InnovatorsDigest

Get Certified to Train Brains in New Workshop for Innovation Trainers, Facilitators & Coaches

More than 150 innovation experts from 13 countries have already been certified by SolutionPeople to train, facilitate and coach individuals and teams to improve innovation and creativity performance.

Do you want to get certified?
Join other innovation leaders for the award-winning Accelerated Innovation Workshop on July 27-28 at the highly-acclaimed Thinkubator in Chicago.

 
Then, continue training while experiencing the certification workshops on July 29-31, 2009 that are personally led by Gerald "Solutionman" Haman.

Experience 5 Powerful Days of Training Certification February 16-20, 2009

• Monday & Tuesday, July 27–28 Public Accelerated Innovation & Creativity Workshop (Days 1 & 2 of Certifications)
• Wednesday, July 29 – Innovation TRAINER Certification (Day 3)
• Thursday, July 30– Innovation FACILITATOR Certification (Day 4)
• Friday, July 31 – Innovation COACH Certification (Day 5)

Details on 2-day Accelerated Innovation Workshop can be downloaded HERE to get a PDF. Details on 5-day Certification Curriculum can be downloaded HERE to get a PDF.  Email info@solutionpeople.com or phone 1-312-829-2852, ext. 14 if you are interested in registering for the workshops.

New "Plan-a-Date-to-Innovate" Calendar with Over 100 Innovation Events

Innovators seeking unique opportunities to learn at workshops, webinars, conferences and experiences should check out our new calendar by clicking HERE.

Find out the dates of leading-edge conferences such as the World Future Society's Conference, Pine & Gilmore's thinkAbout, a 2-day/4-webinar series called Accelerate-to-Innovate,  plus convenient low-cost Questionate-to-Innovate & Decorate-to-Innovate webinars.

Additionally, you will find dates for webinars, networking events, training workshops and certifications for innovation trainers, facilitators and coaches. Click HERE to link to the calendar. Bookmark this page to review the calendar often as it is updated weekly. Download a PDF of the calendar by clicking HERE.

NEW Innovation Tool of the Month Club.com Provides Innovation Stimulus

CLICK to Learn About a New Club for Innovators!

www.InnovationToolOfTheMonthClub.com

Twitter-ate-to-Innovate: 6,000 People Join New Linkedin Group for Twitter Innovators

You can learn a lot about Twitter and Tweeting by joining one of the fastest growing Linkedin Groups.

Over 150 educational discussions have already been posted, including over 100 comments answering the question, "How might Twitter foster more creative and innovative thinking?"  To join the new Linkedin Twitter Innovators Group Click HERE.

Follow The Tweeter.  Gerald "Solutionman" Haman is just getting started with his 3 new Twitters. Click on each of the 3 links below, and select "follow" under the pictures to subscribe.
www.twitter.com/Solutionman
www.twitter.com/SolutionPeople
www.twitter.com/KnowBrainerTips

 

Know The Difference: Smarter Definitions of Creativity & Innovation

Many people misunderstand, misuse, and make mistakes when trying to define creativity and innovation. A Google search revealed 64,800,000 links for creativity, 120,000,000 links for innovation, and thousands of different definitions!

How do people define creativity and innovation? Research revealed thousands of complex and inconsistent definitions. Many gurus, experts and authors do not agree on what the words actually mean. Some people view creativity and innovation as the same thing. Many definitions are lengthy, verbose, and complex and require a consultant for translation and application.

How does SolutionPeople define creativity and innovation? What may be the best and clearest definitions of those frequently-used and misunderstood words? While speaking at an conference in Washington DC, Gerald Haman shared the following easy-to-understand definitions:

"CREATIVITY
is developing
new, interesting, or different
IDEAS"

"INNOVATION
is the process of transforming creative ideas
into valuable or profitable
SOLUTIONS"
Gerald "Solutionman" Haman

Creative Ideas Provide Energy for Innovative Solutions
It appears that many people are more comfortable talking about innovation than creativity. Their discomfort in talking about creativity may be rooted in the perception that that creativity is just fun and games. However, creativity is necessary for innovation to occur. Creative thinking yields the ideas that fill the pipeline of innovation. Innovation cannot happen without the energy generated by creativity. Haman's definition also has makes a subtle, yet important distinction between IDEAS and SOLUTIONS. Creativity produces the ideas and once they yield value or profit, they become solutions.  Below is Haman's other "creative" definition to help people define the relationship between creativity and innovation.

"Innovation is how people make money or create value from creativity"
Gerald "Solutionman" Haman

Affiliate-to-Innovate: 60,000 LinkedIn Innovators in Groups Can Use NEW Discussion Forums

 LinkedIn just released a valuable new feature that allows Group members to engage in discussions about innovation, creativity and other interesting topics. Articles from Innovator's Digest will be linked to some provocative questions in Group Discussion areas. 
Get ThinkedIn by joining in our innovation conversations via the LinkedIn Groups that now include over 60,000 innovative minds.

Click Below to Join Our Top 24 LinkedIn
Innovation Groups & Join the Discussions!

1. InnovationPeople Network Group
2. Marketing, PR, Word of Mouth & Buzz Innovators Group
3. Green & Sustainability Innovators Group
4. Sales & Selling Innovators Group
5. New Product & Service Innovators Group
6. Meeting & Event Design Professionals Group
7. Experience Economy "Pine & Gilmore" Innovators Group
8. Fundraising & Philanthropic Innovators Group
9. Learning & Education Innovators Group
10. HealthCare, Medical, Pharma & Biotech Group
11. Brand Innovators & Branding Leadership Group
12. Technology & Mobility Innovators Group
13. Communication Innovators Group
14. Innovation Idols Group
15. Futurists & Anticipatory Scientists Group
16. TRIZ Innovation Tool Group
17. Portfolio Magazine's ThinkTank Panelist Group
18. Leadership & Change Management Innovators Group
19. Chicagovators Group of Chicagoland Innovation Leaders
20. SolutionPeople Innovators Group
21. Thinkubator Creative Meeting Environment Innovators
22. David Allen's "Getting Things Done" Group
23. illumination.com Innovators Group
24. InnovatorsDigest.com Innovation Network

Do you want your free subscription to Innovator'sDigest? Click HERE to subscribe and receive innovation news that includes questions used for LinkedIn Innovation Group Discussions.

Guaranteed Return On Ideas: Economic Stimulus for Innovators (View ROI Video)

Do you need breakthrough solutions and more innovation? Do you need to improve your innovation skills? Do you want to generate more and better ideas in less time? Do you wish you had more time-saving tools and techniques? Do you need a better ROI in these challenging economic times?


If you answered yes, you and your team should experience SolutionPeople's upcoming Innovation Training Workshops led by Gerald "Solutionman" Haman in at the Thinkubator in Chicago or onsite at client locations.
Investments Create Dividends: Earn a Guaranteed ROI (Return On Ideas)
The award-winning workshop is designed to help you and your people develop ideas and action plans to address your real-world goals, challenges and problems. SolutionPeople guarantees participants will leave the training with ideas worth more than their tuition investment.
Solutionman's Personal Video
of Workshop ROI Guarantee
 
Click to View ROI Video 

A survey of over 1,000 graduates revealed that 80% of them generated ideas valued at over $50,000 from the Accelerated Innovation Training. One team of 25 people yielded solutions valued at over $273 million. Another team developed a product that was recognized by BusinessWeek as one of the Most Innovative Products of the Year. If you do not feel you have gained at least $1,000 worth of value, you can ask for a refund or take the course again. SolutionPeople is confident you will generate ideas worth much more.

Innovation Workshop Highlights
Learning Objectives
Investments & ROI
Agenda
Tools & Resources
Thinkubator
Trainer: Solutionman
Recognition & Support
Expert Recommendations
Customer Testimonials
Registration Options

Collaborate to Innovate: Bring Innovation Teams
Bring a team and leave as an innovation dream team. Learn how to "collaborate-to-innovate" and save 20% to 40%.
Investment for 2-day Workshop in Chicago on February 16-17 or on March 30-31, 2009.
Register online at www.solutionpeople.com/store or phone 312-829-2852 ext. 14. Download a detailed brochure of the workshop by clicking HERE.

8 Great Questions Every Innovator Should Ask and Answer (Download Free Poster)

SolutionPeople has helped over 60% of BusinessWeek's Most Innovative Companies in the World be more innovative by helping their people find solutions to their questions about innovation challenges. Below are 8 of the most thought-provoking questions that were collected from SolutionPeople customer's during innovation meetings, workshops and facilitations.

"8 Great Innovation Questions" Most Frequently Asked by SolutionPeople's Customers
1. How can we innovate to achieve goals, overcome challenges and solve problems?
2. How can we learn and improve innovative and creative thinking skills?
3. How can we apply new or proven tools, software and techniques that stimulate innovation and creativity?
4. How can we find and collaborate with more innovative people?
5. How can we inspire more innovation and fun?
6. How can we design environments and spaces that inspire innovation?
7. How can we implement proven innovation models, systems and processes?
8. How can we plan, launch and manage innovation initiatives and programs?

Download a pdf of your FREE color poster of the 8 Great Questions by clicking HERE. Take the 8x11 inch poster to your next meeting to stimulate some very provocative innovation conversations.
SolutionPeople's favorite question…
How might we help you?

Since SolutionPeople is frequently asked the Great 8 Questions, we have some answers!
Send an email for innovation help or answers to the questions by clicking HERE.

7 Improvements in the NEW KnowBrainer 4.0 Innovation & Creativity Tool

In 1989, Gerald "Solutionman" Haman released the Pocket Innovator, a tool FORTUNE magazine called "The World's First Creativity Tool." Tools created by Solutionman are now being used by over 100,000 people in 30 countries. The experience has paid off. Solutionman has released the NEW version 4.0 of the KnowBrainer Innovation & Creativity Tool.

Order KnowBrainer 4.0 tools for $98 at the SolutionStore and give them to your employees, families and friends. One company ordered 500 tools to distribute at a company meeting and everyone found the tool to be much more valuable than the traditional meeting handouts. The KnowBrainer's compact card-deck fan format puts the gift of inspiration for innovation in the palm your hand! Award-winning inventor, Solutionman, will be happy to include an autographed note card with tools ordered as a gift!

If people have an iPod, then they will enjoy getting the world's first innovation application for the iPod and iPhones – the PodBrainer. Computer users will appreciate the new FlashBrainer™ software also available at the SolutionStore.

What is "New and Improved" in Version 4.0?

1. Improved Content - 20% of cards were changed
2. Better Questions - Applied Questionation™ methods to formulate more provocative questions and added "Think" to popular "Be, Know, Feel, Have, Do" question cards
3. Clearer Directions - Instructional design facilitates better thinking and transition between Stages
4. Enhanced graphics - Improved color coding system
5. Innovation™ Process "Steps" are Renamed "Stages" - Provides opportunities to include "steps" within each Stage and integrates better with product development "Stage-Gate" models
6. Integrated with Software & iPod & iPhone eTools - Identical content to new FlashBrainer™ software and PodBrainer™ for iPods
7. Packaging Contains New ISBN# and Bar Codes - Convenient for distribution via book stores and Amazon.com