Killer Innovations with Phil McKinney - A Show About Ideas Creativity And Innovation

Explore the unseen crisis of independent thought affected by AI and algorithms. Discover how reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT can weaken memory and cognitive abilities, especially in students. Delve into the vital importance of critical thinking as a survival skill in today’s fast-paced world. Learn about the education system's flaws that prioritize compliance over inquiry, and how deliberate practice can enhance thinking skills. Finally, uncover the societal risks posed by a decline in critical thinking and the urgent need for cognitive resilience.

Most innovation leaders are performing someone else's version of innovation thinking. I've spent decades in this field. Worked with Fortune 100 companies. And here's what I see happening everywhere. Brilliant leaders following external frameworks. Copying methodologies from people they admire. Shifting their approach based on whatever's trendy. But they never develop their own innovation thinking skills. Today, I'd like to share a simple practice that has transformed my life. And I'll show you exactly how I do it. The Problem Here's what I see in corporate America. Leaders are reacting to innovation trends instead of thinking for themselves. They chase metrics without questioning if those metrics matter. They abandon promising ideas when obstacles appear because they don't have internal principles to guide them. I watched a $300 million innovation initiative collapse. Not because the market wasn't ready. Not because the technology was wrong. But because the leader had no personal framework for making innovation decisions under pressure. This is the hidden cost of borrowed thinking. You can't innovate authentically when you're following someone else's playbook. After four decades, I've come to realize something that most people miss. We teach innovation methods. But we never teach people how to think as innovators. There's a massive difference. And that difference is everything. When you develop your own innovation thinking skills, you stop being reactive. You start operating from internal principles instead of external pressures. You ask better questions. Not just “How can we solve this?” but “Should we solve this?” That's what authentic innovation thinking looks like. The Solution So what's the answer? Innovation journaling. Now, before you roll your eyes, this isn't keeping a diary. This is a systematic development of your innovation thinking skills through targeted questions. My mentor taught me this practice early in my career. It became a 40-year obsession because it works. The process is simple. Choose a question. Write until the thought feels complete. Close the journal. Start your day. However, what makes this powerful is… The questions force you to examine your core beliefs about innovation. They help you develop principles that guide decisions when external pressures try to pull you in different directions. Most people operate from borrowed frameworks. Market demands. Best practices. Organizational expectations. Their approach shifts based on context. Innovation journaling builds something different. An internal compass. Your own thinking skills provide consistency across various challenges. Let me show you exactly how I do this. Sample Prompt/Demonstration Let me give you a question that consistently surprises people. Here's the prompt: “What innovation challenges do you consistently avoid, and what does that tell you about your beliefs?” Most people want to talk about what they pursue. But what you avoid reveals just as much about your innovation thinking. I've watched executives discover they avoid innovations that require long-term thinking because they're addicted to quick wins. Others realize they dodge anything that might make them look foolish, which kills breakthrough potential. One leader discovered she avoided innovations that required extensive collaboration. Not because she didn't like people. But because her core belief was that innovation required individual genius. That insight changed how she approached team projects. The question isn't comfortable. That's the point. Innovation journaling works because it bypasses your intellectual defenses. It accesses thinking you normally suppress or ignore. When you write “I consistently avoid innovations that…” you're forced to be honest. And that honesty reveals your actual innovation philosophy. Try this question yourself. Don't overthink it. Just write whatever comes up. You'll be surprised by what you discover. The Benefits Here's what changes when you develop your innovation thinking skills this way. You stop being reactive to whatever methodology is trendy. You have principles that guide you through uncertainty. You make decisions faster because they align with your authentic beliefs. Your team dynamics improve. People respond differently when you lead from consistent principles instead of borrowed frameworks. You create psychological safety because you're comfortable with not knowing. You ask ‌better questions. Instead of rushing to solutions, you examine whether problems deserve solving. You integrate your values with your innovation work. Most importantly, you stop performing someone else's version of innovation. You start thinking like the innovator you actually are. I've been doing this practice for 40 years. It's the foundation of every breakthrough innovation I've created. Not because it gave me ideas. But because it taught me how to think. Your innovation thinking skills are like a muscle. They get stronger with consistent use. Innovation journaling is how you build that strength. The compound effect is remarkable. After just two weeks, you'll see patterns in your thinking you never noticed. After a month, you'll make innovation decisions with confidence you didn't know you had. This isn't a quick fix. It's foundational development that serves you for years to come. Two-Week Exercise I want to help you get started. I've created a complete two-week innovation journaling program. Ten daily prompts plus weekend reflections. Each question is designed to develop different aspects of your innovation thinking skills. You can download it for free on my Substack Two-Week Innovation Journaling Program This isn't just a list of questions. It includes the context for each prompt. Implementation guidance. And the framework for building this into a sustainable practice. Start tomorrow. Choose one question. Write for 10-15 minutes. See what emerges. And if you find this helpful, I'm quietly working on something bigger. A whole year of innovation thinking prompts—different questions for each week to keep developing these skills over time. Subscribe on Substack to get notified when that's ready. It'll be worth the wait. Your authentic innovation thinking skills are waiting to be developed. The world needs innovators who think for themselves. Not performers following someone else's playbook. Develop your innovation thinking skills. Everything else will follow. To learn more about daily journaling to build innovation skills, listen to this week's show: How to Build Innovation Thinking Skills Through Daily Journaling. Get the tools to fuel your innovation journey → Innovation.Tools https://innovation.tools RELATED:   Subscribe To The Newsletter and Killer Innovations Podcast

This discussion dives into the intense pressure of quarterly reporting that stifles innovation in corporate America. Phil McKinney reveals the behind-the-scenes reality, illustrating how executives sacrifice long-term projects to meet short-term financial targets. The conversation highlights Michael Dell's bold $25 billion buyout as a strategy to escape this cycle, allowing for increased R&D spending. Additionally, the critique of the Wall Street Journal's perspective on corporate realities sparks a conversation about reforming investment practices to encourage long-term growth.

Disagreements can be your secret weapon for smarter thinking. A personal story illustrates how a heated argument led to collaboration and a shared solution. Learning to engage with differing opinions fosters critical thinking and creativity. Discover four essential skills for constructive dialogue: listening, tone awareness, curiosity, and respect. Embrace change by viewing disagreements as opportunities for growth rather than conflict. Unlock new perspectives and enhance your mental agility through intelligent opposition.

Discover the power of high-resolution thinking to identify overlooked opportunities! A fascinating personal story reveals how a simple conversation led to billions in revenue for a tech giant. Learn a three-stage system to transform casual talks into breakthrough innovations. Uncover strategies for recognizing market patterns and turning them into actionable insights. This episode emphasizes the importance of strategic conversations and offers practical exercises to enhance your creative processing. Get ready to train your mind to see what others miss!

The podcast dives into the historical mockery of human flight, underscoring how experts often misjudge possibilities. It distinguishes between true impossibility and mere perception, revealing that billion-dollar innovations often lie behind the word 'impossible.' Using case studies from HP and SpaceX, it emphasizes questioning industry norms to unlock breakthroughs. Transformative exercises aim to shift how organizations view rejected ideas, fostering a culture of innovation. Listeners are encouraged to explore formerly dismissed concepts that are now ripe for development.

The podcast dives deep into the concept of innovation fatigue, revealing how decision-makers are overwhelmed by excessive proposals. It argues that valuable ideas often get lost in the noise, not due to their lack of merit, but because of attention scarcity. With a fascinating look into the psychology behind decision-making, the discussion offers a practical framework to help organizations navigate this challenge. Listeners will gain insights into maximizing their innovation capacity and understanding why good ideas can sometimes be overlooked.

Explore the power of lateral thinking to unlock creativity and revolutionize problem-solving. Discover how a software engineer turned a random word into a million-dollar algorithm by thinking differently. Delve into case studies, like those of Netflix and IKEA, that showcase the impact of challenging conventional wisdom. Learn practical techniques, including assumption-breaking and escalation challenges, that can transform your approach to innovation. With structured methods at your fingertips, get ready to enhance your problem-solving skills!

Challenging the popular 'fail fast' mentality, the discussion highlights how it can stifle innovative ideas before they have a chance to bloom. A captivating story about a glass of water illustrates the importance of patience in nurturing promising technologies. The speaker emphasizes five key signs that indicate when to invest more time in an idea. Additionally, the concept of patient innovation is explored, advocating for long-term funding strategies that can lead to transformative advancements, as seen in the evolution of companies like Dell and Bose.

Explore the highs and lows of a crucial innovation partnership between HP and Fossil, which could have revolutionized the smartwatch market. Discover the pitfalls of poor decision-making and leadership chaos that led to lost opportunities. Learn about the DECIDE framework, a structured approach to make informed choices in partnerships. The discussion highlights what made the collaboration promising and why it ultimately failed, all while framing lessons that can transform future innovation opportunities.