Last week in our How to Be an Innovator series, we talked about how strategic planning can help in the innovation process. This week we’ll go a step further and talk about how to get the information you need to choose the right problems and build a solid plan. Part 25: Get Your Facts Straight When it comes to strategically growing an organization or an idea, many times we feel like we have a good, general idea of where things are out – how productive we are, or how profitable, or how successful. But to develop an effective strategic plan, you …

Janine at Uppercasehas posted an online preview of the new issue of Uppercase Magazine here. It’s more than a sneak-peak – you can literally page through the entire issue, and it looks incredible! I can’t wait to see it in person.

Thanks so much to everyone who has downloaded the Get Your Creative Groove on eBook in the last few weeks. It means more to me than I can really express to see people from literally all over the world downloading it. You guys are amazing, and I feel so grateful for you. Can I ask just one favor, though? If you downloaded the eBook, I would love to hear from you! Would you mind sending me your feedback? I’m preparing an “in print” version, and I would love to hear your thoughts on the digital version. The hardcopy will include …

Every Monday is Tip Day! Grab a cup of coffee and get over the Monday morning bump with tips, tools, and inspiration from Perch. This Week: See With New Eyes Chris and I have had the opportunity to bring a fresh creative energy to our clients on many occasions simply because we have new eyes in the situation. We’re not deeply entrenched in any one industry, which allows us to see things from a different perspective than those who work with the same people and do the same work day after day.

Last week in our How to Be an Innovator series, we discussed identifying real needs and choosing the right problem/opportunities for your organization. This week we’ll go a step further and delve a little bit into the strategic planning process. Part 24: Prepare to Plan At first glance, the whole idea of strategic planning seems counterintuitive to the creative process. And maybe the actual planning part of it is – or can be. But preparing to plan is like preparing a creative brief. The process gives you the tools you need to create a framework by identifying the problem you …

How to Be an Innovator is an original series by Creative Perch. Last week we talked about the importance of identifying where you are and where you are going by asking the right questions. This week we’ll clarify true needs and show you how to identify real opportunities for innovation in your organization. Part 23: Choose the Right Problem A few weeks ago we talked about how every great innovation starts with identifying a need. I’d like to revisit that for a bit to clarify what exactly a need is and why it is important to choose the right ones to …

How to Be an Innovator is an original series by Creative Perch. In the last post in this series, we looked how reinventing an old medium can fulfill a market niche in a way that wasn’t possible before. This week we’ll look at how sometimes finding the right solutions starts with learning to ask the right questions. Part 22: Ask the Right Questions When an opportunity for innovation and creativity arises, it usually means there is a problem or challenge that must be tackled. At first, the prospect can be a bit daunting, but then as one begins the process …

How to Be an Innovator is an original series by Creative Perch. For the last few weeks we’ve been addressing various ways of looking at a problem to discover new solutions. We’ve talked about understanding the backstory, looking for loopholes, and looking for repetition. This week we’ll address the kind of tunnel vision that is rooted in fear – either of the unknown or of failure. Part 21: Don’t Be Afraid to Reinvent I’ve have been so pleased to watch Uppercase Magazine develop and grow, gain support, and become a raving success over the last several months. If you’re unfamiliar …

In the last edition of Get Your Creative Groove On, we reviewed some recent research that shows a positive connection between laughter and creativity. This week we’ll move in a different direction and discuss how changing the frame can enhance creativity. Week 27: It’s All in How You Frame It As we all know, perspective is everything. When faced with a new challenge or creative problem, framing the problem from a different perspective can shed light on new or previously obscured solutions. Changing the frame changes how you see the subject, as well as how others see it. According to …

Over the last few weeks we’ve been discussing what the creative process looks like, and more particularly, how it’s different for artists and business leaders. (Yes, there’s a {big} difference between managers and leaders, but I’ll leave that discussion for another time.) Last week we talked about how artists are more focused on process and on the act of creating, whereas business leaders have an entirely different set of goals. Managers are primarily concerned about the bottom line. Their goal is product/service/customer satisfaction. To achieve this goal, they are focused on group creativity and group workflow. They lead from terms …