June 21, 2021
Online Brainstorm Facilitation Training for the Time-Crunched

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Idea Champions is thrilled to announce the launch of an exciting new offering -- an elegant way for its time-crunched, innovation-leaning clients to upgrade the impact of their (on-site) brainstorming sessions -- just in time, as some of our clients, post-pandemic, begin gathering together, in the flesh, again. Oh boy!

We call it Conducting Genius -- the simplest, most time-efficient way we can think of to help our clients become masterful brainstorm facilitators.

Bottom line, we've distilled down the best of what we've learned during the past 30 years of facilitating creative thinking sessions for these organizations, and translated it into a series of live, online 60-minute modules. No off-sites required. No two-day training sessions. No bad hotel muffins.

And because we know our clients have different needs, we offer four different options:

BRONZE: 5 modules ($2,500)
SILVER: 10 modules ($4,500)
GOLD: 15 modules ($6,000)
PLATINUM: 20 modules ($7,000)

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THE PROCESS FROM HERE:

1. A 30-minute phone conversation with you to explore the possibilities
2. You decide on how many modules you want (5, 10, 15, or 20)
3. We agree on a schedule of trainings (1-2 times per week)
4. We email you a Letter of Engagement for your signature
5. We conduct a needs assessment to further tune into your needs
6. We custom design the training (from this curriculum)

Client testimonials
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CONTACT US:
info@ideachampions.com

Illustration: Sidney Perry, Unsplash

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:11 PM | Comments (0)

June 20, 2021
101 CreativiTeas for Innovators

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No matter how many times I tell people there's no such thing as a "magic innovation pill," every one keeps asking.

This just in: I don't have the magic pill. But I DO have something even better -- a virtual potion that has the potential to liberate you from the bothersome obstacles that keep sabotaging your ability to innovate. Simply read the list below, pick the CreativiTea you most need to imbibe, and think about what it would take you to manifest more of this quality in your life these days. Bottoms up!

1. Opening Up to PossibiliTea

2. Easy Going FlexibiliTea

3. Gandhi-like HumiliTea

4. Well-timed AdaptabiliTea

5. Taking Care of Details Amidst InfiniTea

6. Loosey Goosey ManeuverabiliTea

7. Acceptance of MortaliTea

8. Flashes of NonsensicaliTea

9. Beyond MoraliTea

10. An Occasional Dose of RealiTea

11. Following Your Passion With ImpuniTea

12. Balancing PolariTea

13. InterdimensionaliTea

14. Total QualiTea

15. Unfettered CreativiTea

16. Appreciation of DiversiTea

17. Tuning in to SynchroniciTea

18. OriginaliTea

19. UnconventionaliTea

20. Old Fashioned PracticaliTea

21. CuriosiTea

22. Celebration of IndividualiTea

23. A Deeper Sense of InevitabiliTea

24. Letting Go of FutiliTea

25. A Transformed MentaliTea

26. Go With the Flow FluidiTea

27. Baby Oh Baby SensualiTea

28. WhimsicaliTea

29. Child-like SimpliciTea

30. Tiger-like FerociTea

31. Nose to the Grindstone DurabiliTea

32. Let it Rip TheatricaliTea

33. Grrr!! TenaciTea

34. Authentic AuthenticiTea

35. Mucho GenerosiTea

36. Acceptance of AsymmetricaliTea

37. Quick Moving MobiliTea

38. Enlightened SpiritualiTea

39. Day By Day ClariTea

40. Sylvester Stallone MusculariTea

41. In the Moment SpontaneiTea

42. Twelve Step SobrieTea

43. Beethovian VirtuosiTea

44. Wild Maniacal HilariTea

45. Increased CapaciTea

46. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTea

47. Lucid PerspicaciTea

48. Ha Ha Ha LeviTea

49. Focused SingulariTea

50. A Daily Shot of InsaniTea

51. Expressing Your PersonaliTea

52. Frontal NudiTea

53. International CommuniTea

54. Much More VarieTea

55. Information Highway ActiviTea

56. Higher ProductiviTea

57. Que Sera SororiTea

58. Off the Wall BanaliTea

59. Alimentary CanaliTea

60. Relaxed InformaliTea

61. Sprint? Verizon? AT&Tea?

62. Understanding Primal CausaliTea

63. SpecificiTea

64. Huge Amounts of PubliciTea

65. Give Up Feeling ShitTea

66. IntentionaliTea

67. Beyond Beyond MetaphysicaliTea

68. A Bowl of Soup and a BLTea

69. Hip Hop, Reggae MusicaliTea

70. Calling on Your Own DiviniTea

71. A Touch of SubtleTea

72. Profound ProfundiTea

73. Bottom Line ProfitabiliTea

74. Surprise and SerendipiTea

75. Do It Now InstantaneiTea

76. Proven CertifiabiliTea

77. Solid MarketabiliTea

78. Truth, Love and BeauTea

79. ExponentialiTea

80. Let Go and Be EmpTea

81. We Are the World SolidariTea

82. A Twist, A Change, Some NovelTea

83. Getting Down to the Nitty GritTea

84. San Andreas FaulTea

85. Midwestern SinceriTea

86. Transcending Financial ScarciTea

87. Death of CertainTea

88. Buddha and KrishnamurTea

89. You Don't Have to Feel So GuilTea

90. Total ResponsibiliTea

91. Challenge AuthoriTea

92. Anyone here From Joisey CiTea?

93. More and More CredibiliTea

94. Get it Done MasculiniTea

95. Be More Receptive to FemininiTea

96. A Three Month Vacation in TahiTea

97. Get Rich and Become a CelebriTea

98. Much Deserved SereniTea

99. Hot Diggity DoggiTea

100. Tons of PositiviTea

101. If All There Is Is Now, What Is EterniTea?

MitchDitkoff.com

Idea Champions

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:52 AM | Comments (2)

June 17, 2021
20 Qualities of an Innovator

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The word "innovate" can be traced all the way back to 1440. It comes from the Middle French word "innovacyon," meaning "renewal" or "new way of doing things".

Exactly what innovations actually happened in 1440 (rounder oxcart wheels?) is anybody's guess, but whatever they were, it's likely they improved the quality of life for more than a few people.

These days, the "innovation thing" is something of a no-brainer. Every company worth its low-salt lunch has identified innovation as a core competency needing to be developed.

Who in their right mind (or is it right brain?) can deny the value of improving things? Isn't this what human beings, those grand inventors of the microchip and the chocolate chip, are supposed to do?

True. But who has time?

And so begins the search for the magic pill -- the system, formula, or blueprint that will make innovation a done deal.

Innovation, unfortunately -- unlike audits, re-engineering, or your high school penmanship teacher -- is not given to systems, formulas, and blueprints. It is given to people -- restless, inspired, fascinated people with an almost cellular need to change things for the better.

And while it can certainly be supported by systems, it can never be reduced to systems.

If you want to ignite innovation in your organization, forget about slick formulas for a minute and pay attention to what's happening on the inside. Because that's where innovation starts. With the innovator -- the inspired individual, compelled to make a difference.

And the key to the innovator? The special blend of qualities that allows him or her to succeed while their co-workers are bitching and moaning on their way to their next unnecessary meeting.

Is it tools? Techniques? Metrics?

Sure, they're useful. But without the user of them having the right stuff, they're merely decoration -- like having a shiny set of new jumper cables, but no car.

And so... if you are one of the self-chosen few who are willing to stop blaming your organization, the economy, your boss, your industry, the government, HR, your mother, your astrological sign, the Board, and the bored, now's the time to start taking personal responsibility for innovating.

Now's your chance to kick things in high gear.

Now's the time to get the lead out -- to lead the revolution wherever you happen to be working at the time and make some magic.

Yes, it begins with you. But where does it begin with you?

With awareness.

In the words of the great psychologist, Fritz Perls, "awareness cures." Yes, it does. Still with me?

If so, take a few minutes now to try the following exercise to get the party started.

All you need to do is rate yourself, on a scale of 1-10, for how much you manifest the following qualities in the workplace. Note which ones are your strengths -- and how can you build on them. Then note which ones are your weaknesses -- and how can you strengthen them.

You might even give them to your team and ask them to rate themselves. Then get together and talk about what you've all come up with.

And don't forget to floss.

20 Qualities of an Innovator

1. Challenges the status quo

2. Curious

3. Self-motivated

4. Visionary

5. Entertains the fantastic

6. Takes risks

7. Peripatetic (moves about)

8. Playful/humorous

9. Self-accepting

10. Flexible/adaptive

11. Makes new connections

12. Reflective

13. Recognizes patterns

14. Tolerates ambiguity

15. Committed to learning

16. Balances intuition and analysis

17. Situationally collaborative

18. Formally articulate

19. Resilient

20. Persevering

This posting is excerpted from It's AHAppening, a series of five, 16-page creative thinking guidebooks.

Idea Champions

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:38 PM | Comments (1)

June 10, 2021
How to Jump Start Organizational Innovation During Covid-19

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Covid-19 hasn't just disrupted businesses around the world, it has also disrupted their ability to innovate. And one of the biggest reasons WHY can be traced to one simple factor: isolation.

With most people working from home and scrambling to survive, the opportunities for "thought partners" to connect with each other in meaningful ways have radically declined -- and along with it opportunities to ideate, problem solve, and think out of the box.

Pre-Covid, this was the main thrust of Idea Champions' work. We designed and facilitated a wide range of creative thinking sessions for our clients -- opportunities for them to unleash their collective brilliance and make significant progress on a specific goal, initiative, or opportunity.

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Those days, at least for now, are over. Everything is virtual. Zoomified. And that is precisely why we have reinvented HOW we deliver services to our clients.

Enter Free the Genie -- the distillation of 34 years of sparking innovation for organizations in 11 different countries.

Free the Genie, quite simply, is a facilitated online brainstorming session -- a way for our clients to get a fresh look at what they do and how they do it -- a way to generate the kind of game changing ideas, mindset, and commitment required to make a quantum leap.

TAKEAWAYS FROM A FREE THE GENIE SESSION:

- Increased clarity re: the problem you're trying to solve
- A much clearer vision of the outcomes you're looking for
- A wide variety of actionable ideas
- At least one breakthrough insight or AHA
- Deeper access to your own untapped brilliance
- A dependable way to enter into a creative mindset
- Tons of positive momentum
- New tactics to use in brainstorming sessions
- Techniques to "free the genie" on your team
- Increased collaboration

Sessions are 60-90 minutes long, preceded by a 30-minute needs assessment call and 15 minutes of pre-work. Includes a free deck of Free the Genie cards.

To schedule a Free the Genie session: office@ideachampions.com

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:47 AM | Comments (0)

Who Are We?

Idea Champions is a consulting and training company dedicated to awakening and nurturing the spirit of innovation. We help individuals, teams and entire organizations tap into their innate ability to create, develop and implement ideas that make a difference.

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Click here for the simplest, most direct way, to learn more about Idea Champions' semi-fearless leader, Mitch Ditkoff. Info on his keynotes, workshops, conferences, and more.
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Storytelling for the Revolution is Mitch Ditkoff's newly published book about the power of personal storytelling to elevate the conversation on planet Earth. Provocative. Evocative. And fun. YOU have stories to tell. This book will help you tell them.
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"The world is not made of atoms," wrote the poet, Muriel Rukeyser. "It's made of stories." Learn how to discover, honor, and unpack the stories of yours that show up "on the job" in Mitch Ditkoff's award-winning 2015 book, Storytelling at Work.
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Highly engaging learning experiences that increase each participant's ability to become a creative force for positive change
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High impact certification training that teaches committed change agents how to lead groundbreaking ideation sessions
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Your "best and brightest" are the future leaders of your company, but unless they know how to foster a culture of innovation, their impact will be limited. A one-day workshop with us is all they need to begin this journey.
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Innovation is a team sport. Brilliant ideas go nowhere unless your people are aligned, collaborative, and team-oriented. That doesn't happen automatically, however. It takes intention, clarity, selflessness, and a new way of operating.
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