Learning

How to take an idea from Google and scale it down to you

I try to spend a couple of weeks in San Francisco each year. It is like a “study abroad” program to learn the latest in innovation just being there. I have many friends who are out there now leading startup organizations. I learn a lot from them, not only about the latest web apps and …

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The innovation opportunity is to improve your technology literacy

This sixth grader, Thomas Suarez, gave a TED Talk. For me that alone stands out. How many 6th graders do you see doing TED Talks? He develops IPhone apps. His most popular one is called “Bustin Jieber.” He created it because a lot of his classmates disliked Justin Bieber. He knows how to develop ideas …

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Self-Innovation: Using 5 Innovator’s DNA Skills to Build a Better Fruit Fly Trap

The Five Innovator’s DNA skills are observing, associating, questioning, experimenting, and networking. You can put these skills to use in everyday situations. The problem. I had fruit flies one summer day. This is fine in the 10th grade biology classroom but bad in your home. I was OK with an occasional few flying around but …

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How to Communicate to Innovate: Networking to Individuals, Presenting to Groups, and Online to the World

Here is a new workshop zeroing in on what is important to managers, leaders, and change agents: Saving time, being clear & memorable, gaining buy-in, and reducing chance of failure by communicating for innovation. How to Communicate to Innovate: Networking to Individuals, Presenting to Groups, and Online to the World + Gain tools and techniques …

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Advice for Conference Speakers on their Presentations

This advice holds true for both the speaker and the conference organizer advising the speakers on their presentations. A killer presentation is like a killer product. It takes some time to develop and involves many prototypes and iterations. If the presenter is giving their speech or facilitating their program for the first time, it will …

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Recommended Creative Thinking Books on Generating Ideas or “Thinking Tools”

During the past five years I have been immersed in creative thinking resources and reviewed many books on tools for generating ideas. I’ve synthesized and adapted some of the best practice tools that are out there and create some new ones as well. We have tried this system of ideation tools out with brainstormers and …

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Out-innovate, outeducate, and outbuild: Obama’s call for a focus on education & innovation

“We need to out-innovate, outeducate and outbuild the rest of the world.” This was President Obama’s memorable quote from the 2011 State of the Union Address that summed up what we need to do as a country. Innovation is critical. It is at the center of the radar. But first, we need to teach people …

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How to Encourage Creative Thinking: Developing experiential training activities to teach the innovator’s DNA

My favorite innovation articles are those that focus on which capacities we need to cultivate to become better innovators personally. Innovation processes and systems are excellent but learning how to develop our own innovation skills is truly compelling because it is personal. Plus, much of the innovation chatter in organizations now is shifting from adopting …

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