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The Innovation Engine

June 26, 2018 By Barefoot Brainstorming Leave a Comment

Innovation Engine

INNOVATION: BUZZWORD OF THE DECADE


‘Innovation’ has become the buzzword of the decade in the worlds of business and education. Politicians on both sides of the aisle, Fortune 500 companies, universities, and local school systems all agree that it is the key to the future.

The overuse and generalization of the term ‘innovation’ has led to a loss of understanding of what it is we actually need when we say we need more innovation!

Tina Selig is the inventor of the Innovation Engine. She describes it in detail here in her TEDxStanford talk.

Tina’s TEDxStandford talk outlines exactly what we need when we say we need more innovation … and she does it simply and brilliantly!

Like any engine, the Innovation Engine is made up of several parts, and requires all parts to be in working order for innovation to work.

Innovation is not a light switch. It is not just something that you turn on and off at will.

True innovation within any organization requires all of the Innovation Engine components … the inner workings (you); attitude, knowledge and imagination, as well as the outer workings (the outside world); culture, resources, and habitat.

Tina Selig is also an author of several books. I have not read any of them … yet … but fully intend to!

The one that looks the most interesting to me is ‘inGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity’

Please check out Tina’s work when you have a moment and let us know what you think!


We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment down below or tag us on social media.
For brainstorming tips, presentation and storytelling skills, or keynote speaking pointers be sure to follow Barefoot Brainstorming on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn OR see us in action on  Youtube and Instagram!

Classic Cool Creative

June 19, 2018 By Barefoot Brainstorming Leave a Comment

Classic Cool Creative


I have to admit it, when it comes to some of the Netflix classics … I am late to the party!

Here is a prime example … I am just finishing the final season of Mad Men!

Like a lot of things, we started Mad Men and then life got in the way, so it was literally years before we were able to return to it. And of course by that time, we basically had to start over because we had forgotten most of the characters and the story line.

Although some of the Mad Men seasons are stronger and more engaging than others, there is still one incredibly strong theme (other than sex) that runs through everything … Classic Cool Creative!

Over the years, I have collected a few of my favourites that I would like to share with you, click here!

Classic cool creative has the power to make us experience all kinds of emotion – laughter, sadness, and even fear, all in a matter of seconds. Each execution is an art form in it’s own right!

Personally, I have always found billboard creative to be the most challenging, with the absolute opportunity of being the most impactful. If you are going to use copy, the rule of thumb (at least what I was taught) is a maximum of 7 words. That’s challenging … but even more challenging is to do it with no words whatsoever!

Click here to check out some amazing billboard work from around the world! Enjoy!


We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment down below or tag us on social media.
For brainstorming tips, presentation and storytelling skills, or keynote speaking pointers be sure to follow Barefoot Brainstorming on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn OR see us in action on  Youtube and Instagram!

What Are You Saying … Without Saying Anything At All

June 12, 2018 By Barefoot Brainstorming Leave a Comment

Body Language

WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING AT ALL?


Body language, sometimes called ‘non-verbal communication’ is not only fascinating, it plays a critical role in our communication.

Put simply, body language is the unspoken element of communication that we use to reveal our true feelings and emotions. Our gestures, facial expressions and posture, for instance.

When we are able to ‘read’ these signs, we can use it to our advantage. It can help us to understand the complete message of what someone is trying to say to us. It can also enhance our awareness of people’s reactions to what we say and do.

We can also use it to adjust our own body language so that we appear more positive, engaging, and approachable.

The way you communicate through body language can determine your success in everything from relationships to your career.

Up to 93 percent of communication can be non-verbal! A truly incredible statistic.

When you are in front of an audience making a presentation, here are some staggering facts to keep in mind!

  • 55% of communication cues come from a speaker’s physical presence, 38% from tone, and only 7% from the spoken words.

Your body language, and how you hold yourself holds as much importance as your words!

My great friends and colleagues Mark Bowden and Tracey Thomson recently released a fabulous new book entitled ‘Truth and Lies … What People Are Really Thinking’

It is truly a fresh, insightful guide to reading body language in the post-digital age!

Check it out … and find out what you are saying … without saying anything at all!


Thank you to Laurie Stein for the beautiful illustration in the title image!


We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment down below or tag us on social media.
For brainstorming tips, presentation and storytelling skills, or keynote speaking pointers be sure to follow Barefoot Brainstorming on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn OR see us in action on  Youtube and Instagram!

The Problem Is The Problem

June 5, 2018 By Barefoot Brainstorming 1 Comment

The problem is the problem

FINDING THE PROBLEM, IS HALF THE PROBLEM 


Often, when we are asked to facilitate brainstorming sessions, clients ask us to work with their teams and partners to solve a problem.

But as you will hear in this YouTube video by Kevin Systrom, the Founder of Instagram, the majority of the time … the problem is finding the problem … not the solution!

Most organizations aren’t sufficiently rigorous in defining the problems they’re attempting to solve, and articulating why those issues are important.

How many times have you seen a project go down one path only to realize in hindsight that it should have gone down another? How many times have you seen an innovation program deliver a seemingly breakthrough result only to find that it can’t be implemented or it addresses the wrong problem?

Many organizations need to become better at asking the right questions so that they tackle the right problems.

So … what are the RIGHT questions?

They are questions that dive deep below the surface. The ones that continue to ask WHY. The questions that make zero assumptions.

We like to use a system called ‘The Five Whys’.

It’s remarkably simple, when a problem occurs, you drill down to the root cause by asking WHY five times!

The technique was formally developed by Taiichi Ohno and was used within the Toyota Motor Corporation during the evolution of its manufacturing methodologies.

For kids, ‘why’ questions help them make sense of the world around them that they are just beginning to learn about. These ‘why’ questions also help spur and accelerate learning.

Once again we can learn from our kids … and WHY NOT!?


We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment down below or tag us on social media.
For brainstorming tips, presentation and storytelling skills, or keynote speaking pointers be sure to follow Barefoot Brainstorming on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn OR see us in action on  Youtube and Instagram!

The Brainstorming Strategy That Helped Steve Jobs

May 28, 2018 By Barefoot Brainstorming Leave a Comment

THIS BRAINSTORMING STRATEGY HELPED STEVE JOBS GENERATE HIS MOST CREATIVE IDEAS


I didn’t know this about Steve Jobs until I read this article. I would encourage you to read it! It is a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a true genius.

There were 2 ‘AHA’ moments for me in the article.

The first one was the fact that Jobs came up with his most brilliant creative ideas while walking.

Science suggests that walking is useful when brainstorming ideas. According to research from Stanford University, walking boosts creative thinking by an average of 60 percent.

“Walking opens up the free flow of ideas,” the researchers write in the study.

For anyone who has ever been in one our brainstorming sessions, this is exactly why we ask people to stand to share their ideas, to walk to post their Post-It notes on the large idea board, and to participate in a scavenger hunt on foot after lunch!

The second fact that struck me in the article was that Jobs hated wearing shoes!

‘Earthing or grounding’ are also scientifically proven to have a positive effect on the brain and creative thinking.

Now that the weather is glorious, try taking a page out of Steve Jobs’ book … literally and figuratively … kick your shoes and socks off and take a walk!

It feels wonderful and it just might lead you to your next big idea!


We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment down below or tag us on social media.
For brainstorming tips, presentation and storytelling skills, or keynote speaking pointers be sure to follow Barefoot Brainstorming on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn OR see us in action on  Youtube and Instagram!

Born A Genius; Part Two

May 22, 2018 By Barefoot Brainstorming Leave a Comment

born a genius part two

BORN A GENIUS – PART TWO – HOW TO REDISCOVER AND RECONNECT WITH YOUR INNER GENIUS


Last week I wrote about my new keynote ‘Born A Genius’ … this week I would like to continue the conversation by focusing on what we can do to rediscover and reconnect with our own personal inner genius.

Like snowflakes and fingerprints we are all born with a genius which is completely unique and our own.

If you flip through old photo albums, there you will find the keys to unlock and reconnect with your inner genius!

What did you love to do more than anything in the world when you were young? What could you spend hours doing where you would literally lose yourself in your genius?

Close your eyes and return to a younger, simpler time when you naturally gravitated to, and did what you loved most.

Your genius can be anything … it doesn’t have to be art … it can be numbers, puzzles, languages,travel. It can even be unicorn sandwich making!

The point is … It doesn’t matter what it is … as long as it matters to you!

And, it also doesn’t matter who knows. It doesn’t matter if the world doesn’t notice what you are doing. It’s not about recognition, accolades, and praise. It’s not about being the best. It’s just about being you … the authentic you … the genius you!

The genius within us needs to be an integral part of who we are as adults. It needs to be honoured, and it needs to be nurtured.

The farther away we get from our genius … the more unhappy … and depressed and yes even sick we can become!

In her book entitled ‘The Top Five Regrets of the Dying’ Bronnie Ware writes the number one regret is as follows:

I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

So please don’t ever let anyone tell you who you are, or who you aren’t. Own your genius and find time to spend with it as often as you can!


We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment down below or tag us on social media.
For brainstorming tips, presentation and storytelling skills, or keynote speaking pointers be sure to follow Barefoot Brainstorming on Twitter, Facebook, and  LinkedIn OR see us in action on  Youtube and Instagram!
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