Blog
In these posts I try and challenge, stretch and inspire new ideas & conversations.
Start every team meeting with a small wins story
How small wins can build confidence and success I have just finished reading (again) a book by Harvard Professor, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, called Confidence (2004). She outlines a number of key strategies to help leaders and managers in particular to regain confidence...
The advantages of small wins innovation
The Little Bets Book I have just finished reading a wonderful book called Little Bets by Peter Sims -- How breakthrough ideas emerge from small discoveries. In this book he gives numerous case studies of how many successful people from comedians to business people who...
Building a business – one win at a time
The story of Zendesk I have often wondered if the leaders of a successful company always knew they would make it. I have also wondered if a seemingly big idea for a business was always obvious or only in retrospect? This is the story of a fabulously successful...
Can group creativity be learned?
Can creativity be learned? In a recent fascinating article in The Atlantic the question was posed can creativity be taught? In this article various theories and research seem to suggest that yes it can be taught -- up to a point. To be sure, actually practicing one's...
Is Disruptive Innovation the only game in town?
Disruptive Innovation is everywhere Articles and case studies on disruptive innovation seem to be everywhere. Every second consultant seems to be advocating the idea of disrupt or else. Disruptive Innovation was made popular by Clayton Christensen and since then it...
The lean startup vs small wins innovation
The Lean Startup The Lean Startup by Eric Ries has been a major step forward for entrepreneurs everywhere. It provides as the book cover suggests: "A new approach to business that's being adopted around the world. It is changing the way companies are built and new...
How leaders can utilise the butterfly effect
What is the butterfly effect? The term butterfly effect was first coined by Edward Norton Lorenz (23 May 1917 – 16 April 2008). Lorenz was an American mathematician and meteorologist and a pioneer of chaos theory. The butterfly effect, according to Wikepedia is: In...
How to make innovation training really stick
Most innovation training does not work Innovation is often cited as one of the top 3 priorities for leaders and managers worldwide. As a result many leaders offer innovation training to their employees and team members. But too often, even a great innovation session...
A small wins innovation case study
The Change for Good Program Anyone that has travelled with Qantas would have noticed or (hopefully) contributed to their Change for Good program. This is a joint initiative between Qantas and UNICEF whereby passengers donate any spare change or dollars in an envelope...