From the category archives:

Creative Problem Solving

26 Mind Mapping Tools to Get More Productive

by Lynn Dessert

Last year, I attended a mind mapping seminar. If you do not know what a mind map is, go here for a quick summary or scroll down to the bottom of the post for a video.
Mind mapping is a powerful tool, which appeals to both right and left-brain thinkers. It is allows you to become [...]

8 comments Read the full article →

I Could Have Had a V8!

by Sue Schnorr

I consider myself a pretty savvy networker. Yet, I admit that I don’t have all the answers! I continue to learn and learn and learn …
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that I overlooked an important vehicle for new business development. You might be able to utilize this tip for your job search or [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Innovate Like a Three Year Old – One Little Question that Can Increase the Number of New Product Opportunities You Uncover.

by Michael Dalton

Innovate Like a Three Year Old – One Little Question that Can Increase the Number of New Product Opportunities You Uncover.
In a previous post, I wrote about some of the innovation lessons we learned while we were in kindergarten. That included focusing on one task at a time and eliminating multi-tasking by assigning each team [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Ten Alternatives to an Involuntary Layoff

by Lynn Dessert
istock_000002858975xsmall

Layoffs in your future? It might appear to be the quickest way to cut costs but Flavio Martins sees things differently.
Permanently cutting benefits and wages may not be the answer either.
It can often lead to major morale problems and spreads quickly through a company. Morale affects work product quality and customer relationships. It may tempt [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Want a Better Environment for Innovation?

by Michael Dalton

Want to create a better environment for innovation: Get out of yours and into theirs
I had an interesting discussion recently with a company vice-president about the role of facilities design in innovation. He asked me what he could do in terms of layout and aesthetics to make the work environment more conducive to innovation. [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Silver Bullet Management

by Lynn Dessert
istock_000006888288xsmall

Is the silver bullet the only answer your manager or organization wants to hear from you?
Is there wasted productivity and leadership misses along the way because of an overwhelming need to have a home run?
Is your management behind closed doors deciding how to cut costs and resources; yet their mantra is “we are going to [...]

1 comment Read the full article →

Giving Up Control Is How You Grow

by Lynn Dessert
Pierre Making Crepes

Tightly held secrets can be deal killers, or provide opportunities to grow competitively. Pierre Héroux was running a large financial group in a fortune 1000 company. He left the company to start his own restaurant business in 2003, Simply Crêpes. As one might expect from the restaurant name, the crêpe is the primary focus of [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Day Dream Your Way to a Solution

by Lynn Dessert

Challenging the norms of Corporate America can be a daunting task. How often have you been asked by your manager to creatively think about a problem, only to find your hands tied? Sometimes it is the company’s predefined process that gets in the way, or it just might be your boss already has their mind [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Your Wimpy Boss Is Avoiding Conflict

by Lynn Dessert
question mark

Question: I am really upset with my boss. I recently asked him to help me solve a problem I was having with another employee. I now have the person more mad at me. I am not sure what he said to them, but I am getting tired of getting dirty looks from her. She also [...]

0 comments Read the full article →