New and Improved Innovation Blog Site

Wrapped in Creative Warmth

 
Part of what motivates the New & Improved gang is seeing people become more able to create the lives they want using their creativity and if they have a desire to do so, make part of their lives about improving the world around them. When someone sees an unmet need (a challenge, in creative process language) and then applies their innovative brain to find a way to meet it, we are impressed. When they do it for the good of others, we are inspired. A great little story came in from our friends at Daily Good that we wanted to share:

Each time someone stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, ...he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. -- Robert F. Kennedy

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Good News of the Day:
A baby's small hands and dainty fingers have turned blue. Her body is shaking and she lets out a barely audible cry. Moved by stories like this, Jane Chen and her MBA classmates designed an innovative, low-cost baby wrap to prevent infant deaths caused by hypothermia, a common occurrence in developing countries. With the potential to reach millions of infants across the globe, Chen describes, "When we took the device and showed it to one mother, Sajatha, she started crying and said, 'Maybe if I had this, I could have a baby,' Hearing something like that, that we have the power to help people save lives, is incredible." http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=4533a
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Be The Change:
Learn more about the wrap:
http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=4533a

The Value of the Stretch Goal

"The stone age didn't end because we ran out of stones." It ended because someone figured out something better.  Did they have a "stretch goal" to develop an alternative to stone?  A quest to create the "bronze economy?"  Probably not.

Yet when a person, team, or organization is tasked with something that seems impossible for the right reasons, innovation can emerge.  This video tells that story well:

More at www.dreams.honda.com

FREE WEBINAR! Creative Strategic Planning: How to avoid the “same-as-last-year-plus-five-percent” strategic plan

April 21st at 17:30 GMT, 12:30pm Eastern, 11:30am Central, 9:30am Pacific

“Strategic Planning” are two words that strike fear in the hearts of many executives, especially when trying to intentionally bring innovation into the organization.   Help is on the way!  Find out how to blend creative thinking and innovation to the discipline of strategic planning in this one-hour FREE webinar.   

Click here to register

You’ll learn:

1. Why creative thinking is critical to strategic planning
2. Tools and techniques for creative strategic planning
3. A process framework for strategic planning for innovation
4. The upside and downside of “Strategic Plans”
5. Success stories and cautionary tales

Register for our webinar on Creative Strategic Planning, and learn new approaches and fresh perspectives on working alone, with your leadership team or with larger groups of stakeholders to generate and execute effective strategies to bring innovation into your organization on a deliberate basis. 

Click here to register

Newell Eaton, Partner at New & Improved, LLC, and former Director of Strategic Planning for New York State’s Office of Children and Family Services will share his expertise and experience with government, non-profit, and corporate clients.  Jonathan Vehar, also of New & Improved, LLC, will interview him and attempt to add comic relief.Click here to register

 

The Secret to Success

We preach the uncomfortable notion that innovation and success require failure.  Some call it "trial and error." We call it "try, err, and learn."  And this video sums it up quite nicely!

More at dreams.honda.com

 

 

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Learn How to Facilitate Idea Generation and Creative Process Sessions

May 10-12, 2011
Raleigh, NC

Dramatically increase your organization’s ability to create ongoing breakthroughs and confront problems before they become major issues.  During the program, you will lead Creative Problem Solving sessions that address your organizational challenges and receive personal coaching and feedback. 

The course will be a three-day face-to-face program (plus two pre-meeting webinars of no more than 1 hour).  During the course, you and your fellow participants will conduct a real facilitation session and get directed coaching and feedback.  You’ll learn from your successes and mistakes as well as those of others.