A big idea is a new simple solution for a relevant problem or dream. That's my definition. It doesn't have to be commercial per se. In my new book The Innovation Expedition I promote also big 'social' ideas, like for example 'Liter of Light'. See movie below!

It is a proven fact that innovation is paramount not only establishing organizational survivability, but also to grow and become a market leader. How does one know when innovation is needed in organizations? Here are 10 types of business challenges in which innovation is the answer.

One key step in innovating is generating novel ideas – and this is based on insight. So how can we increase insight?

In life and in business, we are often told, "don't bring me problems, bring me solutions." From my perspective, this is bad advice. I want people to bring me bigger and better problems.

Thoughtstarters have the strategic talents of thinking and conceiving that keep us all more inquisitive and progressive. Visionary and analytical, they’re all about theory, big ideas and direction. They seem to be driven by a natural need for knowledge and reason, and they’re at their best when they’re up against a philosophical challenge.

When we ‘cast around’ we are looking for something; to try it out, to think about it, to search for connecting a vague idea with something more tangible. So let’s go innovation fishing.

While spending time recently at 3M, I learned that 80% of their innovations are "line solutions." That is, multiple domains of expertise are involved. Although this may be unusual within other organizations, at 3M, this is the norm. They are masterful at connecting dots.

It took me 25 years as a road warrior consultant, author, and accidental government bureaucrat to realize that proselytizing doesn’t work. If leaders don’t want to change, all the consulting jargon and fancy PowerPoints in the world won’t convince them to.

In ProVoke, I talk about the necessity to be uncomfortable before we are ready to disrupt and innovate. We need to be uncomfortable because pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone is hard work and is unsettling.

Operational Excellence have fallen prey to its stillborn twin: Systemic Inertia. In a quest to raise profitability and short term reward, companies everywhere have been over-optimizing their business processes and ignoring an ancient planning truth