Spirit of Purpose · How To Live A Creative Life Keep Fear From Killing Your Creativity Author Joseph Chilton Pearce said, “To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” By it’s very nature, creativity is about taking risks. Exploring the unknown can be frightening. Sticking with the status quo may […]
Read More →In my experience, I’ve seen how innovation and effective problem solving are more easily achieved when companies actively seek interdepartmental collaboration. They break down long-standing silos and encouraging open communication. Microsoft Workplace Insights contributors offer these tips to accomplish this challenging task. Broaden your employee’s vision. Bring diverse teams together to work on an initiative. They’ll uncover a […]
Read More →According to a recent article from Microsoft Workplace Insights, employees who reach outside their silos gain skills faster and make ore sales. But many companies aren’t built to function across teams, departments or divisions. Here are three things Microsoft recommends doing to create cross-silo collaboration. Develop and deploy cultural brokers. Look for people who already excel at interdepartmental […]
Read More →Success.com asked members of the Young Entrepreneurs Council how they strengthen their problem-solving skills. Here are four of their answers. Exercise creativity like a muscle. WPBeginner’s Syed Balkhi suggests writing, doodling or brainstorming. Express any idea, no matter how absurd, then whittle down your answers to the most useful ones. Change your perspective. Stephanie Wells of Formidable Forms says […]
Read More →McKinsey & Company says it’s a myth that continuous improvement is only for manufacturing companies looking to control costs. Continuous improvement should be part of every company’s strategy. For example, by communicating a compelling vision and connecting it to each employee’s daily work, one international theatre chain tapped into the power of frontline workers to generate […]
Read More →Amazon is one of the most innovative companies in the world, and their leadership principles are a big driver. Agility and experimentation are part of their DNA. Here’s a peak at several of their guiding principles. Customer Obsession. Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust, and although they pay […]
Read More →There’s much to learn from the philosophy and approach of one of the world’s most innovative companies. I’m talking about Amazon. Let’s take a quick look at some of the company’s Leadership Principles – the norms that guide day-to-day behavior. Earn Trust. Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so […]
Read More →No matter how big or small your company is, you’re impacted by the growing wave of disruption. But if you’ve been around for a while, you can assess your current status and future potential by answering these five questions from The Insurgence Group. How have the dynamics of your industry and key trends changed over the […]
Read More →Where does your company stand? Do you consider your company to be an incumbent or a disruptor? Is your company the stalwart in your marketplace? Or the insurgent, looking to change the way your industry conducts business. According to the Insurgence Group’s Rondo Moses, if you’re not disrupting, you’re likely in trouble. The evidence: fifty-five percent of companies on […]
Read More →Brainstorming has long been a productive way to bring new ideas to the fore. Research at University of Texas Austin suggests that you can kick your brainstorming up a notch. They studied three groups. One group was incentivized based on the number of ideas they generated. One was given a flat incentive, while another group received nothing. Each […]
Read More → Increased innovation, the engine that keeps companies alive, is often touted as a benefit of diversity and inclusion. Yet many companies still struggle to make the changes needed to achieve diversity and inclusion. In a 2017 Ted Talk, Rocio Lorenzo, a telecommunications and media advisor, shares the results of research she conducted with the […]
Read More →In a candid conversation, a client shared his concern that he and others don’t ask the right questions when getting updates from direct reports. He said, “We ask yes/no questions that don’t encourage introspection. Questions like, ‘Is the project done?’ Or, ‘Do you have what you need?’” Instead, he suggested, and I agree, that we […]
Read More →Fear Of The Unknown Is Choking Out Your Creativity For most of us, uncertainty is frightening. We try to control as much as we can. We want to know what’s ahead, and what the results of our actions will be. This felt need can stifle our desire to explore and discover new things – in […]
Read More →Innovate By Creating Constraints At the heart of innovation lies the necessity for fresh insight and new ideas. Imposing artificial constraints on your business model is one unusual way to spark creativity. McKinsey & Company suggests injecting stark-necessity into idea generation sessions. Start by asking participants to imagine a world where they must function with severe […]
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