Podcast 605: The Innovator’s Mindset with George Couros

I happen to have been in the Amazon Bookstore in La Jolla, CA.  Yes, literally they have a bookstore.  I intuitively got a hunch about this book that was on an endcap display.  The author is George Couros and the title of the book is “The Innovator’s Mindset-Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity”   I knew when I saw the book that I needed to interview the author, so I reached out to George and he gracefully accepted my invitation.

George is an educator with a passion for helping teachers transform their classrooms into creativity and innovation think tanks.  George believes that we need to prepare our kids for jobs that don’t yet exist, and with that mission he became the Division Principal of Innovative Thinking and Learning.

George understand that we need to shift the young minds from that of a fixed mindset to that of a growth mindset, then to that of the innovator’s mindset.  The innovator’s mindset take the growth mindset a step further by focusing on using one’s ability to learn to play the piano but to create music.  The innovator’s mindset can be defined as the belief that the abilities, intelligence, and the talents are developed so that they lead to the creation of new and better ideas.

This book has not only been written for educators, but for anyone who is attempting to create a culture of innovation and creativity.  I highly recommend reading George’s book “The Innovator’s Mindset“.  If you want to learn more about George and his passions please visit his website by clicking here.  I hope you enjoy this wonderful interview with George Couros the author of “The Innovator’s Mindset“.

 

Podcast 604: Disrupt Together with Heather McGowan

I had the privilege of recently interviewing Heather McGowan the co-author of a new book entitled “Disrupt Together-How Teams Consistently Innovate“.  I was truly amazed at the depth and breadth of knowledge Heather has about innovating within organizations.  The book “Disrupt Together” is a compilation of  chapters written by distinguished thought leaders in the field of innovation.

Heather and I had an opportunity to discuss many of the chapters within the book, along with her contribution entitled “Framing the Vision for Engagement”  When you have been handed a strategic directive it is the job of the managers to create an actionable enterprise.  To create that actionable enterprise is requires that we are able to engage the talent responsible for the development of that new product or services being innovated.  As Heather states in the book “The process is a nonlinear, iterative sequence of discover, formulate, develop, and optimize phases. When the directive can be explicitly stated as an actionable vision ,the value creation phase of development and optimize ensue, offering problem solutions and value creation.

This process is at the heart of every organization involved in innovating something new or redesigning a product to improve it.  Disrupt Together is designed for anyone who want to take a deep dive into learning more about the dynamics of teams in the creative and innovative process.  Every chapters provides insight and wisdom from some of the best teachers in the industry.

If you want to learn more about Heather McGowan and her passion, for the future of work and learning I recommend you visit her website by clicking here.  You also might want to watch a very cool video of a presentation she did Redesigning Work by clicking here.

 

Podcast 600: The Geography of Genius with Eric Weiner

In a quest to discover not only where the great geniuses came from, but the environments that stimulated their development author Eric Weiner in the “Geography of Genius” does just that.  In a very lively interview Eric we discuss the conditions, places and circumstances that helped to develop geniuses such as Socrates, Aristotle, Plato and many others.  Erics book is an exploration and travel guide into a look back in history.  Eric actually visits these places and digs into the history of these geniuses, and the stories and tapestry that make for a very interesting read.

Eric writes ” The toddler steps of incremental innovation don’t even earn you a patent, or the title of genius.  Only a leap does.  The question that intrigues someone such as myself, a creature of geography and a student of history, is not simply what these leaps look like but where, and when they take place…certain places, at certain time, producing a bumper crop of brilliant minds and good ideas.  The question is why.”

If you are a history buff, or just interested in what conditions existed to foster the development of “genius” then reading Eric book “Geography of Genius” is a must.  I highly recommend “Geography of Genius” for anyone who wants to learn about the “why” of genius.

For more information about Eric Weiner please click here to be directed to his website.

 

Podcast 587: Creativity Unzipped with Jan Phillips & Ruth Westreich

My good friend Jan Phillips and her co-author Ruth Westreich joined me for this podcast interview about their new book entitled “Creativity Unzipped-Why Your Thoughts Matter“. In my interview with both Jan and Ruth we discuss we discussed how creative blocks are the biggest challenge that any artists, entrepreneur , author or creative person faces.

Jan states “we are hardwired to find creative solutions to complex problems, but there’s a problem with our software–inherited beliefs and cultural conditioning”.  How we develop our beliefs and hold on to them does more to stifle our creativity that almost anything.

This book is different, the message is that you already know everything you need to know to be fully expressed, creative agent.   Jan quotes Meister Eckhart, the German mystic, and he says that the process of enlightenment is one of subtraction, not addition.  To become luminous, we must let go of the darkness, let go of our negative beliefs–luminous is a natural state.

As we proceed in the act of creation, the litmus test is always about authenticity. It is about your voice, your soul, your story coming through this peace. The idea or seed your cultivating has surfaced for a purpose and awaits the originality only you can bring to it.

If you are attempting to tap into your creativity, then I recommend that you read “Creativity Unzipped“.  Jan & Ruth take the reader on a journey that explores the reason for your creative blocks, and provides you with way to tap back into the creative genius that lurks within.

If you want more information about Jan Phillips & Ruth Westreich I recommend that you visit the book website by clicking here.

 

Podcast 576: Almost: 12 Electric Months Chasing A Silicon Valley Dream with Hap Klopp

I don’t think that there is an entrepreneur on the face of the planet that doesn’t understand the challenges of starting-up a new company. Most startups are faced with a myriad of issues, not to mention one of the biggest issues of finding capital to drive the new venture forward.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Hap Klopp the founder of North Face, about his new book entitled “Almost-12 Electric Months Chasing A Silicon Valley Dream“. Our interview is a must listen too for those who are in business, and especially if you might be seeking funding for your new venture. His book tells the story about the issues that a company by the name of “Ardica” in the Silicon Valley had in finding funds, and the dynamics of the personalities working in the business. Hap, was the marketing director and was on the board of directors of Ardica. It is a wonderfully told story about a group of very bright engineers attempting to revolutionize the energy business, and in the process finding obstacles at almost every intersection partially due to the disfunction of the organization and the other as a result of a cash burn rate that was exceeding income.

I hope you will take the time to listen to this great interview with Hap Klopp about his new book “Almost-12 Electric Months Chasing A Silicon Valley Dream.” If you want more information about Hap please click here to be linked to a great article from the Stanford Business School.  You can also learn more about Ardica by clicking here to visit their website.

 

Podcast 561: Plus Change-Genesis of Innovation with Moe Glenner

Change is everywhere, change is the only constant and it certainly is not going away.  What do we do, how do we manage change?  You and your fellow workers learn how to live with it, cope and make it your ally.

As the author Moe Glenner states in his new book “Plus Change-Genesis of Innovation” “Since life will frequently take us to the intersection of creativity, change and innovation, how do we successfully navigate the junction?  Now, that is the question of the millennial?

In Moe’s book “Plus Change” he navigates us through the elements of change and unlocks the secrets to turning that change into growth, potential and profits.  Moe has what he refers to as the “Nifty-Nine Principles to the creative process.  These principles are wonderful ways to move change into creativity, and they are 1) Release the endorphins 2) Separate idea generation from idea evaluation 3) Always test assumptions 4) Avoid patterned thinking 5) Create new perspectives 6) Minimize negative thinking 7) Take (prudent) risks 8) Get lost! 9) Turn Out the lights.

If you want to get more context regarding these principles click on this Youtube interview that Moe did about the book.  It provides the viewer with an overview of the book and its contents as well as more insight into the principles.  I hope you enjoy this interview with author Moe Glenner, please visit his website by clicking here.

 

Podcast 460: Out Think with Shawn Hunter

Author Shawn Hunter is truly and out of the box thinker. In my recent interview about his new book entitled ” Out Think, How Innovative Leaders Drive Exceptional Outcomes”

Shawn shares with me what is required to be an innovative leader in our new era. We have entered an age of imagination, ideation, conceptualization, creativity, innovation—take your pick. Creativity, mental flexibility, and collaboration have displaced one-dimensional intelligence and isolated determination as core ingredients of competitive advantage states Shawn.

These mindsets that are needed to drive innovation are only found by tapping into the discretionary levels of passion and initiative within us. It is these new mindsets that makes up where “Out, Think” come from. Shawn presents in each chapter key ideas, behavior and or the mindsets so that the reader can practice and put into practical application the “Out Think” principles.

I hope you enjoy this dynamic interview with a really fun and exciting author. If you want to learn more about Shawn you can click here to be directed to his website or click here to go to his Facebook page.

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