A good parable

Ken Blanchard did it with "Who moved my cheese?"

Stephen Lundin did it with "FISH!"

Jim Collins did it with "Good to Great"

Our world is full of great fables and stories that have a message.

In past centuries we relied on elders and story tellers to pass on these legends, learnings and warnings.

If you can write a good story and know a good fable, why not turn it into a teaching aid and sell millions of books like these successful authors?

CATS - the 9 lives of innovation

I attended Dr Stephen Lundin's workshop and enjoyed his practical, insightful approach.

Life 1 - CATS create a quiet mind - Create the necessary physical & mental space to allow creative energy flow.

Life 2 - CATS will always be prepared - Learn techniques to assist innovation. Check out http://www.thinksmart.com/ or http://www.mindwerx.com.au/

Life 3 - CATS understand that innovation isn't normal - We are hardwired to follow routines & patterns, to be innovative we need to get outside the box.

Life 4 - CATS promote real provocation - What provokes or stirs you? What are the problems? Get somewhere different, new or even uncomfortable.

Life 5 - CATS promote imaginary provocation - Dream, think, ask why? Adapt? Modify? Magnify? Minify? Substitute? Rearrange? Reverse? Combine?

Life 6 - CATS say "How facinating" - when things fail. What can you learn?

Life 7 - CATS fail well - We grow & learn from failures. Perfect is the enemy of good enough - Meg Whitman, CEO, ebay

Life 8 - CATS pounce on change - By nature innovation = change. Go with the flow.

Life 9 - CAT wrangling - Support, foster, invite, tolerate, envision, strengthen

CAT belts. There are 5 cat belts to earn that will take you to become a lifetime master of innovation and allow you to use the term WHISKERS!

For Dr Lundin's own blog about this tour click here

Dr Stephen Lundin, PhD, author of FISH! & Top Performer

Today I had the pleasure of hearing this top author & public speaker share CATS - the nine lives of innovation.

In addition to the 9 lives, he shared his learnings on innovation:

• The goal is to simplify, not complicate


• Everything starts with an idea, then taking a risk, then the action


• Mind mapping is a powerful tool


• Innovative firms are playful & light-hearted


• Innovation happens on the 'edge' (different disciplines getting together)


• Be uncomfortable


• Engaging with others builds energy


• Use "provocation" to create energy


• Mix with unlikely partners

Next blog: summary of CATS - the 9 lives of innovation