The Riskiest Move of All
July 11, 2011
All our lives we’ve been taught to avoid risk. Look both ways when crossing the street. Don’t touch the hot stove. Don’t talk to strangers.
Read MoreColombo’s Curiosity
June 27, 2011
Lt. Colombo solved each case using his most powerful weapon: curiosity.
Read MoreFeedback is a Gift
May 23, 2011
Why is direct feedback so awkward in the business world? When you politely nod your head in agreement while thinking that your colleague must be smoking crack, you are not helping anyone. In fact, holding back your insight is an injustice to your organization and yourself.
Read MoreYour New Job: Disruptor
May 9, 2011
Disrupt or be disrupted. Simple as that.
Read MoreThe 5% Creativity Challenge
April 18, 2011
Take a quick look at your schedule. Most of us have calendars that are packed to the gills with endless appointments, meetings, conference calls, and deadlines. When, in this insanely-busy schedule, are you planning to come up with your best ideas?
Read MoreWill You Protect Your Newborn?
April 11, 2011
My nephew Lane is almost four months old. Like most parents, my sister and her husband shower their baby with attention, love, and support.
Read MoreDetroit – From Decay to Opportunity
March 28, 2011
The story of Detroit (my home town) is an unfinished book. We can continue to point fingers, cry in our soup, and long for the days gone by. Or we can DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. We can own it, fix it, and rebuild it. This is our time. This is our defining moment.
Read MoreThe Seven Deadly Sins of Creativity
March 21, 2011
Don’t let these Evil Seven poison your thinking and murder your imagination. Remain vigilant, and when these nefarious forces emerge, don’t wait for the authorities to arrive – take matters into your own hands.
Read MoreLessons from Charlie Sheen
March 7, 2011
Along with millions of others this past week, Charlie Sheen’s dramatic and self-destructive rants captivated me. Although disturbing, we all noticed and paid attention. Coffee shops and water coolers were all abuzz about Charlie, and not about Milton down in accounting.
Read MoreEscaping the Sea of Sameness
October 11, 2010
The world is full of me-too players. Half the cars on the market are nearly identical. Detergents, sodas, and potato chips are pretty much all the same no matter what the ads say. When was the last time you went to a restaurant that was so different that you really noticed? Competitive advantages of the […]
Read MoreThe Long List
October 4, 2010
When developing ideas, we’re always told to shoot for quality over quantity. Here’s a powerful technique that flips the model, and drives higher quality by way of quantity… In my undergraduate work at the University of Florida, I was an Advertising major. One time, I was in a course about creating magazine and newspaper ads. […]
Read MoreThe Unconventional Alternative
September 27, 2010
Most business (and life) decisions come down to a multiple choice question. Should we launch Product A or Product B? Should we expand to Cleveland or Dallas? Should we choose ad campaign 1, 2, or 3? This is where 99% of the world stops, selections an option, and goes on to spend countless hours justifying […]
Read MoreThe Poison of Labeling
September 13, 2010
Jenny, a 1st grader, shows up to art class and doesn’t do so well with her first project. She feels embarrassed, stupid, rejected, and sad. Later she goes to music class and has a similar experience. She didn’t pick it up as quickly as the other students, so she is once again stung by negative […]
Read MoreCreativity or Bust
September 7, 2010
In the past, there were creative companies and non-creative companies. Ad agencies were creative. Bolt manufacturers were not. The music industry was creative. The steel industry was not. The difference today is that all companies and industries must embrace creativity in order to compete. In today’s hyper-competitive world, everyone at every level of the organization […]
Read MoreZapping vs. Sapping
August 16, 2010
There are two types of people in the world – Zappers and Sappers. When you are with a Zapper, you feel energized. You become engaged, you lean forward, you feel stimulated. This enhanced state is ideal for creative expression. On the other hand, there are the Sappers. These are the folks that drain your energy. […]
Read MoreAre Schools Killing Creativity?
August 2, 2010
My daughter, Chloe, recently had an unfortunately all-too-common experience in school. Chloe’s 4th grade art teacher asked the students in her class to draw a bear. Chloe went to work and came up with a cool purple, odd-shaped bear. She walked proudly to the teacher and handed over her work, anticipating great praise and admiration. […]
Read MoreRocket Science, Brain Surgery and… Art?
July 5, 2010
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to do that!” the common phrase goes. “C’mon man, this isn’t brain surgery after all.” I started wondering why these two disciplines – rocket science and brain surgery – are so highly regarded. They both involve tremendous precision, years of study, mathematical calculations, complex directions, excessive memorization, […]
Read MoreThe Mind of a Jazz Musician
June 14, 2010
Jazz musicians are a curious breed. They study for years to master the rules, only to break them as quickly as possible. They approach their craft with intensity and purpose, but then can let it go and just groove when the feeling is right. I’ve known musicians that are bold and expressive on the bandstand, […]
Read MoreFord’s Secret Weapon – Innovation
May 31, 2010
The last five years have been a nightmare for the US car industry. General Motors, once the largest company in the world, declared bankruptcy. Chrysler also hit Chapter 11, and then was sold to Fiat in an effort to save the company. Major brands such as Pontiac and Saturn have been shunned altogether, and will […]
Read MoreIt Can’t Be Done
May 24, 2010
It was widely accepted that a computer could never beat a grand master at a game of chess. Until, of course, when IBM’s Deep Blue computer bested the reigning world champion, Gary Kasparov, in 1996. What was once unimaginable had become reality. A new game from Matel called Mind Flex allows you to use your […]
Read MoreThe Weekly Roundup – April 23, 2010
April 23, 2010
Overcoming your fears – 7 secrets from the ages All of us must deal with our fears, and often they are what stand between us and greatness – or at least making the attempt. Clink on this link to see what the experts have been saying for 2,000 years are the best ways to overcome […]
Read MoreThe Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup
April 12, 2010
Remember 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 MoreThe Weekly Roundup – April 9, 2010
April 9, 2010
1. 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 MoreCreative Sparks from the World of Jazz – Part 6 of 6
April 5, 2010
There 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 MoreCreative Sparks from the World of Jazz – Part 5 of 6
April 2, 2010
Earlier 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 MoreCreative Sparks from the World of Jazz – Part 4 of 6
April 1, 2010
Earlier 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 MoreThe Weekly Roundup
March 31, 2010
Beginning 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 MoreCreative Sparks from the World of Jazz – Part 3 of 6
March 31, 2010
Earlier 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 MoreCreative Sparks from the World of Jazz – Part 2 of 6
March 30, 2010
Yesterday, 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 […]
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