Archive for: September, 2012

10 TED Talks That Will Help You Become an Innovative Leader

leadership ideas worth spreading

I don’t remember ever doing a post like this. But, I’ve recently been thinking about and discussing with a client the topic of innovative leadership. As in what makes an innovative leader. And if you aren’t one, what do you need to do to become one.

With that said, here are a few TED talks that I think will helps us become the leaders of the future. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Shawn Achor: The Happy Secret to Better Work

Innovation must reads of the week: Five words that kill innovation

Innovation must reads of the week: Five words that kill innovation

Storified by Jorge Barba · Sun, Sep 16 2012 10:23:49

My new post on the role of open business models and value networks: Why the Future of #Innovation is Open – http://bit.ly/TRIpZyRalph-Christian Ohr
Five words that kill innovation http://bit.ly/R9DhKoandrewhargadon
The overarching proposition for the Executive Innovation Work Mat http://bit.ly/PnXldy @ralph_ohr #pureinsight #innovationPaul Hobcraft
Our #innovation workmat solves an age-old problem – describing the elephant by touching only one part. http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2012/09/09/the-seven-essential-domains-for-innovation-leadership-the-work-mat-approach/ See the whole.Jeffrey Phillips
Experimentation Is The New Planning | Fast Company: http://bit.ly/U3ou8yopeninnovation

If you like these links, check out all the previous “Innovation Must Reads of the Week“. And don’t forget to

Startup Weekend Tijuana 2

Get ready for Startup Weekend Tijuana 2

Startup Weekend Tijuana 2

This past May, I helped organize the first ever Startup Weekend in Tijuana. Because we had fun, was a great success and want to continue building momentum, today, I’m proud to announce that we are organizing yet another one in Tijuana.

Coinciding with Tijuana Innovadora, this time Startup Weekend Tijuana will be held at BIT Center.

question to innovate

Why is innovation so hard for large companies?

question to innovate

This is the first of a series weekly posts where I will answer a few common questions about innovation. Please feel free to add your own response. Also, if you have any questions you think we should discuss, let me know.

There are many reasons why large companies don’t innovate. But to simplify, it is because most companies are designed to execute, not innovate.

There are a few that do “get” innovation. But, traditionally companies are founded to make money as an outcome, not to last. And, even if companies make money and have both resources and assets, it doesn’t mean that they will innovate. To innovate, you must change. And to change, is something most don’t plan to do or are willing to do.

Innovation must reads of the week: How innovative leaders maintain their edge

Innovation must reads of the week: How innovative leaders maintain their edge

Storified by Jorge Barba · Sat, Sep 08 2012 22:37:38

Leaders need to engage and drive innovation http://bit.ly/Q5emga #innovation #innochat #innovatePaul Hobcraft
There’s no #innovation without experimentation. http://innovateonpurpose.blogspot.com/2012/09/theres-no-innovation-without.htmlyet firms are increasingly less likely to experimentJeffrey Phillips
"How Innovative Leaders Maintain Their Edge" via @Forbes: http://onforb.es/To1D7hThe Economist
Leapfrog the Status Quo – 4 Strategies For Winning Over Innovation Naysayers http://www.fastcodesign.com/node/1670730 via @FastCoDesignSoren Kaplan
Via @JHagel: "What if ideas are not the source of innovation? What if innovation emerges from practices? Provocative." http://bit.ly/P32R70re:invention, inc.

If you like these links, check out all the previous “Innovation Must Reads of the Week“. And don’t forget to

What is the purpose of innovation?

innovation on purpose

This question may be similar to the question “what is innovation?“, but it isn’t.

Why innovate?

Before answering, lets consider what innovation is. Two weeks ago I argued that because innovation means different things to different groups, that you should come up with your own definition of what innovation is.

For me, innovation is ideas transformed into value. I don’t get into whether it’s radical, incremental, disruptive or any other buzzword you can come up with because it makes it more complex for those who are not in the know.

You must own change before it owns you

Back when I was an IT Consultant, I knew that “preparing for what might be” was my “one thing”, and it just came natural for me. And today, one of the cool things about the work I do is I get prepare my clients with “what if’s” all the time.

Most don’t like it because they don’t want to consider that their business might change. They want to keep things the way they are. This is not unusual. It is actually the every day norm for those of us who are in the business of shaking things up.