Two decades ago, author James Belasco wrote a business best-seller “Teaching the Elephant to Dance.” It was all about helping companies and organizations to embrace change. If it were written today, it would be all about embracing change and how collaboration works in commerce. Collaboration drives creativity because innovation always…

Does your company do crowdsourcing in any form? Have you done any recent reading or research on crowdsourcing examples design? We follow this topic quite closely and have written several blogs on the topic and the businesses that employ it. Here are 4 very good business crowdsourcing examples to follow and learn from. — A good innovation business creates an environment where traditions can be challenged.

I am a fan of Civil War history. I also like to study leadership and effective leadership qualities. This article tells the story of Joshua Chamberlain, a highly decorated Union officer. The objective of the article … highlight a great gesture of effective leadership. Another story: Surprising Story Lessons on…

I am always on the hunt for ways to enhance my happiness. Today I will explore the science of happiness. What is happiness, anyway? The phrase “the science of happiness” refers to a new field of social science called positive psychology. Contrary to popular belief, it is not “positive thinking” or self-help. …

If you follow people like Hugh Macleod and Robert Scoble, etc., you know that we’re living in the era of “the Cluetrain.” I first read the Cluetrain Manifesto four-five years ago. One of the central ideas in the book is this: markets are conversations and companies by a large do…

The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product fits him and sells itself. Awesome thought from Peter Drucker. Let me tell you two awesome stories on how successful marketers use promotional strategies to sell without selling. Both are stories that I experienced firsthand. Promotional strategies … here is the first story: …

Here are a few of my favorites of effective life hacks to consider: — Manage time well Life is composed of days, days hours, hours of minutes. And you only get one life. Make the most of it now. Break goals into small objectives Read a book a week, play catch with your son, go to the gym for a workout twice a week. Break gigantic projects into day-sized tasks. They are much easier to accomplish this way.

Pericles is known for the quote: What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. He knew the importance of people making a difference. People making a difference and who connect emotionally start with a simple smile, it…

Are you one that believes that creativity can be learned? I am among that group. Always on the lookout for awesome examples of the topics I write about. And always trying to keep an open mind. Today I will share the best example of learning creativity I have ever seen. — A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open. – Frank Zappa This is the example of Paul Smith and his typewriter art. And note that Paul is not any ordinary learner of creativity or art for that matter. You see, Paul has suffered from cerebral palsy for most of his life. Quite crippling for Paul. Here is an inspiring video that tells the story of Paul and his creativity. It is only 4 minutes and well worth your time.