Innovation is a big buzz-word these days, but what does it really mean?  Many think of breakthrough inventions that advance the state of technology.  Some confuse innovation with creativity.  Others think innovation is simply marching to the beat of a different drummer. Think of this simple definition,...

LEADERSHIP – helping others innovate  “Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning.”...

Values are enduring beliefs that help us determine what we seek in life and guide our behavior on a day-to-day basis.   Individuals and organizations operate on a set of core values whether they are implicit or explicit. These values touch every aspect of work, shaping people’s experience and...

It may sound like an oxymoron but learning to focus your strategic thinking may be the difference between adequate and outstanding personal performance.   To excel as an innovator, start by looking at your own thinking. I recently read a short interview with Bill Gates in Fortune magazine where he...

Our most cherished beliefs often need to give way for innovation to emerge. Why? It’s simple. Thinking leads to action and our actions lead to results. We can only change ourselves and our organizations by changing our thinking. Yet, giving up (or suspending) our personal agendas, our biases,...

By Michael Mendizza and Andrew Papageorge   We have never experienced this moment before. Never in our personal history, or the history of the universe has this moment, with its challenges and joys, the sun and moon, the tides and planets, the stars and the wind dancing across the sky, ever been quiet...

Shortly after the death of the harsh Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, his successor Nikita Khrushchev was addressing the Supreme Soviet Council.   As the new leader denounced his predecessor’s terrible crimes, a voice in the back called out: “Comrade, you were there. Why did not you stop him?”   Khrushchev...

Breaking down. Often has a negative connotation. However, in learning how to innovate breaking down might just be your ticket to the next big idea. Disaggregation: to separate into componet parts and processess (emphasis added). How this helps you with the next big idea.  It helped Apple launch the...