I’ve been using the Eisenhower Quadrants of Productivity with my teams for many years now. You may also hear it called the “Eisenhower Decision Matrix” or the “Eisenhower Box”. It is a method that helps people understand the differences between “urgent” and “important” tasks. You can use it to create principles on how to best […]
12 Lessons Learned while Managing Corporate Innovation
The Road to Managing Corporate Innovation I started out at an ad agency in southern Indiana in 2002. Our clients were interested in technology and our agency helped them find their way. At the same time, I was building the web development and digital strategy team within the agency. We began doing things intentionally with […]
The Five Whys – Simple Yet Helpful Root Cause Analysis
Most are familiar with the Five Ws for information gathering: Who, What, When, Where, and Why – adding in How for good measure (making it the Six Ws). Fewer are aware of the Five Whys which is a simplistic method of root cause analysis (RCA). This article explains the Five Whys, also known as a […]
North Star Goal Setting
Goal Setting Options Abound There are many ways that businesses set goals, choose priorities, and ensure that their teams are rowing in the same direction. You’ve probably created SMART goals, been asked to use OKRs, watched KPIs, laid out Vision Boards, or updated Kanban Boards. These are all great tools to help keep team alignment. […]
Do it on Purpose: Intentionality
Have you ever said, “We should do this,” …and then you don’t? That is a lack of intentionality. Being Intentional Comes Easy to Some, Hard for Others The differences in people are beautiful – life would be boring otherwise. If you’ve read results from a personality test, you know each personality has its benefits (things […]
AI Generation – Lessons from the Past
A Flood of New AI Generation The last couple of years (2020-2022) have been very interesting for content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Here in 2022, we’ve seen a multitude of new and interesting projects made available to the public for the first time.
Get Unstuck When You’re Not the Creative Type
So, you’re not the creative type? I have good news! In 4 Harmful Innovation Myths, I explain that creativity isn’t what most people think it is. In this post, I’ll show you how to use simple lateral thinking tools to break your mental block and get fresh ideas flowing again. Intentionality can force important things […]
6 Areas That Stall Organizational Change
In 1987, Mary Lippitt released a change management model that beautifully illustrated five key areas for organizational change. In 2000, Tommy Knoster extended Lippitt’s concept and included a sixth area of importance: consensus. It is now referred to as the Lippitt-Knoster Model for Managing Complex Change.
4 Harmful Innovation Myths
Creating a culture of innovation is a fragile effort. It needs to be nurtured and encouraged. If your work culture doesn’t allow for creativity, your organization’s big ideas might pop like a broken lightbulb!