When creativity and innovation transformation happens

Disney business author Jeff Noel writing in Disney Cruise Ship stateroom
Writing in our Stateroom.

When creativity and innovation transformation happens

Wouldn’t it be great if positive creativity and innovation change just fell from Heaven?

But it doesn’t.

So ask yourself why you go to work each day. What’s the purpose? What do you contribute?

Is not your purpose to drive change, to make things better?

To make today a little, even if it’s imperceptible to most, better than yesterday.

To make this year better than last year?

To make your second decade better than your first?

Creativity and innovation transformation won’t just come to you. It won’t happen on your week-long vacation to the beach.

It won’t happen when you wake up in the morning.

No.

So why do you show up for work?

How do you find joy (and motivation) when you and your organization are stuck?

This is going to sound crazy but creativity and innovation transformation happens when you need it to happen; the caveat is you’ve got to be willing to pay for it.

When you’ve run out of options you are close to a breakthrough. You are literally at the proverbial fork in the road.

Many fail to turn the corner because they couldn’t convincingly answer the previous questions about their purpose for showing up every day.

One direction leads to misery and frustration, the other to your first of many lucky creativity and innovation breaks.

Looking back, you’ll wonder why you didn’t commit sooner.

Remember, creativity and innovation growth is a long-term, never-ending process. Be thankful for all the years you and your organization struggled. Your struggle deserves the credit for bringing you to where you are now.

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This website is about our HOME. This is the fifth of five daily, differently-themed blog posts about: (1) mind, (2) body, (3) spirit, (4) work, (5) home. To return to Mid Life Celebration, the site about MIND, click here.

Any fool can dream

Disney business author Jeff Noel's hand while writing on an iPhone
Notes from 1982 College Program experience.

Any fool can dream

Dreams are great.

But creativity and innovation dreams without a plan and action are worthless.

Hope is a great strategy, but it’s a poor tactic.

Action is the antidote for being dissatisfied.

But there’s never enough time is there?

This is a great time to have a mantra along the lines of, burn the ships.

It’s also foolish to metaphorically put your life on the line.

Or is it?

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This website is about our HOME. This is the fifth of five daily, differently-themed blog posts about: (1) mind, (2) body, (3) spirit, (4) work, (5) home. To return to Mid Life Celebration, the site about MIND, click here.

Innovation, it’s never going to feel safe

paper file folder in filing cabinet
Goodbye paperwork. Thank you for all your years of service.

It’s never going to feel safe

Let’s agree that risk implies an uncertain outcome – an uncertain future.

Easy, right?

The good news about creativity and innovation risk when the future isn’t certain is that you know you are on to something special.

Listen to the sound of that again – you’re on the path to something special.

Of course, the other option is to stay on the beaten path, the tried and true.

You know what you’ll get.

Safety.

Mediocrity.

Plain vanilla.

Stagnation.

Competition.

Average.

Now back to the uncertain path, the future, and the reality that your risk might not work.

This is the opposite of the tried and true formula which requires us to do today what we did yesterday and the day before that. And to repeat that tomorrow and the day after that.

Every day you embrace an uncertain future is a day of adventure.

Will you have the stamina, the courage, the creativity, the tenacity, and the desire to keep moving forward when the logical thing to do is to turn around and retreat?

Imagine answering, “Yes.”

Burn the ships, no?

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This website is about our HOME. This is the fifth of five daily, differently-themed blog posts about: (1) mind, (2) body, (3) spirit, (4) work, (5) home. To return to Mid Life Celebration, the site about MIND, click here.

Newton’s Law of Gravitational Culture

Hidden Mickey on a pool float
Surprise gifts for some unsuspecting Disney fans/friends.

Newton’s Law of Gravitational Culture

Gravity is a law, not a theory.

An intentional creativity and innovation culture versus an unintentional creativity and innovation culture is a theory.

A theory that is, for all practical business purposes, as valid as the law of gravity.

On Earth, gravity is unmistakable.

Gravity is also irrefutable.

Without gravity, Earth would be chaos compared to how we currently know it.

A science fiction movie like we’ve never seen.

Here’s why i told you that.

Culture is like that too.

An unhealthy, unfocused creativity and innovation culture creates unlimited chaos for leaders, employees, customers, financials, business excellence, as well as creativity and innovation.

When a corporate creativity and innovation culture is architected with the equivalent of construction blueprints, the results are extraordinary.

Another simple analogy…

What would happen to a person who has neglected the seven basic wellness tactics: cardio, strength, core, flexibility, nutrition, rest, motivation?

What would happen if all seven were managed well?

It’s the stunning difference between thriving versus surviving.

Given the choice, none of us would pick surviving.

So, back to your creativity and innovation culture.

Why would anyone settle?

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This website is about our HOME. This is the fifth of five daily, differently-themed blog posts about: (1) mind, (2) body, (3) spirit, (4) work, (5) home. To return to Mid Life Celebration, the site about MIND, click here.

Newton’s Law of Culture In Motion

Newton’s Law of Culture In Motion

A culture in motion tends to stay in motion.

We can say this with confidence, every company has a culture.

And every culture has motion.

Focused motion, a culture by design.

Unfocused motion, a culture by default.

Building a culture worth defending is the most important long-term priority for a business owner and CEO.

And if it’s not, it should be.

Here’s an easy way to see the obvious yet often invisible.

Compare the organizational benefit to building a personal wellness and personal vibrancy lifestyle.

All able-bodied adults know personal health is important. How many actually live like they believe it – as if their life depends on it?

Five percent?

Less?

Now apply this analogy back to organizational health.

How many CEO’s make cultural vibrancy their number one long-term priority?

Like physical wellness, corporate Creativity and Innovation culture must be a daily focus.

Well, it doesn’t need to be a daily focus, just like regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and adequate rest don’t need to be a daily focus.

We reap what we sow.

As surely as gravity keeps us grounded on Earth.

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This website is about our HOME. This is the fifth of five daily, differently-themed blog posts about: (1) mind, (2) body, (3) spirit, (4) work, (5) home. To return to Mid Life Celebration, the site about MIND, click here.