Being Awesome, Bias towards action, Going Forth, Innovation, Innovation Mindsets, Pre-Mortem, Systems, Uncategorized

Thinking like a Producer vs Producing like a Thinker – And Three Things You Can Do About It

Posted on April 24, 2017April 24, 2017 by GFandBA

A bias towards action. It’s one of the most sought-after characteristics in a lean, mean innovation team. However, can too much of a good thing be hazardous to the quality of your work? Creating movement and getting stuff in the hands of the user is great, but just quickly delivering what was asked for only […]

Being Awesome, Going Forth, Innovation Mindsets, Motivation

Shooting for the Moon

Posted on February 19, 2017February 19, 2017 by GFandBA

I am a sucker for a well-crafted motivational phrase. That’s actually how “Go Forth And Be Awesome” got started. But not all motivational phrases are created equal. Some go too far for the cute analogy and miss the point altogether. It’s hokey hokum. Today’s egregious example is about aiming for big goals. When I was researching it, I […]

Empathy, Innovation, User Experience

The Monopoly Hotline

Posted on December 21, 2016December 21, 2016 by GFandBA

51% of Monopoly games result in an argument, according to a Hasbro survey of roughly 2,000 players. You have the same odds of having an argument with a friend of family member over Boardwalk and thimbles, as you do at calling a coin flip. In order to help smooth things over during the holidays, Hasbro […]

Being Awesome, Diffusion of Innovation, Going Forth, Ideation, Innovation, Innovation Mindsets, Systems, Tool, Uncategorized

Beyond the Right Tool for the Job

Posted on February 22, 2016November 6, 2016 by GFandBA

Today I did a few odd errands around the house. A typical Sunday afternoon. I finally went to hang the new tiles with our house number on them. For 30 minutes I bore into the front of my house. I switched screw types and drill bits. The sad truth was I had barely made a […]

Being Awesome, Empathy, Going Forth, Innovation, User Experience

Making Customers Feel Cool

Posted on January 25, 2016November 6, 2016 by GFandBA

Curves are the enemy of fast moving trains. Just ask Denzel Washington and Chris Pine in Unstoppable. Nearly 30 years before the movie, The British Rail Research Team unveiled the APT. The APT was a train that tested out at an amazing top speed of 160mph, and could safely sprint 40% faster than any other […]

Being Awesome, Failure, Going Forth, Lean, Learning, Like a Startup, Motivation, Systems, Uncategorized

Happy Systems Evaluation Day Eve!

Posted on December 31, 2015April 26, 2017 by GFandBA

It’s that time of year again! The internet is littered with “Top 10 [these things] of 2015” lists. Tweets and updates center around what friends and family plan on accomplishing within the next 12 months. But every time you see a “I’m going to lose X pounds this year” update, know that you are reading […]

Being Awesome, Ideation, Innovation

Open Your Doors Before You’re Ready

Posted on August 16, 2015 by GFandBA

You ever have one of those ideas that floats around, just kind of dancing in your brain, eager to be released? You can coax the idea to calm down for a little while by saying “Ok, I’ll let you out, but I have to have this one thing in order first. I want you to be a success!” And so your idea calmly sits while you prepare. It’s not long afterwards that your idea gets anxious again, and you have to encourage it to calm down once more. And this cycle repeats. Why?

Being Awesome, Innovation, Innovation Mindsets, Lenses

Paint the Fence as a Beginner

Posted on July 31, 2015 by GFandBA

Did you know that in the Karate Kid, Daniel wasn’t the only one learning? Mr. Miyagi himself had much to learn, but that didn’t stop his shoshin from forging a unique solution to Daniel’s situation. Learn how to find your own shoshin!

Going Forth, Innovation, Motivation

Any Given Second…

Posted on July 25, 2015 by GFandBA

Time wages war against the innovator with an endless army and the main casualty is time. Get your innovative idea off the treadmill and push it into a new direction by stealing some of your seconds back!

Failure, Going Forth, Lean, Learning

Making the Fear of Failure Disappear

Posted on July 15, 2015July 15, 2015 by GFandBA

When I was a young mathematics apprentice, learning at the feet of some true numerical wizards, I feared the scarlet letter F would be burned into my forehead like many before me. F for Failure. My grades were good, my test scores were solid, and I picked up topics quickly. Yet I clung to my […]

Go Forth And Be Awesome