, not just elite racers. Making 3D printing accessible to everybody who wanted to use it lead to the creation of Desktop Metal. There are so many industries that are attracted to 3D printing in one way or another. Apart from the automotive industry, consumer electronics invests heavily in single designs for small parts. The jewelry industry has to manufacture small metal parts and would love to print precious metals like silver, copper, and gold. Judging the performance of produced parts is a traditional focal point for 3D printing. Fidelity is an essential factor in 3D printing, but performance is generally the central focus. The material needs to be strong and have the right chemistry for the intended purpose. At Desktop Metal, they realized that the big challenge is when new materials and processes get presented within 3D printing. They started with materials that were well known and commonly used. Even if the process of forming is different, many engineers feel comfortable using 3D parts built out of stainless steel because the material used is familiar. ## Aiding the fight With the [current pandemic](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/), many companies have come together to develop COVID-19 innovations to aid the situation. Desktop Metal opened its doors of technology and asked what they could do to help with the situation. They reached out to hospitals and essential workers and got a lot of feedback on needed supplies they could help out with. They had requests from the VA hospitals to make scuba masks into [COVID-19](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/) face masks, as well as ventilators for other hospitals. Swabs were one highly requested item that Desktop Metal and some other companies teamed up to develop. When it comes to the face masks, Desktop Metal was asked by doctors to design and provide a converter that would take an N95 filter and connect it to a scuba mask. As far as the ventilators go, hospitals acquired a ton of them after they had run out. The only issue was that there was no way to connect them. They ended up printing several connector pieces and attaching them to the ventilators. These COVID-19 innovations are essential as they'll be able to help health workers and patients alike. ## Advice for the Listeners Throughout Jonah’s wide-ranging career, he has had a lot of beneficial experience. When asked for advice if he was to mentor a new innovator starting a career, Jonah’s advice is to dive in. *"Don’t be afraid to ask what needs to be fixed and try to fix it. Also, do not be afraid to fail at your attempt to fix it. Try to help people because they all have different challenges that need fixing. Don’t focus yourself in one area, instead learn broadly. Cross functionality is essential for success in innovation. Don’t reinvent the wheel; apply it in different areas."* If you want to stay up to date with Jonah Myerberg and Desktop Metal, check out their website [here](https://www.desktopmetal.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out their LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/company/desktopmetal?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about COVID-19 innovations and 3D printing, listen to this week's show: ***[COVID-19 Innovations: From Scuba to Medical Face Mask With 3D Printing](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/COVID-19%5FInnovations%5F-%5FFrom%5FScuba%5Fto%5FMedical%5FFace%5FMask%5FWith%5F3D%5FPrinting.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Area of Focus for Workshop Groups URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/area-of-focus-workshop-groups/ Last updated: 2020-05-21T12:56:54.000Z The ideas you generate in your workshop are only ever going to be as good as the people in the group. I want people of different ages, races, education levels, economic statuses, and beliefs to come up with an area of focus. Theoretically, I want twenty-three-year-old inner-city scholarship kids sitting next to corn-fed engineers three times their age, senior management next to designers and enthusiastic interns and so on. Big ideas are born out of being surprised and out of your knowledge colliding with a new bit of information. This won’t happen if you all “know” the same things. Get participants from as many areas of your organization as possible, and keep the doors open to all comers as much as is feasible. At the same time, you need to find people who will actively and eagerly participate. Some people have the right credentials but don’t contribute to the group, so you as the leader need to understand the dynamics of each person. I track how effective people have been in previous workshops. If they are active, dynamic, and great contributors (building on others’ ideas), they get invited back. If they are lumps on a log or overly critical of others’ ideas, they don’t. ## ***Area of Focus and Killer Questions*** Some group organizers have an immediate area they know they need to focus in on. Their organization may be losing customers and need to find ways to either reengage with their existing demographic, or find ways to make new customers. They may realize their product needs to evolve, or that their way of doing business is growing obsolete. However, if you don’t know where to focus, you should either use the assumption questions to help you zoom in on one, or simply pick among the Who, What, or How categories. Once you’ve homed in on your area of focus, turn to the lists of [Killer Questions](http://ow.ly/W1m430fvxk0?ref=philmckinney.com), and select one to three questions from the appropriate list. Remember, you’re looking for questions that you can’t currently answer, or even guess an answer to. If you look at a Killer Question and think, “I know the answer to that,” then your group participants may well have the same reaction, and you won’t get the level of new insight you need. Don’t be afraid to rewrite the questions. Over the years I’ve found that the wording on the questions is critically important. Be specific about where the question is being aimed, especially if you are going after an area that is a touchy or difficult subject for your organization. Use language your teams will understand, but at the same time watch out for words that are overly familiar and loaded with meaning. Words have unique connotations at different organizations, and if you don’t understand the nuances of how those words are understood, you may cause people to assume you are asking a much narrower question than you really are. Bear in mind that the questions in this book use the word “product,” but the questions can be used for “services,” “solutions,” etc. Use whatever word works for your organization. The word “product” is widely assumed to mean [*hardware* at HP](http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/elitebook-x360/overview.html?jumpid=ba%5Fykrt8dfp6u&ref=philmckinney.com), and if I ask a Killer Question related to product, people will assume I’m talking very specifically about hardware. If I’m looking for a broader set of ideas, I will use the word “solution.” Be careful of words that have evolved to mean something beyond their dictionary definition in your organization, or come weighted with baggage. Changing a familiar word to a less-expected one may be an easy way to give you a radically different response. Give your group the area of focus and the Killer Questions two weeks before the date of the [workshop](https://beyondtheobvious.com/golden-rules-killer-questions/?ref=philmckinney.com). Make sure that your participants understand that they have homework, and that they are expected to show up to the workshop prepared. They need to get out and observe. One important note: it’s essential to start the process in a very focused way, however you should still have a plan for addressing ideas that don’t fit into your chosen area of focus. For instance, a group member may make a fantastic observation about how you are manufacturing your product while investigating who the customer is. If that happens, don’t ignore it. Add it to the list of ideas to be considered at a later date. There are no limits to where ideas can come from. ### Innovation Buzzwords URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-buzzwords/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:18.000Z This week, we will do something that's a bit different from our recent shows. We will be discussing innovation buzzwords, things that are often misused inside and outside of the innovation world. ## Innovation Buzzwords A buzzword is a term that can be technical or specific to an industry or a job function. It is often used to impress ordinary people, and also often pushing them away. One typical example is *synergy*, which simply means working together. Another example would be *clickbait*, which is used as a negative slam for those who create content. *Growth hacking* is also a buzzword that has gone way overboard. It consists of trying to figure out how to grow an organization. Buzzwords are meant to simplify things for some people, but others often don’t know what they mean. It would be so much easier if we just simplified our language in a way that everyone could understand it. In the Innovation game, we have our own set of buzzwords that tend to drive people crazy. The number one innovation buzzword in my book is *design-thinking*. This buzzword has been around for quite some time and is a term hated by actual designers. The original intent was to find a process in which the needs of the user were conceived from the start of the project and all the way through. These days, design-thinking has lost its meaning and fully turned into an innovation buzzword. ## Ideation/Disruptor The next innovation buzzword I want to discuss is *[ideation,](https://www.philmckinney.com/individual-ideation-versus-team-ideation/)* a term that I use a lot. We at [The Innovators Network](http://theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) teach workshops on the process of ideation. What does it mean? Ideation is a process where innovators generate ideas. People outside of the innovation industry can be highly annoyed by it. In reality, it is a made-up word. What is the difference between ideation and [brainstorming](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/)? Honestly, I couldn’t tell you the difference. The output of both ideation and brainstorming is ideas. In some cases, you can argue that the usage of ideation arose as a way to find new clients. The next buzzword is one that I also use a lot. The term *disruptor* describes someone who “rocks the boat,” coming into an existing industry with a unique and different angle. Disruptors may not necessarily be bad people, but they come in and disrupt already established settings. An example of this would be Uber changing the ride-hailing industry. Uber disrupted the industry earning itself the reputation of a disruptor. A long the lines of disruptor, we have the buzzword *innovator* — which is someone who introduces a new product, service, or a revolutionary new strategy. The challenge is that everyone and their mother says they are an innovator. People often describe themselves as innovators to be seen as extraordinary. As a result, it’s meaning has become less and less differentiated, making it hard to tell who’s an innovator. Some argue that innovator is not a buzzword, but I say it is based on how much it is thrown around and applied so loosely. ## System-Thinking/Pain Points The next innovation buzzword we will discuss is *system-thinking*. You may have heard of this from one of the big six consulting houses attempting to differentiate themselves. I used to be part of this group, so I understand what these companies are trying to do. They use the term system-thinking in which they look at complicated things as systems rather than a defined and well-understood process. This concept is so vague that most people don’t know what it means. They are trying to make something sound way more complicated than it is. Next, we have the buzzword *pain points*, which refer to answering the things that drive customers crazy. Another buzzword used is social innovation, which I have had a good amount of experience with. This term has been used to the point that it is almost meaningless. It is meant to focus on innovating to fix a social problem. ## Thought Leader/IMS The next buzzword we will discuss is the term *thought leader.* This term should be the goal of all [aspiring innovation leaders](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-leadership-struggles-i-had-to-overcome/) but can become cringe-worthy and overused. Do you call yourself a thought leader? Or do others call you a thought leader? You need to be genuine in your thought leadership and humble with it. *Idea management software* is a term that appeared in the last ten years. Its sole purpose is to capture and track ideas. The misuse of the term comes when people label their excel spreadsheets as idea management systems, which simply are not. Calling something an idea management system just because it is a popular buzzword is misusing the term. I often find myself using many of the buzzwords we discussed, which end up confusing people. My goal this year is to get rid of the barriers that separate those inside and outside the innovation arena, starting with buzzwords. Thanks for joining us. Check out my blog [here](http://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and my book [here](https://beyondtheobvious.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). If you want fast updates on what I am doing, text **Innovation** to 44222 (U.S), or send me an email at [innovation@killerinnovations.com](mailto:innovation@killerinnovations.com). This will add you to my contact list and update you on any of my upcoming webinars. To know more about innovation buzzwords, listen to this week's show: ***[Innovation Buzzwords.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FBuzzwords.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Ideation Workshop Game Plan URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/ideation-workshop-game-plan/ Last updated: 2020-05-15T14:39:12.000Z So what do you need to know as the leader of an ideation workshop? A workshop has multiple elements—participants, [Killer Questions](https://beyondtheobvious.com/golden-rules-killer-questions/?ref=philmckinney.com), and so on—but at the end of the day, the quality of the ideas directly relates to your ability to create a highly functional, highly effective group. In the following series of posts I’m going to walk you through the way I set up and oversee my workshops. First, I’ll provide a general game plan that you can use for your own workshop, and then I’ll dive a bit deeper to help explain each step in detail. But before we jump into how you actually run an effective ideation workshop, I want to point out that there are two different scenarios. For the most part, I work with big organizations. The workshops I run have multiple participants, and there are representatives from all the relevant divisions present. However, this system is equally valuable to a small business or an individual entrepreneur. Don’t be discouraged if you are a one or two-person operation. I’ll give you ideas for how to maximize your workshop throughout this section. One suggestion I would make if you are on your own is to form your own “executive board.” Find a great group of people who are either connected to your business in some way (your lawyer, your accountant, angel investors)—people whose business savvy and experience you respect, or simply wise friends whose opinions you seek out anyway. Get two to five people involved and passionate enough that they’ll participate in your Innovation Workshop. It’s perfectly possible to walk this road alone, but it’s easier with a little help. Don’t be afraid to ask for it. ### Ideation Workshop Timeline - *Two to three weeks prior* - *Recruit group members* - *Decide on your area of focus [Pick 1 to 3 Killer Questions](http://ow.ly/W1m430fvxk0?ref=philmckinney.com) and assign Killer Question homework* - *Set date for workshop two weeks after homework assigned* ### Day of - *9:00–9:30 Brief overview* - *9:30–10:30 Share industry and company assumptions and rules* - *10:30–12:00 Discuss Killer Questions and share the results of the homework* - *12:00–1:00 Lunch* - *1:00–3:00 Get ideas up on board 30 min* - *Generate ideas* - *40 min posting/sharing* - *50 min grouping of ideas* - *3:00–4:00 Break* - *4:00–5:00 Rank ideas* - *5:00–5:30 Set follow-up session for group charged with making presentation of best idea(s)* ### Virtual Brainstorming: Innovating Ideas for New Zoom Features URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorming-innovating-ideas-for-new-zoom-features/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:17.000Z Due to the great feedback we received from our previous Virtual Brainstorming [show](https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/), we will be doing another one this week. Our goal at the end of the show is to come up with a list of suggested features for our sponsor, Zoom. They have experienced a lot of growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and has seen new usage in a lot of unique ways. ## Virtual Brainstorming Part of today’s objective is to show how you guys can conduct a virtual brainstorm by yourselves using Jamboard. The process will help you generate tons of new ideas on whatever [issues, opportunities, or needs](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) you and your organization may face. ## Question 1 We will be dealing with three questions from the [Killer Questions Card Deck](https://innovation.tools/products/killer-questions-card-deck?ref=philmckinney.com) derived from my book “[Beyond the Obvious](https://innovation.tools/products/beyond-the-obvious?ref=philmckinney.com).” On the front of a Killer Questions Card, there is a set of questions. On the back, there is what I like to call “sparking questions,” which are there to push you to the next idea or unique insight. The card deck consists of who, what, and how cards that come in gold, blue, and green. Today we will be focusing on who and what. **Question number one** asks, “**Who is using my product in a way I never expected?”** The sparking questions are: *“What problems and needs are you looking to address? Are you too focused on what you believe your customer’s problems and needs are that you are missing out on a potential opportunity?”.* The second sparking question is, *“How can you identify existing customers and observe how they use your product?”.* Thirdly, *“Is there a way to allow your potential customers to play with and use your product without giving them specific parameters on how and when they should use it?”.* Let’s hop onto Jamboard to get this session going: - **Education** – If there’s one thing regarding the use of Zoom that surprised me, it’s this one: 1:1 with teachers, virtual classrooms, students doing team projects, and students just hanging out together. - **Speech-Language Pathologists -** School-based therapists had to offer tele-practice services due to COVID-19 suddenly. 1:1 calls between therapists and clients provide the ability to see and hear each other. We have seen 3rd party apps that the therapist and client can do over Zoom to work on specific skills while having fun. - **Musicians -** Using Zoom to hold virtual concerts given that each musician is in their homes. For *King & Country*, they used virtual tools to write a new song called “Together.” Musicians are giving music lessons over Zoom. - **Gymnastics/Dance Studios –** Zoom has allowed these lessons to continue. Grandparents like me can watch our grandkids no matter how far away they are. ## Question 2 **Question number two** asks, **“What features of my product create unanticipated passion”?** The sparking questions are, *“What are the features that have elicited the strongest emotional response from my customers?”, “How do you ensure these are carried forward both in your current and future products?” and “How do you avoid killing the passion?*”. Let’s jump into brainstorming: - **Free Zoom to Schools/Teachers –** It elicited so much passion because it was the right thing to do. They made it easy for schools to avoid budget issues. - **Virtual Backgrounds –** It allows you to hide the messiness of any background. We hold background competitions at my office every Friday. Zoom has virtual background competitions. There is now a new category of graphic designers and photographers that create libraries of Zoom virtual backgrounds. - **Original Audio –** This takes away all the filtering of audio. This feature has allowed for music-making/the listening of live concerts without hearing the chopped-up sound. Zoom offers this feature to remove all the filtering. - **Grid View –** This allows you to see upwards of twenty-five to fifty people at a time. The grid view gives you the feeling of everyone being present, eye-to-eye. It offers a much more personal perspective and has generated a lot of passion. - **Ease of Use** – Zoom works across all platforms, making it super convenient to use. Given how easy it is to get people to join a Zoom call, people are using it to stay connected with their friends and family members. ## Question 3 **Question number three** asks, “**What emotional, psychological, or status benefits could people derive from using my product”?** The sparking questions are, *“Does your product create a connection with its customers that goes beyond just being a good solution to their needs?”, “Can you refine it to reflect the changing needs and desires of your customers?”, “Is the emotional connection literally between the customer and the product, or between the customer and what the product signifies?” and “Are there good or interesting reasons to resist an emotional connection and prevent them from happening?”.* Let’s hop on Jamboard and crank out some ideas: - **Being Together -** Using video to stay connected with friends and family. Zoom allowing teams to feel like they are together and working effectively. - **Reduce the Feeling of Loneliness -**Especially for those who are single and by themselves. It helps family members in nursing homes feel less lonely. - **Feeding the Spiritual Needs of the Community -**Churches using Zoom for services, small groups, and for generally getting together to talk and support each other within a given faith community. ## Ideation for Zoom Based on thinking deeply about these three questions, **what new features would you present to Zoom?** Let’s hop back on Jamboard to get some ideas going: - **Video Overlay (similar to what I am doing with Jamboard/Youtube) –** this allows the speaker to engage the viewer and “make eye contact” with them. - **Remote Karaoke –** allows for social interaction and rates how well you hit the notes and sang. - **Payment System tied in with Zoom –** allows Zoom to become a revenue-generating platform for those who are putting out content such as fitness trainers or musicians. - **TV Streaming Via Zoom –** allows the audience to watch a movie or show at the same time and allowing them to communicate with each other during the event. Thanks for listening to the show. Do you have a topic, opportunity, or problem you would like to propose for a Virtual Brainstorm? Send it to me at phil@killerinnovations.com. Check out the brainstorm for this show that I did on Jamboard [here](https://jamboard.google.com/d/1U3peV1Gjw9oona-3YbGBqQeBg-daeeqChG3N9gWtGW8/viewer?ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about our ideation and doing a virtual brainstorming for Zoom features, listen to this week's show: ***[Virtual Brainstorming: Innovating Ideas for New Zoom Features](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Virtual%5FBrainstorming%5FInnovating%5FIdeas%5Ffor%5FNew%5FZoom%5FFeatures.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).*** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Virtual Brainstorming: Changes To Your Customer Segments From COVID-19 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/virtual-brainstorm/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:17.000Z On this week's show, I will be demonstrating a private [ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/individual-ideation-versus-team-ideation/) session that you can do on your own. A virtual brainstorm session helps in generating key ideas and solutions to the various problems you may be facing. There are numerous tools you can use for this, but today I will be using Jamboard from Google. ## Virtual Brainstorm With the [COVID-19 pandemic](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) going on, there are a lot of unknowns. You currently have two choices. You can freak out and go into hibernation, or you can sit down and brainstorm ideas that will allow you to not only survive but thrive during the crisis. On this virtual [brainstorm](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/), we will look at two questions from the [Killer Questions Card Deck](https://innovation.tools/products/killer-questions-card-deck?ref=philmckinney.com) as they relate to COVID-19\. These questions have been edited to focus the ideation specifically around COVID-19 because better focus increases the quantity and quality of the ideas. Our first question asks what customer segments will no longer exist or will be significantly impacted as a result of COVID-19\. Our second question asks what customer segments could emerge as a result of COVID-19. ## COVID-19 Changes Let's get into ideas for our first question. What segments will no longer exist or will be significantly impacted as a result of COVID-19? One idea I thought about would be sports and concert fans. These people love going to social activities and are going to be significantly impacted by COVID-19\. The other segment that I thought of was travel influencers— people who travel to review different places will be affected as a whole. Similarly, businesses that are dependent on tourism, such as hotels, tour guides, and national parks are going to be challenged going forward with this crisis. ## New Emergence Let's move on to our second question. What segments could emerge as a result of COVID-19? The first one I came up with is the **social distancing butler**. This role is assigned to a family member or friend who helps with errands such as grocery shopping and picking up various needed items. This person helps reduce the risk for someone who might be more affected by the virus. Another idea is what I call the **COVID gig**. These are people who have become contractors to essential businesses such as restockers or delivery drivers. These might be those who have been furloughed from their jobs and are filling the gap somewhere else. My next idea is what I call the **virtual babysitter**. Being a grandparent, I often babysit my grandkids for our kids that live in the area. With COVID-19, things are a little different as they cannot drop the kids off and go on a date anymore. Two to three times a week, my wife and I will virtually read bedtime stories to our grandkids via Facebook. Virtual babysitting gives the parents a bit of a break from the kids and provides us with some quality time with our loved ones. The final idea I thought of is what I call a **virtual background creator**. As a result of COVID-19, our sponsor [Zoom](https://zoom.us/?ref=philmckinney.com) has seen an astounding amount of new users. With this growth in video calls, virtual backgrounds are going to become very important going forward, and I think the demand for the software will see an increase. Let me know what you think of the virtual brainstorming and feel free to propose a topic and killer question for a future "virtual brainstorm." Check out the brainstorming session I did on Jamboard [here](https://jamboard.google.com/d/1BxCYAO18K3rYxVbGh9OU6jsdJcp7k7k-k5tXTUddUqQ/viewer?f=0&ref=philmckinney.com). Watch the brainstorming session on YouTube [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98m79yZXCIA&ref=philmckinney.com). To know more about ideation and doing a virtual brainstorming session during a pandemic, listen to this week's show: **[Virtual Brainstorm - Changes To Your Customer Segments From COVID-19](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Virtual%5FBrainstorm.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Laser-Powered Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/laser-powered-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:17.000Z Joining us via Zoom this week is William Benner, the President and CTO of Pangolin Laser Systems. We will discuss laser technology and what he's doing to change laser-powered innovation. ## Pangolin Laser Systems William got into electronics because of his father, who worked as an engineer at NASA. *I attended college to study electronics but was also in a rock band. During my time in a rock band, the focus was not always on the music. We enjoyed being flashy and [creative](https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/) and got people excited about it, which is where I found my interests in lasers. Eventually, the band faded away, but my love for lasers continued, and I wondered how I could do business out of it. Fast forward to today, and we are the only laser-powered innovation company in the United States and manufacture products for people who conduct laser shows such as clubs, concerts, etc.* **How big is your company?** *We started in 1986 and have a total of 35 people scattered around the world. We manufacture 100% of our software in the U.S and sell a lot of hardware and software overseas with the help of our sister companies in Slovenia and China.* ## Laser Customers **Who are your main customers?** William says the customers consist of theme parks such as Disney World and Universal Studios, the NFL, NBA, NHL, tours, concerts, and corporate events. *Most of our customers are not direct but contract out production companies to utilize our products. In my experience, customers are not typically the [best source for innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/looking-back-at-15-years-of-killer-innovations/).* **Do your customers often come to you with ideas, or do you develop them?** William said *it's the customers that are usually asking us to adapt our technology to their ideas. We look at how close their idea is to what we already do, and how much time and money it will cost the customer and us. We go where we need to go to help bring our technologies to other markets and benefits.* ## Experience with Laser-Powered Innovation Laser shows can get crazy and creative. **What are some of the craziest things you guys have seen or done?** William says one of his peers was approached by the Chief Marketing Officer of Coca Cola, offering a million dollars to put a logo on the moon. *One company has come up with an idea of sky lasers serving as beacons being projected into the sky. We don't know what this will look like, but you'll only know if you [experiment](https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/). One customer came to us wanting to project lasers into space, and we had to figure out how to make it safe and reliable. We developed a product and formed a separate company that sells the product.* ## Advice for the Listeners **Given all your experience, what advice would you give to the listeners?** William said it is a lesson he learned quite recently*. In the past, I would ask myself how I would put together a product for a customer. For our last three projects, what helped was not asking how, but imagining what it would look like if it already existed. Write it down, and that becomes a map to get you to where you are going. It's not business advice, but when it comes to innovation, its how to get there. This turns all the "how" questions to something more tangible and visible.* **What are some challenges you have faced with laser-powered innovation?** William says that laser scanners need to be filled with epoxy. *I had an idea of how to do it, but I tried it, and it did not work. As soon as it failed, I came up with another idea to solve the problem. Yes, my idea failed, but it led to a solution that wound up being much easier and better. While it hurts sometimes, [failures](https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/) lead to success over time and begin a new pathway to solving a problem.* If you want to stay up to date with William Benner and his work on laser-powered innovation, check out his website [here](https://lasershowprojector.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: William Benner William Brenner is the President and Chief Technology Officer of Pangolin Laser Systems. In addition to receiving more than 25 international awards for technical achievement, products invented by Benner and manufactured by Pangolin are used by companies such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Boeing, and Samsung. To know more about laser technology and laser-powered innovation, listen to this week's show: [**Laser-Powered Innovation**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Laser-Powered%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Disruptive Shocks URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/disruptive-shocks/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:16.000Z This week's show is an excerpt from a recent webinar I did on how to survive and thrive during challenging times such as these. At the end of today's show, I will share how you can attend the free webinar series through Zoom, known as Disruptive Shock. ## Disruptive Shock We're currently experiencing what I call a disruptive shock. **What is a disruptive shock?** It's a sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience that stop things from continuing as usual. COVID-19 is the poster child for a disruptive shock. With the virus spreading quickly, people have been asking me for advice on how to deal with the situation. While this all seems new to some, disruption is always happening. It happens in the form of new technology, new business models, etc. There are three types of disruptions: - **Operational disruption –** this is your normal fluctuation of pricing, etc. Price wars, being short of supply, not being able to meet demand, etc. These can be planned for. - **Competitive disruption** – made to get an edge on competition from the outside: like Uber disrupting the taxi industry, as well as Tesla with electric cars, etc. - **Disruptive Shocks** – these cannot be anticipated or planned for. SARS, COVID-19, etc. We're all familiar with things like flooding, earthquakes, fires, etc. Some may have little impact and short-lived, such as a storm hitting a rural town. In the case of COVID-19, it is unique in that its effect is on a global scale. GDP is estimated to be down anywhere from 11-30% in the U.S. In times of economic depression, and we are often told never to start a business. However, during the Great Depression, companies like [Disney](https://www.philmckinney.com/renaissance-era-in-innovation-ces2020/) and HP were started. We as leaders cannot retreat at this time but need to identify those opportunities to better position and create opportunities for ourselves. ## My Experience I've had my fair share of disruptive shocks throughout my career. During the SARS epidemic, [I was at HP](https://philmckinney.com/goodbye-hp-2/?ref=philmckinney.com), and our supply chains were impacted significantly. Our supply chain was not very digitally managed or monitored, and due to the multinational distribution, it was quite a shock. We decided we would never be single-sourced on any key component again and utilized resiliency and flexibility to recover. Then, when the Fukushima tsunami happened, we ran into more component problems. One little spring that was a vital component in laptops was from one manufacture based in the area where the Fukushima tsunami occurred. This missing spring shut down laptop supply for three months, causing us to miss revenue targets. This unfortunate situation taught me to utilize a second-order supply chain. After Hurricane Katrina happened, I was released from HP with help from the White House to head up recovery efforts in New Orleans around technology and broadband infrastructure. What I learned here was that in hard times competition and politics diminish, and the ability to leverage collaboration can be the difference between life and death. Here are three main lessons learned from my disruptive shock experiences: - **Take action –** This is not a time to push off action. Be willing to course-correct as you learn more about the situation - **Prioritize possible changes –** What changes will impact you? How do you prioritize all the things that are going to be disrupting against you? - **Rapid high-velocity experimentation –** Be ready to do a series of rapid high-velocity experimentation. Find your new normal now and make the proper adjustments. ## Disruptive Shock Strategy When I'm in the middle of a disruptive shock, I like to step back and ask myself a set of questions I call disruptive questions. First, I ask what someone I know or respect would do in the situation. What would Elon Musk, Albert Einstein, or Thomas Edison do in this situation? Next, I ask what the one thing I should not do in this situation is. What I can't do creates a barrier that I know not to cross. Thirdly, I ask myself what would happen if I stop doing certain things, and ask what the outcome of that would be. I'm hosting this free webinar to help other leaders navigate the changes that are coming. Being able to identify, survive, and leverage the current disruptions is the new must-have skill set of a successful leader. This webinar applies to all types of organizations. You can register to be part of the series on disruptive shock by visiting the website [here](https://disruptiveshock.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Let's connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don't forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To know more about how to thrive during a disruptive shock, listen to this week's show: [**Disruptive Shocks**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Disruptive%5FShocks.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Experimentation is the Engine of Innovation URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/experimentation-is-the-engine-of-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:16.000Z This week's guest is an innovation guru from one of the world's leading business schools. Stefan Thomke is a William Barclay Harding Professor of Business Administration Chair at Harvard Business School and a widely published author around innovation processes. We will discuss Stefan's new book, "Experimentation Works: The Surprising Power of Business Experiments," and how experimentation functions as the engine of innovation. ## Experimentation Stefan says he got involved in experimentation while working as an engineering intern. He got tasked with optimizing a chip manufacturing process and was lost on how to do it. Someone mentioned looking into experimentation, and he decided to research and study it. He was able to solve the problem, prompting his realization that experimentation is the engine of innovation. For many innovators I know, innovation is viewed as stumbling in the dark, hoping you have that "eureka" moment, verses having a methodology. Is that the case for innovators you interact with? Stefan says part of the problem is how we use the word experimentation itself. When people say they experiment, often they mean they are just trying something. They did something, and it didn't work; therefore, it must be an experiment. I am talking about disciplined experimentation using principles employed in a scientific method. It is important to note because you can't learn much from an experiment without [implementing a process](https://theinnovators.network/looking-back-at-15-years-of-killer-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com) into it. ## Failure and Incrementalism In your book, "Experimentation Works: The Surprising Power of Business Experiments," you call out the difference between an experiment and a mistake. In your opinion, what is the difference? Stefan says a mistake is something that you learn nothing from. The difference is that a [failure](https://theinnovators.network/james-hondo-geurts-on-taking-the-navy-into-the-next-wave-of-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com) has a learning objective, where a mistake does not. Failure is okay when you are learning from it. Does experimentation get correlated to incrementalism? Stefan says that most innovation in the world is incremental. Most of the significant performance changes we see are the result of the cumulative impact of small changes. Microsoft changed the way they displayed their headlines and increased revenue by 100 million dollars a year. I call it high-velocity incrementalism, which means that you need to run fast but also go for scale. You need to be able to link cause and effect as a business. You want to have a high level of confidence that action A will produce outcome B. ## Experimentation Culture What are some attributes that are needed for an experimentation culture in business? Stefan says that companies often assume if they put the right tools into place, the experimentation will just happen, which is not the case. There are a few [elements needed](https://theinnovators.network/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/?ref=philmckinney.com) to be successful. Firstly, a company needs to have curious people who value surprises. Secondly, they need to insist that data trumps opinions. Often companies will only accept results that confirm their biases and challenge results that go against our assumptions. Thirdly, we need to empower people to perform experiments. If people have to run it up the chain for every experiment, you're not going to get the scale that you need run on. Next, you need to ethnically sensitive because we will all react differently to experiments. Lastly, you need to embrace different leadership models. When it comes to an experimentation culture, how do leaders need to act differently? Firstly, they need to set a grand challenge. The[ role of the leader](https://theinnovators.network/4-leadership-struggles-i-had-to-overcome/?ref=philmckinney.com) is to establish a grand challenge to keep the focus of the organization. Secondly, put in place systems, resources, and organizational designs so the people of the organization can get to work. Lastly, you need to be a role model and subject your ideas to tasks with intellectual humility. ## Advice for the Listeners Can you give us an example of one of the myths in your book and explain it? Stefan says he was giving a lecture to a group of leaders. A man raised his hand and said they didn't agree with experimentation and said he taught his people to follow their intuition and judgment. I explained to him that it is not one or another. Instead, it is experimentation that compliments intuition and judgment rather than turning it off. It's about bringing them together rather than doing one or the other. What is some advice that you could give the listeners on implementing experimentation into the [innovation process](https://killerinnovations.com/quotes/gold-mine-insight-innovation-processes/?ref=philmckinney.com)? Stefan says just to get started. Experimentation is the engine that drives innovation. You can't innovate without experimentation. You go through different levels as you experiment, but you have to start at point A to reach point B. If you want to keep up with what Stefan Thomke is doing, check out his website [here](https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6566&ref=philmckinney.com). Check out his LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-thomke-innovation?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About Our Guest: Stefan Thomke Stefan Thomke is a William Barclay Harding Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Stefan Specializes in the management of innovation, product development, technology, and operations. Before joining the HBS faculty in 1995, he worked as an electrical engineer and a consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he served manufacturing and service companies in the automotive and energy industries. He is the author of numerous books and articles on business and the innovation experimentation processes. Let's connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don't forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To know more about how experimentation functions as the engine of innovation, listen to this week's show: [**Experimentation is the Engine of Innovation**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Experimentation%5Fis%5Fthe%5FEngine%5Fof%5FInnovation.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Looking Back at 15 Years of Killer Innovations URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/looking-back-at-15-years-of-killer-innovations/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:08:29.000Z We are celebrating the 16th season of The Killer Innovations Show. This week, [Bob O’Donnell](https://www.philmckinney.com/on-the-cusp-of-innovation-bob-odonnell-surveys-ces-2019-s14-ep47/), Silicon Valley veteran, the President, Founder, and Chief Analyst at TECHnalysis Research, joins us to discuss the history of Killer Innovations and some memorable moments throughout the history of the show. ## How It All Started Let’s talk about the backstory of the podcast. In 2004 while at HP, I spoke with my mentor Bob Davis. I asked him how I could pay him back for all the help he had given me in my life. He laughed at me and told me just to pay it forward. Fast forward to March 2005, where I recorded a little test show while in a bathroom at the Marriot Resort in Arizona, and the show was born. For me, it was all about innovation. Everybody thinks of me as being a tech guy because of my time at HP, but my background also covers things like wireless and mobile. It’s all about giving people an inside look at things and helping them take ideas and develop them into knockout products and services. It doesn’t matter if you’re running a lawn care service or a large multi-national company providing auto insurance. Our listeners cover a wide variety of sizes and industries. Innovation is a skill that anyone can learn, and anyone can become proficient at it. We are all born naturally creative, and we need to find those channels of creativity to create and share the ideas running around in our heads. It’s all about taking those ideas and not letting the fear of failure stop you from successfully solving those problems. ## FIRE Recently, we’ve been working with Brother, the U.S Marine Corps and the Veterans Administration, helping the government [understand innovation from a unique perspective](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-bootcamp/). We teach a framework with four elements around the word[ FIRE](https://beyondtheobvious.com/innovation-gap-innovation-delay/?ref=philmckinney.com). F stands for focus, and it’s about identifying where the upside opportunity is. Once you define the problem space, then you can get into the I which is ideation. There are a lot of different ways to come up with ideas. Each person goes off on their own and comes up with ideas. Then they come back and share those ideas with their group. The third step is ranking. Very few organizations participate in rankings. There are different processes for ranking ideas, but as a leader, it is vital to get your team involved in it. The last letter is E for execution. Without execution, it’s a hobby. For the Marine Corps, we can do focus, ideation, and ranking in two to three hours. That includes problem statement definition, individual and team brainstorming, ranking, and an early phase of execution. ## Memorable Shows Over the many years of the show, there have been many memorable shows and moments. I’ve had [Peter Guber](https://www.philmckinney.com/sept-27th-with-peter-guber/), co-owner of the Golden State Warriors on the show, and got to be in one of his books. [Bob Metcalfe](https://www.philmckinney.com/bob-metcalfe-inventor-of-ethernet-and-founder-of-3com/), the founder of 3Com which co-invented ethernet, was also on the show. In 2005 before iTunes was a thing, I started podcasting. There was a company called Odeo that specialized in podcatching so people could get podcasts on their iPods and phones. They reached out to me, asking for feedback when they were first conceiving their product. Odeo ended up becoming the social media platform Twitter. The show we did with [Dean Kamen](https://www.philmckinney.com/dean-kamen-on-making-life-better/) (FIRST/ Inventor of the Segway) recently was also a very memorable one. ## Fan Moments It’s motivating for me when I get feedback from fans of the show. My very first fan engagement was in London, back in the early days of the show. A guy reached out to me, asking if he could meet me. We ended up going to a pizza restaurant across the street from the hotel I was staying in. I thought he would be the only one there, but it turns out the whole restaurant was filled with fans of the show. Not too long after that, HP acquired webOS, and I announced that I would be flying to New York. When I got to the hotel at around 2 am, there were almost a dozen people I didn’t know waiting in the lobby to talk to me. ## The Innovators Network The podcast has growth going from an individual podcast to the Innovators Network and onto the Bizz Talk Radio. The [Innovators Network](https://theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) launched around two and a half years ago. We wanted to create a platform allowing up and coming podcasters to get distributed on platforms like iHeart and Spotify. It is a host distributor for innovation podcasts such as [Tech.Pinions](https://techpinions.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), Killer Innovations, [5 Minutes to New Ideas](http://tonewideas.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), and the [Kym McNicholas on Innovation](https://theinnovators.network/?s=Kym+McNicholas&submit=Search&ref=philmckinney.com) podcast focused on medical-tech innovation. A few years ago we got asked to syndicate the The Killer Innovations Show on BizTalk Radio and are now on \~63 radio stations in the United States. Glad you could join us for the kick-off of season 16\. Thanks for taking the time to listen to the show. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To know more about the history of the show and what we're up to in Season 16, listen to this week's show: **[Looking Back at 15 Years of Killer Innovations](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Looking%5FBack%5Fat%5F15%5Fyears%5Fof%5FKiller%5FInnovations.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Playing Personality Poker with Your Innovation Team URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/playing-personality-poker-with-your-innovation-team/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:08:36.000Z This week’s guest is involved in the innovation game for as long as I’ve been around. Stephen Shapiro is a leading speaker and author on innovation, who previously lead a 20,000-person innovation practice at Accenture. We will discuss creativity, reframing questions, and how diverse personalities can come together to create a thriving innovation team. ## Creativity & the Innovation Team Stephen says that we all start with a high level of creativity. We are all creative in our ways, but some people approach creativity differently. As we discussed in the previous show, every innovation team needs a variety of different players with varying levels of [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/sports-tech-innovation-beyond-the-field/) to achieve success. Stephen says collaborating with teams is vital to innovation success. Finding what teams are and what they are not will help them surround themselves with the key members that are needed. What is one lesson you learned from your time at Accenture? Stephen says he learned early on that everyone is creative and innovative; we just contribute in different ways. ## Personality Poker Stephen created a card game to help bring different people together to [achieve a goal](https://www.philmckinney.com/device-innovation-enabling-iot-standards/), known as Personality Poker. The game has four steps to the innovation process, and four different styles are linking back to the steps. While in Vegas playing Blackjack, I got the idea of 4 steps, 4 styles, 4 suits, went home and grabbed a deck of poker cards, and got writing. The goal is for people to play to their strong suit, and to make sure your innovation team is playing with a full deck. Not playing a strong suit is where a lot of organizations are falling flat. We tend to hire people and who “fit the mold” and result in the loss of breadth of experience and thinking. How would you compare this to something like Gallup Strengthfinders? Stephen says it’s not about what you are good at, but what gives you energy. We can be good at something, but it might rob us of our energy. The game helps you see what you do well and what gives you energy while telling you who you are and aren’t. How have these impacted teams? Stephen says there are 52 cards as well as words that describe behavioral attributes. People can gift these cards to others, which allows you to see how you are perceived and how people remember you. It acts as a great conversation starter within organizations and helps to bring the right people to the right team. On top of that, the game emphasizes having diverse perspectives and appreciating what each person brings to the table. ## Reframing the Question What drove you to write your new book, “Invisible Solutions”? Stephen says that his previous book emphasized [asking better questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-skills-6-questions-great-leaders-ask-their-employees/) but did not explain how to do it. I spent the last ten years building a toolkit on reframing problems and decided it was time to put it into a book. “Invisible Solutions” are the solutions right in front of you, but you can’t see them because you are asking the wrong questions. What approach do you use to craft good questions that people understand? I created a systematic approach to reframe questions, not to generate new questions necessarily. What is the “aha” moment for people in figuring out how to reframe questions? Stephen says they first come to have a deep appreciation of how important it is. They also start to understand how difficult it is. People usually don’t want to take the time to stop and think about what the right approach is. Thirdly, people can’t stay in the question stage, and they just want to start solving the next one. Most people don’t spend enough time trying to solve the problem, and they just rush the answer. ## Advice for the Listeners What is one story that will give the listener some advice to take away? Stephen says a great example would be of a group called Pumps & Pipes in Houston, Texas. This group is composed of cardiologists who get together with people from the oil and gas pipeline industry. As far apart as those groups sound, they both work with the movement of fluid through a tube. In one story, a cardiologist was trying to figure out how to break up clots in the body. An oil engineer was dealing with the same issue from sludge and had developed a filter. They [collaborated](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-through-collaboration/) and were able to create a filter that breaks up clots in the body. If you want to keep up with what Stephen Shapiro is doing, check out his website [here](https://stephenshapiro.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Follow him on LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shapiroinnovates?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About Our Guest: Stephen Shapiro Stephen Shapiro is a full-time innovation speaker and advisor to clients around the world. Before becoming a full-time speaker, Stephen created and led a 20,000-person innovation practice at Accenture. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, SUCCESS Magazine, CNBC, ABC News, TLC, and USA Network. He is the author of four books and continues to teach and lead innovation and problem solving everywhere he goes. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about Personality Poker and how to come together as a thriving innovation team, listen to this week's show: [**Playing Personality Poker with Your Innovation Team**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Playing%5FPersonality%5FPoker%5Fwith%5FYour%5FInnovation%5FTeam.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### The Optimal Innovation Team Size Is... URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/the-optimal-innovation-team-size-is/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:15.000Z On this week’s show, we will be discussing the most optimal innovation team size that will generate the most [creativity and innovative ideas](https://theinnovators.network/?s=problem+solving&submit=Search&ref=philmckinney.com). This topic is something that would have helped me much if I had studied and learned it early on in my career. I will also discuss eight types of people that every innovation team needs to be successful. ## Innovation Team Size Study Does team size have an impact? Recently, I read a study done by Jeanne Brett and Dashum Wang from the Kellogg School of Management and Northwestern University titled “If You Want Creativity, Keep Your Team Small”. This study said that large teams [solve problems](https://theinnovators.network/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact-ces2020/?ref=philmckinney.com), and small teams generate new problems to solve. As the teams grew from 1-50, the levels of disruptiveness decreased. The large teams delivered value by developing established ideas and used smaller companies to be disruptive. The issues that impacted teams as they got larger were: - **Relational Loss –** the perception of team members that they are working with little support from other members - **Social Loafing –** the tendency of the individual group members to contribute less than they would contribute to working in a smaller group or alone. - **Lack of Development Maturity –** larger teams tend to look to leaders for direction and motivation. Smaller teams frequently progress to periods of intense productivity fueled by “trust-based” relationships, structures, etc. With five or six people on your innovation team, it is easier to move forward with a common vision for the problem you are trying to solve. How do you address the innovation team size problem? Through utilizing Multi-Team Systems (MTS), which is the process of breaking down a large team into smaller teams with some form of structural network. Implementing this process will bring efficiency and a higher rate of success. ## My Experience with Innovation Team Size We will now discuss my experience with team sizes throughout my career. My career started at Deltak, where we developed computer and video-based training. This publishing operation required large teams. Later in my career, I joined Thumbscan, which had mid-sized teams of a couple of dozen people, and the lack of [efficiency](https://theinnovators.network/?s=efficiency&submit=Search&ref=philmckinney.com) frustrated me. Through my frustration, I branched off to create a product called PCBoot, which ended up winning product of the year at Computer Dealers Exhibition (Comdex), the precursor to Consumer Electronics Show (CES). It took me by myself a long time to build that product to the point where the parent company ran out of money. Through these times, I realized not only how important a team is, but the size of the team as well. ## Other Teams Let’s talk about other teams outside of my direct experiences like Apple Macintosh in the 80s. They came out with the Apple 1, 2, and then the 3, which was not very successful because a large team developed it. Apple’s success came when Steve Jobs hand-picked his MacIntosh team and locked the doors to anyone outside of the team. He separated the team from the larger organization to reduce the risk of large team influence, and it paid off. Now let’s look at the Manhattan Project. It started with a small team and split up into smaller teams in different areas focused on various aspects of the project. Each team knew what they had to generate to contribute to the larger overall objective, and they were very successful. When teams are broken down and given a [specific objective](https://theinnovators.network/4-leadership-struggles-i-had-to-overcome/?ref=philmckinney.com), they become efficient in obtaining their specific goal. ## My Optimal Innovation Team I’d like to use a religious reference here. Jesus had twelve disciples, so why would I try to handle more than he could? Throughout my career, I’ve learned that my optimal innovation team size is in the 6-8-person range. If I have more than that, I tend to lose focus and feel less engaged. I would argue that nobody should have more than twelve people directly reporting to them. While the number is essential, the make-up of the team is also important. As a [leader](https://theinnovators.network/great-leaders-keep-cool-under-fire/?ref=philmckinney.com), it is your responsibility to bring together an innovation team with the [right skillsets](https://www.philmckinney.com/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact/). Here are seven people that I believe are core to any high-impact innovation team: - **The Visionary –** the person who is the heart and soul of the idea. - **The Leader –** the person who recruits and motivates the best possible team. - **The Mother –** the person who is sensitive to everyone and makes sure everyone is taken care of. - **The Energizer –** the person who will get it done, sometimes at a cost. They pump energy into the team - **The Customer Advocate –** the person who advocates for the customer. They are the voice of the customer on the project. - **Radar O-Reilly –** (from the movie and TV show Mash): The person who can find/secure anything you need by understanding the process in an organization. - **The Designer –** the designer is no longer a behind the scenes activity. ## Bonus: - **Neurodiversity –** get people who think differently than you on your innovation team. They can see what others don’t see uniquely. With these key players on your innovation team, you are that much closer to creating that [game-changing product or idea.](https://theinnovators.network/?s=innovation+team&submit=Search&ref=philmckinney.com) Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about optimal team sizes, listen to this week's show: **[The Optimal Innovation Team Size Is](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/The%5FOptimal%5FInnovation%5FTeam%5FSize%5FIs.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovating Technologies behind the Tech URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-technologies-behind-the-tech/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:15.000Z Introduced to me through a mutual contact I worked with at HP, this week’s guest is the Senior Vice President of Product and Technology at Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI), Arsham Hatambeiki. We will discuss innovating technologies and what UEI is doing to make in-home technology experiences better for the consumer. ## UEI What is UEI, and what is the company’s history? Arsham says he’d bet just about every listener of the show has a product of UEI. The company started with a basic concept of making life easier both for the consumer and the service provider. We came up with the idea of a “universal remote control” that could control different aspects of TVs and set-up boxes from the provider. How big is UEI today? We are about 3,700 employees distributed globally with offices in Scottsdale, AZ, the Bay Area, Orange County, and San Diego, California. Does UEI deliver [finished products](https://www.philmckinney.com/sports-tech-innovation-beyond-the-field/) or just components added to a later finished product? Arsham says they do both. We offer finished products such as remote controls, security sensors, and gateways. We also have software that can integrate with smart TVs and smart speakers, as well as a software-only solution. ## Path to UEI What was the spark that led you on the path to UEI? Arsham says he would categorize it into two different things. Firstly, I wanted to help the market evolve by integrating [innovative technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/global-perspective-on-changing-innovation-landscape/) into smart home, speaker, and other innovative home products. Secondly, I saw the need to keep brands in control of their own experiences. UEI came together to enable direct home delivery for the consumer. We focused on protecting choice and [bridging the gap](https://www.philmckinney.com/renaissance-era-in-innovation-ces2020/) between entertainment experiences and smart home experiences. Have you seen pushback from consumers with privacy concerns? Arsham says most concerns of privacy by consumers have been misguided. I do think clear business models from brands will be the only way to address that. Having a clear business model stated by the brand is the only way to address that. ## Cross-Brand Innovation What advice would you give to people [innovating](https://www.philmckinney.com/bringing-the-game-to-gaming-tech-innovation-ces2020/) technologies across ecosystems? Arsham says to always start from the user in the application. In the world of smart homes, there is much more value in going deep than going wide. When integrating across ecosystems, you are often hoping that your business model doesn’t conflict with another’s, so beware of that. Users have proven that they like specific brands, they want to have a choice, and they like to build their own experiences. You need to go to the market with that in mind. If you want to keep up with what Arsham Hatambeiki is doing with UEI, check out his website [here](https://quicksetcloud.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Follow him on LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/arsham?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About Our Guest: Arsham Hatambeiki Arsham Hatambeiki is the Senior Vice President of Product and Technology at Universal Electronics Inc. Arsham has a research background in areas of data communication networks and machine learning with a special passion for smart home applications of conversational AI. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about innovating technologies behind in-home technology experiences better, listen to this week's show: **[Innovating Technologies behind the Tech](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovating%5FTechnologies%5Fbehind%5Fthe%5FTech.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Global Perspective on Changing Innovation Landscape URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/global-perspective-on-changing-innovation-landscape/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:38.000Z Download [Global\_Perspective\_on\_Changing\_Innovation\_Landscape.mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Global%5FPerspective%5Fon%5FChanging%5FInnovation%5FLandscape.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Today’s guest is one who I met a few years ago at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Albert Zeeman is the Director of Marketing Services at GBO Innovations Makers and is an editor for the GadgetGear tech blog from the Netherlands. On today’s show, we will discuss his perspective on the changing innovation landscape. ## Governments at CES With all the changes with the companies at CES, what have you seen? Albert says he’s seen a lot of changes in his 16 years attending CES. I’ve seen different trends from Apple products such as the iPad to different flying cars and drones. Most notably, there have been several policymakers in attendance at the show recently. People from the EU, the [U.S Department of Energy](https://www.philmckinney.com/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact/), and some state secretaries of European countries have attended. Countries are sending different people to CES to promote themselves. Why is this trend arising? Because government policies have been struggling to keep up with the rate of the changing innovation. AI has been growing and continues to be a hot topic these days. While the government can’t regulate everything, the question of whether there should be some ethical principles plugged into AI continues to resurface. ## Change at CES With all the new innovative products, have you noticed anything that isn’t at CES anymore? A lot of technology has moved in, and design products have moved out, an ever changing innovation cycle. Everything is becoming touch screen and interactive. Another thing that disappeared has been companies making mounts for TVs. There used to be thirty or forty of them, but now there are just three. Audio headphones were also huge, but now its wireless earbuds such as the Apple AirPods. ## Startups at CES At Eureka Park of CES, there are a ton of different companies. Albert says that Eureka Park is filled with diverse startups eagerly looking for investments. A lot of these companies think they have the best idea and are going to win investments with it. In reality, a good idea in and of itself does not win anything.[ Proper timing](https://philmckinney.com/getting-the-timing-right-for-an-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com), execution, and focus are the keys to a successful startup. Many startups make the mistake of having one target market. Albert says that startups should redefine their target market strategy to three or four target audiences. ## Medical Products Albert said that there had been a lot of new [medical startups](https://www.philmckinney.com/unusual-path-to-medical-innovation-ra-medicals-dean-irwin/) at CES. One product I saw measured stress level from something added to the wristband on a watch. Medical devices always have been interesting to me since I oversaw accessibility technologies creating products for those visually impaired or deaf while at HP. Albert says he’s seen a lot of hearing aid devices at CES this year. If you want to keep up with what Albert Zeeman is doing, check out his LinkedIn [here](https://nl.linkedin.com/in/albertzeeman?ref=philmckinney.com). Check out his book and marketing plan methods [here](http://marketingplantoday.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About Our Guest: Albert Zeeman Albert Zeeman is a certified marketing and IT specialist who has worked on various innovative products throughout his career. Albert is the author of the book “Marketingplan Today,” which details his proprietary method for developing a marketing plan in 1 hour. Currently, Albert is the Director of Marketing Services at GBO Innovations Makers and is an editor for the GadgetGear tech blog. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about the changing innovation landscape, listen to this week's show: **[Global Perspective on Changing Innovation Landscape](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Global%5FPerspective%5Fon%5FChanging%5FInnovation%5FLandscape.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Sports Tech Innovation Beyond The Field URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/sports-tech-innovation-beyond-the-field/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:14.000Z This week's guest is an old friend of mine with an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for collegiate athletics. Craig Ridley, CEO, and Co-Founder of ROUTE Analytics Inc. joins us to discuss some [game-changing innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/bringing-the-game-to-gaming-tech-innovation-ces2020/) efforts in the world of college sports recruitment. On today's show, we will discuss sports tech innovation and what ROUTE is doing to help young student-athletes make their dreams come true. ## ROUTE What is ROUTE? Craig says ROUTE Analytics is the convergence of three of his many passions. It's sports, technology, and innovation through [data science](https://www.philmckinney.com/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact/). We help high school athletes find their best path to play collegiate sports. We are grounded in the sport of football for three reasons: It is the most popular American sport, it is the most complex in terms of recruiting, and it is the most lucrative. There are many challenges for the parents, players, and coaches, in the recruiting process. What is the process of getting an athlete noticed by colleges today? Craig says it's more competitive than ever, and much of the lift falls on the athletes and the parents. That [process](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-across-enterprises-ces2020/) begins earlier than ever, and the student-athletes and their families need to find the best opportunities to play. Collegiate athletic organizations such as the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA all have varying restrictions on college coaches and student-athletes contacting each other. That is where ROUTE comes into play. What kickstarted ROUTE? My son played football as a wide receiver in high school and wanted to play Division 1 football, but his coach told him that he was a Div. II/Div. III player. Through the recruiting process, we realized it wasn't that simple. Long story short, we took a sports tech innovation approach to the process and my son was able to get recruited to play at West Virginia University. ## The Birth of ROUTE Craig says that a dream without a plan is a wish. We put up a plan to help my son achieve his goal. When the coach told us that he was a D2/D3 player, we were looking at about 417 schools and a total of 672 schools with football programs in the NCAA. We went to a football camp at the University of Maryland and realized that with 350 kids at the camp, the coaches were unable to evaluate all the kid's talents. Realistically, you can only do about five football camps a summer with the five weeks in between football seasons. We came back from that camp and got smarter with our approach. I started to build a spreadsheet and went to athletic and academic websites, journaling information and narrowing down the schools to target. That is the approach that we took to get my son to his dream. After navigating that process, I had parents asking me for help, but I could only help one family at a time. With my sports tech innovation background, I wondered if there was a way to help navigate this process more efficiently. With regards to ROUTE, what has been the response from coaches and schools? Craig says the coaches love it because it makes their jobs easier. We provide the [research and analytics](https://www.philmckinney.com/renaissance-era-in-innovation-ces2020/) and the predicted outcomes, simplifying the process. ## Spreadsheet to Business How did you go from a spreadsheet to launching a business? Craig says he started by looking for a great data scientist. I was blessed to find three of them and with some tremendous diverse experience. From there, we built a prototype and took it to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The coaches at the show said they had never seen anything like it and encouraged us to build it. I put the initial capital in to go from prototype to beta, and now we're post-beta and working on version three. 80% of our current customers are on IOS devices and we are working on getting it available on Android as well. We have athletes from every state in the country, Canada, as well as users from Europe using our product. What is the next sport after football? Craig says basketball would be next, due to the number of kids playing it in the U.S. What does it take to bring on a new sport? Craig says they acquire a massive amount of data, so it is not a simple task. It's not just on the athletes, but on the school's athletic and academic data. We want to be the foremost data analytics and research company in the area we are in now. Focusing on sports tech innovation in one key area at a time is vital to maximization. ## Advice for Startups With ROUTE being your fifth startup, what is the advice you wish you had before all the startups? Aligning your interests with the folks you're working is beneficial for everyone. Startups don't die because they run out of money, but because the founders run out of energy. It comes down to what you're willing to sacrifice to achieve your dream. How do you validate that your interests are aligned? Craig says it comes down to [leadership](https://www.philmckinney.com/4-leadership-struggles-i-had-to-overcome/). Listening is an underrated leadership skill. If you ask the right [questions](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-skills-6-questions-great-leaders-ask-their-employees/) and you listen, you'll hear who and what makes them tick. Assembling my team was the essential step in creating ROUTE. If you want to keep up with ROUTE and download the ROUTE app, check out their website [here](http://myroute.xyz/?ref=philmckinney.com). Follow Craig on LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigridley?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About Our Guest: Craig Ridley Craig Ridley is the Co-founder and CEO of ROUTE Analytics Inc. ROUTE is a college football recruiting application that helps athletes make better decisions about where to play. Craig has a background in sports tech innovation through data science and was involved in five different startups. Let's connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don't forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about the latest in sports tech innovation and ROUTE, listen to this week's show: **[Sports Tech Innovation Beyond The Field](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Sports%5FTech%5FInnovation%5FBeyond%5FThe%5FField.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com).** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Bringing the Game to Gaming Tech Innovation #CES2020 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/bringing-the-game-to-gaming-tech-innovation-ces2020/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:14.000Z Today's guest is one that I had the privilege of working alongside during my time at HP. Luca Di Fiore, Head of Products at Xtreme Performance Gear, joins us here at the [Consumer Electronics Show](https://www.philmckinney.com/where-is-iot-going/) (CES) 2020, to discuss some game-changing innovation efforts. On this week's show, we will discuss gaming tech innovation and the latest at Xtreme Performance Gear (XPG). ## XPG During my time at HP, I worked alongside Luca in the Innovation Program Office. Luca leads the effort for the carbon fiber laptop known as the Voodoo Envy. He went on to work for Razer, leading the VR efforts over there. Luca says after working on some award-winning products at Razer, he moved on to a new venture known as XPG by ADATA, a memory company. XPG had an exciting plan to push into gaming. Given an innovation budget, Luca has the freedom to innovate. Why would a memory company want to get into gaming? Luca says it's more evident than it looks. The connection is very simple. Memory is the one part that you can really push through the next level with gaming. XPG was able to assemble a team of people passionate about gaming tech [innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-across-enterprises-ces2020/) from different companies such as Razer, HyperX, Corsair, etc. How big is the group? Luca says he has three teams working in product management, marketing, and RND, totaling almost thirty people. In less than eleven months, we've managed to launch short of twenty products with a relatively low budget. Luca says most of his team is in Taipei, Taiwan, a hub of competitive gaming. ## New Products With XPG, you guys have made a ton of announcements recently. Can you give us the rundown? Luca says the big announcements here at CES are called "Invasion has Begun" and the fact that XPG entered into systems. There aren't many gaming companies that can do accessories, peripherals, and systems at the same time, so this is big for us. On top of that, we announced a new gaming laptop and a [partnership](https://www.philmckinney.com/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact/) with intel. We also partnered with a U.S startup called Pixeldisplay to create one of the most innovative gaming tech monitors in the market. We looked at how much time tech enthusiasts spend on their monitor and wanted to find a way to preserve their eyesight. We've implemented Pixeldisplay's technology, which offers a better quality of the image that doesn't filter out the blue color, but just the harmful blue LED properties. How big is this display? Luca says it's the same size as any other display with the difference that it does not ship with a stand. On the peripheral side, we have brought in our innovation spearhead called XPG Headshot. In developing this product, we asked the question of how to create an ultra-lightweight mouse. We used 3D printing to create a nicely structured mouse built into one place. ## Product Customization Typically, with mice today, there is a universal set of hand sizes, such as small, medium, and large. With 3D printing, do you customize the mice at XPG? We built this AI application to help in the [customization](https://www.philmckinney.com/renaissance-era-in-innovation-ces2020/) of the mouse. An AI algorithm is used to take a picture of your hand and modify it based on the specific dimension. We let you choose your grip style and personalize the mouse specifically for your needs. Scalability isn't a problem because our gaming tech innovation allows us to build anywhere in the world with these 3D printers. What are some other announcements from XPG? We are sponsoring an ESL tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, and we brought a 24-karat gold keyboard, worth $10,000 as the prize. We also have a laptop collaboration with Intel. It is a gaming laptop with a 15" display and is available to ship in Taiwan and Latin America, acting almost like a field trial for the future U.S market. ## Idea to Product Many listeners of the show have ideas. They've come up with but no expertise on how to [turn them into a product](https://www.philmckinney.com/idea-hacking-feature-innovation-versus-function-innovation/). What advice would you give to an entrepreneur with a fresh idea? Luca says the first rule of thumb is to do great prototypes and make them as functional as possible. For example, my monitors had a prototype that could turn around in a month's time frame. We have a lot of prototyping housing in Asia, specifically Taiwan, due to the cost-effectiveness of the area. The area also has a lot of companies that help with startups. Having a prototype will get you started in creating your gaming tech innovation products or any other product types. ## About our Guest: Luca Di Fiore Luca Di Fiore is the Head of Products at Xtreme Performance Gear (XPG) at ADATA. Luca is a bleeding-edge technologist with an international mindset and years of experience innovating and solving problems within the ICT industry, looking to make a difference in people's lives through new human-machine paradigms. His previous experience includes Director of R&D at Razer, and Senior R&D Manager, CTO Office-Innovation Programs at Hewlett-Packard. Let's connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don't forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about gaming tech innovation and the latest at XPG, listen to this week's show: [**Bringing the Game to Gaming Tech Innovation #CES2020**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Bringing%5Fthe%5FGame%5Fto%5FGaming%5FTech%5FInnovation%5FCES2020.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Where is IoT Going? #CES2020 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/where-is-iot-going/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:13.000Z Today’s guest is no stranger to the Killer Innovations Show, [John Osborne II](https://www.philmckinney.com/device-innovation-enabling-iot-standards/), Chairman of the Board of the Zigbee Alliance and General – Manager of Leedarson North America, joins us at the [Consumer Electronics Show](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-across-enterprises-ces2020/) (CES). On this week’s show, we will discuss the growth of IoT devices and the trend of consolidation within IoT. ## The Zigbee Alliance With the recent scale-up of the device connectivity arena, what’s Zigbee been up to? John says that Zigbee has formed together with Apple, [Google](https://www.philmckinney.com/steve-guggenheimer-on-accelerating-ai/), and Amazon, to drive the industry into a common direction. If we can accomplish what we are trying to do with the big four, it will drive the industry towards consolidation. Consumers can go to stores and buy the product they want rather than focusing on specific brands. We don’t want this to be just another standard. Instead, we want to take the top existing technologies and put them together. We’ve seen more and more large companies desiring consolidation. ## LEEDARSON and IoT I get a lot of inquiries from listeners on the show with ideas for IoT devices. With your experience, what advice would you give to someone with these ideas? The company I work for, LEEDARSON, specializes in that. Whether one comes with a design ready to be built, or they have an idea, we can walk them through it. We try to educate, as well as walk them through the [design process](https://www.philmckinney.com/renaissance-era-in-innovation-ces2020/), and occasionally do real-time iterations. We’re happy to help whether they’re a multi-billion-dollar company or someone new to the industry. Sometimes people come in with similar ideas for devices that we already have. We’ll modify their idea, make it compliant, package it, and ship it to them. Others come in with great ideas about different devices, and we’ll test them and possibly do a joint development. We don’t strictly manufacture. We are involved in many different things. ## Advancing IoT Products What unique applications of IoT have you seen? John says there are very few significant new ideas. It’s mostly the same products being improved over time. The most changes we’ve seen are on the [AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact/) side. We’re trying to get the end device smart enough to operate without the cloud. Recently, I’ve seen some cool new things in the lighting arena. Lighting has been recently tied to entertainment. If you’re playing Fortnite, you want the room around you to emulate what is happening. However, this can often be tricky. In the case of many IoT devices, there is a cost lift to each of these modified products. What is that cost lift? John says people want more functionality at a lower price. For example, people are willing to pay about $5 premium on a smart bulb. That is a target we are all shooting for. Today, it is at around $10 premium. What are the other barriers holding people from buying IoT devices? Most people won’t just throw away their already purchased light bulbs. LED bulbs last a long time, so people get comfortable with them. We need to figure out how to incentivize people to swap out a good bulb for something more connected. ## Increasing Consolidation As Chairman of Zigbee, what else have you been working on? Part of what we have been dealing with is whether we’re a [technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/impact-from-innovation-ces-2020/) or an alliance. We may be changing the name soon. We’ve been partnering with different entities and working to put our differences aside to reach common goals. We have also been working on consolidating internal protocols to gain more flexibility. Some massive changes are coming for Zigbee. With all these groups newly combining, do you see this continuing over the next 4-5 years? These organizations have assigned full-time resources into it, as it is essential to them. I believe we will see this consolidation grow a lot over the next couple of years. If you want to keep up with Zigbee Alliance, check out their website [here](https://zigbeealliance.org/?ref=philmckinney.com). Follow John on his Linkedin [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/johneosborneii?ref=philmckinney.com) and his website [here](http://www.jeoii.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: John Osborne II John Osborne is currently General Manager at LEEDARSON North America and Chairman of the Board of the Zigbee Alliance. In these capacities, he helps educate and grow the IoT market globally. LEEDARSON is a global provider in traditional and connected lighting and sensors. The Zigbee Alliance is the premier Internet of Things (IoT) standards development organization since 2002\. John has extensive experience in new product development, rapid product commercialization, systems innovations, and operations improvement. He has demonstrated the ability to manage and inspire multi-cultural, internal-external teams. He is a skilled communicator and presenter and has a sound background in budgeting, resource allocation, and operations efficiency. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about the growth of IoT devices and the trend of consolidation within IoT, listen to this week's show: **[Where is IoT Going? #CES2020](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Where%5Fis%5FIot%5FGoing%5FCES2020.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Innovating Across Enterprises #CES2020 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-across-enterprises-ces2020/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:13.000Z A groundbreaking innovation group joined us this year at the [Consumer Electronics Show 2020](https://www.philmckinney.com/renaissance-era-in-innovation-ces2020/) (CES). E-Novia is an innovation company that inserts robotics and AI into everything they do. Our guests include Ivo Boniolo, Chief Innovation Officer and co-founder of E-Novia, Fabio Todeschini from BluBrake, Roberto Rossi from Smart Robots, and Patrizia Casali from Wahu, all enterprises of E-Novia. We will discuss E-Novia’s product lines and how they are infusing robotics and AI throughout various enterprises. ## E-Novia Ivo says that E-Novia came from the desire to bring robotics and [AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact/) to Italy’s most recognized fields. E-Novia collaborates with local universities to find and develop products that will have success in the marketplace. Currently, E-Novia has 30 enterprises in their group while only being a company for five years. Ivo says E-Novia is presently in the process of an IPO to increase capital and qualify its unique model. What is the scale of E-Novia’s enterprises? E-Novia has enterprises that are in every stage, some early, in the middle, and some more advanced. With the considerable design market in Milan, E-Novia has been working to create design products [infused with robotics](https://www.philmckinney.com/dean-kamen-on-making-life-better/). We seek to develop products that will welcome and interest the users. How has E-Novia been funded so far? Ivo says that an Italian family has funded E-Novia in the Manufacturing Industry as well as through fundraising. We have been working on growing our international relations, as we have a subsidiary in San Francisco, CA, and are currently opening an office in Japan. ## BluBrake Fabio Todeschini of BluBrake, an enterprise of E-Novia that develops Antilock Brake Systems (ABS) for e-bikes, joined us. Why do e-bikes need ABS technology? Fabio says that the [e-bike market is growing a lot](https://www.philmckinney.com/will-ai-replace-human-creativity/). The way we use bikes has changed from strictly cyclists using them to commuters using them as well. Many people using these e-bikes are unfamiliar with how to use them, causing accidents. People panic brake, which causes the majority of e-bike accidents. Is Bluebrake’s product being used by bike manufacturers today? Fabio says it is available in Europe and they are working on making it available in the U.S. What is the incremental increase in the cost of adding this product to an e-bike? Around $500 additionally, which has been positive due to our high-end target-market. Are there others out there doing this? Fabio says there one competitor is Bosch, but Blubrake’s product is a bit different from its competitor. With all this traction, what’s next for Blubrake? Fabio says they are in the scale-up phase and wish to expand into the U.S, as they already have customers in Europe. As far as product expansion, Blubrake has a potential interest in motorcycle, scooters, and car braking systems. ## Smart Robots Next was Roberto Rossi from Smart Robots, a system used to support production line operators in factories. Smart Robots emphasize making the human the center of the production process. What do these collaborative robotics mean? Smart robots put humans first and support them with their two configurations. One guides humans during manual operations to eliminate errors by suggesting feedback. The other configuration works as a co-worker alongside the human. How do you get the [workers](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-career-opportunities/) to accept the robots as a tool? Roberto says that it is a step by step process. You introduce the robot to the workers and they get acquainted with it over time. Eventually, they come to appreciate the robot's help and treat it as a colleague. Where can these robots be useful? Roberto says that there is a lot of interest in different sectors of manufacturing. Wide goods productions such as washing machines and automobiles can use them due to their need for human and [digital assistance](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/). Complete automation is an old approach and human use in manufacturing is coming back. What’s next for Smart Robots? We have a big surprise coming into the safety realm of the manufacturing process. Many conditions in manufacturing need extra safety to keep workers protected. Our new product will aid in the safety of these workers. ## Wahu Patrizia Casali of Wahu, a company that offers a shoe sole with the capability to adapt to ground features and environmental conditions, also joined us. Why is having a sole that changes so important? Patrizia says that if someone wants to go hiking or play golf, they need to use different types of shoes. With this [technology,](https://www.philmckinney.com/renaissance-era-in-innovation-ces2020/) you use the same shoes and they adapt to your environment. How does the shoe auto-detect what’s underneath them? Inside the sole, there is an electronic board with sensors and actuators that take data and analyze it. We offer a lot of different customization options that the user may choose from. ## About our Guest: Ivo Boniolo Ivo Boniolo is a co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of E-Novia, an innovative group that infuses robotics and AI into their ventures. Ivo studied at schools such as the Politecnico di Milano, the Politecnico di Torino, and Alta Scuola Politecnica. The experience gained from his schooling added to his skills in innovation, management, and invention. During his ten years with the E-Novia group, he has spent his time transferring his technical and innovation knowledge and experience to the growth of E-Novia’s many enterprises. ## About our Guest: Fabio Todeschini Fabio Todeschini is from BluBrake, an enterprise of E-Novia. Fabio has a Ph.D. in engineering. He has experience in working on Antilock Brake Systems (ABS) for motorcycles. Fabio has taken his experience in ABS and applied it to e-bikes, the product line of BluBrake. ## About our Guest: Roberto Rossi Roberto Rossi is from Smart Robots, another innovative enterprise of E-Novia. Roberto has a Ph.D. in robotics. After receiving his Ph.D., he helped start Smart Robots, which aids humans in the goods manufacturing process. ## About our Guest: Patrizia Casali Patrizia Casali is from Wahu, a company that offers a shoe with a unique sole that adapts to different environments. Patrizia is a biomedical engineer who joined E-Novia to work on innovation after receiving her master’s degree. If you’re interested in learning more about E-Novia and its enterprises, check out their website [here](https://e-novia.it/?ref=philmckinney.com). Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about E-Novia and how they innovate through various enterprises, listen to this week's show: [***Innovating Across Enterprises #CES2020***](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovating%5FAcross%5FEnterprises%5FCES2020.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Renaissance Era in Innovation #CES2020 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/renaissance-era-in-innovation-ces2020/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T23:37:38.000Z Two outstanding guests joined us while we were at the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 (CES). Bob O’Donnell, the President, Founder, and Chief Analyst at TECHnalysis Research, and Greg Johnston from Manta5, a company that offers the world’s first Hydrofoil Bike that replicates the cycling experience on the water. This week on Killer Innovations, we will discuss CES, the PC industry, and Manta5’s new game-changing product. ## Standing Out at CES With the size and noise of the [Consumer Electronics Show](https://www.philmckinney.com/impact-from-innovation-ces-2020/) (CES), how do companies attract attention? Bob says that flashy press conferences are the key to getting noticed. Panasonic brought out Michael Phelps and showcased Star Wars characters to broadcast their work with Walt Disney Imagineering. Sony rolled out a car prototype known as the Vison-S during a press conference to promote the component technologies they are producing for the automotive industry. Having something that stands out is vital to gaining attention at an event like CES. ## PC Growth Bob and I had the pleasure of growing up together. We reconnected many years later through the PC industry. Bob has been a follower and influencer of the PC industry for a long time. With talk about PCs being dead, Bob shared some thoughts on the matter. The PC market has never reached its height. Still very much alive and kicking today, PCs have proved to be relevant even in the days of smartphones. The capabilities offered from PCs such as a larger screen and a physical keyboard are incredibly important. We saw some of the most significant innovations of PCs have been in recent times. AMD came out with their Ryzen 4000 Series parts for desktop and laptops based on their Zen 2 Core. Intel just debuted Tiger Lake, their next-generation Intel Core processor. On top of that, these guys are also [exploring AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact/) and 5G within the PC realm. That is why I partly believe we are in a real renaissance era of the PC market. If you want to follow Bob’s endeavors, check out his recently started Forbes column [here](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobodonnell/?ref=philmckinney.com#2da4e517623a). He writes for Tech.pinions and has the Tech.pinions podcast, so check that out [here](https://techpinions.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). If you want to dig in, go to Bob’s website [here](http://technalysisresearch.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## Manta5 Here at [CES](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/), you will see just about anything and everything under the sun. Joining us is New Zealander Greg Johnston, CEO of Manta5, a company with a unique product. What is Manta5, you might ask? Greg says that Manta5 is the “brain-child” of its founder Guy Howard-Willis, an avid cyclist who had the dream of cycling on the water. Years later, that dream came true when Manta5 created the world’s first Hydrofoil Bike on water. The bike itself has two wings and a propeller, and while the user peddles, the cycle planes on the water. ## Idea to Product As an innovator, I know how hard it is to translate an idea into a product. How was the process of turning this [idea into a product](https://www.philmckinney.com/idea-hacking-feature-innovation-versus-function-innovation/)? Greg said there wasn’t much to go off at first, so they started with a bike frame and a propeller. We used a private pool and experimented with heaps of different prototypes trying to develop the hydrofoils. Once we nailed the rider position relative to the foils, we received a grant from Callaghan to develop the propeller and foils with an engineer. How long was the time frame for this [process](https://www.philmckinney.com/safi-bahcall-on-loonshots-creating-nurturing-crazy-ideas/)? It took about seven years to get the product out, and the product has been on the market for about a year now. It is a customized product except for the handlebars, the seat, and the pedals. What was the feedback on the product? Greg says the feedback has been overwhelming. We created an unboxing experience to deliver directly to the customer which they loved. ## Growing Manta5 What was the learning process for the company with the blow-up of the product? Going from creating a prototype, to designing the product, to producing it on a scale has been a significant challenge. We’ve grown our design team as well as our production and engineering team over time. We’ve also been developing our relationships with suppliers for when we are ready to mass-produce these products. How did you guys catch the attention of manufacturers with this product? Greg says that Manta5 worked with an agent in Taiwan who knew their founders. Building relationships is everything. If manufacturers like you as a person and your vision as a company, that is huge. ## Vision for the Future What’s next for Manta5? The vision is to become cycling’s new frontier. We want to create a range of new products in biking while cultivating a sport through our product. When it comes to any [game-changing product](https://www.philmckinney.com/dean-kamen-on-making-life-better/), copycats always arise. How will Manta5 deal with copycat products? We at Manta5 place importance on establishing ourselves as the leader in Hydrofoil Biking. We support other brands that may pop up in the future, as we want to cultivate a sport out of Hydrofoil Biking. Follow Manta5 and check out the world’s first Hydrofoil Bike, view their website [here](https://manta5.com/?ref=philmckinney.com#%5F), and check out their Facebook [here](https://www.facebook.com/Manta5NZ/). ## About our Guest: Bob O’Donnell Bob O’Donnell is the President, Founder, and Chief Analyst of TECHnalysis Research. The firm's research and O’Donnell’s opinions are also regularly used by major media outlets, including Bloomberg TV, CNBC, CNN, Investor's Business Daily, the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, and more. O'Donnell writes regular columns for USAToday and Forbes, as well as a weekly blog for Tech.pinions.com published on TechSpot, SeekingAlpha, and LinkedIn. Before founding TECHnalysis Research, Bob served as Program Vice President, Clients and Displays for industry research firm IDC. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. ## About our Guest: Greg Johnston Greg Johnston is the CEO of Manta5, the creator of the world’s first Hydrofoil Bike, that replicates the cycling experience on the water. Greg is a driven entrepreneur who’s passionate about high growth startups and innovative social enterprise. He’s currently working alongside the original Torpedo7 founders to commercialize the Manta5 Hydrofoil Bike. Greg enjoys being a part of the Waikato startup and business scene. He’s always keen to meet new people, help connect others, and find ways to collaborate. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation To learn more about the renaissance era of the PC industry and the new game-changing product, Manta5, listen to this week's show: **[Renaissance Era in Innovation #CES2020](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Renaissance%5FEra%5Fin%5FInnovation%5FCES2020.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Dept of Energy on AI and its Impact #CES2020 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/dept-of-energy-on-ai-and-its-impact/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:13.000Z This year at the [Consumer Electronics Show](https://www.philmckinney.com/impact-from-innovation-ces-2020/) (CES), we witnessed a notable trend occurring. Government agencies from all over the nation, as well as foreign government agencies, were seen at the show. This week, Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov, the Deputy Under Secretary for AI and Technology at the U.S Dept of Energy, joins us on The Killer Innovations Show. We will discuss what the future of AI looks like from the Department of Energy’s side of things. ## The Dept of Energy’s Mission Typically, people don’t notice much of the DOE’s activity in their everyday lives. In reality, the Department of Energy continuously operates from the shadows [fixing our nation’s toughest problems](https://www.philmckinney.com/dean-kamen-on-making-life-better/). It works in areas that range from the health industry to electrical grids. At its core, the Dept of Energy exists to fix a wide variety of issues by leveraging its innovative capabilities. Dimitri Kusnezov, says that the DOE is the biggest funder of physical sciences in the U.S. They focus on public-private partnerships to accomplish their many goals. The DOE uses connections, as well as advanced innovative technologies, to keep our nation running efficiently. ## CES and the Dept of Energy How does the U.S Department of Energy approach attending a show like CES? Dimitri Kusnezov says that innovation is global. It’s almost anywhere you look, from small and large companies to academia. The DOE needs to identify where the innovation trends are and ask important questions. Who should we talk to? Where should we draw ideas? With the recent “overhype of AI,” the name has been thrown around loosely everywhere. I asked Dimitri where the DOE stands on AI. Due to the recent birth of [Artificial Intelligence](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/), the DOE has kept its feelings of AI open. Dimitri says when it comes to the future of AI, only time will tell. The Dept of Energy looks at specific problems and asks what it will take to best solve them. Something like AI can pose other problems if not approached correctly. [AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/will-ai-replace-human-creativity/) touches areas such as privacy, civil rights, etc., and can sometimes hint at unintended biases. Who is to blame in touchy situations like these? Is it the guy writing the code? Is it the guy collecting the data? The problem with AI is that no one owns it explicitly. Data confidentiality is a big issue in the technology world today. With the growing potential and use of AI, innovators need to explore what the tech is all about thoroughly. ## The Role of AI at the Dept of Energy What is the role of AI at the Department of Energy? Dimitri Kusnezov says that Washington D.C has recognized the importance and value of AI increasingly over the past couple of years. The DOE has 17 labs and a workforce of around 90,000 people. They have surfaced more than 600 projects in the areas of nuclear weapons, smart cities, cybersecurity, transportation, farming, cancer research, etc. You’ll be able to see the core of learning and [AI technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/steve-guggenheimer-on-accelerating-ai/) in many different areas throughout the U.S Department of Energy. With such a large cache of info available, how does the DOE extract actionable data? Dimitri says the DOE focuses on catastrophic events. They use AI and partnering to understand when to make decisions in those high-consequence situations. With such a big organization, how does the Dept of Energy leverage its tools? Dimitri Kusnezov says that the DOE workforce has many different skillsets and a good knowledge of their assets. The DOE has a unique advantage with the ability to simulate very realistic situations. Dimitri says their ability to handle data is unmatched by anyone else. ## Advice on AI What information can you give to other organizations looking into AI? Don’t overthink it, Dimitri says. Currently, AI is in a fragile stage. It is very limited in what it can do. The answer isn’t, “where can I plug in AI?” but rather, “what are the problems you’re trying to solve?”. Which AI methods apply to your problems? Identify what is essential for you and how AI can help you. When it comes to the government, many innovators either avoid working with them or don’t know where to go to get involved. Where can those who are looking to help find you guys? Dimitri Kusnezov says that the Dept of Energy’s doors are always open. Many companies are stopping by our D.C headquarters and talk to us about various things. We have a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) office as well as other resources for innovators to get involved with us. I encourage innovators to get involved in a public-private partnership to solve government problems, advancing their products along the way. If you are working on something that might be useful to a [government agency](https://www.philmckinney.com/james-hondo-geurts-on-taking-the-navy-into-the-next-wave-of-innovation/), I encourage you to reach out. ## About our Guest: Dimitri Kusnezov Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov currently serves as Deputy Under Secretary for A.I. and Technology. Dimitri received A.B. degrees in Physics and Pure Mathematics with highest honors from UC Berkeley. Following a year of research at the Institut fur Kernphysik, KFA-Julich, in Germany, he attended Princeton University earning his MS in Physics and Ph.D. in Theoretical Nuclear Physics. At Michigan State University, Dimitri conducted postdoctoral research and then became an instructor. In 1991, he joined the faculty of Yale University as an assistant professor in physics, becoming an associate professor in 1996\. He has served as a visiting professor at numerous universities around the world. Dr. Kusnezov has published over 100 articles and a book. He joined federal service at the National Nuclear Security Administration in late 2001 and is a member of the Senior Executive Service and is also a Visiting Researcher at Yale. If you’re interested in learning more about the U.S Dept of Energy and what they are currently up to, check out their website [here](https://www.energy.gov/?ref=philmckinney.com). For small businesses interested in working with the DOE, check out their SBIR program [here](https://www.energy.gov/science/sbir/small-business-innovation-research-and-small-business-technology-transfer?ref=philmckinney.com). Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about the future of AI at the U.S. Dept of Energy, listen to this week's show: **[Dept of Energy on AI and its Impact #CES2020](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Dept%5Fof%5FEnergy%5Fon%5FAI%5Fand%5Fits%5FImpact%5FCES2020.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Impact From Innovation: Personal and Global #CES2020 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/impact-from-innovation-ces-2020/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:12.000Z This week on Killer Innovations, we are joined by two guests here at the [Consumer Electronics Show](https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/) (CES). Scott Kim, CEO of NEOFECT USA, an innovative health tech company, and Sarah Brown, the Director of Event Communications for the [Consumer Technology Association](https://www.cta.tech/?ref=philmckinney.com) (CTA) are joining us on the show. We will discuss technology in the health industry and the future of CES. ## NEOFECT NEOFECT’s focus is on aiding people in stroke rehabilitation by providing them with top tier health technology. Their products, such as the Smart Glove, run solely on [AI technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/steve-guggenheimer-on-accelerating-ai/). The technology is a more independent therapy option for users while tracking their progress over time. Scott Kim's passion and vision for the company come from hard life experiences. He was born with Spinal Bifida, making him very familiar with the rehabilitation process at a young age. He worked through his adversities and created something successful and meaningful. While NEOFECT has established itself as a high-end [health tech](https://www.philmckinney.com/dean-kamen-on-making-life-better/) company, it wasn’t an easy journey. Scott Kim started with a team of eight founders, and only three currently remain with the company. The company started small with limited funding and worked for four years to launch its first product. Today, the company has multiple products to aid stroke patients, as well as products to help children in dealing with motor challenges. ## What’s New Going forward, NEOFECT is launching an app called NEOFECT Connect. This app will give its users live rehab solutions to aid in recovering from a stroke. It will act similarly to Skype and will provide users with the human relationship aspect of therapy. To keep up with NEOFECT and what they are currently doing, check out their [Facebook page here](https://www.facebook.com/neofect/). ## Trends at CES Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the world’s largest and most influential tech event. Sarah Brown, the Director of Event Communications for CTA joined us to discuss the growth and future of CES. A new [trend](https://www.philmckinney.com/ces-2019-tech-trends-that-amaze-and-simplify/) is visibly starting up, as non-tech centered companies are attending CES. New industries such as travel and tourism, have been promoting products and services as well. Aimed at making communities better prepared for natural disasters, smart sities have been popping up at the event. An array of different companies also joined to show off their products to the world. CES has become the "go-to" show not only for innovators but for policymakers as well. Representatives from the government, such as the Department of Energy, as well as international representatives from the EU, were in attendance. ## Growth and Expansion With all the different companies at CES, there is a magical competition between companies large and small. Startups are trying to gain the attention of investors and larger companies with their products. More and more companies are attending each year, filling up many Las Vegas hotels. With this continual growth, some questions come to mind. How much bigger can CES become? Sarah says that if companies want to be at CES, then we want them here. With space running out, facilities expansion is necessary to make sure that even small companies can attend. What is one thing at #CES2020 that wows you? Sarah says flying cars are the coolest. Companies like Hyundai are partnering with Uber to bring flying cars to the people. ## About Our Guest: Scott Kim Scott Kim is the CEO of NEOFECT USA (San Francisco, CA), and Co-founder of NEOFECT, its parent company based in South Korea. The company is a rehabilitation technology company focused on providing vital rehab equipment to those recovering from strokes and suffering from motor challenges. Scott was born with Spinal Bifida, which gave him a unique understanding of the rehabilitation process. His prior work experience includes working in the gaming industry for GREE, Z2Live, and 505 Games. He received a bachelor’s of Business Administration from Korea University, as well as a master’s in Business Administration from the University of Virginia. ## About our Guest: Sarah Brown Sarah Brown is the Director of Event Communications for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). She serves as a spokesperson for CES and leads the media relations strategy for the show. Previously, Brown led the global media strategy for leisure, innovation, and food & beverage for Hilton Worldwide. Before her time at Hilton Worldwide, Brown worked for Ketchum, a global public relations firm. Sarah Brown earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Arizona and a master's in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about technology in the health industry and the future of CES, listen to this week's show: **[Impact From Innovation: Personal and Global #CES2020](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Impact%5FFrom%5FInnovation%5FPersonal%5Fand%5FGlobal%5FCES2020.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Tim Bajarin on Future Innovation Platforms #CES2020 URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/tim-bajarin-future-innovation-platforms/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:12.000Z Today’s guest is one of the top technology industry analysts, well known in Silicon Valley and globally. When he talks about your company or products, you hope it is more positive than negative as his word moves the markets. Our guest is here with us at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which is his 50th. This week on Killer Innovations, Tim Bajarin joins us to discuss what is real and becoming a future innovation platform. ## How’s it Shaping Up CES has evolved over the years from a heavy focus on video and audio to every product category that touches technology. From cosmetics, toilets to autonomous cars, and smart televisions. We have seen it all say's Phil, who is in his twenty-fifth year at CES. The evolution over these years has generated innovation and technology in our everyday lives that was once a fantasy you saw in movies. Now turned into reality. One area is in transportation and the progression of the vehicle becoming, as one Fortune 500 CEO told Phil, a “Cell Phone on Wheels.” The smart vehicle today is now turning into your entertainment room and productivity station – Transportation As A Platform (TAAP). The glass on vehicles and your house is transforming into the smart visual platform that keeps you communicating wherever you are. These glass displays today are amazingly more connected, but just now tipping the iceberg of potential. Companies like Corning are doing amazing things by focusing on the smart glass and its unlimited possibilities. ## AI Everything Catch-all term?? When it comes to [Artificial Intelligence](https://www.philmckinney.com/artificial-intelligence-creativity-innovation/) (AI), it is everywhere, but used as a loose term – for most a feature I need to have and tout. We have AI in our soap. You don’t need to rub soap all over your body, it now finds the dirty spot and rubs it for you. Really what is practical and real AI? It has been around for many decades in different lingo and forms. Now, AI has more market form and will be in anything electronic. You need to understand AI and not just use the term or application loosely. The intelligence aspect of AI has to be applied to more effectively utilize the full potential. Where is the critical impact on AI that can hurt or help you, it’s ethics. Most organizations are inserting AI into their[ common language](https://philmckinney.com/beyond-the-obvious-is-now-available-in-english-japanese-korean-and-chinese/?ref=philmckinney.com) and products; however, the impact is not all that obvious. If you are not thinking of the ethical and various risk impacts, you are just a follower in the buzz word bingo. It's crucial to establish your AI governance. Setting up an AI ethics Board is what is going to keep your risk low and your value high. ## Computing will Drive Innovation AI is one of the advancing technologies that rely on high-performance computing and silicon. However, demand shifts, availability, and advancement can generate problems for the next generation of innovation. Computing power advancement does come with the balancing of the cost versus rapid progression that companies are grappling with today. Impactful innovations and expectations of new products and technologies are reliant on industry players making the right call and investing. Without the exponential growth of computing power, we will stall in our progression of innovation. [IoT](https://www.philmckinney.com/device-innovation-enabling-iot-standards/), sensors, AI, Cloud, Drones, Autonomous, and all the latest trends will come to a halt unless the dynamics are aligned and balanced from cost, pricing, and R&D for those providing the computing power. The demand is at such a high pace at this stage of technology expansion. It takes a tremendous commitment from the major players such as Intel and AMD. It also makes the PC players keep providing productivity tools. One of which is still the PC. Many think the PC is dead, but that is not reality as it is still the most productive platform. ## Will Form Factor Make a Difference [Foldables](https://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/hps-mckinney-hints-that-a-flexible-display-palm-device-could-ha/?ref=philmckinney.com) at CES was a big attraction, as they moved towards mobile devices and displays for entertainment and productivity. Manipulated to the contour you desire, these intelligent displays are starting to gain traction and turning into reality. For the players, it comes down to a component that can give the industry a big boost, a refresh, and generate new channels and opportunities for innovation. Phil was pioneering foldable/bendable displays 10+years back when at HP, and his prediction has taken form. The foldable players are building all the intelligence in a complete screen that bends at will. What does this give the consumer – more straightforward communication, lighter smartphones, increased productivity and creative possibilities [beyond the obvious](https://beyondtheobvious.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). ## About our Guest: Tim Bajarin Tim Bajarin is one of the most recognized and sought after global technology analysts, futurists, and consultants. His fifty years in Silicon Valley has made him a voice that moves the market. > Been with Creative Strategies since 1981, Tim has served as a consultant to most of the leading hardware and software vendors in the industry (IBM, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, AMD, HP, Xerox, Compaq, Dell, AT&T, Microsoft, Polaroid, Lotus, Epson, Qualcomm, Toshiba, and numerous others). > > Tim Bajarin is on the technology advisory boards of IBM, Compaq, and Dell. *(from [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim%5FBajarin?ref=philmckinney.com))* Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about what's real and becoming a future innovation platform, listen to this week's show: **[Tim Bajarin on Future Innovation Platforms #CES2020](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Future%5FInnovation%5FPlatforms%5FCES2020.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Exceptionally Normal URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/exceptionally-normal/ Last updated: 2020-01-10T14:57:27.000Z It is normal that no two people are exactly alike. Not even twins. So the word normal should not be confused with the word average. If you leave your fingerprints on something, you might as well leave your name and address since no two people have the same prints. You hear music and see a sunrise differently from any other person. You might enjoy a movie that your spouse would do anything to avoid. You might like being in a crowd of friends while your spouse prefers an evening being just the two of you. When you say, “I want my child to be normal,” you don’t mean average, and you shouldn’t. What you mean is that you want your child to grow up with their own abilities, talents, likes, and dislikes. So to be normal is not to be average; it is to be different. But for some reason, we are not comfortable showing our differences because we think society is expecting something we are not. We present one face to the world, as a rule, and another one to ourselves. There are millions of people who feel inadequate just because they’re not like what they think they see around themselves. They’re not inadequate at all. It’s just that they've never understood that we’re not supposed to be like everyone else because no one is. We’re supposed to be ourselves and realize that we are distinct individuals. Face it, [we are all quirky](https://www.philmckinney.com/be-willing-to-be-weird/). Take a look at the great thought leaders: Socrates stood for hours in the snow, oblivious to the wind and cold, working out a philosophy problem; Churchill walked into the bedroom of the president of the United States with only a towel wrapped around his waist; Einstein could go a whole lifetime without giving a thought to whether or not he needed a haircut. Are these people normal or abnormal? They’re normal. That is the way they do things — which is their normal. I’m sure there are lots of people who are keeping themselves from something they’d like to be doing because none of their friends are doing it. The truth of the matter is that they would be normal to follow their own natural inclinations, since no two people are alike, and they are in fact being abnormal in copying their friends. If you try to conform to the crowd, you’re trying to act as people act on the surface. It isn’t you. What’s normal for you, for me, is not easily discovered. It is not found by looking around at other people. It is found only by inward searching, by the knowledge of “who I am,” not by watching “others.” Each of us is outstanding in some way. Every person on earth has a superpower for something. When we find it, life takes on a new meaning and excitement. When you committed the effort to develop your superpower, a lot of other people will wish they were like you. But they shouldn’t. Being normal is being what you are as an individual. This applies to everyone including those that society labels as “not normal” such as those on the [autism spectrum](https://killerinnovations.com/aug-23-with-tara-roehl/?ref=philmckinney.com). Rather than someone on the autism spectrum trying to act like people who society thinks of as “being normal”, what is wrong with them being themselves and acting their normal? We as a society have defined normal based on some artificial standard we see around ourselves. Society has never understood that we’re not supposed to be like everyone else because no one is. We need to realize that each person is a distinct individual. So what are the steps to being content with being ourselves? > > > *Everybody Knows:* > *You can't be all things to all people.* > *You can't do all things at once.* > *You can't do all things equally well.* > *You can't do all things better than everyone else.* > *Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.* > *So:* > *You have to find out who you are and be that.* > *You have to decide what comes first, and do that.* > *You have to discover your strengths, and use them.* > *You have to learn not to compete with others,* > *Because no one else is in the contest of “being you”.* > *Then:* > *You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.* > *You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.* > *You will have learned to live with your limitations.* > *You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.* > *And you'll be a vital part of society.* > *Dare To Believe:* > *That you are a wonderful, unique person.* > *That you are a once-in-all-history event.* > *That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.* > *That appearing normal is not a puzzle you need to solve.And you will be comfortable being your unique self and not someone else.* > Each and one of us is a mystery and a miracle. What a shame it is to try to paint over the amazing you with a likeness of someone else. To be normal is to be ourselves — and never to be average. [/content/media/tonewideas/tni\_-\_exceptionally\_normal.mp3](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/media/tonewideas/tni%5F-%5Fexceptionally%5Fnormal.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) Podcast: [Play in new window](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/media/tonewideas/tni%5F-%5Fexceptionally%5Fnormal.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) | [Download](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/media/tonewideas/tni%5F-%5Fexceptionally%5Fnormal.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) | [Embed](#) Subscribe: [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5-minutes-to-new-ideas-with-phil-mckinney/id1385128619?mt=2&ls=1&ref=philmckinney.com) | [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL3RvbmV3aWRlYXMuY29tL3Jzcw&ref=philmckinney.com) | [RSS](http://killerinnovations.com/feed/podcast/?ref=philmckinney.com) | [More](http://tonewideas.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) ### TNI - Exceptionally Normal URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/tni-exceptionally-normal/ Last updated: 2020-01-09T08:00:00.000Z It is normal that no two people are exactly alike. Not even twins. So the word normal should not be confused with the word average. If you leave your fingerprints on something, you might as well leave your name and address since no two people have the same prints. You hear music and see a sunrise differently from any other person. You might enjoy a movie that your spouse would do anything to avoid. You might like being in a crowd of friends while your spouse prefers an evening being just the two of you. When you say, “I want my child to be normal,” you don’t mean average, and you shouldn’t. What you mean is that you want your child to grow up with their own abilities, talents, likes, and dislikes. So to be normal is not to be average; it is to be different. But for some reason, we are not comfortable showing our differences because we think society is expecting something we are not. We present one face to the world, as a rule, and another one to ourselves. There are millions of people who feel inadequate just because they’re not like what they think they see around themselves. They’re not inadequate at all. It’s just that they've never understood that we’re not supposed to be like everyone else because no one is. We’re supposed to be ourselves and realize that we are distinct individuals. Face it, we are all quirky. Take a look at the great thought leaders: Socrates stood for hours in the snow, oblivious to the wind and cold, working out a philosophy problem; Churchill walked into the bedroom of the president of the United States with only a towel wrapped around his waist; Einstein could go a whole lifetime without giving a thought to whether or not he needed a haircut. Are these people normal or abnormal? They’re normal. That is the way they do things -- which is their normal. I’m sure there are lots of people who are keeping themselves from something they’d like to be doing because none of their friends are doing it. The truth of the matter is that they would be normal to follow their own natural inclinations, since no two people are alike, and they are in fact being abnormal in copying their friends. If you try to conform to the crowd, you’re trying to act as people act on the surface. It isn’t you. What’s normal for you, for me, is not easily discovered. It is not found by looking around at other people. It is found only by inward searching, by the knowledge of “who I am,” not by watching “others.” Each of us is outstanding in some way. Every person on earth has a superpower for something. When we find it, life takes on a new meaning and excitement. When you committed the effort to develop your superpower, a lot of other people will wish they were like you. But they shouldn’t. Being normal is being what you are as an individual. This applies to everyone including those that society labels as “not normal” such as those on the autism spectrum. Rather than someone on the autism spectrum trying to act like people who society thinks of as “being normal”, what is wrong with them being themselves and acting their normal? We as a society have defined normal based on some artificial standard we see around ourselves. Society has never understood that we’re not supposed to be like everyone else because no one is. We need to realize that each person is a distinct individual. So what are the steps to being content with being ourselves? > *Everybody Knows:* > *You can't be all things to all people.* > *You can't do all things at once.* > *You can't do all things equally well.* > *You can't do all things better than everyone else.* > *Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.* > *So:* > *You have to find out who you are and be that.* > *You have to decide what comes first, and do that.* > *You have to discover your strengths, and use them.* > *You have to learn not to compete with others,* > *Because no one else is in the contest of “being you”.* > *Then:* > *You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.* > *You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.* > *You will have learned to live with your limitations.* > *You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.* > *And you'll be a vital part of society.* > *Dare To Believe:* > *That you are a wonderful, unique person.* > *That you are a once-in-all-history event.* > *That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.* > *That appearing normal is not a puzzle you need to solve.* > *And you will be comfortable being your unique self and not someone else.* Each and one of us is a mystery and a miracle. What a shame it is to try to paint over the amazing you with a likeness of someone else. To be normal is to be ourselves — and never to be average. ### Will AI Replace Human Creativity? URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/will-ai-replace-human-creativity/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:11.000Z AI has become the new buzzword that has been applied to anything and everything. You can’t attend trade shows without seeing AI attached to labels such as AI apps, AI-enhanced coffee, and AI influenced healthcare, etc. As of recent, AI has been in transition mode. It has moved from merely a “hype label” to something of reality. Some are even calling it the AI-driven “fourth industrial revolution.” On today’s show, I am going to be discussing AI and how it can be applied and used in innovation. ## AI Innovation Innovation and creation come from our learnings and experiences. With every new creation comes [inspiration](https://www.philmckinney.com/creative-inspiration-outside-of-work/) from something else. Edison didn’t invent the lightbulb; he perfected it. Einstein was inspired by physicists that went before him. So what is the difference between [AI](https://www.philmckinney.com/manufacturing-innovation-using-ai/) invented and AI-inspired? Input and experience play a key role. For AI, that comes in the form of the “training data” supplied to the system to recognize patterns and identify the best solutions. Training data is critically important and allows AI to do what it does. It is part of an element called machine learning, which has historically applied to games like chess and go. It was initially thought that humans had a unique advantage at these kinds of things. Here are a few examples that may prove otherwise: - **Deep Blue’s**win over Chess champion Garry Kasparov. It took multiple attempts, but the robot's skill evolved after a while. - **IBM Watson’s**Jeopardy win over human trivia kings. - **Google DeepMind’s Go**\-playing bot’s win against a Korean grandmaster. The top player has retired, saying that a human will never be better than a computer at Go. Is this proof that AI is becoming smarter than humans? It depends on how you define smart. Do you define it by IQ number, critical thinking skills, or memorization? What makes humans smart? Let’s not move too fast here. In the case of chess, the key is to recognize patterns and to be able to look at the number of steps ahead. These are two skills that computers have become quite good at using machine learning. So is that the definition of smart? There is no doubt that AI will make an impact. Will it have an impact on innovation? If so, how will it be manifested? In what ways can we use AI to support our innovation endeavors? Are you ready to jump in? ## AI and Creativity One example of AI is in the writing of stories for Associated Press AP uses deep learning in its Wordsmith tool to generate millions of news stories for financial services and sports, outpacing the output of all major media companies combined. Wordsmith has been trained on articles written by others that were redeemed as “good.” It plans to offer medium-specific stories, such as those published online and read on the air by newscasters, publication-specific stories separately tailored for publications like the New York Times and Buzzfeed. The question I ask myself is, could they write the script for my show? Not really, because my show isn’t triggered by press releases, and based on a specific style. So what is the downside of this? No one is reading the press release to validate it manually. One of my hobbies is to write instrumental music I use during [ideation](https://www.philmckinney.com/individual-ideation-versus-team-ideation/) and brainstorming workshops. They recently came out with an experimental AI plugin from Magenta Studio. I’ve been experimenting with it to see if it can be a tool to help me create better instrumentals Magenta provides a pretty easy way to get started with AI applied to create music. Another example of AI applied to [creativity](https://www.philmckinney.com/no-limits-to-innovation-and-creativity/) is when Christie, in October 2018, auctioned its first work of art generated by an algorithm called a generative adversarial network (GAN). This GAN approach meant that the AI was fed 15,000 portraits painted between the 14th and 20th centuries to train it in a style of art. Then a portrait was created by one computer network (the generating computer) that attempted to convince a second computer (the discriminating computer) that the image it generated should pass as real art. The discriminating computer is trained with portraits to teach it how to discern what a good portrait looks like so it can play the referee. The generating computer’s task is to create convincing art through a feedback loop, which improves both their capabilities over time. The portrait that passed the test sold for $432,000\. This begs some important questions: Who should get the byline for the article published by the wordsmith tool for AP? Who gets the songwriter credit for the new song? Who should sign their signature to the painting? ## Applying AI Could AI be applied to creating ideas that result in high impact innovations? Could it replace human creativity? Could AI be used to generate new ideas? I don’t think so. It could be used, however, as a tool to take raw ideas and apply AI to expand, enhance, and improve them. Possibly a tool to help the human side of brainstorming get past the mental block of generating more and better ideas. So if we use AI as a tool to “create,” … - Who should get the byline for the article published by the wordsmith tool for AP? - Who gets the songwriter credit for the new song created by a tool like Magenta Studio? - Who should sign their signature to the painting? - Who should get credit on the patent application for a tool that helped in brainstorming? AI augments what authors and inventors can do. With advances in [machine learning](https://www.philmckinney.com/practical-ai-at-ces-2019/), the interaction between algorithms and the creative process is changing. AI now allows artists to find unexpected beauty in chaos and complexity that exceeds the human grasp. AI is something to experiment with. It shouldn’t be feared. I am very optimistic about the role AI can play as a tool. \[xyz-ihs snippet="Will-AI-Replace-Human-Creativity-S15-Ep44"\] Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about applying AI to innovate ideas, listen to this week's show: [**Will AI Replace Human Creativity?**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Will%5FAI%5FReplace%5FHuman%5FCreativity.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com) \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Dean Kamen on Making Life Better URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/dean-kamen-on-making-life-better/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:11.000Z Today’s guest stands as one of the top inventors and scientists of our time. Dean Kamen has been innovating for decades and is known for his [invention](https://www.philmckinney.com/how-to-go-from-invention-to-innovation-to-commercialization-s11-ep31/) of the Segway, the infusion pump, the iBOT wheelchair, and many more game-changing inventions. This week on Killer Innovations, Dean Kamen joins us to discuss inventions and what he is currently doing to help change the world. ## Helping People Live Better Dean is continuously trying to invent things to aid those in need. He has worked on taking technologies developed for broad markets and using them to meet the needs of patients. Many of Dean’s products help those with rarer issues, such as veterans who’ve lost limbs, or those with genetic disorders. Dean wants to reach the point where medical patients can live comfortably at home and still have access to the latest [medical technology](https://www.philmckinney.com/unusual-path-to-medical-innovation-ra-medicals-dean-irwin/) to keep them healthy. These inventions will not only save a ton of money but gives the patients more independence and dignity in their lives. ## Hope for Future Inventions When it comes to [future inventions](https://www.philmckinney.com/a-future-look-top-innovations-teaching-the-future-tomorrows-healthcare/), Dean wants to create better alternative solutions to his dialysis invention as well as his infusion pump. He wants to continually enhance his products to make them more convenient for users. Through his company [Deka Research and Development Corp](http://www.dekaresearch.com/?ref=philmckinney.com), he tackles the world’s most complex problems, solving and innovating to improve our lives. In the “[Near Future Series: “A Better Place”](https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2Fk0KIqRAoGBk&ref=philmckinney.com), Dean and the team are working towards opportunities in these areas. ## The Next Generation Inventors As an [innovator](https://philmckinney.com/?s=innovator&submit=Search&ref=philmckinney.com) on a mission, Dean’s passion is unchanging, and many see him as the Thomas Edison of our time. While we face our biggest challenges, such as the environment, healthcare, transportation, etc., a question remains: *Who will be the next Dean Kamen?* Dean says that there is a culture problem in our country rather than an [education](https://philmckinney.com/innovation-classroom-education-needs-innovative/?ref=philmckinney.com#more-15193) crisis. The abundance of things clouds kids from having creativity. Kids want to become movie stars and professional athletes rather than inventors of lifechanging products. Kids would instead want to be celebrities due to the recognition and glorification of those positions. To fix this problem, Dean decided to make inventing a sport, to encourage kids to work hard at something more impactful. That is where [FIRST](https://www.firstinspires.org/?ref=philmckinney.com) comes in to play. Dean founded FIRST, an international organization that hosts robot building competitions. FIRST gives kids an opportunity at a future and sets them up to become changers of the world. Dean is an innovator with a passion and a mission to [change the world](https://philmckinney.com/unintended-consequences-5-innovation-failures-that-changed-the-world/?ref=philmckinney.com#more-10938). He continually strives to help others by creating and enhancing products that aid them. Finding success in what you are doing is vital to have an innovation mission on lockdown. What is your innovation mission? If you want to get more knowledgeable about the future of invention or innovation, hop on over to the show to get more expert insights and advice. ## About our Guest: Dean Kamen Dean Kamen is a top American scientist and inventor known for his inventions of the fusion pump, the iBOT, and the Segway. His futuristic inventions have revolutionized the world of healthcare, personal transportation, and numerous other areas. Dean’s passion for science and helping others has driven him to great success. Dean Kamen has received a vast number of awards throughout his career, but most notably, the Heinz Award for his contributions to the medical world, and the National Medal of Technology, for his innovative endeavors. In 1989, Dean founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). FIRST is an organization that hosts annual robot-building competitions between different youth teams. FIRST seeks to encourage kids to get excited about technology and their part in it. Dean currently resides in New Hampshire and his devotion to his work is unwavering as he continues to strive to make the world a better place. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about Dean Kamen and inventions that make life better, listen to this week's show: [**Dean Kamen on Making Life Better**](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Making%5FLife%5FBetter.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com). \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Steve Guggenheimer on Accelerating AI URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/steve-guggenheimer-on-accelerating-ai/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:11.000Z Artificial intelligence is quickly growing in the technology world today. Google and Microsoft have invested heavily in AI. Does AI live up to the hype around it? Will the building blocks of AI transform from hype to reality? Today’s guest stands at the forefront of artificial intelligence advancement. Steve Guggenheimer has been with Microsoft for 26 years and has been heavily involved in the company’s AI ventures. This week on Killer Innovations, Steve Guggenheimer joins us to discuss the progress of AI, the transition into “the cloud,” and what he and his team at Microsoft are doing to advance technology. - **The Growth of AI –** Will AI transform from [hype to reality](https://www.philmckinney.com/real-innovation-artificial-intelligence/)? AI, as Steve says, is in the “grind it out” phase, and is being crafted for real-world application. While it hasn’t had a “Ta-Dah” moment yet, it will be another year of progress for AI as it builds upon itself. - **Transitioning into the Cloud –** With the recent transition of [big things](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovating-big-data-artificial-intelligence-improve-personal-performance/) into “the cloud,” the focus has become all about accessibility. Whether it’s AI or the cloud, it’s about being smart with the technology in creating solutions. It’s about having adaptable services and experiences. - **Into Rural America -** Around 14-15% of homes in America don’t have broadband. The lack of subscriptions is not only due to internet connectivity but also from the lack of a connection shared by the people and tech companies due to culture and livelihood. How do we, as the tech community, help these [rural areas](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-can-happen-anywhere-to-anything-and-by-anyone/)? It takes individual efforts that eventually expand. If you want to be more knowledgeable for the new year on AI, the cloud, and rural America’s broadband issues, hop on over to show to get more expert insights and advice. ## About our Guest: Steve Guggenheimer Steve Guggenheimer, the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft’s AI sector, is responsible for creating groundbreaking AI technology and advancing its global presence. Throughout his 26 years at Microsoft, Steve has been involved in key leadership positions, building Microsoft’s hardware and software systems as the head of the OEM division and Developer Evangelism. Steve has also been in product teams for Microsoft’s Windows, Application Platform, Visual Studio, and much more. Before coming to Microsoft, Steve worked on developing and marketing products in the field of lasers at Spectra-Physics Inc. Steve attended the University of California, Davis, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Physics and received a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management from Stanford University. Steve and his wife run the Guggenheimer Foundation, and he is on the board of directors of Muzik. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about artificial intelligence, listen to this week's show: **[Steve Guggenheimer on Accelerating AI](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Accelerating%5FAI.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Great Leaders Keep Cool Under Fire URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/great-leaders-keep-cool/ Last updated: 2022-07-03T22:14:53.000Z My grandfather had an old saying when I was growing up, “Never burn a bridge.” At the time, I thought it was a strange saying. It was only later that I realized what he was saying. No matter how someone treats you, don't get angry and [never retaliate](https://www.philmckinney.com/paying-it-forward-with-random-acts-of-kindness/) as it will destroy the relationship. Great leaders keep cool even when the attacker is making it personal. ## Leaders Keep Cool Under Stress The president of a large corporation was confronted by an employee who stormed into his office and said, “I have a thing or two to say to you.” He then angrily poured out his complaints and pent-up feelings. As he did so, the president calmly listened. The employee was surprised that he didn’t get more of a reaction. When he was finished, the president said a simple “Thank you.” The president had wisely remained cool like Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, who said: “A gentle tongue is a tree of life.” Emerson made the same point when he wrote, “Keep cool, and you command everybody.” The person who winds up in charge is the one who can remain calm and in control under the most intense pressure. There are strength and power in stillness and quietness. It is the most universally important [quality of great leaders](https://killerinnovations.com/how-to-create-a-strong-executive-presence-part-one/?ref=philmckinney.com) — they are unflappable. Leaders know that they don’t make the best decisions when made with emotions or in the heat of anger. ## Leader's Most Valuable Lesson If a person can learn to remain calm in situations of stress, they have discovered one of a leader's most valuable lessons — one that the vast majority of people never learn. Earlier in my career, I was on a trip overseas, when I saw two drivers whose trucks came face-to-face in a narrow street. Neither would back up to let the other by. So what did they do? They started blowing their horns and yelling profanities at each other. After a few minutes of watching this spectacle, I went on to my meeting. When I returned a few hours later, they were in the same place, still blocking each other, red in the face yelling at each other. I wonder if they are still there. They were the perfect representations of what happens when anger and emotion overcome reason — nothing constructive happens. Logic says that when they had first seen each other, one of them should have immediately backed up and both could have been on their way. ## Losing Your Cool While it is easy to point out the flaws in others, we need to recognize when we have fallen short. My mom, a fellow redhead, said I got a double helping of the “red-headed temper.” To emphasize the point, she used to tell me a story… *There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His mother gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.* *On the first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered each day gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.* ### *Controlling His Temper…* *Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. She then instructed him to pull out one nail for each day he was now able to hold his anger. The days passed, and the young boy was able to tell his mother that all the nails were gone.* *The mother took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. She said, “You have done well, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like the holes in the fence. It won’t matter how many times you say your sorry. The holes are still there.”* *The little boy then understood how powerful his words were. He looked up at his mother and said, “I hope you can forgive me mother, for the holes I put in you.”* *“Of course, I can,” said the mother.* ## Don't Get Angry Every day, I strive to follow my grandfather's warning to stay calm, [don’t get angry](https://www.philmckinney.com/rogue-rage-four-questions-to-transform-anger-into-opportunity/), and never burn a bridge no matter how someone acts, says, or treats me. “Keep cool, and you command everyone.” Emerson was right. Even a youngster, who keeps his composure in the face of raving parents makes them look ridiculous. 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At the time, I thought it was a strange saying. It was only later that I realized what he was saying. No matter how someone treats you, don't get angry and never retaliate as to destroy the relationship. Great leaders keep cool even when the attacker is making it personal. ## Leaders Keep Cool Under Stress The president of a large corporation was confronted by an employee who stormed into his office and said, “I have a thing or two to say to you.” He then angrily poured out his complaints and pent-up feelings. As he did so, the president calmly listened. The employee was surprised that he didn’t get more of a reaction. When he was finished, the president said a simple “Thank you.” The president had wisely remained cool like Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, who said: “A gentle tongue is a tree of life.” Emerson made the same point when he wrote, “Keep cool, and you command everybody.” The person who winds up in charge is the one who can remain calm and in control under the most intense pressure. There are strength and power in stillness and quietness. It is the most universally important [quality of great leaders](https://killerinnovations.com/how-to-create-a-strong-executive-presence-part-one/?ref=philmckinney.com) — they are unflappable. Leaders know that they don’t make the best decisions when made with emotions or in the heat of anger. ## Leader's Most Valuable Lesson If a person can learn to remain calm in situations of stress, they have discovered one of a leader's most valuable lessons — one that the vast majority of people never learn. Earlier in my career, I was on a trip overseas, when I saw two drivers whose trucks came face-to-face in a narrow street. Neither would back up to let the other by. So what did they do? They started blowing their horns and yelling profanities at each other. After a few minutes of watching this spectacle, I went on to my meeting. When I returned a few hours later, they were in the same place, still blocking each other, red in the face yelling at each other. I wonder if they are still there. They were the perfect representations of what happens when anger and emotion overcome reason — nothing constructive happens. Logic says that when they had first seen each other, one of them should have immediately backed up and both could have been on their way. ## Losing Your Cool While it is easy to point out the flaws in others, we need to recognize when we have fallen short. My mom, a fellow redhead, said I got a double helping of the “red-headed temper.” To emphasize the point, she used to tell me a story … *There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His mother gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.* *The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered each day gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.* ### *Controlling His Temper...* *Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. She then instructed him to pull out one nail for each day he was now able to hold his anger. The days passed, and the young boy was able to tell his mother that all the nails were gone.* *The mother took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. She said, “You have done well, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like the holes in the fence. It won’t matter how many times you say your sorry. The holes are still there.”* *The little boy then understood how powerful his words were. He looked up at his mother and said, “I hope you can forgive me mother, for the holes I put in you.”* *“Of course I can,” said the mother.* ## Don't Get Angry Every day, I strive to follow my grandfathers' warning to stay calm, [don’t get angry](https://philmckinney.com/rogue-rage-four-questions-to-transform-anger-into-opportunity/?ref=philmckinney.com), and never burn a bridge no matter how someone acts, says, or treats me. “Keep cool, and you command everyone.” Emerson was right. Even a youngster, who keeps his composure in the face of raving parents, makes them look ridiculous. ### Innovation Reform URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-reform/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:10.000Z When you are going to reform something, the goal is to change it to something better. It is to reshape or correct something. It comes in cycles. We see it in the financial industry through Wall St. and the many government regulations. Policies, rules, regulations, laws, etc. all drive reform. What is the catalyst to reform? To go in the opposite direction by deregulating, removing regulations to let the market take over. On today’s show, I am going to be discussing and explaining what innovation reform is. ## Innovation Reform Does innovation need reforming? Can something as nebulous as innovation be changed? The reason that this issue bothers me is due to the misuse of innovation, done in a whole variety of ways. Innovation tends to have minimized support financially. What is the proper role that innovation plays in our daily lives? We tend to view innovation as the new shiny gadget from Apple, Dell, or [HP](https://philmckinney.com/innovating-the-brand-at-hp/?ref=philmckinney.com). The reality is that innovation plays a much more [significant part of our daily lives](https://beyondtheobvious.com/prepare-unexpected-jolts/?ref=philmckinney.com). It’s the continuous role of innovation solving issues such as healthcare, education, politics, etc. It allows us to share ideas globally uniting us rather than dividing us. Back to my fundamental question. Does innovation need reforming? If so, what approach should minimize? Should more regulation or other incentives be applied? Or is there another completely different approach? ## 3 Key Areas of Innovation Reform What is wrong with innovation that requires reforming? I believe there are three critical areas that we, as innovators need to be thinking about: ### Unethical Innovation - ****Presenting Misleading Information –** People have presented innovation in a misleading way to investors and the public. Ex. *Theranos* promised to do blood tests with a single drop of blood. They were installed into Walgreen’s stores and provided false information misleading their customers. - **Academic Research Retracted –** There has been a growing number of retracted academic research in the last few years. It is so common that somebody created a website to track retractions for the public’s use. - **Knowingly Faulty Products Released –** Innovators releasing products they know are faulty. Ex. Boeing knew that their 737 Max had issues and still released it. ### Stolen IP - **Small to Large Companies -** I’ve seen this happen from small startups to large companies. Rather than doing their R&D, they take an idea from another company. It’s all about [avoiding the need to do R&D](https://www.philmckinney.com/brain-health-for-innovation-and-creativity/) and to save money. - **Employees misappropriating IP –** People have downloaded IP from a previous employer and take it to a new employer. ### Lack of Transparency - There is an apparent lack of transparency when it comes to investment returns. Instituting GAP created a balance and to compare companies. The balance does not exist in innovation. This issue of a lack of transparency has been one of my most frustrating areas. How a company looks at it is entirely different from company b. It becomes hard to attach intangible value related to innovation. How do we address these innovation reform issues? What are the best ways to address these issues? What do we as a society do to encourage innovation to solve the challenges we are facing? ## How to Initiate Innovation Reform How do we reform unethical innovation, stolen IP, transparency? Here are my proposals: ## Unethical Innovation - **Establish a Code of Ethics -** I propose that we establish a code of ethics similar to what the medical field has. Define an oath for innovation so engineers and project managers etc. recognize that the use of innovation for good or bad is just like in medicine. The Hippocratic oath for innovation would be 1\. Do no harm. 2\. Protect IP as an employee and employer. 3\. Be transparent with research and test results. - **Disincentivize Investing in the Unethical** \- What happens when someone violates this oath? When doctors break theirs, they lose their license to practice medicine. For innovators, there needs to be more than the standard issued punishment. So how would you keep investors from backing violators of the oath? For innovators, [there is a need for money](https://www.philmckinney.com/creativity-through-restriction-constraint-based-innovation-s11-ep13/) to create products and services. The best way to deal with this is to punish investors by taking away their tax benefits, such as capital gains. Use whatever mechanism that applies to where you live to disincentivize investors from backing unethical people. Another privilege I would take away is the option to declare bankruptcy. ## Stolen IP - **Loss of Tax Credits –** This would incentivize organizations to boost their R&D spend, rather than stealing IP. If you do the right thing, [the government should encourage you](https://www.philmckinney.com/untold-stories-of-darpa/) to increase your R&D. ## Transparency - **New Set of GAP Reporting Requirements –** These would give insight into the value of innovation created by the organization. These would include bad patents canceled/retracted, [innovation premium](https://www.philmckinney.com/value-of-innovation-know-what-is-important/), and intangible value of innovation. We want to encourage innovation investment through transparency. We need more innovation. Are there areas you would like to see reformed? What are those areas? \[xyz-ihs snippet="Innovation-Reform-S15-Ep41"\] Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn more about innovation reform, listen to this week's show: **[Innovation Reform](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Innovation%5FReform.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### Value of Innovation: Know What is Important URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/value-of-innovation-know-what-is-important/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:10.000Z Organizations are always trying to create the next big thing. What drives these organizations to create something new to bring to the marketplace? These are solving problems, creating opportunities, removing barriers, etc. What do all these things add up? They create value. How do you find out what people value? Look at who is going to benefit from what you are creating. You may think you know who they are, but odds are, you’re wrong. I’ll bet you are wrong. Why? You are too close to what you are creating. On today’s show, we will walk through perspectives and the value of innovation. ## Identifying the Customer’s Wants When I was at HP, there was an engineer who was pitching new features for a product line. At the end of his pitch, I asked him what the customer asked for the specific function. Did it come from a feedback form, a customer care call, or user surveys? The engineer replied, “I came up with this idea because it is a feature that I would *really* want.” Why did I ask this question? Because of the complexity that the feature would add to the product. It would take an HP engineer to figure out how to use the feature. The engineer mistakenly put himself in the position of the target customer. It is vital that you, as the creator of a product/service, get out and observe what the customers want. [During my years at HP](https://killerinnovations.com/hp/?ref=philmckinney.com), I frequented Best Buy on my weekends. If a customer looked at an HP laptop and ended up buying another computer, I’d hand them my business card and ask them a simple question. What caused you to look at this product and buy another? The answer to that question showed me what they valued. In today’s show, I am going to be discussing what the value of innovation is. ## Understanding the Value of Innovation How do you find what the customer values? You need to know their perspective. Their perspective has a significant impact on their decision making. An excellent example of this is my wife. My son Logan was a fencer back around 2009, and we were in Las Vegas at a two-day competition. Logan was doing well and advancing in the tourney. That was great, but it also made us tight on time to get to the airport. After the competition, we raced to the airport. The person informed us at the check-in counter that there has been a delay in our flight to Phoenix. I corrected her, saying it must be a mistake because we were going to San Jose. She said that our ticket was Las Vegas to Phoenix to Los Angeles and then to San Jose. A typical flight from Phoenix to San Jose takes about one hour, but this one took 6 hours. I called my wife, and she said that booking the 6-hour flight saved $20\. I thought she was kidding—at the time, I was the CTO at HP. She didn’t value my time the way I did. Why does my wife think that way? My wife is the most frugal person in the world. Why? Because of her upbringing. She was one of six children, and her family struggled to say afloat. Her father worked double shifts in the steel industry, seven days a week, to provide for them. During this time, her family lost their home multiple times, and she was often forced to live with other family members. When she looks at the value of money, her experiences shaped her perspective. When you’re thinking about the value innovation, you may think you’ve got it all figured out. That doesn’t matter. What matters? The perspective of the person buying your product. It doesn’t matter what you think, but what they think. Do you know the *“who”* and what they value? ## Creating Enhanced Value Beyond understanding how people make decisions and what they value, let’s look at how we create enhanced value. I remember, there was a social media meme that showed an iron bar: An iron bar costs about $5\. If you pound out that iron bar into horseshoes, equates to $12\. It’s the same amount of iron, but making the bar into horseshoes created six extra dollars. Now take that bar of iron and put it through a manufacturing process and make sowing needles. That $5 bar of iron turned into needles gives you $3,500 worth of needles. Take that same bar of iron and turn it into springs for watches, and it will be worth $300,000\. That is the power of innovation. This instance is the creation of the value of innovation. Take the raw goods and produce something that the “who” values, and they will pay the premium for it. Take birthday cakes for example. My grandmother would make my birthday cakes from scratch when I was a kid. Each cake probably cost around a dollar. When she passed, my mom started making my birthday cakes with cake mix, which probably cost around $3\. It was much easier than making it from scratch. When my mom started working full-time, she would get my cake from a bakery. What began as a $1 homemade cake, was now around a $15 bakery cake. The value of the convenience was hugely valuable. Today, with my grandkids, it has to be an experience. You go to a trampoline park and pay a couple of hundred bucks for pizza, cake, and games. Why do you do this? It’s all about the value creation brought in by innovation. People will reward you with an innovation premium because of what they value. ## “Me Too” Innovation How do you earn the innovation premium? By conveying value uniquely and differently. If you’re an avid listener of the show, you know that I tend to rant about the “me too” innovations. Look at bottled water. There are thousands of brands of water bottles. There was a handful of them in the 70s. In the 70s, there were four types of milk and 19 in the 1990s. Today, there are hundreds of types of milk. How many different types of water bottles or milk do we need? I was in the store the other day getting some Lays potato chips for my grandkids. I realized there were a ton of different flavors of chips. All this created complexity, and for what? The unnecessary complexity is the problem with “me too” kind of innovations. When talking about the value of innovation, you need to create something unique. Look at who your customers are, how they make decisions, what is the perspective that fuels that decision, and what is the unit of value that will convey a premium. Is what you are selling unique? Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn about perspectives and the value of innovation, listen to this week's show: **[Value of Innovation: Know What is Important.](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/Value%5Fof%5FInnovation%5FKnow%5FWhat%5Fis%5FImportant.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)** \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] ### 4 Leadership Struggles I Had to Overcome URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/4-leadership-struggles-i-had-to-overcome/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T19:22:09.000Z Many leaders act as if the point they’ve reached in their careers was easy to reach. This week on the Killer Innovations show, I will be discussing the various struggles all leaders face and how to counteract them. From my perspective, as I progressed throughout my career, I ran into many different struggles. These struggles are some that I believe every leader will encounter. Rather than [hiding these struggles](https://philmckinney.com/impostor-syndrome/?ref=philmckinney.com) from you, I will be putting them out in the sunlight for all of you to see. I have come to realize that all leaders are alike. As much as we think we are different, we are not as unique as we believe. We all share the same struggles. The first leadership struggle I’ve encountered is lonely leadership. As you progress through an organization, it gets harder to find people that understand you. It’s a must for great leaders to be transparent. Share things with others around you. While [transparency holds importance](https://philmckinney.com/the-top-5-skills-a-chief-innovation-officer-needs/?ref=philmckinney.com), is it always the answer? Transparency is only vital to a point. Reserve some things that you don’t need to share. ## Lonely Leadership You should never be transparent about your self-doubt. Being open about your struggles with employees can cause them concern about your organization. Secondly, never be transparent about your opinion of others. Especially key stakeholders. They will find out. My philosophy is never to burn a bridge no matter what. This decision has come back to benefit me throughout my career. Thirdly, never be transparent about confidential information shared with you. I’ve seen may promising leaders sidelined because of issues of [integrity and trust](https://philmckinney.com/pinocchio-with-a-phd-an-appeal-for-ethical-innovation/?ref=philmckinney.com). Building a reputation for integrity as a leader is crucial. Just one wrong decision can break a reputation. Don’t [make that mistake](https://www.philmckinney.com/mistakes-innovation-competitions/). Making a mistake will shatter your career. Being a leader is lonely. Who can you share these things? Your spouse? Not always. I remember when I was at Teligent, and we were the hottest new thing. We were on the cover of *Business Week, Forbes, WSJ, NY Times,* etc. My wife was at her hairdresser one day, and the hairdresser was drilling her about the information on Teligent. He assumed she had access to confidential information and was getting aggressive. After that, my wife and I agreed to protect her. I do not share any confidential information with her. Never. She doesn’t want to be in that position. Can you be transparent with anyone? Your [coach or mentor](https://philmckinney.com/innovation-mentor-vs-innovation-coach-which-do-you-need/?ref=philmckinney.com). Let your [board/shareholders ](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-the-role-of-the-ceo-board-and-the-innovation-advisory-board/)know that you have a coach or mentor. If you’re going to share confidential information with someone, they should sign a non-disclosure agreement. All of this said you would be lonely as a leader. It comes with the position. Can you be transparent with someone? ## What Got You Here Won’t Keep You Here Will the [skills](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-skills-6-questions-great-leaders-ask-their-employees/) that helped you reach your position keep you there? These things will not keep you here or progress you in your career. Look at me, for instance. My specialty is technical work. I have not touched technical work in 15 years. I had to learn new skills to advance. How did I learn those different skills? Right out of college, my mentor Bob told me that to find success; I had to broaden my playing fields. I knew my specialty very well, but I needed to have a variety of experiences. What did I do? I rotated in marketing, sales, finance, IT, etc. I did everything. While these experiences broadened my knowledge, it wasn’t enough. ### What were the skillsets that [brought me to success](https://www.philmckinney.com/innovation-leadership-using-influence-for-success/)? - **Organization design -** How do you structure a team? You have to be willing to adjust to create a [robust organizational structure](https://philmckinney.com/implement-law-resources-organization/?ref=philmckinney.com). - **People Reading** \- Each person is unique, and you have to commit to learning them. - **Consensus Building** – [Learn the individuals](https://beyondtheobvious.com/why-innovation-system-fire/?ref=philmckinney.com) and their objectives. I do one on one calls with each member of my board before meetings. Calls help me to get a better grasp of the thoughts and feelings of each member. - **Objective Setting** – How do you set [good targets](https://www.philmckinney.com/setting-innovation-objectives/)? Use OKR’s/make sure they are clear and measurable. Grant autonomy letting your experts use their skills to achieve ultimate success. ## Consequences of Ideas and Statements Ideas and statements made as a leader have [effects](https://www.philmckinney.com/unintended-consequences-innovation-adoption/). Things will get taken out of context and all of a sudden, they become the “new law.” When I was CEO at Cable Labs, I told my team that the most common statement they would hear was, “Phil said.” In many cases, what I said was misinterpreted or misused. The best proof point of this in my career is press coverage. If you google my name and read the articles on the first 16 pages of google, not a single item got the situation 100% correct. At Cable Labs, we had issues with the press pushing out false information. The articles caused employees to start worrying about the longevity of our Colorado office. I had to call a meeting with all my employees to address this issue. I committed my staff that day that they would hear from me first, and not the press. The announcement created a new culture at Cable Labs called the “no-surprise rule” to remind my employees of this always. Why do I do this? Because ideas and statements can be a disaster. You need to be hyper-vigilant about what you say, how you say it, and how you operate. Are you conveying statements the right way? ## Creative Self-Doubt What is the number leadership skill you are expected to have? [Creativity/ ingenuity ](https://philmckinney.com/8-bad-habits-that-impact-your-creativity/?ref=philmckinney.com)leading to product, service, and operational innovation. Many leaders get promoted to a leadership role because of their credited innovation. Look at Nobel Laureates. There is a trend of peaks seen from the recipients of Nobel awards. One in their mid-twenties and one in their mid-fifties. The question comes down to this. Do you still have your creativity? ### What type of innovator are you? **Conceptual Innovators** \- “Think outside the box,” [challenging conventional wisdom](https://philmckinney.com/3-big-hairy-audacious-goals-drove-game-changing-innovations/?ref=philmckinney.com) and suddenly coming up with new ideas. Conceptual innovators tend to peak early in their careers. **Experimental Innovators** \- Accumulate knowledge through their careers and find groundbreaking ways to analyze, interpret, and synthesize that information into [new ways of understanding](https://beyondtheobvious.com/finding-ways-offer-underused-resources/?ref=philmckinney.com). The long periods of trial and error required for important experimental innovations make them tend to occur late in a Nobel laureate’s career. Success comes from recognizing that as an innovator, we need to shift from the conceptual to the experimental. Let’s connect; I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. If we do connect, drop me a note and let me know. The email address is feedback@philmckinney.com, or you can go to [PhilMcKinney.com](https://philmckinney.com/?ref=philmckinney.com) and drop me a note there. If you are looking for innovation support, go to [TheInnovators.Network](http://www.theinnovators.network/?ref=philmckinney.com) or want to be challenged to develop the next big idea, check out our [Disruptive Ideation Workshops](http://www.disruptiveideation.com/?ref=philmckinney.com). Don’t forget to join our [Innovators Community](http://www.theinnovators.community/?ref=philmckinney.com) to enjoy more conversations around innovation. To learn about overcoming leadership struggles, listen to this week's show: **[4 Leadership Struggles I Had to Overcome](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/4%5FLeadership%5FStruggles%5FI%5FHad%5Fto%5FOvercome.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)**. \[irp posts="4392" name="Subscribe to Podcast"\] _Includes the latest 500 public posts. 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