Blog
In these posts I try and challenge, stretch and inspire new ideas & conversations.
How to become a small wins innovator
Innovation is a skill. And like any skill it requires practice, the right tools and encouragement. This means that any manager or leader or team can learn how to become a small wins innovator. Perhaps the best way to truly understand this approach is to remember what...
Small wins innovation and the brain
Shawn Achor is a consultant and a former Harvard graduate and author. He writes extensively on items such as positive psychology. In a recent article he gave 5 tips that promote optimism and a positive attitude. The last tip caught my eye (courtesy of a blog by Robert...
Moving beyond continuous improvement
Continuous Improvement is a powerful concept often attributed to quality expert Edward Deming. It has been around for many years and is commonly linked to programs such as Total Quality Management and Six Sigma. But is it time to move beyond this concept to something...
The power of small wins on changing culture
I work with a lot of leaders and one of their most pressing questions is: How do you build a more creative and innovative culture? For many leaders in medium to large organisations this challenge is just too big. They feel that transforming a culture is much like...
What do leaders really feel about innovation?
I ran an innovation workshop yesterday with a group of HR leaders. I started the session by asking them: How do you feel about innovation? The emphasis on feel is important. If you ask any manager and leader what they think of innovation they typically say that it is...
The Yin and Yang of Innovation
I love Chinese Martial Arts and its philosophy. The simplicity of Yin and Yang And the symbol of Yin and Yang is a beautiful, visual expression of the idea of holding two, sometime competing forces into one is a compelling one and often at odds with the more linear...
Do we need a new language of innovation?
I was rereading a 2012 innovation report by Accenture and I was struck by the language of the recommendations. The writers of the report found: - Among 500 respondents (i.e. leaders in large organisations) 93% of them believe innovation is important to their long-term...
Innovation training- where to start?
I have conducted numerous innovation training sessions over the years and there are few principles i tend to follow. 1. Ask for volunteers Like any subject it is difficult to force people to be innovative, particularly if they do not want to be there in the first...
Changing culture one win at a time
Change is hard. Particularly if you are trying to change an entire culture. It seems to me that you have two options -- you can force change or try and engage others in making a change. Forcing change is sometimes necessary but rarely sustainable e.g. you go to the...