Real Innovation in Health Care
If your organization is interested in raising the bar for innovation and maximizing the creativity of its workforce, you might be interested in the following comment we just received from AtlantiCare's President of Health Care Services, Don Parker...
"AtlantiCare was searching for guides who could help us infuse our organization with creative genius. What we found in Idea Champions was the 'Lewis and Clark' of innovation. Over the past two years of our work with them, we have blazed trails in a number of new areas, including:
1. The seating of a system-wide Innovation Council charged with the responsibility of stimulating and guiding the application of innovation principles throughout our organization.
2. The selection and training of Creativity Champions deployed throughout our organization to assist in new process design, redesign, and remediation of performance problems.
Continue reading "Real Innovation in Health Care"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:01 AM | Comments (0)
March 11, 2010You Want Results? Immerse!
Recently, I polled 140 people to find out what they need "more of" in order to succeed with their various creative projects. The sixth highest rated item was IMMERSION.
And then, this morning, noted in Drive, the Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, I discovered a great example of how true this is:
Once a quarter, software developers at the Australian company, Atlassian -- for 24 hours -- are allowed to work on whatever they want, in any way they want, with whomever they want. All the company asks is that people show what they've created to the rest of the company at the end of those 24 hours. They call these experiences "FedEx Days," because people have to deliver something overnight. It turns out that those one-day bursts of intense, undiluted autonomy have produced more innovation and creativity than just about anything else the company has done.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:32 AM | Comments (0)
March 07, 2010The Timeless Wisdom of Einstein
Since 1986, every brainstorm session we've facilitated has included a large poster of Albert Einstein. I don't remember exactly how this tradition got started, but I'm glad it did.
Somehow, Einstein's smiling countenance inspires everyone in the room -- no matter what their social style, gender, title, or astrological sign.
The only thing I find more fascinating than this is the incredible amount of powerful quotes he left behind for us to contemplate. Take a look...
"Not everything that counts can be counted; and not everything that can be counted counts."
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
Continue reading "The Timeless Wisdom of Einstein"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:09 AM | Comments (5)
March 04, 2010The Third Eye of the Brainstorm
Nowhere in the human psyche is the conflict between the need for independence and the need for support more pronounced than in the creative act, especially the very specific act of generating new ideas in a group -- an activity that has come to be known as brainstorming.
Historically, most people have believed that ideas come to them like bolts from the blue, flashes of inspiration that descend from the
beyond -- a dimension free of the laws of Earth.
Even the modern dictionary speaks of ideas as "transcendent entities." The implication of this way of thinking is that people need to be highly attuned in order to attract new ideas -- becoming a kind of channel through which ideas flow.
The importance of other people, in this approach, is almost non-existent.
Continue reading "The Third Eye of the Brainstorm"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:03 AM | Comments (0)
March 02, 2010The New Chairmen of Microsoft Europe
Bill Gates recently advertised for a new chairman of Microsoft Europe.
Five thousand candidates respond and assemble in a large room. One of them is Isaac Ginsberg, a little Jewish man from Israel.
Bill Gates thanks the candidates for coming, but asks all those not familiar with the JAVA program language to leave.
Two thousand people stand up and leave the room.
Isaac Ginsberg says to himself: "I do not know this language, but what have I got to lose if I stay? I might as well give it a try!"
Bill Gates then asks all those who have no experience managing teams of more than a hundred people to leave.
Continue reading "The New Chairmen of Microsoft Europe"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:47 PM | Comments (1)
March 01, 2010Go Beyond Your Inhibitors to Creation
For the past 25 years I've been fascinated by the phenomenon of why SOME people succeed with their creative ventures and OTHERS don't. There is no simple answer, of course, but there are definitely indicators.
If you are interested in increasing the odds of succeeding with YOUR latest venture, respond to this online poll. It will only take five minutes and MAY surface some big insights.
I will post the results in the next two weeks. Feel free to forward it to friends and co-workers, as inspired. Thanks!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:25 AM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2010Create an Innovation Portfolio
One of the biggest obstacles to innovation in most organizations is the addiction to short-term results.
Hustling, speed, and fire fighting rule the day -- resulting in the kind of over-caffeinated efforts that make everyone cranky.
Focusing on your next quarter, of course, is a necessary part of business. But not to the exclusion of the long-term.
Someone's got to focus on projects that won't see the light of day for tree years... or five .... or ten.
If you are serious about innovation, you will need to develop an Innovation Portfolio, one that includes short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals.
Continue reading "Create an Innovation Portfolio"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:37 AM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2010The Rise of the Innovation Ninjas
Every once in a while I come across a quote or excerpt from an article that I want to immediately post on the windshield of every client of mine. It cuts to the chase and lucidly states what I've been trying to say, in various Neanderthalic ways, all these many years.
Take Einstein for example: "Not everything that counts can be counted; and not everything that can be counted counts." Bingo! Bullseye! What a perfect way of explaining to a left-brained addicted world that metrics and analysis is not the only game in town.
And then there's Gary Hamel. He takes a bit more time than Albert to make his point, but hey, it's all relative isn't it? Check this out from the man behind one of my favorite business books of all time:
"Today, innovation is the buzzword du jour in virtually every company, but how many CEOs have put every employee through an intensive training program aimed at boosting the innovation skills of the rank and file? Sure companies have electronic suggestion boxes, slush funds for new ideas, elaborate pipeline management tools, and innovation awards -- but in the absence of a cadre of extensively trained and highly skilled innovators, much of the investment in these innovation enablers will simply be wasted."
Continue reading "The Rise of the Innovation Ninjas"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:57 AM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2010Kaleidoscopic Leaders
"Creativity is a lot like looking at the world through a kaleidoscope. You look at a set of elements, the same ones everyone else sees, but then reassemble those floating bits and pieces into an enticing new possibility. Effective leaders are able to shake up their thinking as though their brains are kaleidoscopes, permitting an array of different patterns out of the same bits of reality." - Rosabeth Moss Kanter
Thanks to Chuck Frey for the quote.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:05 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2010The 10 Top Reasons Why The 10 Top Reasons Don't Really Matter
10. Analysis paralysis.
9. Reason is highly over-rated.
8. If you need more data to prove your point, you'll never have enough data to prove your point.
7. You already know what to do.
6. You're going to follow your gut, anyway.
5. "Not everything that counts can be counted; and not everything that can be counted counts." (Einstein)
4. By the time you put your business case together, the market has passed you by.
3. "Conclusions arrived at through reasoning have very little or no influence in altering the course of our lives." (Carlos Casteneda)
2. The scientific method came to Rene Descartes in a dream!
1. "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." (Groucho)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:01 PM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2010SOS from Mexico!
If you are reading this, please help me. I need your help!
For the past eight days, I've been in Mexico, being deprogrammed. My captors are quite clever -- latino ninjas, I believe. They never show their faces. But they are definitely having an effect on me.
Two days ago, I completely lost my desire to log on to Facebook. I can't remember any of my passwords. Or the name of my insurance agent.
What in the world is happening to me?
And it's getting worse. Last night, after being fed some "fresh" guacomole, I found myself looking at the moon instead of my email.
Continue reading "SOS from Mexico!"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:58 AM | Comments (1)
February 03, 2010Innovation from the Inside Out
These days, almost all of my clients are talking about the need to establish a culture of innovation.
Some, I'm happy to report, are actually doing something about it. Hallelujah! They are taking bold steps forward to turn theory into action.
The challenge for them is the same as it's always been -- and that is, to find a simple, authentic way to address the challenge from the inside out -- to water the root of the tree, not just the branches.
Guess what? Systems are not sufficient to guarantee change. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, "Systems die. Instinct remains."
Continue reading "Innovation from the Inside Out"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:58 AM | Comments (7)
January 30, 2010Get Deeply In Touch With the Passion to Create!
If you want to CREATE something extraordinary, you're going to need some of the spirit that Dean Schambach exudes. When the true force of creativity is burning bright in every cell of your body, all the rest will follow. Hats off to David McDonald, Woodstock filmmaker, for this pearl of brilliance.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:48 AM | Comments (2)
January 28, 2010Want a Brainstorming Breakthrough? Get the Right Question!
There's a simple reason why so many brainstorm sessions are a waste of time. The problem statement being pitched to participants is the wrong one.
This is not surprising -- especially when you consider how little time most facilitators put into preparing for a session.
Here's what happens: The person who calls the session is usually scrambling -- overwhelmed, over-caffeinated, and running from one meeting to the next. Out of breath, they pitch the topic to the group, but the topic is either vague or secondary to a more essential challenge that remains unspoken.
G.K. Chesterton, one of the most influential English writers of the 20th century, distilled the phenomenon down to 13 words. "It's not that they can't see the solution," he said. "They can't see the problem."
Continue reading "Want a Brainstorming Breakthrough? Get the Right Question!"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:06 PM | Comments (0)
January 27, 2010Facilitating a Brainstorm Session Is Like Going to a Casino
Facilitating a brainstorm session is like going to a casino.
You show up, find your favorite game, place your bet, and pray for luck. Sometimes you win. Most of the times, you lose. And the odds are always stacked against you.
That's the way it is for most of us -- casual visitors to Vegas or Atlantic City or a neighborhood poker game.
Then, of course, there are the professionals -- people who gamble for a living. They have a different approach. They know how to find an edge.
They count cards. They calculate the odds. They read body language. They know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em. And they know how to trust their instincts -- developed over years of study, practice and experience.
Continue reading "Facilitating a Brainstorm Session Is Like Going to a Casino"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:41 PM | Comments (0)
January 26, 2010If You Want to Spark Bold New Ideas, Facilitate (Don't Lead)
Here's one of the dirty little secrets of corporate brainstorm sessions:
When they are led by upper management, department heads, or project leaders, they usually get manipulated.
Because honchos and honchettes are heavily invested in the topic being brainstormed, it is quite common for them to bend the collective genius of the group to their own particular point of view.
Not a good idea.
Participants -- out of respect for the expertise (or position or parking space) of the facilitator -- will invariably moderate their input. And while this can sometimes lead to good results, the results are usually disappointing.
Continue reading "If You Want to Spark Bold New Ideas, Facilitate (Don't Lead)"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)
January 24, 2010Everything Comes Full Circle
Out of work? Looking for a job? Enjoy a few chuckles before you pound the pavement today.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:59 AM | Comments (0)
January 23, 2010Go Beyond Your Pet Ideas
If your company runs brainstorming sessions, know this: too many of them have become veiled opportunities for people to trot out their pet ideas and show them off to others.
Because everyone is so busy these days and real listening is in short supply, people use brainstorming sessions as a way to foist their pre-existing ideas on others. And while this sometimes leads to results, it doesn't make optimal use of the "two heads are better than one" chance a brainstorm session provides. The way around this phenomenon?
Give people a chance to express their pre-existing ideas at the beginning. Clear the decks. Then use the rest of the session to explore the unknown.
High Velocity Brainstorming
Conducting Genius
Photo
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:48 AM | Comments (2)
January 22, 2010Brainstorming Is More Than Ideation
Most people think brainstorming sessions are all about ideas -- much in the same way that Wall Street bankers think life is all about money.
While ideas are certainly a big part of brainstorming, they are only a part. People who rush into a brainstorming session starving for new ideas will miss the boat (and the train, car, and unicycle) completely unless they tune into the some other mighty important dynamics:
1. INVESTIGATION: If you want your brainstorming sessions to be effective, you'll need to do some investigating before hand. Get curious. Ask questions. Dig deeper. The more you find out what the real issues are, the greater your chances of framing powerful questions to brainstorm and choosing the best techniques to use.
2. IMMERSION: While good ideas can surface at any time, their chances radically increase the more that brainstorm participants are immersed (i.e. focused). Translation? No coming and going during a session. No distractions. No interruptions. And don't forget to put a "do not disturb" sign on the door.
Continue reading "Brainstorming Is More Than Ideation"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:17 AM | Comments (0)
January 17, 2010The Back End of Innovation
Here's a very lucid and well-written article by Rowan Gibson on the importance of getting your company's back end of innovation together.
Rowan's rant is consistent with my own experience. It also provokes you to consider one of the ultimate paradoxes of organizational innovation. On one hand, forward thinking companies need to take care of the unglorious back end of innovation -- all that behind-the-scene stuff that increases the odds of good ideas actually manifesting. On the other hand, most organizations' attempts to establish a robust back end usually devolves to stultifying, over-engineered, inhumane "processes."
What's needed is balance -- the artful blend of ideation, integration, and implementation.
Anyway, read Rowan's article. It's worth the five minutes it will take.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:29 PM | Comments (0)
January 08, 2010The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun
One reason why "innovation initiatives" don't work all that well is because their well-meaning architects usually take them too seriously. If people aren't having any fun in the workplace, chances are slim they will ever innovate. There is a huge relationship between AHA! and HAHA!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:45 AM | Comments (0)
January 02, 2010Create a Garden of Innovation!
"Companies are actually living organisms, not machines. We keep bringing in mechanics, when what we need are gardeners." ~ Peter Senge
Sustainable innovation, the endless effort to find a better way, cannot be achieved by robotically lining up best practices and imitating them. The real catalyzing agent for renewable innovation is the ground from which these best practices spring -- the confluence of purpose, people, and processes better known as culture.
From where will the next wave of groundbreaking innovation come?
Not from organizations mechanically mimicking each other's best practices, but from organizations with the authentic commitment to take their stand on ground that has been cultivated for breakthrough.
Continue reading "Create a Garden of Innovation!"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:10 PM | Comments (8)
December 28, 2009Need a Breakthrough in 2010?
Whenever Aladdin wanted a wish fulfilled, he rubbed a magic lamp to invoke the genie. You? What do you have? I'll tell you what you have. You ALSO have a genie, but yours is virtual. No need to rub. Just click.
But before you do, you'll need to bring a challenge, opportunity, or problem to mind. Then frame it as a question beginning with the words "How can I?" Something you REALLY want to see manifest in 2010 -- whether it's business or personal.
Once you have your "How can I?" question, click here. And if you like what happens with our online Genie, you can order the offline genie, here. Or license it for your intranet.
And while you're at it, check out my book on the art and science of manifesting new ideas.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:54 PM | Comments (0)
December 25, 2009One More Difference Between Men and Women
Since the beginning of time, pundits, psychologists, and philosophers have been waxing poetic about the differences between men and women.
Many well-researched theories and observations have been postulated -- everything from variations of XY chromosomes to moon cycles to shopping habits.
Though I am not a pundit, psychologist, or philosopher, I would like to take this moment to propose yet another difference between the sexes -- something I've been noticing for years, but never completely understood until this morning's opening of Christmas presents:
Continue reading "One More Difference Between Men and Women"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:19 PM | Comments (1)
December 23, 2009PricewaterClaus
"Necessity," it is said, "is the mother of invention."
It is.
But it is also the father, aunt, uncle, grandmother, cousin, and in-laws. Indeed, for most of us, unless there is a proverbial fire under our proverbial butt, we remain victims of the status quo. Objects at rest. Bumps on a log.
Allow me to be more specific.
The year was 1998. Although the U.S economy was in good shape, my business was flabby. The pipeline was clogged. The marketing plan was a mess. And our cash flow wasn't...
Continue reading "PricewaterClaus"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:19 AM | Comments (0)
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