Last weekend, I participated in the Institute of Management Consultants annual conference in Dallas, Texas. It was a great experience – I met some interesting and smart people, listened to insightful presentations, and created an action plan for my own business. I certainly hope that attendees enjoyed my workshop on
Leadership
3 Wastes in Innovation
Even though autumn is soon upon us, I have started another “spring cleaning” project. Spring cleaning, to me, means going into every corner, nook, and cranny to organize and tidy up. More than anything, spring cleaning means to eliminate all the clutter, all the useless stuff, and to refresh and
How Do You Become an Innovation Leader?
You can watch the 30 second summary and then read on for more details! Today’s workplace is complicated. There are many different generations working side-by-side. We are told these different generations have different work ethics and values. Yet at the same time, all generations of workers are impacted by
3 Myths of Innovation Teams
As much as corporate leaders talk about the importance of innovation, they still complain about a lack of results. Innovation is not magical nor is it easy. Successful new product development (NPD) relies on deploying the right technology at the right time into the right market segment. Complicating the situation
Is Your Innovation System Healthy?
Recently, a family friend underwent a total hip replacement surgery – at the age of 87! He said he had no pain, but his mobility was becoming severely limited. My friend said he was a “very healthy 87” and after just a few weeks, he is again walking and driving
Four People You Need on Your Innovation Team
Everyone seems to have their own definition of innovation. The way that I explain innovation is “the creation of a new product, service, program, or application that may or may not use new technology, serves a marketplace, and for which customers are willing to purchase to access its value.”
Asking for Help
A recent study in Harvard Business Review showed that leaders who ask questions are considered more effective. Team members, staff, and employees identify with both the vulnerability and authenticity of asking questions. Even more important, leaders that ask questions can learn about motivation, stress, and pending organizational issues before problems
The Gift of Listening
I love to get gifts. Even though I’m a grown adult, I expectantly wait for Christmas and my birthday. I love presents! It’s fun to tear open the colorful wrapping paper and discover the new surprises within boxes and bags. Special gifts are always remembered. We can recall the date,
3 Components of Lean NPD
Toyota introduced the lean manufacturing system over 40 years ago. Lean is a quality management philosophy that eliminates waste to increase predictability and reliability of the final product. This, in turn, improves customer satisfaction. Many of the elements of lean manufacturing have been applied to other business processes, namely new
4 Roles of Psychological Safety in Innovation
Amy Edmundson of Harvard Business School introduced the concept of psychological safety about twenty years ago. Psychological safety is a shared belief that a team is safe to take interpersonal risks. Individuals are free and willing to speak openly and honestly about problems without fear of retribution. Teamwork and
Building Innovation Leaders
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