FRESH IDEAS.
HAND-CRAFTED WEEKLY.
Inspiring thoughts on innovation, growth, leadership,
creativity, transformation, and disruption.
Quick reads, powerful results.
Creative Intelligence – sometimes it is life or death Creative approaches to tough problems show up in unexpected places. When the US Special Forces first parachuted into Afghanistan after 9/11, they found themselves adopting some unusual martial techniques to manage the terrain and gain respect in the eyes of the local people. They succeeded because […]
Read MoreRemember the old TV spots: “You got your peanut butter in my chocolate! No, you got your chocolate in my peanut butter! Delicious!” Two great tastes brought together to create something remarkable, as the slogan goes. Combining two distinct concepts in order to form an entirely new one is the root of The Reese’s Peanut […]
Read More1. Steve Wozniak, Co-founder of Apple, on Innovation: How did Wozniak and Jobs do it? How did they create the engineering and design juggernaut that is Apple? Check out the interview with Steve – he considered himself an artist. He saw himself as part of a team, he focused on what to leave out, and […]
Read MoreThere are so many powerful business lessons we can learn from the world of jazz. This fluid, improvisation art form is all about taking risks and trying new things. Going out on limb can be scary, but it is where the magic happens. Extending yourself outside your comfort zone is where the best rewards will […]
Read MoreEarlier this week, I launched a six-part blog series on techniques from the jazz world that can be easily translated to driving business creativity. Jazz music is all about spontaneous creativity and improvisation – skills that are critically important in the business world. We’ve covered a number of powerful concepts already (to read the full […]
Read MoreEarlier this week, I launched a six-part blog series on techniques from the jazz world that can be easily translated to driving business creativity. Jazz music is all about spontaneous creativity and improvisation – skills that are critically important in the business world. The first post covered a technique called Trading Fours. The second post […]
Read MoreBeginning today, I’m going to post a weekly summary of some of the coolest creativity ideas, tests, blogs, products, thoughts, and guidelines that I see each week. Enjoy! How creative are you? Are you as creative as you need to be? And what about your workplace? Is that one that fosters original thinking or does […]
Read MoreEarlier this week, I launched a six-part blog series on techniques from the jazz world that can be easily translated to driving business creativity. Jazz music is all about spontaneous creativity and improvisation – skills that are critically important in the business world. The first posted covered a technique called Trading Fours. The second post […]
Read MoreYesterday, I launched a six-part blog series on techniques from the jazz world that can be easily translated to driving business creativity. Jazz music is all about spontaneous creativity and improvisation – skills that are critically important in the business world. The first post covered a technique called Trading Fours. Now let’s look at the […]
Read MoreIf there was a PhD for creative sparking, jazz musicians would graduate with high distinction. Smoke-filled, late night jazz clubs are hotbeds of spontaneous creativity. I’m going to post a six-part blog series on techniques from the jazz world that can be easily translated to driving business creativity. Having studied jazz improvisation for nearly 30 […]
Read MoreBack in the early 1980’s, Maurice Starr invented the modern Boy Band with New Edition and New Kids on the Block. His Creative Leap generated tens of millions in profits and delighted the world of pre-teen girls. After the success of these groups, however, dozens of others followed suite in a formulaic manner (one was […]
Read MoreWe all like agreement. It feels nice when a group of people are all aligned and everyone has the chance to contribute. It is a warm, hugging, campfire-song kind of feeling. It can also kill your creative potency. Imagine you and your team were working to develop a new flavor of ice cream. One person […]
Read MoreAt my company, ePrize, we often tell the “Meatloaf Story”: A mother is making meatloaf with her teenage daughter; a ritual they’ve been doing together for years. As part of the tradition, the two chefs cut the ends of each side of the meatloaf before putting it in the oven. One day, the teen asks, […]
Read MoreWe’ve all seen the inside of an artist studio – either in person or in the movies. They are never neatly organized with paints all in a row and tables that are clutter-free. In fact, they are just the opposite. They are messy, and appear completely disorganized at first glance. They studio may have half-finished […]
Read MoreAll humans have muscle mass. If any of us hit the gym and started pumping iron, our muscle mass would increase. This is a simple fact. We also each also have a natural genetic predisposition of how much muscle we can grow. I, for example, would never end up on the cover of a muscle […]
Read MoreThe single biggest blocker for creativity and original thought is fear. In our society, we are so focused on success and afraid of making mistakes that we don’t pursue our dreams. Don’t live life to our fullest potential. Don’t let our creativity shine. In school, we have classes on all sorts on functional skills such […]
Read More“I’m sorry sir, my hands are tied.” These were the appalling words I heard twice in the last week – one from a large mobile phone network, and one from a health insurance carrier. Both were from customer service reps that were clearly un-empowered, bitter, and really didn’t care much about helping me (so much […]
Read MoreMention the word Creativity, and people begin to squirm in their chairs. The very thought can prompt anxiety, fear, and doubt – even in the most accomplished professionals. Let’s explore some common myths, and uncover the truth behind this “fuzzy” topic: MYTH 1: Creativity is only needed at the top TRUTH : In today’s business […]
Read MoreBuying a pair of shoes used to involve going to a local store, selecting a pair from about 250 choices, and walking out with a box in hand. That was the model for shoe sales for the last 200 years. The shoe store owner was happy. You were happy. Everyone was happy. Until that model […]
Read MoreThe software world enjoys many gifts. Smart people. Lots of capital. High leverage. But one that should probably be celebrated more… the idea of “versions”. That’s’ right, versions. Software companies are in a constant state of reinvention. As soon as one version of their product is out, they start imagining the next. The goal each […]
Read MoreI bet that subject got your attention! I recently read that Marc Andreessen (founder of Netscape) sent a memo to the whole company around 1994 (at the height of their success) called “The Top 10 Reasons we’re going out of business”. It showcased where they needed to improve, and highlighted their biggest threats. This, of […]
Read MoreEach Halloween we all rush to the pumpkin patch, pick out the best one we can find, and eagerly carve that beauty as soon as we can. And we always do it the same way. We cut the lid off the top, scoop out the filling (making a huge mess), and burn ourselves as we […]
Read MoreAs kids, we go out to “play”. Later in life, we “play” sports, or “play” music. But then, in sharp contrast, we leave our homes each day and go to “work”. The term implies doing uninspired, often boring and generally yucky things. Parallels of going to the dentist, waiting in line at the DMV, or […]
Read MoreWe use complex models, historical data, and buzzwords such as “Key Performance Indicators” or “Balanced Scorecards”. Like dashboard instruments these tools are great, but not the one-and-only factor in creating success. We hire team members for their judgment and creativity, but often relegate them to merely following systems mechanically. How often as a consumer have […]
Read MoreIn meetings, what do you suppose the ratio is at your company today between these two phrases? What do you think the ratio was five years ago? What is the ratio at Google? Facebook? Comcast? It really got me thinking about where we are applying our talents. Are we applying our energies to controls, risk […]
Read MoreThe Creativity Generation seeks to close the gap between the arts and business to help members maximize their creative potential. We’re on a mission to make the world a more creative planet by providing powerful, fun, and practical techniques that push people from all walks of life to jumpstart their creative energies. Join the movement, […]
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