Articles

This is your growing library of articles to help deepen your understanding of innovation. Articles are categorized by the 8 dimensions of the Innovation DNA to help you continue to understand the system of innovation.

Culture: the playing field for innovation

Big Ten Innovation Killers by Joyce Wycoff -- Harvard says 70% of all business initiatives fail ... this article offers you ten reasons why and ten ways to avoid being part of this failure statistic.

New World of Innovation by Ruth Ann Hattori and Joyce Wycoff -- Find out how organizations are building innovation into their DNA.

Leader to Leader by Margaret Wheatley - "Innovation has always been a primary challenge of leadership." In this article, she explains how to get everyone involved.

Declaration of Innovation by Joyce Wycoff – Innovation requires understanding and commitment across the organization. Perhaps what we need is a Declaration of Innovation that engages every member of the organization.

Qualities of an Innovator by Mitch Ditkoff – Innovation begins with people and this article outlines the qualities that lead to innovation. Ditkoff states, "If you want to spark innovation, forget about slick formulas for a minute and pay attention to what's happening on the inside. Because that's where it starts." Read the full article to learn more about how you can be more innovative.

Innovative Space Exploration: Designing Your Optimal Creative Environment by Jonathan Vehar, president of New & Improved. – What type of space brings out your creative nature? This article will help you identify your specific preferences so you can create a better working space for yourself.

Babysteps II – Jumpstarting Innovation in Your Organization – Here are dozens of ideas you can do right now to stimulate innovation in your organization.

Challenge: the energy source

Driving Forces of Change for the New Millennium by Robert B. Tucker, author of Managing the Future: 10 Driving Forces of Change for the Next Century

Customer Focus: the final judge of value

"Ask, Don’t Sell" Works for Internal Customers, Too by Deanna Berg – If you’re trying to sell any idea or program to your boss or anyone else in the organization, you need to be a salesperson. This article offers you great advice.

Creativity: the mystery of the process

Deep in the Forest: A Journey into Imagination by Michael Munn– Learning to exercise your imagination can be a powerful way to access information that might not be normally available to you.

Cartoon Land: We're All Scott Adams at Heart by Michael Munn, Ph.D. – Here's a great technique for mining informationfrom your imagination.

How to Not Kill the Next Big Idea by Jonathan Vehar – It’s hard enough to get great ideas … let’s make sure we don’t kill them before they’ve had their opportunity to sprout.

Are You a Creative Person? The answer may surprise you so check out this article which might help you think about creativity in some new ways.

Communication: the life blood of the process

5-15 Reports: Communication for Dispersed Organizations by Joyce Wycoff – How do you communicate effectively with people who are traveling or located in other time zones? Here’s a very simple technique that can make a huge difference.

Collaboration: the heart of innovation

Stimulating Innovation with Collaboration Rooms by G. Lynne Snead and Joyce Wycoff – If you want people to collaborate, you need to give them an environment that stimulates collaboration … which turns out to be very different from the standard conference room.

What’s Your CQ* (Collaborative Quotient)? by Lynne Snead – Here’s a quick assessment of how collaborative your organization is.

Completion: finish well and celebrate

Seven Steps for Effective Problem Solving in the Workplace by Tim Hicks

Contemplation: the lever for future success

Confucius Updated by Joyce Wycoff – Confucius was a wise person but his formula for learning (I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand) needs some updating. If you’re involved in adult education in any form (and who isn’t), you might want to check out this new way of thinking about learning.

Learn and Earn – Can you imagine your organization paying you to read the "Velveteen Rabbit?" This company does!