May 27, 2016
The Art of Evelyne Pouget

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Do You Have the Courage to Find Out Just How Good (or Not Good) Your Brainstorm Sessions Are?

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Many of us wince when we hear the word "feedback", especially when it relates to our own performance. We tend to see feedback as criticism or a veiled personal attack. And for good reason. We've all been on the receiving end of feedback that was anything but complementary -- open season, you might say, on US! Not a pleasant experience.

But feedback, in its truest sense, is as much a part of our lives as breathing. The fact is -- we're giving and receiving feedback, in many forms, all the time.

For example, our spouses, friends, children, and even pets, are always giving us feedback. By word, body language, gesture, energy level, focus of attention, and feeling we're signaling others how we are experiencing what they're saying and doing -- and they are doing the same in return.

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With "communication" being a tricky business, however, we sometimes miss the signals or misinterpret them. As a result, it becomes difficult for us to improve our performance because we simply don't know what to improve and why.

The antidote? Purposely seek out clear feedback.

That's why we, at Idea Champions, are constantly seeking out feedback from our clients. We want to know how we're doing, what we're doing well, and what we're not doing well. It's how we avoid disaster, take advantage of our strengths, and stay in business.

Over the years, we've developed a wide range of feedback polls that give our clients a simple way to rate our performance. And, now, we're offering one them to you, absolutely free -- the beginning a multi-year research project on the efficacy of brainstorm sessions in the business world.

If you have 50 or more people in your organization and want to get some insights into the state-of-the-art of your brainstorming sessions, get in touch with us (info@ideachampions.com). In response, we'll send you a custom link to your very own brainstorm poll which you, in turn, can forward to anyone in your company who participates in brainstorming sessions. Less than two weeks later, we'll forward you the results, along with our observations and some food for thought.

-- Thanks to Val Vadeboncoeur, Idea Champions Director of Training, for this thought provoking piece

What our clients say
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Our most recent ecstatic client

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May 20, 2016
The Typical Conference Call

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May 15, 2016
The Amazon Reviews Are In!

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In 2015, somewhere between 600,000 and 1,000,000 books were published. How many of them are YOU going to read? Probably less than ten. That's why I'm quoting the following people who have reviewed my book on Amazon. I want mine to be one of those ten.

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"Storytelling at Work is funny, wise, relatable and most importantly, reminded me of how to be more courageous in every day life... both work life and personal. A must read." -- MaryJane Fahey

"Mitch Ditkoff's book about the value of storytelling at work is truly a gem. It has made me realize that a story can be a mnemonic device for complex, creative thoughts and insights. The stories made me think of how things work, how we create our identities and values and gave me a Val.jpgbetter understanding of my place in the world. Give yourself a gift and read this book and you will see the world with new eyes." -- Michael Michalko

"Here's a little gem about storytelling. First, 38 bite-sized stories from the author's own business and life experience, all told in a carefree, flawless style that belies the craft that made them. And, told with a kind of impish humor that sometimes reminds one of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. which is high praise, I know. Then, at the end, some advice and inspiration about telling your own stories. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying the ride here...or should I say "rides?" Five stars." -- Val Vadeboncoeur

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"If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a good story is worth a million. Mitch Ditkoff understands how to communicate so that readers understand. In his long history in business and life, he has not only been innovative, but to the point. His stories will change the way you work. Congratulations to the author who writes for the improvement of excellence in the work place, but gives priority to improvement of excellence in the human being." -- Tim Gallwey

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"I love this book! Each story inspires me. Each one is so personal. Every story is filled with wisdom, reflection, and great insight. They cause me to reflect, think, and take action of some kind. It's quite magical, actually -- a joy to read, and inspiration for living. I don't want the book to end, so Mr. Ditkoff, you need to get started on Volume 2." -- Sharon Jeffers

"This book will change your life, or at the very least the way you perceive your day-to-day experiences in your place of employment. The profound insight of the author has brought me to a new understanding of my busy work life and ways of actually enjoying what I do to earn my living." -- Debbie Leppla

"I am reading this book in a non-linear way, picking it up each day and letting the pages open to a story. It's too rich and full of insight to read straight through. This is a book that offers inner shifts through good humorous soulful storytelling, exploring the lively and fascinating landscape of work and life. It's a gem!" -- Barbara Bash

THOM.jpg "Mitch's collection of stories from his rich and varied career have everything I love: humor, wit, insight, and everyman sensibility combined. Whether he's writing about working as a night clerk in a seedy hotel and being challenged to an arm-wrestling match by a CIA agent, or interviewing homeless people on the streets of NYC, or leading creative thinking seminars for Fortune 500 companies, Mitch knows how to draw us in, then peer into the human beings he encounters, and finally arrive at some glimpse of wisdom." -- Thom Adorney

"This is an amazing book by one of my top three favorite authors. It is written with humility and humor, and is filled with heart-warming, wonderful stories. The refreshing flow and beauty of the author's words wash my mind with waves of consciousness that connect with my center, inspiring me to respect my dreams and to write and share my own stories. His generosity of spirit and loving heart encourage each of us to love the best of who we are, to risk growing and to write and share our bounty with one another." -- Ginger Haffey

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"Having led rites of passage and The Council Process, I understand the importance of story. The importance of story is not only in the telling of our stories, but also in the transformative power of really being listened to. The author's premise is that we all have amazing wisdom within us, and that story telling is a direct route into meaning and purpose. This enthralling book starts out as a collection of wonderful personal stories and what meaning they can bring to the reader. It ends up more like universal truth, the big picture of how we humans on planet earth can transform and thrive. This is a book that touches the heart, the human being that knows much more by feeling than can ever be known by the mind." -- Joan Apter

"I just finished this wonderful and enlightening book! It was fun to read, full of amazing life stories, and ideas of how we might use them to improve our lives at work and play! Being open to POSSIBILITIES, the unexpected, and the benevolence of the universe is the very best way to live, and Mitch shows us this over and over again with his simple, child like wonder, and amazing experiences! I wish I had read this many years ago while running several businesses, and not really living to my true potential!" -- James Burns

SCOTT.jpg"We all have stories to tell. We tell them everyday, but seldom reflect on the experience and learn from them in a conscious way. Mitch Ditkoff shares his own stories in a way that allows the reader to slow down and capture the essence of the moment. He compels one to reflect and learn from what was so that what will be can a avoid a repeat of the past." -- Scott Cronin

"Mitch Ditkoff has once again produced a powerful platform -- story telling -- that allows the reader to become an integral part these stories. While they are stories about Ditkoff's life experiences, the stories are, in effect, universal in their powerful message to all that are fortunate enough to read them. I am greatly appreciative for this spiritual journey he shares with the reader." -- Steven Ornstein

"I liked how the book teaches the art of storytelling through the author's entertaining real life tales while making readers ask: what do my life stories mean? And the section on the art and science of storytelling provided some inspiring background and practical tips. Great read!" -- Chris Corbett

erika crop.png"Mitch Ditkoff is a marvelous storyteller. In this book, he draws you into his stories to take you backstage, if you will, where you can see the invisible wiring: how stories teach, connect and inspire, and how to find and tell your own stories. As Mitch points out, we are all storytellers. He speaks to us in our native tongue, and encourages us to reply." -- Erika Andersen

"I got my copy of Mitch Ditkoff's storytelling book a couple of weeks before the book was officially launched. Three days later, the world watched as mis-wired humans under the influence of ISIS killed 130 people in Paris. It had been a long day for me by the time I sat in bed to turn off the lights. I needed a story to digest the day and properly turn its page. By my bed, among a goodly herd of books, the Bible and Ditkoff were looking at me. I chose Ditkoff. I needed something new to match the news. And turning to the bookmark where I had left off two days earlier, I saw this arresting title: The Afghani Cab Driver. As you can sense. even from the title, this story was timed well, but you need to read the story itself to see how it was a perfect dressing for the wounds of that particular day." -- Theodore Phelps

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"The meta-moral in this collection of engaging stories is that wisdom emerges unexpectedly out of real-life experience. And (I guess this is Meta-Moral #2): That wisdom can be applied effectively in the workplace. The book provides examples of how this happens in a style that makes the material fun and easily digestible. It's stimulating personally and will also be useful to anyone in business who's interested in how stories (the stories that happen to us AND the stories in our head!) feed and support creativity. Recommended!" -- Carl Frankel

"Mitch's delightful way of writing has shown to me how to start telling my own life experiences and, more importantly, reflect on what I've gained from them to become a better person. His lighthearted and thoughtful way will motivate and guide you how to do the same. Highly recommended." -- Darin Selby

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"This book is wonderful. Mr. Ditkoff is a communicator whose wisdom, sense of humor, and overall humanity would not only be applicable in the boardroom, but also in any room in any home on the planet. His observations/life experiences are a unique combination of mind and heart which brings tears and laughter. Well done." -- Allen Feld

"This is a must-read book for invigorating your company's culture and creating real-life, meaningful stories which will help enhance customer-infatuation about your company (and yourself). This is one of the best down-to-earth books about what we take for granted but which creates significant differentiation about ourselves as real humans and the company-culture which makes us unique. You can learn the lessons and start your own story immediately!" -- Justin McCarthy

"A fantastic book which nails a number of topics which are being recognized as powerful tools to help cut through complexity and and reveal truly what is occurring in the workplace. Another winner from a top innovator himself." -- Ella Kaaz

Convinced? Buy the book on Amazon

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VOICEAMERICA: Radio interview with Mitch Ditkoff

Review of the book on Innovation Excellence
The Storytelling at Work blog

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May 12, 2016
CREATING THE INNOVATION MINDSET: A Storytelling Workshop

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All business leaders worth their low-salt lunch, regardless of their industry, will agree on one thing -- that innovation a key driver of their company's success. What they don't agree on is how to ensure that innovation actually happens. Lots of time and resources are invested in sending out surveys, re-engineering processes, inventing new reward systems, and giving pep talks, but all-too-often nothing changes. Why not? Because most business leaders rarely get down to the root cause -- the innovation mindset of their workforce.

Bottom line, organizations don't innovate, people innovate -- inspired, curious, creative, and collaborative people. If you want more innovation, that's the place to focus on.

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After 27 years of providing innovation services to some the world's most forward thinking organizations, Mitch Ditkoff, Co-Founder of Idea Champions. has discovered the holy grail of moving the "innovation needle". Storytelling. Yes, storytelling -- the skillful communication of personal narratives that change mindset, increase engagement, transfer knowledge, and spark commitment. Archimedes once said that if he had a lever long enough and a fulcrum to place it he could move the world. In the realm of innovation, storytelling is the fulcrum.

TOPICS ADDRESSED IN THE WORKSHOP:

-- Why storytelling is a powerful way to communicate on-the-job
-- How an organization's "old stories" constrain innovation
-- How to use storytelling to make meetings more effective
-- The 20 leading indicators of a corporate innovator
-- Using storytelling to increase employee engagement
-- How storytelling accelerates the sharing of insight and best practices
-- Identifying stories worth telling
-- How to communicate stories that spark innovation
-- The art and science of creating a culture of storytelling
-- Using storytelling to communicate bold, new ideas
-- Creating a new story of your organization's future
-- How to design and facilitate "Story Slams" in the workplace

Storytelling at Work
VoiceAmerica radio interview with Mitch
Storytelling podcasts, interviews, and articles

PHOTO: Jesse Ditkoff

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May 06, 2016
A Very Cool Brainstorm Facilitation Training for People in the Fast Lane

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VIDEO: The eight dimensions of a brainstorming session

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May 05, 2016
BILLIONS IN CHANGE

An inspiring video about the Founder of Five Hour Energy and how he is using is wealth to invite new energy, health, and water technologies to make a major difference on the planet. Yes!

50 awesome quotes on vision
50 awesome quotes on possibility
Idea Champions

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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.
Storytelling for the Revolution
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.
Storytelling at Work
"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.
Top 5 Speaker
Mitch Ditkoff, the Co-Founder and President of Idea Champions, has recently been voted a top 5 speaker in the field of innovation and creativity by Speakers Platform, a leading speaker's bureau.
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Workshops & Trainings
Highly engaging learning experiences that increase each participant's ability to become a creative force for positive change
Brainstorm Facilitation
High impact certification training that teaches committed change agents how to lead groundbreaking ideation sessions
Cultivating Innovation
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.
Our Blog Cabin
Our Heart of Innovation blog is a daily destination for movers and shakers everywhere — gleefully produced by our President, Mitch Ditkoff, voted "best innovation blogger in the world" two years running.
Team Innovation
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.
Awake at the Wheel, Book about big ideas If you're looking for a powerful way to jump start innovation and get your creative juices flowing, Awake at the Wheel is for you. Written by Mitch Ditkoff, Co-Founder and President of Idea Champions.
Face the Music Blues Band The world's first interactive business blues band. A great way to help your workforce go beyond complaint.

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