Life Lessons from Einstein

March 10, 2010 · Posted in Innovation, Life, Self Improvement · View Comments

Follow Your Curiosity
Perseverance is Priceless
Focus on the Present
The Imagination is Powerful
Make Mistakes
Live in the Moment
Create Value
Don’t Expect Different Results
Knowledge Comes From Experience
Learn the Rules and Then Play Better

10 Amazing Life Lessons You Can Learn From Albert Einstein includes quotes and tips along with these lessons. Go get motivated!

Tags: einstein, experience, imagination, improvement, life lessons, mistakes, motivation

Want Innovation? Get Out of the Way

February 10, 2010 · Posted in Change, Innovation · View Comments

cc image used courtesy of Vermin Inc on flickr

We hear a lot about innovation and change these days. Everyone is talking about it, every is doing it, or at least trying to. There’s a problem though, change and innovation require more than lip service. Declaring that you are innovative does not make it so.

You know what I’m talking about, someone reads an article, attends a presentation, has a conversation over coffee and comes back to work and says – we’re going to be innovative! Maybe there are even a few committees put together. But then what? Nothing. The committees quit meeting and things go back to the way they were. Maybe one or two people are still trying, but no one is listening.

You know why? Because innovation doesn’t happen by committee or decree.

Organizations do not innovate. People innovate. Inspired people. Fascinated people. Creative people. Committed people. That’s where innovation begins. On the inside.

The organization’s role — just like the individual manager’s role — is to get out of the way. And while this “getting out of the way” will undoubtedly include the effort to formulate supportive systems, processes, and protocols, it is important to remember that systems, processes, and protocols are never the answer. - Mitch Ditkoff

So how do you create a culture of innovation? You start with the people who think differently than you do.

Diversity is one of those sticky terms that people seem to boil down to creating a Benetton ad. Diversity isn’t about some magical collection of five differently colored skin tones. It’s about bringing different perspectives and backgrounds to the table and creating an environment that values what can be gained from different voices who’ve taken different paths. Skin color (or gender performance) is often interpreted as a reasonable substitute for this and, for many reasons, it has been historically. But bringing in a woman whose attitude and approach is just as masculine as the men isn’t going to help your team break outside of its current mindset. They key is to bring people who think differently than you - danah boyd*

Then get out of their way.

Once you’ve hired a good staff, you sit down, you formulate a plan and then you get out of their way. John Limbert

Let them do what you hired them to do.

The really good people want autonomy — you let me do it, and I’ll do it. So I told the people I recruited: “You come in here and you’ve got to keep me informed, but you’re the guy, and you’ll make these decisions. It won’t be me second-guessing you. But everybody’s going to win together. We’re part of a team, but you’re going to run your part.” That’s all they want. They want a chance to do it. - Gordon M. Bethune

You can not force innovation to happen. You can provide the autonomy, the trust to allow people to be innovative.

*danah boyd’s post is about gender issues and being a woman in todays workforce. It’s worth a read (and mostly likely a blog post) in is own right.

Tags: Change, committee, different, diversity, employees, innovate, Innovation, innovative, management, Managers, think, work

Do You Have Enough Fun in Your Diet?

February 8, 2010 · Posted in Fun, Innovation · View Comments

The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun

Get Focused
1. Stop hiding who you are
2. Start being insanely selfish>

Be Creative
3. Stop following the rules
4. Start scaring yourself

Use Your Wisdom
5. Stop taking it all so damn seriously
6. Start getting rid of the crap

Take Action
7. Stop being busy
8. Start something

An oldie but a goodie found via The Heart of Innovation

Tags: action, busy, creative, focus, fules, Fun, Innovation, start, widsom

For Those Who Are an Overnight Success and For Those Who Aren’t a Video Series From Chris Brogan

November 13, 2009 · Posted in Innovation, Reputation, Time Management, Video · View Comments

These videos are from Chris Brogan’s Over Night Success Series. There are 9 videos total covering topics such as Grinding vs Clocking – Time and the Overnight Success, Pity Party, Small Talk is Big, Belief Systems, The Competition, What it Takes, No Excuses & A Call to Arms. These videos are great even if you aren’t an over night success, even if you aren’t a success.

These 3 are my favorite (although it was hard to pick)

Take time off – I’ve said it before you need your down time but I’m always happy to point out when others say the same thing. :-)

Don’t believe the hype – I included this one because Chris says – by over night success I mean 10 years of hard work.

Here’s another bag of money – on excuses. We all make excuses that become between us and our goals. Decide what your priorities are. Stop making excuses.