Something Creative For Christmas

I've been really quite over the past few weeks, and I apologize for that. Now that it's a few days before Christmas, I've decided to shared some Christmas cheer. I'll be back in early 2007 with more on innovation and creativity.

I've received this story in multiple emails from multiple friends. I'm not sure who is the author, but I'm not taking credit for it. I'm posting it to bring some christmas cheer.

An Adventure With Grandma

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her world-famous cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus!" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous, cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten- dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out for recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough, and he didn't have a coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!

I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes," I replied shyly. "It's .... for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on the wrapping paper. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the tag tucked inside: $19.95.

He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

...Michael

http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Creative Leadership and Innovation

I know...it's been a while since my last post. Like most of you, I've found my self busy with the smaller things in life. However, I've continued to read articles and posts and find new programs that point to innovative thought. So, expect to see more posts again...and don't forget to let me know your opinions.

The Center for Creative Leadership recently surveyed the readers of it's e-newsletter "Leading Effectively" about the importance of innovation in the workplace. What caught my eye was that although 92% of those responding to the survey agreed that innovation was important to be successful as a leader, very few have actually done something to be innovative. Check out the full survey when you have time.

Respectfully,

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Is Creativity a Critical Skill that is Essesntial For Success

I just finished reviewing a recently published report that examined employers' views on the readiness of new applicants entering the US workforce from different levels of education. The report is based on an detailed survey of 431 human resource officials that was conducted in April and May 2006 by The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and the Society for Human Resource Management.

The report indicated that approximately 72 percent of incoming high school graduates are viewed as lacking basic English writing skills, including grammar and spelling, and were poor in written communications. The report also underlined the skills that will be important over the next few years. Nearly 75 percent of those surveyed ranked creativity as one of the top five applied skills that will grow in importance in the workplace.

Take some time to check out the report...and as always let me know what you really think.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Discovering Ideas About Creativity and Innovation

I just learned about a new blog focused on innovation and the workplace.Creativity Driving Innovation in Business is written by Sanjay Dalal. I'm looking forward to reading more of his posts over the next few months. Be sure to click over an read a few of his posts.

Respectfully,

Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

How Can Your Boss Restrict Creativity?

I recently ran across a news item on CNNMoney.com that identifies the top 1o sins of ineffective bosses. Here's the list...see if your boss, supervisor, manager does one of these sins.

Tries too hard to be everyone's friend
Micromanages
Ignores conflict
Arrogant
Wishy-washy
Impulsive
Unable to delegate
Impatient
Stubborn
Unprofessional

Don't forget to read the full article...

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

A Creative Choice When Purchasing a Car?

Last year I spent some time in Germany and France. I travelled in a wonderful blue Mercedes station wagon that was gas efficient and fun to drive. Yet, the car that stood out the most while in Europe was a colorful little two seater called the Smart Car. I was told by colleagues that I shouldn't rent a Smart Car, but get a sedan or station wagon. And yet I remember the day that I got a good look at this funny little car...I had just finished a small lunch at a Cafe in Paris...and it pulled up and parked around the corner. And it brought a smile to my face. I don't think I'd ever buy one...I still prefer my SUV...but I know people who would consider it in a heartbeat. And why not...it's cheap and efficient and everyone wants to look at it. So...need a smile today...take a look at the link above and see what the buzz is all about. And if you buy one...stop by and give me a ride.

Talk to you soon,

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Maverick Creativity!

William Taylor, co founder of Fast Company, and Polly LaBarre have written a new book, Mavericks at Work, that looks at the most creative minds in business today" To learn more you can download the Maverick Manifesto at their website.

What caught my eye, however, was William Taylors blog entry at Fast Company. He provides ten questions, which he calls the maverick challenge. These questions provide a template for a discussion on how you operate your business. I've listed two of the questions here, but I hope you will find time to check out his full list, the manifesto, or even purchase the book. But for now...here are two of his questions:

7. Why should great people join your organization?
10. Are you learning as fast as the world is changing?

I hope you find the information useful.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

The Creativity Guru

Roger von Oech, the creativity expert and author of "A Whack on the Side of the Head" has started a blog of his own. Check it out because it's bound to stimulate your thinking about work and about life in general. I'm looking forward to reading his posts.

Have fun with it,

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter

Creative Problem Solving - School Violence

Today is one of those days where I just don't feel like writing about creativity and innovation in the workplace. Today is one of those days where the trained social worker part of me becomes aware of everything. On Friday, a High School Principal here in Wisconsin died from gun wounds. It happened in a small, rural High School where everyone knows everyone. The alleged killer was a 15 year old freshman. This happens a day after the shootings at a school in Colorado...and a couple weeks since two teens and a young adult were arrested for planning to kill many students at yet another Wisconsin High School. It's time for creative thinking - for schools and parents to come together and find ways to end this. My prayers are for the families that were impacted by these actions. For now...I leave you with a couple resources:

Resources on Prevention of School Violence

How Parents Can Help Make Schools Safe

With Regards,

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Examining Social Intelligence

Sharon Jayson of USA Today wrote an interesting article on social intelligence and sociability. The article was focused on a new book by Daniel Goleman titled "Social Intelligence." Daniel Goleman is also the author of "Emotional Intelligence." He suggests that our brains are wired for social interactions and connectedness. Here is a highlight of that interview:

SJ: If someone is socially intelligent, how can it improve his or her life?

DG: The more socially intelligent you are, the happier and more robust and more enjoyable your relationships will be. At work, social intelligence defines people with leadership skills and who make the best team members. IQ and academic skills predict what class of job you can get and hold, but once you're in that job, those capacities disappear as predictors for whether you will be a star performer or a leader."

So, how socially intelligent area you? Read the full interview and then let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Creativity, Blogs, and Making Money

Blogging for Bucks is a facinating article about blogging and making money. It appears that some people are successful with it, but it does take focused effort, wise decisions, and a lot of creativity. Read this Business 2.0 article and decide for yourself.

Respectfully,

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Keeping Innovation Alive In Larger Firms

I work with small to midsize businesses. Many of them have very entreprenurial attitudes. And I tend to find infomation that works well with the people and culture of those organizations. Today I want to highlight an article written by Jeffrey Phillips on his "Innovate on Purpose Blog." He hightlights five approaches that work best for larger organizations. One of the ideas that he descibes is having a Center of Excellence in Innovation. So, find some time today to read the article. I would love to hear what you think about it.

Respectfully,

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

All Great Ideas Start With A Cup Of Coffee

I just finished reviewing all of my blog feeds and discovered a list of ways to generate new ideas...with a twist. I read a recent posting from Scott Baradell on the Marketing Profs blog. He shared an experience where an ad agency sent him a coffee cup that listed 101 ways to come up with a great idea. The last idea was to contact the ad agency. And the rest...well humor is in full display here. Here are my favorite ideas from the list (with my commentary):

1. Call mom, she can fix anything.
Yes, call my mom and she will have more ideas for you than anyone else.

2. Call a psychic hotline, laugh at their predictions.
I and a group of friends once went to a tarot card reader in Houston Texas. She wasn't accurate in her predictions. Maybe the psychic hotline will work better.

3. Go for a walk in the rain.
I hiked in the rain during my 11 days in the mountains of New Mexico. I had time to think about many things...including how to stay warm and dry. But my preference is still to take a longer walk on a snowy evening. It's quiet, beautiful, and inspiring.

4. Take Spot for a walk.
No dogs here. And my cats don't like to walk. So, I'm thinking about getting some type of lizard to walk with me.

5. Find the solution in the clouds.
Imagination lives in those that find things in the puffy white clouds.

Have some fun and read the article...and then let me know what you really do to create new ideas.

Respectfuly....

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Innovation and Web (word) Processing

Google continues to work its magic by creating new ways for users to interact and get business completed. They've just announced a method where you will be able to brand gmail and other google products to use with your own domain. Sounds interesting. I love that more applications are being developed to use over the web...makes life easier. I'm also reviewing another site...one that I think has lots of potential. You need to look at ZOHO...free web applications that cover a lot of ground. Microsoft is working on its web-based word processor and other applications...well I think that Zoho is a quiet challenger. Check it out when you have time. I love the word processor and the CRM.

Respectfully,

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Creativity, Music, and Treadmills!!!

I have to join the bandwagon (maybe even circle it) and suggest you look at the video produced by the band Ok Go. You probably heard about it...they sing their entire song while running on multiple treadmills...incredible to watch and it's been a PR success for this band. Just click above and enjoy.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Innovation Survey

I just finished reading a survey on corporate innovation published by the Boston Consulting Group. The information in the survey suggested that many of the executives interviewed (roughly 72%) thought that innovation was one of the top priorities for 2006 and planned to invest in it. But almost half of them also pointed out that they were unsatisfied with the ROI made on innovation. The editors of the survey pointed out a few of the difficulties that occur when trying to improve innovation...

• development times were longer than expected
• lack of coordination within the company itself
• not enough research/insight on the customer
• difficulties forming the right ideas or the shortage of ideas
• a risk adversive corporate culture.

Read the survey for yourself and let me know what you really think.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Creativity and The Brain

Interesting article in the USA Today 8/27/06 on how the human brain works, especially in the area of creativity. The article is an interview with Neuroscientist Nancy Andreasen. She provides a few examples on how to give your mind a workout and build a more creative mind. For example she suggests:

• "Explore an unfamiliar area of knowledge. For example, people who use a lot of math on the job should sign up for a painting class.
• Spend time each day thinking. Don't censor your thoughts, but allow your mind to go freely to a problem and see what kinds of solutions or ideas surface.
• Practice the art of paying attention. Look for and really observe a person, an object or something in your daily commute that you hadn't really noticed before. Try describing or drawing that object in a journal or sketchbook.
• Use your imagination. Spend time each day imagining a different world. What would it look like? What would you do there?"

Don't forget to read the rest of the article and learn more about creativity and the mind.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

A PDF On Innovation

It's amazing how much information is written in a two and a half week period. I recently returned from my backpacking trip to find a lot of information on innovation...so I hope you enjoy my recommnedations over the next few weeks.

First, you need to be aware of a new ebook on the subject of innovation in the corporate world. It appears that at the moment you can get it in PDF, but by the end of the year it will only be available for purchase in hardcover. It's a facinating look at the strategies and methods necessary to make innovation happen on a reqular basis. I strongly recommend that you get a copy and let me know what you think about the book.

Michael T. Bauer
President/CCO
Innovative Business Resources, LLC
http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Leadership meets Squidoo

This will be my last post for a couple of weeks. I'm leaving on Saturday to spend two weeks at the Philmont Scout Ranch with my son and his boyscout troop. My backpack is prepared, my hiking books are worn-in, and my mind is ready for anything.

I have a lot of new things to share with you. A great new PDF on innovation, a couple artices about innovation...many great things to share, but not today. Today, I want to leave you with this message, "Please check out my pages at Squidoo."

http://www.squidoo.com/creativeleading (is the starting point)

Talk to you again on August 22,

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Mood @ Work

In recent article in the July 26th issue of Knowledge @ Wharton, Wharton Management Professor Nancy Rothbard and Ohio State Professor Steffanie Wilk write about the impact of mood on work performance. It seems like common sense that the mood one brings to work will have an effect on their work performance as well as the performance of others around them. However, most research has focused on work- family conflicts, and very few have looked at the effect of mood.

As a clinical social worker by training...I've always been interested on the impact of mood and attitude in the workplace. I see it all the time...whenever I walk into a company or talk to people about where they work. There is always a discussion about the people that come to work in very positive moods and those who always seem to arrive with a negative mood. The article points out that both positive and negative moods have an impact...but positive moods are more potent. They also suggest that it's the moods you bring to work that have a stronger effect on work performance rather than mood changes caused by events at work.

To quote the article:

"One of our findings shows that the mood people bring with them at the very start of the workday influenced employee mood more powerfully and consistently than any other variable," Rothbard and Wilk write. "We also found that for the most part, as expected, customer mood influenced employee mood. Interestingly, negative customer interactions only affected less experienced workers. Last, we show that daily mood at work can influence important work outcomes."

And...

"What I think is really interesting about these findings is that the positive mood that you bring to work is very strong," Rothbard says. "People actually do a pretty good job of walling off the negatives. What's interesting for organizations to understand is that what people bring with them to work is not all bad for the organization, and in fact can be quite positive."

So, start your day off with a positive mood and it will carry over.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Your Company's Brain Drain

"And even though surveys show that 70% to 80% of executives at big companies are concerned about the coming brain drain, fewer than 20% have begun to do anything about it. Even within that small forward-looking cadre, many seem to be counting mainly on enticing older workers to stay longer than they have to, or to "consult" after they retire."

Fortune Magazine put together an interesting article on the pending brain drain within Corporate America. The quote from the article tends to say it all. I've said for the past few years that we are doing a terrible job at planning...specifically at succession planning. There are companies that "get it" and are working on the transfer of knowledge, but many aren't even trying.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Drinking, Drug Use, and Lost Productivity

Did you read the USA Today's lead artice on families and addiction to alcohol or drugs. USA Today's poll discovered that 1 in 5 adults have a close relative that was or is addicted to alcohol or drugs. I don't find this particularly shocking because for the past 15 or so years I've worked with hundreds of alchol and drug addicted individuals. I've worked with individuals addicted to alcohol, cocaine, heroine, pain medications, and to many other things. The USA Today poll also found out that US Women bear the brunt of the problems caused by relatives alcohol or drug abuse. They have to take care of the children, find additional employment, and keep things together. This makes sense to me, but don't forget that there are women who are also addicted and the cost is just as staggering, especially when mothers aren't available because they are too busy using.

Now...where the article ends is where I will make my final comments. The article doesn't specifically address the numbers of addicted individuals in the workplace...but if 1 out 5 adults have a close relative that is or was addicted...then we can make some generalizations that many of them were or are in the workplace. I've worked with the executives, managers, sales representatives and the consultants who had problems with alcohol and drugs...not to mention depression, anxiety, and a host of other issues. It takes away the ability to be creative and productive in any career. It remains a health and safety issue for all employers, for all organizations, and for all families.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

Innovation Killers

I just finished reading through a list of "Innovation Killers" written by Sue McPhail and posted at Innovate Daily. What I love about Sue's writing is that it is freshingly simple and straightforward. She has lots of twists and angles to her thinking and it pushed me to expand my view.

Here is one of her Ten Innovation Killers...and one of my favorites:

The "worldwide shortage of ideas"Fearful that they'll never have another idea as good as this one, many people keep their idea to themselves for fear that it will be stolen and they won't receive acknowledgement. The truth is, the more ideas you have, the more ideas you'll have. You've got to prime the pump and leave the faucet on."

I've seen happen so many times in different companies that I've worked for. Great people with great ideas get stopped in their tracks and decide not share them anymore. It happens and it comes back to having good management in place to welcome and recognize good ideas.

...Michael

Michael T. Bauer, MSW is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Innovative Business Resources, LLC, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping organizations align their leadership and culture with their business strategy.

Michael is the publisher of the Creative Edge Newsletter.

A Corporate Mission Statement

I read a very interesting article this morning in the USA Today. It was an interview with Robert Nardelli, CEO of Home Depot. He became the CEO of Home Depot in 2000, after having a successful career with GE Powersystems. The article provided a glimpse of the philosophy being developed at Home Depot. One of the paragraphs focused on their new mission statement "Improve Everything You Touch." I've seen many mission statements but this one is great. Simple and to the point. It connected with me as I suspect it does with everyone employed at Home Depot. If only other companies could find ways to create mission statements that are easy to remember and simply states what they want to do.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Healthcare and Innovation

It's about time that I post something new. I returned from my camping trip all refreshed and ready to work on new projects. Then I came across an article that just caught me...because I've worked within the healthcare system for so long. The article was a question and answer column by Harvard Business Review. They interveiwed HBS Professor Michael E Porter on his research and his new book "Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results."

Professor Porter stated:

"One of the central themes of our book is that the way to drive down costs in healthcare is to drive up quality. That is the dynamic we have to harness. And in order to drive up quality, there is only one way that will work: We have to measure results. And in order to use results to drive quality, we have to create competition on results at the medical-condition level."

And in respect to universal healthcare, he said:

"We have to get them insured. Universal insurance is not simply fair; it is also the only way to truly achieve a high value system. The United States already provides emergency and acute care for the uninsured, but we go about it in the worst way imaginable. We avoid the most cost effective spending, which is in primary care and preventative care. We treat the uninsured only after they get sick, and in expensive settings, and we already pay for this. This is paid for with cross subsidies and charity."

If there was ever a business that needed true innovation, it is healthcare. Take a look at the article and let me know what you think. This is a debate that needs solutions...very good solutions.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Camping, Hiking, and an Inspirational Poem

Well, I thought I needed to write one more post before taking off on a short vacation..four days of camping with some very good friends. We will have a great time even if it rains - and it usually does rain.

It will also give me an opportunity to hike longer steeper hills. In less than a month my son and I will be heading to New Mexico for 10 days of hiking in the mountains. I've been training for about a week...hiking with a backpack on for over an hour per day.

I thought I'd leave you with a short poem that I discovered a few months ago.

I WILL DO MORE
I am only one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
And what I can do, I ought to do.
And what I ought to do, by the grace of God, I will do.
I will do more than belong...I will participate.
I will do more than care...I will help.
I will do more than believe...I will practice.
I will do more than be fair...I will be kind.
I will do more than dream...I will work.
I will do more than teach...I will inspire.
I will do more than earn...I will enrich.
I will do more than give...I will serve.
I will do more than live...I will grow.
I will do more than talk...I will act.

I will be more than good...I will be good for something.

-Anonymous

Michael T. Bauer

http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Accidents and Innovation???

Did you have time to read the newest HBR Working Knowledge article. It's titled " The Accidental Innovator" and it highlights a recent paper authored by Robert Austin and Lee Devin. They explore the concept of accidental innovation. As you would suspect, many discoveries and inventions were connected to an accident of some type, such as breakage or spillage of something important. This unintended action led to some surprising outcomes.

The article includes examples of items that were developed in part as a result of an accident. They include: cellophane, cornflakes, dynamite, the ice cream soda, Ivory soap, NutraSweet, penicillin, photography, and the small pox vaccine. The list is larger...but this still gives you a great perspective.

In review, it seems that sometimes the unexpected (accidents) can lead to great outcomes, while other times highly controlled, scientific approaches are just as successful. Therefore, the process of developing new innovations is important to understand. If you strongly believe in a scientific process then you will design a discovery method based on that. However, if you believe that the unexpected can influence design, then you might want to build into your innovation process a way to create an "accident" and explore the outcomes.

Take a look at this facinating article when you have time.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Seven Ideas To Boost Innovation

Here's another seven ideas to help transform your organization into one that is more creative and innovative. This one comes from John Winsors blog...so be sure to check it out...it has some wonderful points and it's based on an interview with a CEO that is known for his creative thinking. The seven ideas are:

Focus On The Work
Be Honest
Remove Barriers
Develop a Broad Corporate Vision
Co-Create With Your Competitors
Spend Time With Your Teammates
Live Your Products

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Nine Rules Of Innovation

There was a facinating posting over at Innovation Tools Blog that highlighted Google's Nine Principles of Innovation. The discussion itself was based on an online video in which Marissa Meyer, VP at Google, defines the principles they work from. Consider your organization's rules of innovation...do they compare to those at Google. Here's their list, with additional comments from me:

1. Ideas come from everywhere
I couldn't agree more with this statement yet we seem to lock ourselves into patterns that suggest otherwise. We need to stay open to new ideas.

2. Cheer everything you can
We all strive for more when we are recognized. Be a great cheerleader for your team and watch them react positively.

3. You're brilliant, we're hiring
There are many brilliant individuals in the world, but we have to be wiling to look in all areas. I see to many organizations that have a very narrow view and miss out on exciting people with incredible potential.

4. A license to pursue dreams
My personal favorite on this list. Work for me and you have a license to pursue your dreams.

5. Innovation, not instant perfection
I use three words to describe my work...creativity, innovation, and transformation. Instant perfection isn't included.

6. Data is apolitical
Nothing more to say here.

7. Creativity loves constraints
I always need to know where the limits are...as long as they are appropriate limits.

8. It's users, not money
The customer comes first, then the profits. Employees also need to come before profits.

9. Don't kill projects, morph them
Do you want to see transformation in action. Then don't kill a project, let it grow into something worthwhile.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

A July 4th Parade...Time To Bring Out The Streamers

I went to our local July 4th Parade in Menomonee Falls, but here it
occurs on the evening of July 3rd. I consider myself a patriotic type of
person. I support the work of our troops...even had an opportunity to
work with them. And I love our Country. But I didn't enjoy this parade.
The first 15 minutes was focused on recognizing our Veterans...and
then it became one big advertising opportunity. The MF Optimist
Club sponsors the parade and they are a wonderful group. But this
parade had 14 politicians waving, saying hello, and handing out flyers.
There are a number of significant political races developing in
Wisconsin...Governor, Attorney General, Local District Attorney,
Local County Sheriff. But I didn't come to a parade to have contact
with politicians seeking office. I would have been fine if a couple local
leaders were involved, but there were too many "hopeful" candidates
and their teams trying to gain "my" vote. Then there were the
numerous entries that just mounted to a giant advertisement for
windows, dance companies, vacation bible school, and environmental
friendly "stuff." There weren't enough bands...where were the
bagpipe players, where were other things that could represent the
holiday. I remember the parade when I was maybe 12 years old...the
village had a bike decorating contest and my younger brother won a
prize. Everyone that had a decorated bike could ride in the parade.
And where were the flags...we use to have someone handing out
flags...yes it gets expensive...but it means something to hold onto the
American Flag during the parade. Maybe....I miss the parades when I
was younger...in rural Wisconsin...10-12 tractors were the normal
amount...followed by the tractor pull and a huge softball tournament.

Oh well...maybe next year we'll be more creative...and more
respectful of the holiday. Or maybe next year I will decorate my old
10 speed Schwinn with red, white, and blue streamers and ribbons
and enter the parade.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Games Develop Creative Thinking Skills

It shocked me to read the other day that many school districts around the country are banning games during recess. The article in the USA Today stated that schools are banning touch football, soccer, dodgeball, and recently TAG. The concern...that children may get hurt playing games that aren't supervised as they would be in a physical education class. I wonder if there are bans on musical chairs or duck duck goose? How about the monkey bars that I climbed on when I was a kid...even sprained an ankle one time...I suppose they aren't allowed. Maybe we should just tell children that they can't play...only study. My question is what happend to allowing kids to just play. Sure, sometimes they get bruises or maybe a cut, but there are too many benefits. Play leads to creativity, to socialization, to problem solving. In the long run...this is not a wise decision.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Creative and Fun Advertising

I love finding creative advertising. Take a look at this advertising for Bloom, a bakery retailer. Now if only we could harness some of that creativity for other aspects of business development.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

My Prayer's Go Out to Sedona

Hey...this is my first day back from a week's vacation in Sedona, Arizona. Fantastic trip...but also a very sad trip. If you've been watching the news...you may have heard about the brush fire in the hills above Sedona...Brin's Fire. It started on the first full day in Sedona...and never stopped. Sometimes we could smell the smoke late at night or early in the morning...and most nights we could see fire burning high above. The last count I heard was roughly 700 firemen and women were there to fight this one...and numerous helicopters and airplanes. Even a couple teams of Hot Shots were there...they are the experts at putting out wilderness fires. I talked to quite a few people that were evacuated and scared that they would lose their homes. It's hard to imagine fires of this size, especially if you live in Wisconsin where we get lots of rain and snow. We have our own potential problems such as tornados and floods...but it's rare for us to have a serious fire. When we left Arizona, there were five or six of them...including a larger one on the north side of the Grand Canyon.

And so it went...that I spent my week playing...flying in a balloon over the state park, riding in a train through the red rock valleys, bouncing in a hummer that took me deep into areas I wouldn't have ever seen, taking a trip to one of the seven wonders of the world...the Grand Canyon, shopping, eating great Mexican food, and having my daily afternoon swim.

And yet the fire continued to burn.

So, I would like to say to the people of Sedona area and to all the firefighters involved...that my prayers are that all of you remain safe and that the fire is brought under control in a very short time.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Entrepreneurial Cities

I am spending the next week in warm Sedona, Arizona...a little rest and relaxation. I thought I'd leave an extra post this week. It's less about creativity and more about what cities are entrepreneurial "hotspots." INC Magazine gathered the data for this annual issue. They discovered that big cities are in idle...while smaller cities are really pushing the envelop.

I took time to look up the rankings for the major cities in Wisconsin and here are the results: Madison was ranked 27th on in the Medium Size Cities category...and Milwaukee was ranked 52nd in the Large Cities category. Overall, Madison was ranked 122 and Milwaukee came in at 303. Madison is doing well in this category thanks to stem cell research and the increase in biotech industry. Milwaukee is working hard to be a hub for research too.

Oh...and how about Sedona Arizona...It's not listed. But Yuma Arizona is ranked number 1 overall and Phoenix is ranked number 6 overall. Well done.

How does your city rank?

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Hiring Your Next Person

A recent poll, highlighted in the USA Today, caught my eye. If you missed the poll, it summarized results of a survey completed by the recruiting firm, MRI Network. The poll asked for "the number of interviews you had within one company before a decision was made." 31% of roughly 900 people said two interviews and 37% said three interviews. Over 20% indicated 4 or more interviews. Now, I think it is simply a waste of time to have four or more interviews for one position. It's important to develop an interviewing system that allows the interviewer to receive the most information in the shortest period of time. There are ways to simplify the interview process and interview only those candidates that are truly compatible. In addition, a strong pre-hire assessment process will provide more than enough intomation to help solidify the decision.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Innovation and Licensing

I was recently reading a blog post by Jeffrey Phillips regarding the need to give people a license to innovate. His thesis was this idea that organizations don't do enough to educate, train, and give permission to innovate. He makes the argument that training people to be more innovative should cover a few dimensions:

• how does it align with the corporate strategy
• what processes do you follow for sustainable innovation
• how do you work within the existing culture to change the culture and become more innovative.

I remember facilitating a training on creative leadership where the discussion focused on creativity in the workplace. Someone in the audience commented that everyone is creative and then gave examples. But as we broke down those specific areas, it became clear that they were great at solving smaller problems, but they weren't innovative. It's much tougher to be innovative...to take risks and try new things.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Looking to the Future

I was reading a few of my favorite blogs, one of them being Jim Carroll's blog. He is a futurist and innovation expert. I love reading about his views on the world of innovation. What caught my eye this time was that he gave a presentation in Racine, WI. Racine is about 30 minutes south of my home and I spent two years working there. I wish I would have known about his trip...maybe I could have heard him speak. Oh well...maybe next time. Anyway, check out what he had to say about innovation.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

A Rockie Road To Success

On Wednesday I was reading the USA Today and the lead article on the front page focused on the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball. The Rockies have stuggled for the past few years, but it seems that they have a renewed swagger...a positive attitude, a renewed character....based on an adopted Christian code of conduct. They are attempting to develop a culture that is based on fellowship and prayer. The article goes on to say that not everyone around the league is impressed or supportive. Trying something new is always difficult, and when it is faith-based it's even harder. The idea of re-building the team by focusing on Christianity and character development is something that should be supported as long as the code of conduct doesn't force those players of other faiths to take part in Christian fellowship. It's good to see that there are owners and managers in Colorado that are willing to think creatively, to think outside of the normal ways of doing business. Will they be successful...let's watch and find out.

In the meantime, I will pray that my team, the Milwaukee Brewers, continue to find ways to win.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Creative Press Releases

Ok...today I am writing on something that is clearly not an area of expertise...the Press Release. Now, you may be asking yourselves why is Michael talking about Press Releases...because we've all used press releases with some benefits to our businesses. The format of the press release hasn't changed in years, but now someone has offered up a new, creative version of a press release that meets the ideas of Web 2.0. Take a look at the article at Pr-Squared. Todd Defren highlights the benefits of the new press release format, gives an example, and provides a PDF template to download. He calls it the social media press release and it includes links to websites and other important facts to help the media track down the correct information. I've downloaded it and have decided to play with it for a while...with minor changes. I think there's potential in this idea, especially when the media outlets discover it. That's a creative idea!!!!

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Creativity, Leadership and War

Creativity can be found in many places...including here in the US at BzzAgent and also with our soldiers in Iraq. I thought you would be interested in a book that I recently read - before it was officially released. First some background. I volunteer time with BzzAgent, which is a very creative marketing agency that helps launch products through word of mouth or the "Bzz." I have the opportunity to test products and tell others about them, especially if I like the product. Well, one of the items I received through BzzAgent is the book "Chasing Ghosts," written by Army Infantry Platoon leader, Paul Rieckhoff, whose platoon was active in the early stages of the war in Iraq. His platoon was active when popular believe was that there were Weapons of Mass Destruction and we needed to find them. The book is easy to read, but has some real unique insights into the thoughts and actions of our troops. It highlights the critical thinking and problem solving used to find creative solutions in the midst of very difficult situations. I was pulled into the book and finished reading it within two days. Now my son is reading it. You can find out more about the book at http://www.chasingghostsbook.com.

OR you can sign up for my enewsletter before June 15 and enter into the June book giveaway. It is you chance to win a copy of "Chasing Ghosts." You can sign up for the enewsletter by clicking HERE.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Great Leaders Embrace Imagination

I was reading through a variety of blogs the other day and came across this description of a great leader written by Oren Harari. What rang true for me was the idea, the thought that a great leader embraces imagination and fosters innovation. He says:

"Great leaders embrace imagination. They foster innovation. If they themselves donÂ’t possess those attributes, they surround themselves with people who do. They exude impatient with the status quo. They understand that doing the same-old, same-old is a recipe for decline. Their message to the troops is-- challenge conventional wisdom and break new ground. Do it with economic logic and operational discipline, yes, but do it with creativity." - Oren Harari

I love the description. I hope you also find something useful in it.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Innovation as a Business Trend

I've been thinking about this for the past six months, but it took Anne Swift's post at the Innovators Hub to push me to write about it. She took a brief look at the current trend of using innovation in the branding efforts of a business. She highlights how some companies have used the slogan or variations of it in their branding efforts and she suggests that there is a real question about what is innovation. To quote her, "I do believe that innovation is the way to productivity and the solution to many of the world's problems. I do not, however, believe that teaching teams how to brainstorm solutions is going to be the saving grace."

Her post really forced me to look at my business. For the past four years my "tagline" has been "Unlocking the Creative Potential in Individuals and Organizations." In addition, I use a series of buzz words for my business...Creativity...Innovation...Transformation. All of them fit well together because I believe that business are successful when they develop talented people who can tap into a wealth of creative energy. It's out of this creative energy that true innovations are developed and these innovations will transform individuals and communities.

I will continue to use my tagline and my three linked words...because I believe that you need to develop the talent within any company...develop the ability to be creative, but also have the ability to take that skill and make it into something exciting.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Creative Failure?

I recently reviewed an article in CMO Magazine that highlighted the results of a study of 109 successful business owners. The study found that many of these successful business owners had failed in other attempts to build businesses. It seems that creativity is just that...the means to develop many ideas and push to be successful, but with an understanding that there might be failure.

The article highlights a story about Steve Jobs of Apple fame. We all know about Apple. Both my wife and son have iPods. But here is the story highlighted in CMO Magazine...a story I've read before and still like its message.

Jobs told Stanford graduates how valuable he'd found it to be canned by his own company. "I didn't see it then," he explained, "but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life."

So here's to being creative.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

This hurts my brain...or is it called a cranium.

USA TODAY had a wonderful article in their Money Section about the company Cranium. If you haven't played the game, you should take some time and try it. But watch out...you may not stop laughing. What caught my attention in the article was the steps the company takes to keep its creative workforce. Here are just a few of them:

• They hand out 10 free games to every employee (to give to their families or friends) and five additional free games for them to give to charity.

• They keep all corner offices at the company's headquarters open for the entire company staff — so that everyone at any time can walk in for inspiration and a great view of the city of Seattle.

• The main office workspace was designed in the look, shape and even the bright colors of the original Cranium board game.

• Employees can create their own job titles — so long as the titles reflect what each employee actually does.

What do you do to keep your employees happy?

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Innovation by the Millions

I know that I've been quiet over the past week or so. There were many things to do and only a limited time to accomplish them. So I had to take a short break from blogging. But, that doesn't mean I forgot. Did you read the article in Business Week about innovation. "How the Masses Will Innovate" stresses the importance of creativity and predicts where innovation will come from. Because of technological advances, kids will modify how they attend school...even how they learn. There will be millions of people using simple programs to creative art and music and many other wonderful things. All I really need to do is watch my own son and his abilities on the computer to understand how our quickly our teenagers are adapting to new technology and transforming how it's utilized.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

An Innovative Washing Machine?

I just finished reading a facinating case study in Business Week. It tells the story about innovation at Whirlpool...you know the washing machine people. The article describes their innovation initiative- their successes, mistakes, and the future of innovation at Whirlpool. The article is worth the time to read because it gives some insight as to how creativity and innovation is nurtured at a very large corporation. The trick is to find ways to bring it down to small to midsize businesses too.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

A Spiritual Cleansing

It is simply amazing when and where one finds moments of creative energy. This evening I spent time at a Catholic Lenten Mission in my hometown with my family. It was a time to open my heart and explore this time of the year. The presenter, Jeanne Cotter, was outstanding at mixing stories, theology, and her music. The evening was focused on many important themes, but what stood out for me was the importance of letting go of hurts. Hurts refers to feelings that keep us blocked from doing our best work. As a therapist, I call these patterns nonrational behaviors. It was good to be reminded in a spiritual context that these nonrational behaviors also prevent someone from seeking a closer relationship with GOD. It gave me the opportunity to question some of my behaviors and ask myself, "how do these behaviors keep me from really being creative? Do they limit me in anyway?" A very important exercise for all of us to go through.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Difficulties of Acquiring Talented Employees

I recently read an interesting report developed by the HR consulting firm Hewitt Associates. Hewitt Associates surveyed senior HR professionals at over 130 firms how they believe current developments will affect the workplace. These developments included economic and technological developments, as well as demographics and other areas.

Their findings suggest that HR professionals need to search for creative approaches to acquiring talent in order to really stay ahead of their competition. One of the findings suggested that 60% of the companies in the survey were experiencing significant difficulties in recuitment from traditional employement sources. And almost all of those surveyed stated that they believe the problems will get worse.

So it appears that one solution to this "talent acquisition" problem is to identify and develop the talents that are already within organizations.

You can read more by downloading the report HERE.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Innovation Tools

John Winsor recently published in his blog an interesting list of ideas to create innovative environments within the workplace. It deserved to be referenced and reviewed by others. Here is a summary of the points he makes.

• Create SWAT Teams and insulate them from the daily grind and demands of the business.
• Team chemistry is so very important so bring together a group of personalities that can work together, not compete against one another.
• Constantly experiment with the teams that you develop. It makes sense to create teams that fit the situation. Bring together different people until you find the one that pushes the envelope.
• Search for balance between structure and creativity. It's important to remain flexible, changing patterns to keep people energized and focused, but there also needs to be some structure and order.
  

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

It's TIME to find a creative lawyer!

I spend time every week searching for information, thoughts, whitepapers, anything about creativity and innovation within the workplace, with leaders, and in developing new products. Once in while I come across something that makes me laugh and take notice. I want to tell you about this one. If you have a friend who is a lawyer...then this will be the perfect gift. Now, please don't throw tomatoes at me for posting something humorous about the legal profession. If you want the perfect gift, you need to go to the Billable Hour and purchase a watch or clock. What's different...the watch is divided so you can determine your billable hours. And the watches and clocks are designed by a lawyer. By the way, don't forget to sign up for their newsletter...the Timesheet! Fun!!!

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Dumbest Moments In Business 2005

Business 2.0 has published its list of the dumbest moments in business in 2005. I took a few minutes to read through many of the items...and laughed hard at a few of them. We look for organizations to be creative because with creativity comes new product designs, improved operations, and ultimately more profits. But sometimes we find mistakes too. Here are two of my favorites on the list...

In July 2005, the founder of a physicians' answering service in N.Y., was charged with computer tampering. It seems that he was able to hack into a competitors system. Patients trying to reach their doctors were greeted with busy signals or the sounds of sexual moaning. Want to read the posting...it's #11 on the list.

Or how about #68...a turnaround specialist has to leave because of his own policies. It seems that the CEO of Boeing, brought out of retirement to help return a sense of ethics and values back to the company, is forced to resign because of allegations of an affair with a female employee. The CEO had violated a code of conduct that all employees were required to sign. It appears that the code of conduct was designed because the prior CEO was accused of having affairs with female employees too. You can read more about this and more at Business 2.0.

Who will be creatively dumb in 2006? I can't wait to find out.

Michael Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Change This if you want to be more creative.

I've become a huge fan of the writing style and quirks of marketing expert Seth Godin because he forces me to examine my world from multiple angles. He has the ability to challenge current thoughts and suggest new perspectives. I've read all of his books. Now that is dedication. Plus I continue to follow some of the work he's involved in.

One of my favorites is the website Change This. Godin helped start it and now it has a life of its own. I love the manifestos that are available at this site. The are written by very creative authors who know how to challenge assumptions, beliefs, and attitudes about life. These manifestos are just fun to read. For example, check out the "Escape Adulthood" manifesto. It is written by Jason Kotecki who says "Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them." I ran across his work, decided to download his manifesto and then went and looked at his website...there is something really "cool" about being a child in an adult body. Check out his work at kimandjason.com.

Michael Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Creating Innovation Part 3

This is the final post in the Creating Innovation Series. I have a few more points that Sutton wrote about in his book, "Weird Ideas That Work." His book explores how to promote and sustain innovation. So, here are the remaining ideas:

• Reward success and failure, and punish inaction.
• Decide to do something that will probably fail, then convince yourself and everyone else that success is certain.
• Think of some ridiculous things to do, then plan to do them.
• Avoid, distract, and bore customers, critics, and anyone who just wants to talk about money.
• Don't try to learn anything from people who say they have solved the problems you face.
• Forget the past, especially your companies successes.

Now you have the blueprint to developing an innovative environment. Grab the book and learn more about the details.

Michael Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Be My Valentine!

It's late on Monday, the night before Valentine's Day, and I'm sitting here thinking about how I will show my love for my wife and son. But I realize that there are many other people that I need to show my love for. So, let me pass on this small bit of wisdom...

I would like you to take time to think of every one you love, not just the person you may be intimately involved with. Those you love, also love you. You don't need to send them a dozen roses or diamonds and jewels because all they really need is simpler things in life. You can choose to be creative and honor them in many ways:

• Leave that unexpected "I miss talking with you" voicemail.
  
• Choose to wear something they gave you for Christmas.
• Keep a promise you made to them.
• Just hug them. This is one of my personal favorites!!!
  
• Do something for them that they hate to do themselves. Clean the dishes, do the wash, clean the bathroom...Do it without complaint and only with love.
• Ask for their advice...because they have some great ideas.
  
• Make a date to spend more time with them..Andd then do it.
• Pick up the phone and call your dad, you mom, your sister or brother, son or daughter, your friends....
• Slow down. Be patient. Truly treasure the moment because you won't have another one just like it.
• Open the door for them. The car door or the house door...or any door when they have their hands full.
  
• Let them go in first or last. Whatever they want is the right thing.
  
• Smile at them and laugh with them. Enjoy being with them.
  
• Be silly with them..And play with them.
• Write a poem or sing a song to them. Maybe even write and sing a song to them.
  
• Read them a story, and tuck them in. I'm a green eggs and ham fan. How about you?
  
• Watch their tv shows or listen to their music...even if they are teenagers.
  
• Write some words of love to them...something sweet always works.
  
• Say a prayer for them, and I will say one for you.
  
• Be happy...because more than anything they love to know you are happy too.
  
• ...and finally, don't expect anything in return. Just enjoy giving all day long and then, tomorrow, start doing it again.
  

And to my best friend.......Mary, I love you!!!

Happy Valentines Day!

Michael Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com/ote

Lessons About Innovation

Chuck Frey at Innovation Tools posed a great question to his readers..."What is the most important lessons learned regarding innovation, creativity, or brainstorming in 2005?" The answers are posted here at Innovation Tools.

I hope this stimulates some new ideas.

-Michael Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Creating Innovation - Part 2

I just finished reading Weird Ideas That Work by Robert Sutton. I thought I would post 1/2 of the ideas that the he suggests are important for sustaining innovation in an organization.

• Hire "slow learners" in respect to organizational conduct and code.
• Hire people you find uncomfortable or even people you don't like.
• Use job interviews to get ideas, not to screen candidates.
• Encourage people to ignore and defy superiors and peers.
• Find some happy people and get them to fight.

I know what your thinking, there is no way in the world you would want to do all of these things because they all have possible risks. To be an innovative organization, you need to be willing to experiment and take the risks. You need to have employees that have the permission to look at situations in many different ways. To quote Thomas Edison, " To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk." I love that quote! Let me know what you think of these ideas. I will post the second set sometime next week.

- Michael Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Business Books and Mindmaps

I am always looking for great ways to keep up on the current business related books. It can be a very difficult task. Well, I came across a very interesting way to read book summaries. There is a website where you can go and purchase business book summaries in mind map format. I wasn't sure what to think about this new idea, so I downloaded the free summary offered on the site and I must say I was impressed with the way the information was layed out. It took some getting use to, but I think it was a useful way to pass on the information. I liked it because I like to scan for useful information before digging deeper into a book. Check out the mindmap summaries.

-Michael Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Creating Innovation - Part 1

It's been a while since my last post...so I hope that you missed hearing from me. As I promised a few months ago...I would give a "shout-out" to the group at inbubblewrap every time I won a free book. Well...it's now the second time and the book I received is titled "Weird Ideas that Work" by Robert Sutton. I didn't know what to expect from the book, but now that I am 3/4 of the way through it I need time to reflect on the many ideas that it generated. One of Sutton's statements is that "Creative companies and teams are inefficient (and often annoying) places to work." His point seems to be that innovation grows in environments where there is freedom to try new things and be different. How is innovation embraced in your work environment? I would love to hear about your experiences.

Unbelievable Workplace Events 2005

It's been a while since my last post. Found myself very busy with the small stuff of life. That doesn't mean that there was nothing interesting to write about. I have a large list of things that caught my attention over the past few weeks. Let me start here - Challenger, Gray, and Christmas released their Most Unbelievable Workplace Events of 2005. My favorite is their review of a German company with a "Whine-Free Policy." The rule, it seems, is "two whines and your out." It appears that some workers have left and others have been fired for breaking the rule. I suggest that you take a minute or two and read about the other unbelievable events by opening this PDF.

So, my questions to you is this...What unbelievable policies have you come across in 2005? Leave a comment.