Creating a Culture of Innovation

Recently on my radio program I had the opportunity to interview Laura Thrall, CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. She shared many great ideas and how United Way is meeting challenges in the current economy. I wanted to share one of the ways Laura creates a culture of innovation at United Way. The “Weekly Mash-Up” I asked Laura about leadership and how she inspires and engages her team. She talked about leading by example, how she’s willing to roll up her sleeves and how to foster a culture of creativity. I asked her for some concrete examples of empowering staff to be creative. Every week all staff is invited to the “Weekly Mash-Up” – ALL staff…not just management or directors. Anyone who is available is welcome to attend and participate. The purpose of the meeting is to generate new ideas, solve problems, and think creatively. Ideas that came out of that meeting include:  Chalking the Chicago sidewalks with Live United Chicago logo United Way coffee jet packs ou ...Read the rest of entry »

Stuck in a R.U.T.

Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day? This a great example of someone stuck in a rut and something we have all encountered.

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You can visit Pity City, but you can't live there!

I once had a manager who told clients "You can visit Pity City, but you can't live there!" Great advice for job transitioners. It's really easy to get into the pity mode and spread bad karma to everyone else. Here are two exercises to keep you out of Pity City:

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