| Greetings!
Try your friends and children with this question, 'This year, which comes first, Christmas Day or New Year's Day?' Because we think forward in a linear way, most children (and many adults) will wrongly answer Christmas Day.
Here are some more ideas on creative thinking together with a little seasonal fun. |
| Ask Questions |
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Children learn by asking questions. Students learn by asking questions. New recruits learn by asking questions. Innovators understand client needs by asking questions. It is the simplest and most effective way of learning. People who think that they know it all no longer ask questions - why should they? Brilliant thinkers never stop asking questions because they know that this is the best way to gain deeper insights.
Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, said, "We run this company on questions, not answers." He knows that if you keep asking questions you can keep finding better answers.
When Greg Dyke became Director-General of the BBC in 2000 he went to every major location and assembled the staff. They came expecting a long presentation. He simply sat down with them and asked a question, "What is the one thing I should do to make things better for you?" Then he listened. He followed this with another question, "What is the one thing I should do to make things better for our viewers and listeners?" He knew that at that early stage he could learn more from his employees than they could from him. The workers at the BBC had many wonderful ideas that they were keen to share. The fact that the new boss took time to question and then listen earned him enormous respect. Article on Innovation Tools |
| Country Name Puzzles |
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1. Which country name is a single word containing all five vowels?
2. Which country name is an anagram of another country's capital city?
3. Which three country names contain no letters from the word mackerel?
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| Innovation Reports |
The Department for Innovation Universities and Skills has just released its Annual Innovation Report. "It presents a picture of a nation that is both good at innovation and getting better at it," the Science Minister, Lord Drayson said. "However we need to maintain this progress to cope with the economic downturn and to emerge stronger from it. We must continue to invest in talent, science and innovation. Our future depends on it." I contributed to a report on Innovating in a Recession produced by Innovation Tools. It is packed with expert advice and mine. |
| Games and Books for Christmas |
 Here is my list of recommended Games for Thinkers. It might give you some ideas for last minute gifts.
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| And finally.... |
A video that shows how productive and flexible people can be. And you thought your job was a balancing act..... |
