Blog Posts

Quick reads. Powerful Results.

Sent is not Received

Last week, I had the amazing opportunity to fly on a small, owner-operated plane while listening in on the conversation ...

Flood the House to Catch the Mouse

Imagine you were tasked with inventing a better mousetrap. Literally. A typical brainstorm session may yield incremental improvements in the ...

Innovation Techniques from Jazz Musicians (Part 3 of 3)

For the last entry in my three-part series featuring the creativity techniques of jazz musicians, I’m excited to share two ...

Innovation Techniques from Jazz Musicians (Part 2 of 3)

As a music geek and a student of jazz for over 40 years, I'm obsessed with the intricate, dangerous, soul-filled improvisational ...

Innovation Techniques from Jazz Musicians (Part 1 of 3)

Having studied jazz improvisation for nearly 40 years, performing thousands of times all over the world, I can tell you ...

The Stone Cutter’s Quest for More

There was once a stonecutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. One day he passed ...

There’s Always an Alternative

There are few projects more complex, difficult, and expensive than rebuilding a gate at an existing airport. Inoperable during construction, ...

When Traditions Should Change

I had the great honor to deliver a keynote speech this past Sunday on Northern Michigan’s beautiful Mackinac Island. Sweeping ...

Creating the Perfect Circle (a Zen Proverb)

One day a small boy was playing near the river when he saw an old man with a long beard ...