January 2019

Finding the Essence   Here are some examples of how large corporations help their employees successfully work in teams. At Cambridge Technology Partners, a software development firm, there are four rules for fast teams: Let groups make their own rules. Teams must be in charge of their own destiny. Speak up early and often. If […]

Lessons From Geese   As each bird flaps it’s wings, it creates an uplift for others behind them. There is 71% more flying range by flying in a V-formation than flying alone. Lesson 1: People who share a common direction and sense of common purpose can get there quicker.  Whenever a goose flies out of

Team Think   Working on innovation and creativity with a team can return multiples of rewards providing the team has good chemistry.  A badly organized Team Think is more than a waste of time.  It is damaging. Any collection of individuals will work.  The trick is to have a good Team Think leader.  A leader

Random Association – Connect The Words   Let’s try putting some random words together to see what kinds of creativity sparks it can generate.  Grab your paper and pen and get writing.   Develop a list of 20 random words.  The first words that come to your mind.  (Also, fun to do as a group).

Random Association – Word Association   This time you get three words.  It will be your job to read the three words and write down a word that has the three previous words in common. The first one is an example. Call Pay Line     Phone      1. End Burning Blue  2. Man Hot

Random Association – Movie Titles   6 Movie Titles Here’s another activity.  Use your pad and writing device and write down six of your favorite movie titles.   Titles   _________________   _________________   _________________   _________________   _________________   _________________   Now, choose any two of the titles, then combine the plots. Write down

Random Association – Wikipedia   Finding random ideas, believe it or not, can sometimes be difficult.  We always seem to look in the same place.   Here’s a tip to find truly random ideas.   Wikipedia.  At times thearticles are helpful and other times they are just nonsense.  If the article makes no sense, click

The Absurdity Continues   Here are a few absurd questions I asked myself over the year and returned some astounding surprises. 1978: What if you could get a computer to speak to you? 1985: What if you spoke to a computer and it did what you asked? 1986: What if you could control a mouse

Innovation Or Random Association – Smart Phone   Here’s another random association. Who would have thought by combining the functions of a laptop into a cell phone would be a good idea…  Steve Jobs, that’s who. Lon Safko Serial Innovator, Keynote Speaker, Trainer, Innovative Thinking Tags: innovative thinking, creative, creative thinking, Innovation, critical thinking definition,

Follow These Directions   Don’t put your pad and pen away yet! Here’s 10 questions.  Look at each and write the answer on the pad.  Don’t read the answer at the bottom of the page. Pick a number between, say, 2 and 9 Multiply that number by 9 Add the first digit and second of