The capacity to let go ,is rare. Most humans seek security. But to stand still, is to risk even more. It is to risk being overtaken by change. It is to risk being “dragged, an unwilling victim, to be sacrificed at the altar of technology”.
Free fall is like bungee jumping. You let go without knowing definitely ,what will happen. Creative ideas are a kind of free fall. You generate ideas that have never been suggested or heard before. You risk the contempt of your peers, their jeers and laughter.
There is an old story about Christopher Columbus, the man who discovered America. When he returned, his friends said, “Anyone could have done it. You just kept sailing west till you found America. We too could have done it”. Columbus brought out an egg and said, “Make it stand up straight”. No one could do it. They said, “It can’t be done”. Columbus tapped the egg lightly on the table, so that it cracked slightly, to form a stable surface and then made it stand. Everyone said, “That is cheating. You can’t break the egg”. Columbus said, “Who said you can’t break the egg? You are imagining limitations and boundaries that are not there. Then you are saying it can’t be done. That is why you could not have discovered America”.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The Power of Beauty
Look into the purple heart of an amethyst. Register the colour in your heart and illumine every part of yourself with that colour.
Beauty has the power to open the secret doors of the human personality. You become relaxed, alert, comforted and nurtured. Your mind becomes fluid and flowing. All that is harsh and dissonant melts away. Thoughts bloom like flowers on a tender branch.
Immersing yourself in the grand silences of nature can help you to start the process of becoming more interestingly ‘YOU’. The ‘YOU’ God created. The ‘YOU’ who can become self actualized and peaceful.
Beauty has the power to open the secret doors of the human personality. You become relaxed, alert, comforted and nurtured. Your mind becomes fluid and flowing. All that is harsh and dissonant melts away. Thoughts bloom like flowers on a tender branch.
Immersing yourself in the grand silences of nature can help you to start the process of becoming more interestingly ‘YOU’. The ‘YOU’ God created. The ‘YOU’ who can become self actualized and peaceful.
Experiential Attribute Matching
Take an apple.Hold it in your hand . Experience it fully. Touch it, feel it, see it, hear it and taste it. Apply the experience that you have about it, to the problem at hand.
This method was used by a leading financial institution to solve their HR problem of how to attract and retain talent.
Seeing the apple, the sense of sight, made one from the group, think of the color of passion. This was used to come up with the idea that individuals who are passionate enough about an idea to take the initiative and risk, should be rewarded.
The sight of a rotten apple gave rise to the idea that negative elements should be identified and isolated.
The red and yellow colours of an apple reminded people about the sun and they said that HR Polices should be like the rising sun.
Touching the apple reminded them of the womb and they felt that HR should be as safe as the womb.
The smoothness of the apple led them to say that career progressions should be smooth with no awkward bumps. “Soft issues should be handled with a kind grandmother’s touch” said someone who remembered his first apple.
The smell of the apple drew attention to the need for a friendly, pleasant atmosphere.
The sounds while eating an apple made people feel the HR policy should be crisp. The place of work should be quiet, with pleasant sounds.
The taste of the apple led to the idea that HR policies should be easy to digest and understand.
You can use any word as a key to enter the domain of a problem in attribute matching. A metaphor enables you to study a problem by importing ideas from a totally different field ,for example, the field of war, the field of films or sports, etc.
Networking with people from a different field can help in the development of innovative ideas.
For example, a moped manufacturer was inspired by a high fashion saloon in Paris to bring style into his otherwise drab retail outlet. From being a poor man’s scooter, the moped became a romantic vehicle for two.
The great Russian eye surgeon, Federov introduced ideas from a factory assembly line into eye surgery. A circular table manned by 4 surgeons enabled the patient to be moved from one surgeon to the other, to complete the surgery in record time. Strict quality control was maintained by live video recordings which were monitored and carefully critiqued every evening.
This method was used by a leading financial institution to solve their HR problem of how to attract and retain talent.
Seeing the apple, the sense of sight, made one from the group, think of the color of passion. This was used to come up with the idea that individuals who are passionate enough about an idea to take the initiative and risk, should be rewarded.
The sight of a rotten apple gave rise to the idea that negative elements should be identified and isolated.
The red and yellow colours of an apple reminded people about the sun and they said that HR Polices should be like the rising sun.
Touching the apple reminded them of the womb and they felt that HR should be as safe as the womb.
The smoothness of the apple led them to say that career progressions should be smooth with no awkward bumps. “Soft issues should be handled with a kind grandmother’s touch” said someone who remembered his first apple.
The smell of the apple drew attention to the need for a friendly, pleasant atmosphere.
The sounds while eating an apple made people feel the HR policy should be crisp. The place of work should be quiet, with pleasant sounds.
The taste of the apple led to the idea that HR policies should be easy to digest and understand.
You can use any word as a key to enter the domain of a problem in attribute matching. A metaphor enables you to study a problem by importing ideas from a totally different field ,for example, the field of war, the field of films or sports, etc.
Networking with people from a different field can help in the development of innovative ideas.
For example, a moped manufacturer was inspired by a high fashion saloon in Paris to bring style into his otherwise drab retail outlet. From being a poor man’s scooter, the moped became a romantic vehicle for two.
The great Russian eye surgeon, Federov introduced ideas from a factory assembly line into eye surgery. A circular table manned by 4 surgeons enabled the patient to be moved from one surgeon to the other, to complete the surgery in record time. Strict quality control was maintained by live video recordings which were monitored and carefully critiqued every evening.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Using Life To Develop Creative Ideas
Life provides rich material to develop creative ideas. There is a story in the Bhagavatham about how Uddhava asks Krishna the question - "Who is a teacher?"
Krishna says, "Look at the sky. Far far away, you can see an eagle swift, strong and free. In a single instant, it can swoop down to earth and capture its prey. As far as vision and speed is concerned, that eagle is your guru.
See the lion in the forest. See how majestic is his gait. As far as grace is concerned, that lion is your guru.
Watch the sinuous serpent. He is not anxious about his prey. He waits and watches. That serpent will teach you confidence...
All of life is designed to teach you. Those who love you, teach you something. Those who hate you, teach you more!"
So sorrow and pain are sent into our lives for a reason, so that we can empathize with others. Life is the ultimate text book. Graduating from the university of life is the final goal.
Krishna says, "Look at the sky. Far far away, you can see an eagle swift, strong and free. In a single instant, it can swoop down to earth and capture its prey. As far as vision and speed is concerned, that eagle is your guru.
See the lion in the forest. See how majestic is his gait. As far as grace is concerned, that lion is your guru.
Watch the sinuous serpent. He is not anxious about his prey. He waits and watches. That serpent will teach you confidence...
All of life is designed to teach you. Those who love you, teach you something. Those who hate you, teach you more!"
So sorrow and pain are sent into our lives for a reason, so that we can empathize with others. Life is the ultimate text book. Graduating from the university of life is the final goal.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
INNOVATION - THE PATH TO SUCCESS
The World’s most successful companies have made innovation their mantra. A record of sorts was created when IBM listed 9th on the Fortune 500 list mentioned Innovation 45 times in its annual report. Hyundai had an annual theme - Innovation for Humanity. “Endless in Innovation” is their goal.
Transformation is what happens to a drop of water when touched by the magic of sunlight. It becomes rainbow. It is what happens to a seed when it starts the journey to become a mighty banyan tree. The banyan tree is not an improved seed, just as a butterfly is not an improved caterpillar or a rainbow an improved drop of water….. By definition, innovation takes interesting ideas and transforms them into usable solutions to business problems. The Goldman Sachs latest report on India describes India as a potentially “bigger growth story than China over the long run”.
CIA’s report on the year 2020 confirms that two countries will lead the nations of the world – The Indian elephant and the Chinese dragon. Most successful Indian companies believe that creativity and innovation provide the competitive edge required for growth and profitability. However , very few have clear policies and initiatives to make it happen. Understanding and harnessing innovation can be a challenge. This blog seeks to validate the strong link between certain innovative practices and bottom-line profit performance, product quality and employee satisfaction. It also seeks to identify the factors that differentiate a highly innovative company from others.
Transformation is what happens to a drop of water when touched by the magic of sunlight. It becomes rainbow. It is what happens to a seed when it starts the journey to become a mighty banyan tree. The banyan tree is not an improved seed, just as a butterfly is not an improved caterpillar or a rainbow an improved drop of water….. By definition, innovation takes interesting ideas and transforms them into usable solutions to business problems. The Goldman Sachs latest report on India describes India as a potentially “bigger growth story than China over the long run”.
CIA’s report on the year 2020 confirms that two countries will lead the nations of the world – The Indian elephant and the Chinese dragon. Most successful Indian companies believe that creativity and innovation provide the competitive edge required for growth and profitability. However , very few have clear policies and initiatives to make it happen. Understanding and harnessing innovation can be a challenge. This blog seeks to validate the strong link between certain innovative practices and bottom-line profit performance, product quality and employee satisfaction. It also seeks to identify the factors that differentiate a highly innovative company from others.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The Creative Flash
Socrates is said to describe poetry as a divine gift, 'gathered...... out of glens and gardens of the Muses and they bring them as the bees do honey, flying in like the bees.'Picasso is said to have seen the handlebars of a bicycle and created the thoroughly modern 'Bull' from the handlebars. Samuel Taylor Coleridge's fantastic, vivid poem Kubla Khan, was written after a fevered dream. But luck of course favours the prepared mind. In this case, Coleridge was a voracious reader. Kalidasa who was dumb from birth, broke into song , after a vision of Mother Kali. Whether it is Archimedes discovering the laws of displacement and screaming his 'Eureka' moment through the streets of Syracuse or Madame Curie discovering the iridescent gleam of radium in her cluttered garret laboratory, the moment seems to be a flash of inspiration. The idea of evolution floated into Darwin's mind as he read the essay on the Malthusian nightmare of over-population and over-crowding. Of course Newton and his apple or any of the others would never have reached that moment of seeming serendipity, if they had not preceded it by long hours of toil. A total obsession and long years of preparation of effort seem to stand silently behind that limelight moment of sheer magical discovery.
While in all cases inspiration seems to be the result, there is a process that sets the stage for that flash of serendipity to take place. Inspiration is rare. Hard work and systems thinking are more under our control.
'Innovate! 90 Days To Transform your Business' provides the blueprint for innovation on demand. Imagine a team that can produce creative alternatives like water from a tap...
While in all cases inspiration seems to be the result, there is a process that sets the stage for that flash of serendipity to take place. Inspiration is rare. Hard work and systems thinking are more under our control.
'Innovate! 90 Days To Transform your Business' provides the blueprint for innovation on demand. Imagine a team that can produce creative alternatives like water from a tap...
52 Mantras on Mindspower Innovation!!
1. Transformation is what happens to a drop of water when it is touched by the magic of sunlight. It becomes a rainbow. It is what happens to a seed when it starts the journey to become a mighty banyan tree. The banyan tree is not an improved seed, just as a butterfly is not an improved caterpillar, or a rainbow an improved drop of water. By definition, innovation is taking interesting ideas and transforming them into usable solutions to business problems.
2. The lack of resources forces us to innovate. Tough times help us adapt.
3. Tough times force you to think outside the box or even eliminate the box.
4. Everything changes – people, products, companies; men, materials, machines, methods, markets and money (6M).
5. Creativity is the spark and Innovation is the fire in the fireplace, which cooks and bakes.
6. Creativity involves four components – The Creative Person, The Creative Process, The Creative Product and the Creative Climate or Environment.
7. An environment replete with the positive emotions of love, peace, bravery and compassion provides a positive climate, which nurtures creativity.
8. Innovation should be part of everyone’s job description.
9. Vision and leadership are necessary to inspire a widespread commitment to innovation.
10. The lack of collaboration between departments stifles innovation.
11. Motivation of employees and innovation complement one another.
12. Team-work drives innovation.
13. The ability to thrive in an environment of rapid change is essential.
14. Money and resources are essential lubricants of the innovation process.
15. Conformity and stereotypes hinder creative problem solving.
16. Innovation should be focused on specific business goals.
17. An open atmosphere ensures greater productivity.
18. Efficient meetings are a trademark of innovative organizations.
19. Innovation centers drive innovation.
20. Facilitators and outside consultants can be leveraged to kick-start innovation.
21. When used properly, suggestion boxes are a valuable tool.
22. Individual creativity should be rewarded.
23. Rewarding team creativity enhances team-work.
24. Innovation can be driven by leveraging customer insights.
25. Systematic measurement of customer satisfaction is valuable.
26. A word is like a microchip. A harsh word is like a landmine that remains in the memory for a long time.
27. Idea generation programs are efficient tools for innovation.
28. Let us build a sanctuary for wild ideas and then tame them.
29. A participant, who dives deep into the subject and develops intimacy with his work, innovates to make things better.
30. Create problem banks around initial problem statements.
31. Stating and understanding the problem correctly is the key to Innovation Initiative.
32. Thinking tools are the mathematics of innovation.
33. Metaphors, i.e., ideas imported from other fields can totally transform your company.
34. Beware of obvious solutions!
35. All potentially positive features of the ideas are identified and the deficiencies are use to give the direction for improvement, preserving the element of novelty while the idea is modified to make it feasible.
36. A mindspower thinking tool enables you to disagree without being
disagreeable. It also helps you to work around a disagreement like water finding its way around a stone.
37. It is only through the systematic learning of tools, the generation and testing of new ideas that organizations can improve their Innovation Quotient(IQ).
38.Company wide innovation is not about nurturing solitary genius in sterile laboratories, but requires the bubbling enthusiasm of teams.
39. The rules for thinking are different from the rules for doing. Implementation
is possible only with a clear foundation of rational thought and practical application.
40. Adopt Tent Thinking vs. Marble Palace Thinking.
41. Play devil’s advocate --- take the exact opposite view of the one you have been holding.
42. Look into the purple heart of an amethyst. Register the color in your heart and illumine every part of yourself with that color.
43. Free fall is like bungee jumping. You let go without knowing definitely what will happen. Creative ideas are a kind of free fall.
44. Life provides rich material to develop creative ideas.
45. Yoga, meditation or any other form of stillness will ensure that you are in an ideal state for thinking fluently.
46. The Mindspower Innovation Toolkit can travel with you everywhere and change the destiny of companies and countries.
47. You have spent time collecting the facts and generating ideas. Now, forget the problem. Hand it over to the subconscious to incubate.
48. During the process of analysis, apply left-brain thinking – logical, statistical and mathematical. Solutions have to be carefully discussed and the optimum one chosen.
49. Implementing creative ideas and turning them into innovations is a special
challenge.
50. An ounce of action is worth tones of e-mail, paper and speeches. Implementation is the key to innovation.
51. Wherever innovation is required, the Mindspower process helps you develop a roadmap.
52. Star Culture: Stars actively fostered a culture of innovation. What is more, they fostered their long-term plans for innovation with adequate resource commitments.
2. The lack of resources forces us to innovate. Tough times help us adapt.
3. Tough times force you to think outside the box or even eliminate the box.
4. Everything changes – people, products, companies; men, materials, machines, methods, markets and money (6M).
5. Creativity is the spark and Innovation is the fire in the fireplace, which cooks and bakes.
6. Creativity involves four components – The Creative Person, The Creative Process, The Creative Product and the Creative Climate or Environment.
7. An environment replete with the positive emotions of love, peace, bravery and compassion provides a positive climate, which nurtures creativity.
8. Innovation should be part of everyone’s job description.
9. Vision and leadership are necessary to inspire a widespread commitment to innovation.
10. The lack of collaboration between departments stifles innovation.
11. Motivation of employees and innovation complement one another.
12. Team-work drives innovation.
13. The ability to thrive in an environment of rapid change is essential.
14. Money and resources are essential lubricants of the innovation process.
15. Conformity and stereotypes hinder creative problem solving.
16. Innovation should be focused on specific business goals.
17. An open atmosphere ensures greater productivity.
18. Efficient meetings are a trademark of innovative organizations.
19. Innovation centers drive innovation.
20. Facilitators and outside consultants can be leveraged to kick-start innovation.
21. When used properly, suggestion boxes are a valuable tool.
22. Individual creativity should be rewarded.
23. Rewarding team creativity enhances team-work.
24. Innovation can be driven by leveraging customer insights.
25. Systematic measurement of customer satisfaction is valuable.
26. A word is like a microchip. A harsh word is like a landmine that remains in the memory for a long time.
27. Idea generation programs are efficient tools for innovation.
28. Let us build a sanctuary for wild ideas and then tame them.
29. A participant, who dives deep into the subject and develops intimacy with his work, innovates to make things better.
30. Create problem banks around initial problem statements.
31. Stating and understanding the problem correctly is the key to Innovation Initiative.
32. Thinking tools are the mathematics of innovation.
33. Metaphors, i.e., ideas imported from other fields can totally transform your company.
34. Beware of obvious solutions!
35. All potentially positive features of the ideas are identified and the deficiencies are use to give the direction for improvement, preserving the element of novelty while the idea is modified to make it feasible.
36. A mindspower thinking tool enables you to disagree without being
disagreeable. It also helps you to work around a disagreement like water finding its way around a stone.
37. It is only through the systematic learning of tools, the generation and testing of new ideas that organizations can improve their Innovation Quotient(IQ).
38.Company wide innovation is not about nurturing solitary genius in sterile laboratories, but requires the bubbling enthusiasm of teams.
39. The rules for thinking are different from the rules for doing. Implementation
is possible only with a clear foundation of rational thought and practical application.
40. Adopt Tent Thinking vs. Marble Palace Thinking.
41. Play devil’s advocate --- take the exact opposite view of the one you have been holding.
42. Look into the purple heart of an amethyst. Register the color in your heart and illumine every part of yourself with that color.
43. Free fall is like bungee jumping. You let go without knowing definitely what will happen. Creative ideas are a kind of free fall.
44. Life provides rich material to develop creative ideas.
45. Yoga, meditation or any other form of stillness will ensure that you are in an ideal state for thinking fluently.
46. The Mindspower Innovation Toolkit can travel with you everywhere and change the destiny of companies and countries.
47. You have spent time collecting the facts and generating ideas. Now, forget the problem. Hand it over to the subconscious to incubate.
48. During the process of analysis, apply left-brain thinking – logical, statistical and mathematical. Solutions have to be carefully discussed and the optimum one chosen.
49. Implementing creative ideas and turning them into innovations is a special
challenge.
50. An ounce of action is worth tones of e-mail, paper and speeches. Implementation is the key to innovation.
51. Wherever innovation is required, the Mindspower process helps you develop a roadmap.
52. Star Culture: Stars actively fostered a culture of innovation. What is more, they fostered their long-term plans for innovation with adequate resource commitments.
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