IN THIS ISSUE:

• Letter From Sarah
• Feature Article - Are You Innovating? What's Your Evidence?
• Out of the Box
• Events and Resources
• The Edison Awards
• About Sarah Caldicott

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Dear Innovator:

As the daughter of a Harvard-trained lawyer, I can attest that years of debate at the family dinner table have forever attuned my mental radar to the value of "evidence." Not even the most highly skilled lawyer can win a trial without solid evidence.

 

At the same time, evidence brought forward by an attorney cannot be truly compelling without a comparable ability to win the hearts and minds of the jury. In winning hearts and minds, lawyers must support their core arguments by making the evidence come to life. One might say that evidence constitutes the facts-based side of a case, and the lawyer's verbal abilities the subjective, emotions-based side.

 

In early 1890, George Parsons Lathrop - a noted journalist from Harper's magazine - was given permission to shadow Thomas Edison for several days. He traced Edison's footsteps through the laboratory, on business calls, and even sat with Edison's family at the dinner table. This extraordinary activity yielded 10 insightful essays which Lathrop broadly entitled "Talks With Edison," each of which remains fresh and informative even today. (Click here for Lathrop's archived essays.)

 

If we were to say that Edison's patents, notebooks, and financial success offer us tangible evidence of Edison's innovation prowess, Lathrop's essays provide us insight into Edison's uncanny ability to win hearts and minds. Together, they paint a picture of how Edison's innovation methods are timeless, systematic, and repeatable - offering us clues into how we can innovate successfully today.

 

Sarah appeared live on CNBC's Power Lunch with host Dennis Kneale Click here for segment.

New Blackberry Models from RIM "Lack Signs of Innovation"
What would George Parsons Lathrop observe about your innovation skills if he were shadowing you for a few days? What "evidence of innovation" would he see? Are any facets of Edison's Five Competencies of Innovation™ present in your work - or personal life? Or are you "guilty" of pushing innovation-driving behaviors off to the side?

 

Last month, several journalists and bloggers commented on the lack of innovation "evidence" in smart phone pioneer Research in Motion's (RIM's) latest Blackberry models. One title particularly caught my eye: "RIM Shows Off New Phones but Fails to Show Signs of Innovation. "What? No evidence of innovation in the new Blackberry line-up? How could one of THE pioneers in smart phone technology whiff on innovation?

 

Innovation Evidenced at 2010 Edison Awards
If Thomas Edison or George Parsons Lathrop had attended the 2010 Edison Awards in New York City on April 29th, they would have seen that innovation was fully in evidence! Over 350 participants attended this year's high-level innovation panels as well as the evening gala celebration. Throughout the day, focus was placed on individual innovators as well as the innovation contributions of entire teams and organizations, and their connection to Edison's timeless processes. Sponsors Discovery Channel, Google, Nielsen, and Strategyn helped make the day possible.

 

This month's entire issue is dedicated to offering you insights from the Edison Awards, as well as resources you can use to ramp up your innovation skills. It's packed with ideas on how you can ensure innovation is in "evidence" in your daily life!

 

Read in the Feature Article how comments made on innovation panels as well as illustrations from this year's winning products demonstrate Edison's timeless innovation methods. Check out the Events and Resources section for TV, video, and radio clips about the awards, as well as access to a free webinar on innovation! Learn in Out of the Box why Creativity skills have become the new must-have for leaders today. And of course, don't miss the Edison Awards section for photo highlights of this year's event, many which can't be found online! To see the latest news and follow our work throughout the year, visit www.edisonawards.com.

 

To your innovation success,

PS: Please share this newsletter with a co-worker or a friend!

Feature Article - Are You Innovating? What's Your Evidence?

(click here to view past newsletter issues)

As the daughter of a Harvard-trained lawyer, I can attest that years of debate at the family dinner table have forever attuned my mental radar to the value of "evidence." Not even the most highly skilled lawyer can win a trial without solid evidence.

It is crucial that we each are able to point to specific aspects of our lives and work and say, "Here is evidence of my innovation activity." Otherwise, we just pay lip service to it!

In my book Innovate Like Edison, insights on Edison's timeless methods are for the first time organized and categorized in a way that allows us to readily utilize them in the business world today. In analyzing what I call Edison's Five Competencies of Innovation™, we begin to see that his methods for innovating are systematic and repeatable.  They allow us to create newly visible "evidence" of our own innovation activity!

Scan the five-part photo gallery below for examples of how Edison's Five Competencies of Innovation were indeed "in evidence" at the Edison Awards!Stories about three of our 2010 Edison Award winners in three different categories are included. Click here to see the full list of winners in all categories.

Edison Competency #1: Solution-Centered Mindset.
Element 4: Experiment Persistently
Strategyn CEO Tony Ulwick (seated at right) launched a vigorous debate during the third innovation panel of our "Meet the Innovators" forum, stating that iteration and experimentation are not always helpful drivers of innovation success. Innovation Nation author Dr. John Kao (shown at left) disagreed, as did noted panelists and 2010 Edison Achievement Award winners Dr. Susan Hockfield (President of MIT) and A.G. Lafley (former CEO and Chairman of Procter & Gamble). Also stating his disagreement was IDEO CEO, Tim Brown. (Please see the Edison Awards section for photos of these individuals.) Edison angle: Edison would say that experimentation and iteration are crucial to expanding the solution set...and are best done with focus and intention to accelerate results. Bottom line: Tony argued experimentation and iteration in his experience can be done systematically versus randomly, allowing companies to drive innovation success rates >70%.

Edison Competency #2: Kaleidoscopic Thinking
Element 11: Practice Ideaphoria
During innovation panel #1, Dr. Joseph Amaral (second from left), VP of Surgical Science and Technology at Johnson & Johnson, comments that he got the idea for creating a new surgical tool while cutting sailcloth. The device - which ultimately became known as The Harmonic Blade - significantly reduces bleeding during spinal surgery.  Edison angle: Edison would have created an analogy here, asking: "How is cutting sailcloth like cutting human tissue?" Bottom line: The Harmonic Blade won a Gold 2010 Edison Award in the Science & Medical category, and is selling at double-digit rates.

Edison Competency #3: Full-spectrum Engagement
Element 14: Simplicity and Complexity
Amy Krajewski of Procter & Gamble's Bounce brand team reviewed the development process for the company's latest foray into simplifying daily laundry chores - the Bounce Dryer Bar. Among the processes Amy identified as crucial to innovation success was the ability to create a product-and-packaging combination that did not require busy users to read instructions. The brand group developed a product which is visually intuitive as

Edison Competency #4: Master-mind Collaboration
Element 17: Design Multi-disciplinary Collaboration Teams
Most of us have experienced that awful, sinking feeling of panic when the "check engine" light flashes on our dashboard panel. Realizing that navigating the complexity and high cost of auto repairs were a big challenge for millions of car owners, the innovation team at CarMD - led by President Leon Chen (see photo, Leon at far left) believed his company could create a low-cost, low-stress solution. Edison angle: CarMD is the result of a multi-disciplinary team of employees pairing up with repair experts who understand the infinite repair details of cars, trucks, and SUV's (see product photo upper right). The result was a unit that can be plugged in to the interior of your vehicle and within 30 seconds reveal what needs to be repaired. Bottom line: For its ability to offer consumers of multiple vehicle types an upper hand when dealing with automotive experts in the repair shop, CarMD wins Silver in the 2010 Edison Awards Electronics & Computers category.

Edison Competency #5: Super-value Creation
Element 23: Apply the Right Business Model
The global focus on sustainable "green" strategies for businesses and consumers has yielded intriguing new technologies. One particularly compelling green option is wind power. Although Scandinavia in particular is pursuing deepwater wind turbines as its regional energy strategy, the US has lagged in this arena. But now, with the Obama administration's recent nod to the development of Cape Wind (off the coast of MA), the U.S will more than triple its wind power capacity.

Edison angle: In the 1920's, Thomas Edison sketched a drawing of a wind turbine in one of his notebooks. Surprisingly similar to the wind turbine design shown in the upper left photo here, Edison voiced his support of alternative energies in 1931 to Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone, saying: "I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle (alternative energy options)."

Bottom line: The Honeywell Wind Turbine from Windtronics allows homeowners to generate energy from wind turbines placed on their roof or in their yard. A 2010 Gold winner in the Energy segment of the Energy & Sustainability category, the Honeywell Wind Turbine puts control of energy generation in the hands of consumers rather than utility companies...a major business model shift that would make Edison smile!

My thanks to all our stellar innovation panelists, and congratulations to this year's Edison Awards winners!

In the next issue: Building Successful Collaboration Teams

Out of the Box

So You Think You're Creative...What's Your Evidence?

What a difference a decade makes. During the last 10 years, the mantra's used by headhunters when seeking CEO candidates focused on "must-haves" like financial savvy, global strategic thinking, or an understanding of corporate governance.  

Not any more.

A global survey conducted by IBM published in the May 18th edition of the FastCompany newsletter indicates Creativity rules.  (Click here to see article.) 

That's not a typo.

To reach the upper echelons of business today, you must be able to demonstrate Creativity, and creative thinking skills. Here is one fascinating set of statistics from the IBM study:

IBM Study Indicates Creativity Leads as Top Quality Desired for Today's CEO's

Although survey results varied by geography, Creativity in North America was viewed as the number one criterion by 60% of respondents, with "focus on sustainability" as low as 26%. Qualities to focus on "over the next 5 years" included getting closer to customers, people skills, and risk management.

Four Key Criteria Drive Creativity
So, just how does an individual demonstrate his or her Creativity...particularly if you're not in a profession like movie-making or a photography, where Creativity can be readily "evidenced?"

A major study of over 17,000 executives called The Creatrix® conducted over a multi-year period by The Richard Byrd Co. (www.rbyrdco.com) indicates Creativity is "evidenced" in four core qualities:

1. Independent-mindedness - Ability to fluidly generate ideas and concepts without copying others.
2. Inner-directedness - Ability to consistently set your own business and/or personal goals, which may be different from those required by your job.
3. Uniqueness - Ability to recognize within yourself and others those attributes which set you apart, and celebrate them.
4. Ambiguity - Ability to make forward progress in a context which yields few facts or data, and to create success from a situation with few pre-existing resources.

How evident are these qualities within yourself? Could you offer examples from your own experience where these characteristics were present? Can you spot these qualities in your colleagues? Your team members?

For further insights into Uniqueness, have a look at the March 2010 issue of Edison's Notebook, "Uniqueness Drives Innovation."  For information on how to develop the other 3 qualities that drive Creativity, stay tuned for the next several issues of Edison's Notebook!

Events and Resources

The Edison Awards
Dedicated to America's Innovation Competitiveness in the 21st Century

Take a photo-walk through this year's day-long Edison Awards event! From the afternoon's "Meet the Innovators" innovation panel discussions and product presentations at the New York Academy of Science, to the glittering evening awards celebration gala at The Capitale, April 29th was a day of innovation power and excitement. (For more photo highlights, visit www.edisonawards.com.)

One of my greatest thrills on April 29th was the opportunity to speak personally with 2010 Edison Achievement Award winners Dr Susan Hockfield - President of MIT - and A.G. Lafley, former Chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble.   Over the course of the day, both Susan and A.G. commented on how innovation is a crucial driver of value creation for our economy and the world.   In response to a question from fellow panelist and innovation author Dr. John Kao as to whether it's possible for the U.S. to have an innovation strategy, A.G. delivered my favorite quote of the day, saying "Innovation is messy."   Although he - and others - felt innovation is too complex and vast to have a national U.S. innovation strategy, he believed it is crucial for organizations to have an innovation process.

IDEO CEO Tim Brown sparred with fellow panelists during an afternoon innovation discussion (at left), mesmerizing the audience with his British accent. Tim also introduced friend and colleague A.G. Lafley prior to A.G.'s acceptance speech for the 2010 Edison Achievement Award.

"Meet the Innovators" panel participant Debbie Myers represented Edison Awards partner the Discovery Channel on April 29th. Debbie oversees the Science Channel brand and is EVP for new program media. Debbie believes innovation principles need to be introduced earlier in our educational cycle. Along with Discovery Channel's "Build it Bigger" TV personality Danny Forster (at right), Debbie introduced some of the evening's Edison Award winners.

Dr. Paul Israel serves as Director and General Editor of the Thomas Edison Papers at Rutgers University. The Edison Papers are the guarantor of the Edison Awards. Paul also serves as a member of the Edison Awards Steering Committee, and is an expert on Edison's life and work. My thanks to Paul and his team for their extraordinary efforts on behalf of the 2010 Edison Awards!

Paul Dunay (left), SVP of Avaya, participated on a Meet the Innovators panel on behalf of Edison Awards partner MENG (Marketing Executives Networking Group), a body of 2000 senior-level marketers which in 2009 and 2010 voted to select Edison Awards winners in 11 categories.

The MENG table at the Edison Awards (above right) proved a rowdy bunch, but they calmed down just enough to allow me to chat with them for a few minutes and snap this photo. See this month's Events and Resources section for a 5-minute video filmed at the Edison Awards by MENG member Stan Phelps (standing, at center) in which he asks me to comment on the biggest challenges facing marketers today.

My deepest thanks to Edison Awards co-workers Frank Bonafilia and Rachel Wiessenburger for their Herculean efforts in making this year's event a success!

About Sarah Caldicott

Sarah Miller Caldicott is a great grandniece of Thomas Edison, a 25-year marketing veteran, and co-author of "Innovate Like Edison: The Five-Step System for Breakthrough Business Success." She has assembled teams of highly experienced consultants and trainers to assist her in bringing Edison's Five Competencies of Innovation™ to organizations of all sizes. Sarah and her teams are capable of addressing business challenges from a diverse array of industries, in either a business-to-consumer or business-to-business environment.

Sarah is a dynamic and award-winning speaker, whose engaging style combines substantive business content with humor. Her invaluable experience offers an ideal resource for organizations seeking innovation success in today's rapidly integrating global marketplace.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Sarah received a BA from Wellesley College, where she was named a Wellesley College Scholar. She also holds an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Sarah resides in Oak Park, Illinois, and has two teenage boys, Nicholas and Connor. For additional information on Sarah, click here.

©2010 by Sarah Miller Caldicott. All Rights Reserved.