Saturday, March 31, 2007

A Formula for Sustainable Global Prosperity

Listen to Interview (mp3, 27MB, 1 hour)

David Pearce Snyder, Life-Styles Editor of The Futurist magazine, is a data-based forecaster whose thousands of seminars and workshops on strategic thinking have been attended by representatives from most of the Fortune 500 companies, and from local and federal government agencies, educational institutions and trade associations. Before entering private practice as a consulting futurist in 1981, Mr. Snyder was Chief of Information Systems, and later, Senior Planning Officer for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, where he designed and managed the Service's Strategic Planning System. He was also a consultant to the RAND Corporation, and served as an instructor for the Federal Executive Institute, and for Congressional and White House staff development programs. Mr. Snyder has published hundreds of studies, articles and reports on the specific future of a wide range of U.S. institutions, industries and professions, and on the socio-economic impacts of new technologies. He is the editor/co-author of five books, including Future Forces and a sequel, America in the 1990s, both published by the American Society of Association Executives. He has appeared on Nightline, the Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, and the BBC World Service.

The common assumption that the Information Revolution will create a new generation of high value/high pay rank-and-file jobs remains an article of faith that is not reflected in current hiring patterns or official long-range employment forecasts. To the contrary, routine workplace activities are increasingly being automated, infomated, and commoditized, reducing the need for skilled labor. Simultaneously, macroeconomists expect that international competition made possible by free trade and our new global infostructure, the Internet, will increasingly drive local labor markets worldwide to pay comparable wages for comparable work. But real revolutions arise from the bottom up, and a confluence of spontaneously adopted technical innovations and collegial workplace practices is currently foreshadowing a grassroots reinvention of work itself that can be expected to increase the value added and the income earned by rank and file employees. What is emerging is an absolutely unexpected yet intuitively compelling social invention, open collaboration, uniquely capable of mobilizing the creative capacities of workers everywhere to exploit the productive potential of information technology, and to address the growing inventory of social, economic, environmental and biomedical challenges confronting the future of human enterprise.

David Pearce Snyder
Consulting Futurist
The Snyder Family Enterprise
8628 Garfield Street
Bethesda, MD 20817
301-530-5807
david@the-futurist.com
www.the-futurist.com

Extreme Creativity

Listen to Interview (mp3, 15MB, 30 minutes)

How will the practice of creativity be a driving force in the future world of work? What role can we play to take advantage of the current uncertainty to leverage creative thinking? What are the links between strategic and creative thinking? How do you totally engage the brain in the creative process? Come and engage your brain in this thought provoking session that will stimulate your thinking!

Ann Herrmann-Nehdi is CEO of Herrmann International, publisher of the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) which is based on extensive research on thinking and the brain. Multiple applications of whole brain technology include creativity, strategic thinking, problem solving, management and leadership, teaching and learning, self-understanding, communication and team/staff development. Ann seeks to apply the principles of whole brain technology to her varied responsibilities: from day-to-day operations, to sales, to workshop design and presentations. Having resided in Europe for 13 years, Ann brings a global perspective to the company. Since joining Herrmann International USA 19 years ago, Ann has expanded the network of international offices to 16, spanning Europe, the Pacific Rim and Latin America.

Her personal goal is to promote better understanding of how individuals and organizations think and become more effective, as well as enhance learning and communication technologies worldwide through the application and development of whole brain concept. Ann is an advisor to the American Creativity Association, and has served such clients as Bank Of America, Coca Cola, General Electric, BMW, Target, Cintas, Cisco Systems, Hallmark, IBM, Milliken, Novartis, the US Forest Service and The Wharton School, Vanderbilt, as well as many educational groups. A powerful and highly energetic speaker, Ann has delivered keynotes and large group presentations around the world including events for ACA, CPSI, ASTD, ISA, American Planning Association, Training, the International Alliance for Learning and Innovative Network.

Herrmann International, celebrating its 25th year in 2006, was founded by Ned Herrmann, a Past President and founding member of the ACA and major contributor to the association for many years before he passed away in 1999. Ned, a physicist by education, was Manager of Management Education for General Electric where he began his groundbreaking study of the brain, creative human development and learning which resulted in the formation of the HBDI. The HBDI has been used worldwide to profile individuals’ learning and thinking styles and preference in accordance with brain theory. Herrmann developed and validated the HBDI and the Whole Brain Model while at GE, and designed several workshops that are internationally recognized for their use of cutting-edge creativity-learning models. Herrmann authored several books outlining his findings, including The Creative Brain published in 1996; The Whole Brain Business Book, published in 1998.The work of the North Carolina company has been featured in O Magazine, Business Week, USA Today, Discover, Scientific American and the Harvard Business Review. Herrmann International, with affiliates world-wide, continues to research and develop products and applications in the fields of thinking, creativity, leadership and learning.

Friday, March 30, 2007

Prisoners of Our Thoughts

Listen to the Interview (mp3, 19 min, 9MB)

Drawing on his book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles at Work (Read a Book Review, PDF), Dr. Alex Pattakos underscores the close relationship between creativity and the human quest for authentic meaning in life. Indeed, the intrinsic motivation to "actualize creative values" is one of the primary sources of meaning that defines our human-ness. Moreover, the will to meaning is based upon our individual and collective willingness to be held responsible--for our attitudes, our beliefs, and our behaviors. In this regard, Dr. Pattakos calls for a new paradigm that connects creativity with responsibility. In other words, we not only have a responsibility to be creative and to inspire creativity in others, but also to ensure that our personal and collective creative outputs are "responsible" and seek to make a positive difference in the world.

Dr. Alex Pattakos, affectionately nicknamed "Dr. Meaning," is the founder of the Center for Meaning and a principal of The Innovation Group, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. He has had a long-standing passion for creativity as an academic (he began teaching creativity courses at the University level in the early 1980s), as an author (he's published extensively on the relationship between creativity and learning within complex organizations), and as a practitioner (he's worked in/with the government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors). In 1986, he received the "Creativity Award" from the University of Maine for his pioneering work in distance learning. The World Future Society credited him with inventing the concept of the "Electronic Visiting Professor" and IBM showcased his work as an innovation in academic computing.

More recently, Dr. Pattakos has integrated his passion for creativity with the emerging discipline of Innovation Management (see: www.seedsofinnovation.com ). Among his recent publications is the book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts, already translated into eight foreign languages, which applies the wisdom of his mentor, Dr. Viktor Frankl, to contemporary work and personal situations and provides a meaning-centered platform for innovative action. In addition, he is a member of the Honorary Advisory Council for the Statue of Responsibility Foundation (www.SORfoundation.org ), which seeks to erect a Statue of Responsibility monument, an idea that originated with Dr. Frankl, on the West Coast of the USA (as a "book-end" to the Statue of Liberty) by the end of this decade.

Alex N. Pattakos, Ph.D.
Principal, The Innovation Group
223 North Guadalupe Street, #243, Santa Fe, NM 87501-1850
(505) 820-0254 (direct)
alex@themeaningdifference.com
www.themeaningdifference.com
www.seedsofinnovation.com

Whither the Creativity Clan: Challenges for Global Solidarity

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Kirpal Singh is an internationally recognized writer, the author of 15 books, and a Singaporean icon. Among other things, he teaches courses on and directs a program on creativity at the very innovative Singapore Management University.

Kirpal Singh
School of Economics & Social Sciences
Singapore Management University
90 Stamford Road
Singapore 178903
65.68220207
kirpals@smu.edu.sg

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

USC Stevens Institute for Innovation Launches; Showcases Breakthrough Innovations
Posted on : 2007-03-28 | Author : University of Southern California
News Category : PressRelease


LOS ANGELES, March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- During a day long celebration of innovation at the University of Southern California today, USC President Steven B. Sample announced the strategic plan, mission and vision for the newly-named USC Stevens Institute for Innovation, the university's bold, new approach to harness and advance breakthrough research and innovation for societal impact.This is the first time a major research university has created a university-wide, centralized hub out of the Office of the Provost to consolidate innovation transfer operations and innovator development and to be the catalyst for educational and co-curricular programming. Additionally, this is the first time such an undertaking has included innovations from all disciplines -- from cinematic arts and music to sciences, medicine and engineering -- focusing efforts on innovators as well as the innovations."Innovation isn't confined to science and technology. It can also be social or artistic, with creative ideas taking the form of start-ups or licenses, new products or services, or even nonprofits and new organizational models," Dr. Sample said. "It is this broader -- more inclusive -- definition for innovation that makes it relevant and powerful within a research university. At USC we are dedicated to breaking down the barriers between disciplines and pursuing innovation that meets societal needs in areas that include education, human health and safety, the arts, the environment, and urban policy and planning."To celebrate the USC Stevens launch, innovators from a variety of disciplines, research centers and USC schools including the School of Pharmacy, Institute for Creative Technologies, Information Sciences Institute, Roski School of Fine Arts, School of Cinematic Arts, and School of Social Work demonstrated their inventions at the showcase. Some of the innovations displayed included: * Wei-Min Shen's Superbots -- Identical modular units that can connect to create robots that can stand, walk or crawl; * Leapfrog lunar landing vehicle -- A working space vehicle that provides small companies the option to explore revenue generating business opportunities on the lunar surface; * A breakthrough Alzheimer's disease therapy that uses a new way to promote neural stem cell generation in the brain to sustain the regenerative capacity and cognitive function of the brain; * The Pano Chamber -- A 9-foot in diameter, immersive, 360 degree video, motion graphic and still display interactive video and audio panoramic display environmentSaid USC Trustee Mark Stevens, Sequoia Capital partner and the naming donor of the Institute, "A chasm exists between academia and business. Although both rely on innovation, the academic world pursues publication, societal impact, and betterment of humanity while the business community generally pursues a return on investment, financial gain and competitive edge. With USC Stevens designed to bridge the gap between the academy and society in such a unique manner, USC has demonstrated its pioneering spirit in redefining what it means to be a major research university in the 21st century."A Unique ApproachThe primary focus of USC Stevens is on developing, supporting and nurturing both the innovator and the innovation. To that end, USC Stevens plans to soon announce specific awards, grants and educational programs to support student innovators."The greatest innovation transfer we can do as a university to make an impact on society occurs every May, when we graduate thousands of future innovators from USC," said Krisztina Holly, Vice Provost and Executive Director of USC Stevens. "Our approach centers on ensuring our researchers and student innovators are empowered with the tools and support necessary to continue to make societal impact, now and in the future."To expand on our effectiveness, USC Stevens will build cross-functional teams within the staff and volunteer network, in thematic areas of interest, to design specific programmatic support within each area based on unique needs. The first team will be in Arts and Media, followed closely by Life Sciences, which will launch in conjunction with the opening of the USC Stevens office on the HSC campus.USC Stevens will soon open an office on the USC Health Sciences Campus to serve the specific needs of the health science researchers, particularly at the Keck School of Medicine and School of Pharmacy.USC Stevens will grow to nearly 30 staff, and will begin to offer a variety of programs to USC researchers and students, including workshops, educational programs, student groups, and resources in innovation; intellectual property management; IP protection and licensing for USC-owned IP; information on volunteer, investment, and sponsored research opportunities at USC; and community-building events to connect innovators and investors. Programs will be built over the next several years in response to needs identified in various thematic areas.About USC Stevens Institute for InnovationUSC Stevens Institute for Innovation is a university-wide resource in the Office of the Provost, designed to harness and advance the creative thinking and breakthrough research at USC for societal impact. USC Stevens identifies, nurtures, protects, and transfers the most exciting innovations from USC to the market, and in turn, provides a central connection for industry seeking cutting-edge innovations in which to invest. Furthermore, USC Stevens develops the innovator as well as innovations, through educational programs, community-building events, and showcase opportunities. From the biosciences and technology to music and cinematic arts, USC Stevens connects faculty, students, and the business community to create an environment for stimulating and inspiring the process of innovation across all disciplines.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Creativity and the Future




View the Video (slides & audio, 55 minutes)


Creativity and the future are inextricably intertwined. We create the future and creativity is required to perceive the future being created. In today's complex environment, foresight requires the interaction of a number of creative minds with expertise in a variety of fields. Creativity is required to analyze or synthesize data from noise, knowledge from data and wisdom from knowledge. And, that creativity must be tapped and channeled through the use of appropriate futures methodologies. This presentation will cover some concepts of the future and useful ways to utilize the creativity of people to develop foresight. It will also include a discussion of the limits of our ability to forecast.

Paul Schumann is a practicing futurist with expertise in creativity and innovation. He has lived long enough to see forecasts fail and succeed, including some of his own. He had a thirty year career with IBM in three very different arenas - as a technologist and technology manager in semiconductor technology, as an internal entrepreneur creating the first independent business unit within IBM, and as a cultural change agent developing a more creative and innovative culture. Since retiring from IBM he has been consultant as a business futurist with programs in creativity and innovation. He is the founding president of the Central Texas Chapter of the World Future Society (www.CenTexWFS.org ). More information about Paul can be found on his web sites - http://www.theinnovationroadmap.com/ and http://www.glocalvantage.com/.

Creativity in the Cosmos: A Philosophical Appreciation

Listen to the Interview (mp3, 11MB)

(1) Appreciate some philosophical ideas that offer an intellectual foundation for many more practical efforts; (2) Relate these, if one chooses--but it's not necessary--to a contemporary view of spirituality; (3) Relate these, also to the processes in one's own mind and personal evolution; (4) Apply the techniques of asides, multiple parts of self, and future projection to enhance effectiveness in communications; (5) Recognize the sources of creativity and cultivate receptivity to these "dramatic muses"; and (6) Appreciate the roots and interconnections of drama, creativity, and the psychologies of play and creativity.

Adam Blatner, M.D., T.E.P., is the only certified trainer of psychodrama in the United States who is also a psychiatrist, and, indeed, a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Doubly Board Certified in Adult and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr. Blatner has retired from active clinical practice and instead devotes himself to writing and teaching about "Psychological Literacy," seeking to foster a higher level of social and emotional skills in the population as his contribution to mental hygiene. In the field of psychodrama, Dr. Blatner was the recipient of the field’s highest "J. L. Moreno Award" for lifetime service. He’s the author of three of the most widely used books on the subject, as well as numerous articles and chapters and books.

Adam Blatner
Teacher, Writer
Senior University Georgetown (Texas)
103 Crystal Springs Drive
Georgetown, TX 78628
512 864-0516
adam@blatner.com
www.blatner.com/adam/

Thursday, March 22, 2007

ET Light: Enlarging the Circle of Creativity to Include the Doctor Whos

Listen to the Interview (mp3, 12M)

A courageous outrageous storytelling musical presenting encounters with extraterrestrial beings--intuitions, events, dreams, psychic messages and memories--with interpretations of what they may be telling us. It will move past the edge of what "authorities" tell us is our universe. Come prepared to laugh about, question, awaken or renew your relationship with extraterrestrial collaborators.

Carol McCormick studied over a period of three years at the Anna Wise Center in California. She has been a teacher and trainer at schools, colleges, universities, and corporations for thirty years. Her teacher Anna Wise wrote Awakening the Mind: A Guide to Mastering the Power of Your Brainwaves and The High Performance Mind - Mastering Brainwaves for Insight, Healing, and Creativity. Anna has taught biofeedback meditation and brainwave training for the past three decades and has led workshops and seminars throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, South America, and Asia. She is a leading authority on EEG and Higher States of Consciousness.

Carol McCormick
Storyteller, Trainer, and Public Speaker
SpiritMind Institute
625 Windemere Drive
Plymouth, MN 55441
763-546-4133
mccobuch@comcast.net

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Community Weaving: A New Solution for a New Century

Listen to the Interview (mp3, 5 MB)

Community Weaving is a grassroots community mobilization strategy that weaves the social fabric of community. This social change methodology incorporates the use of web-based technology to weave the human and tangible resources of the grassroots with the knowledge and skills of formal systems to create new ways of being in community. The approach raises social consciousness and awakens the human spirit to its purpose by engaging people to take responsibility for what they care about to create a more caring, just and civil society. In this networking session, Cheryl will reveal the techniques she used to grow a Family Support Network across the U.S. This transformative community building approach weaves a multi-cultural community tapestry of connections within communities, across organizations and around the world. Community Weaving is a cutting-edge methodology featured in the new Change Handbook, 2nd Edition. You don't want to miss this incredible opportunity to learn simple tips on how to grow your networking potential exponentially.

Cheryl Honey, C.P.P., of Bothell, WA, is president of Excel Strategies, Inc. and pioneer of Community Weaving, a social change methodology. She founded Family Support Network, Int'l and developed web-based technology to weave fabric of community within community systems around the world. Cheryl spearheaded a national movement by engaging citizens to take responsibility to creating a more caring, just and civil society. She is an advisor to the Alliance for Human Empowerment and member of the American Creativity Association. She received a B.A. in Liberal Arts & Transformative Community Building from Antioch University, Seattle. She authored Community Weaving in The Change Handbook 2nd Edition, and published numerous articles on community organizing and volunteerism. Communities tap her expertise to develop innovative approaches to build and bridge social capital. She's an Ambassador for Peace, and recipient of the Excellence in Leadership Award and the Giraffe Award, for sticking her neck out.

Cheryl Honey, C.P.P.
Master WeaverFamily Support Network, Int'l
14316 75th Ave. NE
Bothell, WA 98011
206.240.2241
www.familynetwork.org

Monday, March 19, 2007

Risk Taking as a Factor of Creative Thinking

Listen to Interview (mp3, 10 MB)

Risk-taking has not been a major area of study during recent decades, but increasing interest is being taken in its relation to creative thinking. The definitions of risk–taking vary widely depending on the researchers, purposes and theoretical biases .most definitions of risk-taking were concerned with economic theory in the first half of twentieth century. Moreover, Lopes (1983), indicates that the psychological dimension of risk-taking was generally neglected.

Before discussing the educational implications of risk taking, in its relationship to creative thinking, certain basic factors involved in risk-taking deserve mention. These include situational factors such as the nature of the risk taking task, the nature of motivation provided by the task, and the effect of other people on risk taker. These also include gender differences, age, profession, values, anxiety level, and creativity of the risk taker. Discussion of these will lead to suggestions on how risk –taking can be integrated into the learning environment.

Professor Abdullah Alsafi, who received his Ph.D. Degree in educational psychology 1989 from the University OF Wales, U K., is a professor and senior lecturer in department of educational psychology at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia ,he was member in many academics and university administrations .he was consulted with many organizations regarding teaching learning in Saudi Arabia ,and he has presented his ideas regarding creative thinking, problem solving, learning strategies etc in many formal schools. He has presented papers in many conferences in Saudi Arabia, United State (APA) & (ACA), and Malta. He has published in English and Arabic language journals on topics focusing on creative thinking , motivation , learning and thinking ,anxiety , attribution ,achievement ,personality traits that dispose to creativity ,verbal production , psychological reality in pre school etc. and is the author of two books in Arabic: one on Creative Thinking and the-Evaluation in education. His third book, on educational psychology, is due to be published soon.

Abdullah Taha Alsafi
King Khalid University
Department of Educational Psychology
Abha, Saudi Arabia
PO Box 9035
009667 2247303 Office
009667 2263986 Fax
profalsafi@gmail.com

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Creativity is Not Being Afraid to Fail: The 3M Experience

Listen to Interview (mp3, 18mb)

Dr. Andrew J. Ouderkirk received his Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from Northern Illinois University in 1978. He earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Northwestern University in 1983. After working two years at DuPont, he joined 3M in 1985.

Andy formed and led the team developing 3M’s Multilayer Optical Film (MOF) technology platform and developed the program’s intellectual property strategy. MOF products have wide-ranging, innovative applications, such as light-polarizing products, ultra high efficiency light reflectors and wavelength-selective products. The initial MOF product, Dual Brightness Enhancement Film, was the world’s first, commercially successful reflective film polarizer, which is now commonly used in LCDs for handheld, monitor, and TV applications. Andy is one of the lead developers of the new business Platform Architecture series being taught to 3M technical employees.

Andy has over 95 issued US patents and made more than 35 publications and invited presentations. Recognition includes the 2000 Fast Company Fast 50 award, the 2003 Finance and Commerce Innovator of the year, and the 2004 ACS Award for Creative Invention. He was elected into the National Academy of Engineering in 2005. Andy is a 3M Carlton member, and is a Corporate Scientist in 3M’s Optical Systems Division.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Innovation

Paul Schumann speaking about innovation from his perspective.


Click to view video.