Taking my own advice!
Every week I work with amazing individuals in great organizations all over North America who are dedicated to the vision of more ideas from more people more often. In the process, no matter how many techniques, tips and stories we share, I always find myself coming back to the basics. More ideas from more people more often cannot happen if we are not prepared to give ourselves and our teams permission to take time to think. To really think. Not to plan. Not to organize. Just to think. Time to imagine the possibilities. Time to be inspired by the words and actions of others. Time to discover, time to discuss, time to design.
To that end, day after day I challenge leaders to take the time to leave air in their agendas, to take the time to put possibilities before process and to take the time to invest in imagination. Time, Time, Time.
But here’s the rub. The shoemaker’s children have no shoes. Well, actually, my kids have great shoes. It’s their mom, the shoemaker, who has started to go barefoot.
Over the last few months I’m sure that you’ve noticed that these newsletters have become a bit more sporadic. The reason is simple. I have stopped taking my own advice. I have allowed details and deadlines to replace discovery. I have stopped taking time to think and without time invested in making room in our brains for new ideas, the old ones quickly take root and refuse to budge. We revisit them over and over again and wonder why there is nothing new when in fact our brains are simply full. And just like that stuffed closet or overflowing garage that we are all planning to get to this summer, we have to get rid of some junk before we can even begin to see the light.
So, I’m going to do what I advise all of you to do. I’m going to take a brain break. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to play with my children, catch up with dear friends and basically take the time to create space in my brain for new insights and ideas that I can then share with you when I get back.
Innovation Insight #46
Hopefully over the next few weeks you can create some thinking time too. When you do, here are five amazing sites that can help you turn inspiration into innovation and ideas into results.
Theo Jansen: Kinetic Scuptor
This incredible creative spirit wants to “sculpt the air that surrounds us.” Is there a seemingly invisible element that “surrounds” you or your organization that you can sculpt into a new idea? Imagine the Possibilities!
Thank you to Richard Tremblay for sending this link my way. Look at these cards and be amazed. What is the idea behind the idea of these cards? Can you apply that idea to something other than your business cards? Imagine the Possibilities!
Johnny Bunko
The absolutely best example of using innovative communication to ensure that a message will be Heard, Understood, Retained and Acted upon in the manner in which it was intended. This marketing campaign is Surprising, Strategic, Seductive and Sustainable. What do you learn from this approach and how can you apply it to your reality? Imagine the Possibilities!
Toronto Star :The week’s best Invented Words
A great way to activate imaginations at a meeting. Start with the word and ask people to imagine the definition or start with the definition and ask people to come up with the word. Imagine the Possibilities!
Pixar’s Brad Bird on Fostering Innovation
I couldn’t have said it better myself. This article is a must read. How many of these elements truly exist in your organization? How could you make them happen? Imagine the Possibilities!
Have a great summer my friends and I will see you the week of August 11th. Until then, take some time to Imagine the Possibilities! I know I will.
-Toni Newman
Quote of the Week
“Always, I strive to push the boundaries of what we know and what seems possible to us at this time. The walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds.”
Theo Jansen
Are you limited by what you believe to be possible at this time? What boundaries between where you are and where you have always believed you could be exist only in your mind?
T!
Inspiration of the Week
Last week I saw the movie Wall- E. It was absolutely amazing how much emotion and context that could be communicated with no words. Check it out.
T!
Turning Ideas into Results!
Please feel free to contact me at toni@toninewman.com
with any stories about how Innovation Insights has helped you to turn ideas into results.
