Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2009 ~
Define The Diff For Me
"If you want to change the world, play with it first." - Stephanie Olsen, CINET
"Act as if. Live it. Weave us into a possible future."
- Evelyn Rodriguez
When I called Ian McCormack from innovation-award-winning Wardrop Engineering to discuss his presentation on "Innovative Leadership" for our May learning day, he asked: "So, how would YOU define innovation?"
Excellent question! Assumptions should always be checked out, right?
Especially so, since your reading for the month is heavily focussed on Herrmann's chapters (all of Part IV) on "Creativity" . (Scroll down for the whole reading list...)
Take a look at this from the Copyblogger:
“One of the buzzwords you hear a lot in the business world these days, is “Innovation”.
Yes, it’s a genuinely worthy thing to aspire to. Genuine innovation creates lots of genuine value, every young intern knows this. Which is why people like to throw it around like confetti. It’s one of those words that sound good in meetings, regardless of how serious one is about ACTUALLY innovating ANYTHING.
Here’s some friendly advice for all you Innovation-buzzword fanboys:
You don’t get to be more innovative, until you make yourself more creative FIRST.
“Innovative” is an “external” word. It can be measured. It generally talks about things that have been tested properly and found to have worked in the real world.
“Creative”, however, is more of an “internal” word. It’s subjective, it’s murkier. It’s far harder to measure, it’s far harder to define. It’s an inward journey, not outward. Which is why a lot of people in business try to keep the word out of their official lexicon, preferring instead more neutral, more externally-focused language like “Value”, “Excellence”, “Quality” and yes, “Innovation”.
Source: Hugh McLeod http://www.gapingvoid.com
For More of this blogpost on Creativity and Innovation, check out http://lateralaction.com/articles/creativity-innovation/
Posing Ian's question to you: "How would YOU define "Innovation", especially when building a "knowledge economy" in our city?
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READ FOR MAY 14 @ Lakehead University
May 14 session on "Innovation" at Lakehead University.
1. Herrmann's Whole Brain Business Book:
The "CREATIVITY" Chapters in PART IV
"Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probably, but rather what is impossible. And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible."
Applying Creativity and Innovation in Organizations (Chapter 21)
The Brain is the Source (Chapter 22)
Managing through Multiple Processes (Chapter 23)
Going Creative (Chapter 24)
Who Me? Creative? (Chapter 29)
2. Dr. Brad's Chapter 7: Complete your choice of "Mastery Goal Setting" exercise (in preparation for June's graduation).
3. If you haven't already, read Gladwell's Tipping Point here: :http://www.gladwell.com/tippingpoint/index.html
Happy EARTH Day! And, it's Volunteer Week!
