getFreshMinds.com | Ideas so fresh--they should be slapped!

Climate change legistlation should be welcomed by innovators.

2009-12-16T09:30:00-06:00

The last couple weeks have been all about climate change. There were the hacked emails from scientists and the controversy that ensued. Then there is the climate conference in Copenhagen, which gives me hope that the US would finally stop waffling and do something.

And the there were the big snowstorms and freezing temperatures in the American Midwest that made us Minnesotans wish that warmer temperatures were the only consequence of global warming. ('Cause seriously, when the weather is -8°F/-13°C, going outside is pretty darn awful!)

So since climate change is what we're all talking about, I feel that it's time I chime in with what I believe with all my heart:

I have absolutely no interest in getting into the argument about whether climate change is occurring or not. Why? Because it goes nowhere. In America, people stick to their beliefs like they're two opposing armies on a battlefield who have build their fortifications and won't stop until the other side is completely vanquished. All arguing does is cause the other side to reinforce their beliefs.

I do have a very strong opinion on this issue though. I think climate change legislation is a great idea. But probably not for the reasons you expect.

First of all, I think that it is awful that companies are blithely spewing noxious chemicals into the air and into the earth. And they are - you won't find anyone who doesn't believe that.

More importantly though. I think climate change legislation is an absolute must if we Americans want to continue being known for our innovative spirit!

Whether or not you agree that climate change is occurring, it's a fact that a large majority of the world does - and is enacting legislation to combat it. This is something we cannot ignore as innovators!

If we ignore climate change in the US, we risk becoming obsolete as exporters as the rest of the world restricts technology that emits large amounts of CO2. And we risk becoming obsolete within our own country as well, as foreign companies make breakthroughs.

The fact is, companies don't make drastic innovation breakthroughs without a good reason. If they can continue spewing chemical into the air without punishment, they will. Why do you think that our cars get barely more miles per gallon (MPG) now than they did in the 1970s?

Detroit has stubbornly refused (not "failed".. "refused") to innovate significantly in the past 20-30 years.

From Detroit's side, SUV's and trucks are a cash cow. They cost nominally more to make than cars, and bring in oodles of money. So, as long as Detroit could convince Americans that they need that giant truck, their business model was golden and they had no incentive to look ahead. And then they over-committed themselves to inflexible factories and when the market shifted, they went down in flames. (As they should have.)

As for the argument about letting the markets choose, that's a horribly bad idea if we want America to be an innovative leader in the future.

There's an interesting correspondence between cost of new green technology and energy prices. When gas is expensive, that pricey Prius looks pretty good (and thus the price drops for future high mph vehicles as supply rises and the supply chain is optimized for higher volume). And in that case, the free market is a beautiful thing.

But when gas is artificially cheap, people are very susceptible to the intense marketing campaigns that Detroit runs to convince Americans that a big truck is one of their fundamental rights. I'd like to think the masses were more forward-thinking and less susceptible to emotional manipulation than that, but they usually aren't.

(For proof, I offer up the slimy DeBeers diamond engagement ring campaign that began in 1938 and convinced Americans that only a diamond can prove someone loves you. Masterful marketing campaign... but very manipulative. And trust me, if a guy ever tries to tell his future fiance about how she's been manipulated to want a diamond... he'll be in the doghouse for months. The marketing was THAT good.)

So whenever companies can convince consumers that they should remain stuck in the past and resist innovation - they usually do. Many will throw everything they have into resisting the need to innovate. (Yes music industry, I'm talking about you.)

For many companies, their most important goal is to make their quarterly books look as good as possible for the shareholders. As a result, they have no incentive to look ahead and prepare for the future. Their incentive is to sell what's profitable now. Chances are, the CEO who is raking in oodles of money won't even be around when the market turns. So, too many companies operate in the here and now.

But when companies finally know they need to change (or risk huge fines or market losses), they do so incredibly well. American companies especially. We have such innovative capacity here in the US that we could lead the world in environmental innovation.

Instead though, we bicker constantly about whether climate change is actually occurring. We stall, and waffle, and do everything we can to avoid making a short-term painful decision that will pay off for us in the long run.

Right now, in the climate change debate, we're just being dragged along by the rest of the world like a reluctant child who doesn't want to do its homework.

That's not the America I believe in. I see America as a country that seizes opportunities to be a world leader. This climate bickering is not conducive to that - and it's not an issue that is going to go away. So we need to get off our butts and start moving forward now.

Innovators don't sit back and resist change. They seize it and use all their brilliance to find out how to take advantage of every situation. We need to do that.

It's time for us to stop being the obstructionists who are missing opportunities to really benefit from this situation. It's time for America to sign the climate change agreement in Copenhagen, stop bitching about it at home, and get our butts into our garages and labs to make some magic.

And I can't wait for the American government to step up, take a stance and pass legislation that actually makes us do it.

Are you too focused on the problem at hand?

2009-12-14T09:18:00-06:00

I'm back home in America for a while, and it's starting to feel a lot like Christmas. The malls are jammed, the outside world is white, the tree is up, and my mom is starting her annual Christmas-cleaning frenzy.

This year though, not all has gone smoothly. This year, our vacuum cleaner started wheezing badly as she attempted to clean the dining room. Really badly. Like it was struggling desperately to survive after swimming the English Channel with bricks tied to its waist.

My father, my mother and I all tried to fix the problem. We emptied the vacuum bag, we cleaned the inside of the vacuum, we even checked the electrical wiring. There was absolutely nothing wrong - yet the vacuum was obviously on its last legs.

Of course, this wasn't unexpected. Our vacuum is nearly as old as I am - which I remember because my mother enjoys telling about how when they purchased the vacuum and brought it home for the first time, my two-year old self proclaimed in wide-eyed astonishment, "I have NEVER in my WHOLE LIFE seen a GREEN vacuum cleaner!!!!

Luckily though, just as we had all concluded that it was hopeless and we'd have to brave the malls to buy another one, I happened to notice that the lights flickered every time we turned the vacuum cleaner on high.

Why was that? Simple... my mother had plugged the vacuum cleaner into the only power outlet in the house where the power could be set lower to dim the lights. And since the lights were only half-on... the vacuum was only getting half the power it needed to work.

Once we'd turned the power completely on, the vacuum roared away and performed its job like a champion. Problem solved!

But it was a complete fluke that we figured out what was wrong. We were all so focused on fixing the vacuum that we never thought that the problem might be something else.

Anyone else have that experience? We're all feeling a little embarrassed that three well-educated, worldly adults spent 40 minutes trying to fix an appliance that wasn't broken in the first place! So please share! If we're stuck with egg on our face, at least it would be good to know that we're not the only ones!

Even in a recession, it's not just about having the lowest price.

2009-11-17T09:00:00-06:00

America - and much of the world - is in the midst of a recession. Customers are only interested in purchasing items at the lowest price and the only way to thrive now is to slash prices to rock bottom. Right?

I don't agree. Granted, people have less money to spend than every before. But I don't think that the fact we're in a recession means price cuts are mandatory.

Yes, customers always want to pay the lowest price (or not pay at all) for generic products or services. However, this has been around for a while - it's not just a result of the financial crisis.

In my opinion, the price of a product or service only becomes a major issue when creativity is lacking.

The key to justifying a higher price is to provide something that is of more value.

Customers are always open to paying more for a product or service that is more than a bare bones approach.

Take Apple for example. Apple can charge a premium price because they don't just sell computers and music players, they sell a beautiful-looking machine that is easy for people to use and that has a huge "cool" factor.

But is being cool enough to sustain Apple in a time of financial crisis?

I'll let you decide. Keep in mind that Apple is one of the very few stores that didn't have a "we're-so-desperate-that-we're-practically-giving-stuff-away" sale after the holidays last year. And that people snatch up the new iPhones whenever they arrive. And the fact that the blogosphere is drooling over the mere possibility of an Apple Tablet computer.

The same goes for nearly any product or service. There's a difference in buying a cup of coffee versus buying a cup of coffee made from organically-grown beans that are grown by a farmer's collective in South America that uses their profits to lift their community out of poverty. The coffee could have the exact same taste - but people will pay more for the second cup.

Or take the infamous Michael Graves toilet bowl brush, "an understated, well-designed work of translucent matte plastic and white bristle bristle" that Daniel Pink wrote about in A Whole New Mind. A toilet brush functions exactly the same whether it's a $20 brush created by a designer or a $3 brush you buy at Ikea. Functionality isn't what makes people spend 6x the price of the regular toilet bowl brush - they're paying for the look.

If you can make your generic product or service special - by making it beautiful, or making it so easy to use my 90-year old grandmother could install it, or by showcasing the incredible story of how it came to be, or even by just having such a great customer service line that your customers know they can always depend on you - it won't be necessary to have the lowest price.

The key is to find innovative ways to make sure your customers feel like they are getting value for the extra money they're spending. And that takes creativity.

My solution for moving without a car!

2009-11-04T10:00:00-06:00

Right now, I'm over in Europe in a somewhat unique situation where I'm moving apartments every couple weeks. Last week, I had to make my first move - all the way across the city of Biel with several suitcases and boxes.

Friends helped with my kitchen stuff and my bed, but since I ended up moving my clothes the next day, I was on my own for the suitcases.

So, here was my challenge:

I had to get two big suitcases and a couple smaller boxes from one apartment to the other. I didn't have a car or a bus pass (and since my German is spotty, I don't even know how to find the right bus!) I could have walked - but the apartments were at least 20 minutes apart by foot and it's exhausting to drag suitcases so far while carrying other bags. I know, because I've done it before.

So I had a brilliant idea. I'd drag a suitcase with one arm and take my bike with the other. Except when I tried it, that actually turned out to be a BAD idea... resulting in a major spill of my make-up bag on a major road and an old lady yelling in me in French. Whoops!

So, I put my Masters in Creativity to use and came up with this -->

Yup, that is me hauling my suitcase along like a trailer behind my Brompton (fold-up) bike.

And all it took was my bike, a rolling suitcase and the chain and lock I already had.

And my parents wondered if I'd ever use my degree..! ;-)

Just to prove that it actually works, a friend took a video of me biking happily along, enjoying the freedom of not having to haul my suitcase along like normal not-so-creative (or desperate) people:

Just thought I'd share the fun in case any of you are ever in the same situation! :-)

When was the last time you failed?

2009-11-02T16:20:46-06:00

I just came across the above image online and it made me think: Why don't our failures define us?

There's a tendency in our culture to only talk about our successes and the things we do right.

So when we do something wrong, or something doesn't work the way we planned, it's a whole lot easier to just sweep it under the rug and never talk about it again. We all want to be winners--and that's why we try to forget our failures and say that they do not define us.

But what if they do? What if our failures are one of the most important parts of who we are?

The fact is, if you pride yourself only on being a winner, you'll never embrace failure - and that means you'll never take a risk. And if you have no tolerance for risk, you'll never venture off the well-beaten path that everyone else takes. Which (of course) means you'll never have any amazing, improbably successes either!

Failure isn't something to be ashamed of. When we fail, it means we tried to do something that was too hard. It means we stretched our bodies and minds beyond their original dimensions.

We should actually be proud of our failures... especially as innovators.

The fact is, only boring, incremental innovation can happen without risk. And those who innovate in the smallest possible increments are swallowed alive by the people who throw their heart and soul into something that could fail miserably.

All new ideas that take the world by storm are risky. All paradigm-changing innovations happened because someone decided to face failure.

So, when was the last time you failed? And how are you risking failure right now? Can you answer those questions?

An update...

2009-10-26T14:16:48-05:00

Hi getFreshMinds readers,

I know I dropped off the radar quite a while this summer, and I had a very good reason for doing so. I had planned to jump back into blogging at the end of summer with a giant splash and a big announcement. I've even had the post composed since July.

But, as I hope you know, July (and the rest of summer) has come and gone! Due to circumstances beyond my control... I can't talk about my exciting news yet. But, hopefully I'll be able to do that soon.

Meanwhile, if you don't mind, I'm going to get back to blogging about fresh ideas again. I've got a bunch of post ideas saved up, and some really fun ideas I've spotted recently. I'm itching to share them.

Thanks for your patience, and please wish me lots of luck that I'll be able to make my big announcement in the next month or two.

Do you need to learn Problem Solving 101?

2009-06-23T13:59:19-05:00

Recently, I was asked to review Problem Solving 101, a book by management consultant Ken Watabee that was written for children--but became the bestselling business book in Japan that year.

The thing I really like about this book is how it urges readers to go beyond their first assumptions.

A really good example in the book showed how a young soccer player realized that choosing to go to the 2nd best soccer school would actually benefit her much more than going to the best soccer school.

This wasn't a conclusion that was obvious from the beginning--as the best soccer school was in a "better" location and seemed to have more benefits. But, when the young girl thought more about the decision, she realized that she would actually have more opportunities to do what she really wanted (play elite soccer and learn Spanish) if she went to the 2nd best school instead.

With the same example, I also liked how the young girl realized that she had overlooked a lot of possibilities when she had first thought about funding her tuition for the school. Originally, she had thought that she had to pay it all herself... which turned out not to be true (she was able to get scholarships and a sponsor).

That to me was a really powerful example of how people can make things happen even if it seems impossible at first. One of my deepest beliefs is that is everything is possible... if you only look hard enough for a way to make it happen.

Problem Solving 101's biggest strengths come from the well thought-out examples and demonstrations of problem solving. The diagrams do an excellent job showing how to shape your thought process!

What didn't really impress me about the book is actually what made is so successful in Japan: that this book is written in such a simple fashion.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I've enjoyed other books of this sort, like Jack's Notebook and The Alchemist. And it makes the book very approachable for any type of audience.

But I think it is a little too simple for a business audience in the US. Most Americans learn problem-solving in school or in college... and this isn't anything mind-bogglingly new. Plus, the examples and illustrations are a little too childish and cute. They convey the point well, but are more suited to a younger audience.

This doesn't mean the book is bad. In fact, I think it's quite charming. It's just not what I personally would look for in a business book.

The good thing about the simplicity of Problem Solving 101 is that the book is very upfront that it was originally written for children. As such, I have a lot of respect for how well it's done and how it's managed to charm business people of all ages.

I'm just not sure it will take off so wildly here in the US because we've seen this sort of thing before. However, I think it will resonate with people who are just learning about problem solving.

My evaluation: A cute book that has some charming examples--but a little elementary for anyone who has done work with problem solving before. Get it as an intro for yourself, or for a younger person who needs to learn how to improve their thinking. They'll definitely like it.

Want the book? I have one to give away! Comment below with a sticky problem you need to solve!

Jobs seekers... please restrain your creativity!

2009-06-12T00:28:56-05:00

It's no secret that finding a job right now is tough. And when times get tough, the tough get creative! Right?

Today I ran across the results of a survey from CareerBuilder that says 20% of hiring managers are seeing more people try to get their attention in unusual ways.

Some of the things people are trying?

Sending in a shoe with a resume to "get my foot in the door."

Staging a sit-in in the lobby to get a meeting with a director.

Washing cars in the parking lot. (No reason given for this.)

Sending a resume wrapped as a present and a message that said his skills were a "gift to the company."

Handing out resumes at stoplights.

Delivering a cake designed as a business card with the candidate’s picture.

Going to the same barber as the Chairman of the Board and asking the barber speak on his behalf.

Arriving at an interview dressed in a bunny suit because it was near Easter.

Some of those ideas are cute... but I wonder if they're actually effective. And I wonder how many of them actually turned the hiring manager off of the candidate.

Using "creative" tactics in your job search is risky (in my opinion). Unless you're applying for a really innovative company with a reputation for loving those tactics, it could easily tell the interviewer that you're either (a) crazy, (b) not a serious candidate, or (c) desperate. None of those sound like a good option to me.

Plus, even if you're trying to show that you're extremely creative, it might not work. A creative job search tactic only works once. Once people have heard of a tactic, it's no longer creative - and then you're just a copycat.

My advice to job seekers is to stop with the tricks and gimmicks and figure out ways to show your value. That's not nearly as fun, but it is probably a lot more effective.

There is a time for blatant creativity and a time to tone it down. If you're looking for a job, you should probably err on the side of not looking ridiculous.

(Unless, of course, you want to send me a cake with your resume on it. I won't guarantee I'll hire you, but I'll definitely scarf it down!)

POW! How much do you like surprises?

2009-05-22T09:37:08-05:00

Pow! Right Between the Eyes! is a book about surprises. Not surprisingly, the first time I heard about this book, I was surprised. That's because the author, Andy Nulman, was giving away 200 copies of his book to bloggers - and all we needed to do to get one was write on our blogs that we wanted one.

So, being a bibliophile... I totally did! (Who can resist a free book? Can you?)

The reason I'm telling you this is because this review might not be totally unbiased. I have been pleasantly (and effectively) surprised by Andy Nulman several times this year and I definitely believe he knows what he's doing.

But, I don't think you'll mind... because there's a chance for you to win your own free copy of POW! at the bottom of this post! Keep reading if you want to know how.

When I was reading POW! I was struck several times between the parallels between surprise and innovation. Midway through the book, Andy quoted a statement by Peter Georgescu (former CEO of Young & Rubicam) that nails why we need both surprise and fresh ideas:

Commoditization--what I see as the cancer of the 21st century commerce--has fueled ferocious price competition, leading to lower prices, margins and profits for businesses. With price as the only real differentiator; producers are left with a challenge: They must find a way to stand out in the crowd.

And I think Andy is right when he says that surprise is the way to do that.

After all, when you go to an electronics store, what catches your eye... the dozens of marginally-better computers? Or is it something out of the ordinary, like the iPhone or the Wii or the tiny netbooks that make frequent travelers drool.

Or, as Andy pointed out, when you're on the street, do you stop to look at the way-too-common Nisson Maximas... or are you irresistibly drawn to the 60s Corvette?

(Obviously, you don't need the book to answer that question!)

What I did find helpful about the book was Andy's descriptions of what effective surprises are... and what they're not. That's great ammunition if you ever need to get someone to stretch their thinking beyond what's already been done.

If you've ever been in that situation, you'll know that you need every bit of help you can get! Some people are so doggone determine to do "new" and "creative" things that have already been done 100 times that I could just tear my hair out!

So, this book is a big help there.

The main thing I really like about this book is the sheer number of examples that Andy gives of great surprises.

In my opinion, a really vital part of coming up with fresh ideas is having a big database of ideas to draw from and build on. POW! is filled to the brim with examples of effective surprise campaigns that marketers and businesses have done in the past - and I bet if you follow Andy online for a little while, you'll come across even more.

Because of all those ideas, I felt inspired just reading through POW! I was ready to start thinking of ideas all on my own.

I also think this is a good book to read because innovation is all about surprises. If you've come up with a new idea that surprises no one... that's probably because it's WAY too close to what's already been done before.

If you really want to succeed, your idea needs to have POW! It needs to surprise people and open up their way of thinking. Otherwise, it's way too easy to get bogged down in a dehabilitating price war.

Check POW! out. You'll enjoy it.

And now for the fun part...

I have one free POW! book to give away to a commentator! If I get a lot of really good responses, I'll make it two.*

All you have to do is write in the comments about some way a company surprised you. But hurry, the contest is closing in 24 hours!

Ready... go!

*If anyone wants to grump that giving away a book isn't totally new and surprising, I agree with you. It's not. But it's a free book! So stop grumbling and enter the contest!

Get Ready! I'm blogging at the World Innovation Forum

2009-05-04T22:25:28-05:00

This week, I'm in New York City for the World Innovation Forum, which is the biggest innovation event this year.

There will be a TON of great speakers:

CLAYTON CHRISTENSEN will be talking about disruptive innovation.
VIJAY GOVINDARAJAN will be covering how to innovate in a global world
FRED KRUPP will be talking about eco-innovation (a definite hot topic)
DAN ARIELY will be teaching us about the predictable ways people behave irrationally.
CK PRAHALAD will tell us about the new age of innovation we're entering.
PAUL SAFFO will teach us about untangling the future.

Plus, we'll get plenty of examples of innovation in action... and a workshop by one of my favorite companies, !WhatIf? Innovation.

I'm getting really excited! This conference is going to be absolutely full of great ideas!

If you're there, come over to say hi. On Tuesday, I'll be the blonde in the purple jacket. On Wednesday, I'll probably be wearing a blue jacket. (Or find me in the Blogger's Hub from my photo.)

If you're not there, follow me and the other World Innovation Forum bloggers on Twitter, and on our blogs. We'll be labeling all our posts with the tag #WIF09.

Plus, I'll be putting up posts here with the great things I'm learning throughout the next couple days. Stay tuned for those!

And, if you're in New York City and want to meet-up for coffee, send me a message on Twitter or in the comments here. I'd love to meet some readers and I'm here through Friday.