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Posts Tagged ‘Idea Zone’

Picture of a Chihuahua dog wearing pink aviator glasses, looking like a wildcard.

The Innovation Wildcard – Surprise Yourself!

An innovation wildcard is a team member who is there to add a unique perspective that the rest of the team may not have. This person can be within the organization or pulled from outside. They may have deep expertise in other areas, or they may be new and more likely to question everything. Innovation […]

Photo of kids with thinking hats on, unleashing creativity.

Unleashing Creativity through Constraints

When you hear the word “constraints,” what creative images and stories does your mind conjure up? The word often leads people toward negative thoughts of confinement, limitations, obstacles, or not getting what you want. With this article, though, I want to talk about useful constraints and how they can encourage creativity and innovation. Common Views […]

Photo of blocks being puzzle-pieced together. Using psychology to recognize idea blockers and help the pieces fit together.

6 Idea Blockers – Psychology of Innovation

The psychology of innovation is like any other area of life where our brains and emotions simply get in the way of our progress. Even when we are aware of the pitfalls, they are unavoidable. Our brains are wired to fall into these traps. I recently wrote a blog post about harmful innovation myths, and […]

Photo of a man scratching his head. He’s perplexed about a business problem that should be fixed, but not sure how to get the solution approved.

The Problem with “We Should”

“We Should” is Said a Lot I’ve worked at a handful of companies throughout my career. If you split the years out, half of my time has been working within an agency and the other half has been in-house. The agency work has allowed me to see dozens of other companies as well. I’ve been […]

Image of an open book with a light bulb and connected dots that look like digital neurons. This signifies that intentional corporate innovation can evolve if managed well.

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 […]

Photo of a turtle stuck on its back, illustrating the idea of creative block and needing help to get unstuck.

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 […]

Busted innovative idea, shown as a shattered lightbulb.

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!

Empower Employee Ideas with Communities

Employees are the people who interact with their brands daily. Doesn’t it make sense they would have some of the best ideas? Let Your Employees’ Voices Be Heard Online community platforms, intranets, and other social engagement tools offer a unique way for your workforce to collaborate. But why not also leverage the power of your […]

Leverage Salesforce Ideas in Your Community

One of the greatest features you can offer your customer or partner base as a product-driven company is an idea engine. It allows those who use your product regularly to offer suggestions on how to improve it, features to add, or what new products to create. Giving the power to your customers to help make […]

3 Communities Sessions to Add to Your Dreamforce Agenda Builder

With more than 1,600+ sessions, 400+ theaters, 100+ hours of hands-on training, and 75 Circles of Success, it’s inevitable that you have a laundry list of sessions to attend at this point. Not to mention, evenings fill up quick with all the fun stuff going on in San Francisco that week. From catching U2 perform at Dreamfest to RSVP’ing for […]