FastForward Radio

What are the five key distinctions I see that separate the best from the rest? The most effective innovators are partnering and co-innovating with stakeholders. The key to effective innovation leadership is acquiring the skills necessary to partner very closely with the stakeholders in your organization and co-own getting to those outcomes you wish to achieve. After reading CEO Excellence, written by senior partners at McKinsey, it made me think about the key capabilities that differentiate mediocre innovation leaders from those innovation leaders who are knocking it out of the ballpark. 

I had a chance over the summer to spend a lot of time with my dad. I learned that he wasn't doing well, we found out that he had cancer. Knowing that he was sick really prompted me to start spending much more time with him and just asking him a lot of questions. My conversations with my dad led me to learn three big innovation leadership lessons. I want to share these lessons with you as the foundation of how to continue leveling up as an innovation leader.

With persisting talk of inflation and recession, many of our colleagues and clients are anticipating a slowdown period in which innovation takes a back seat to cost-cutting and downsizing. These pullbacks may test the nerve of many innovation leaders, but I'm here to tell you: there has never been a better time to lean into the challenges ahead. Listen now to learn the three steps you can take to prepare. 

One of the most powerful tools in the Innovation Leaders' quiver is the design sprint. Design sprints are compressed agile development cycles (quite typically a few days or weeks) in which stakeholders identify problems, then rapidly brainstorm and build out prototype solutions in order to validate ideas before investing heavily into developing them. Embrace letting go of control over your design sprints to discover your new superpower as an Innovation facilitator.

One of the top challenges business leaders face when trying to accelerate digital transformation is expanding low code adoption throughout their enterprise. Large scale implementation is a powerful way to get more people involved with digital transformation and supercharge your innovation programs company-wide. However, some of the biggest obstacles business leaders face stem from misconceptions about what low code is and how it should be implemented. In fact, many of the notions that make people hesitant to roll out low code programs are just plain wrong. Subscribe to Digital FastForward for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/ Low-Code Transformation Programs: https://lowcode.digitalfastforward.com/ Innovation Nation Online Community: innovationnation.group

As innovation leaders, we live in a space of “comfortable discomfort.” It is routine for us to be in a constant state of failure, which is how we refine and move forward through the innovation process. It is part of the job, but let's not discount the toll this can take on our minds. One of the most important skills we can acquire to avoid this innovation fatigue and personal burnout is mental toughness. In the context of creativity and innovation leadership, mental toughness is the habit of following through on ideas even when it's hard. Subscribe to Digital FastForward for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/ Low-Code Transformation Programs: https://lowcode.digitalfastforward.com/ Innovation Nation Online Community: innovationnation.group

Employees are seeking more meaning and purpose in their work. This is an opportunity for us as innovators to embed employee experience in our innovation initiatives, connecting meaning and purpose to the day-to-day work employees do. And not just because doing so is likely to help engage and retain valuable team members. Putting employee experience at the center of innovation initiatives can produce better design ideas, improve the outcome of your projects, and increase efficiencies in your development. Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/ Innovation Nation Online Community: innovationnation.group

The habits of clarity, courage, and influence are essential for your success as an innovation leader. You can master facilitating design sprints and leading digital transformations without these habits, but you'll see inconsistent results. These three habits are the bedrock you need to deliver high performance innovation. Innovation influence worksheet: https://digitalfastforward.hubspotpagebuilder.com/en/innovation-influence-worksheet High-performance innovation worksheet: http://9288358.hs-sites.com/high-performance-innovation-worksheet Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/ Innovation Nation Online Community: innovationnation.group

Over the years I've experimented with different ways to manage and shift my own energy when I need to get my mind into a creative state. My favorite is to listen to a specially curated playlist designed to get me loose and into the right mindset for thinking creatively. Today I'm sharing some of the songs from my playlist FastForward Life with you. Listen to FastForward Life on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/584Mv7ls9AB84VY5i6SxpN?si=b3113b961ee44fd8 Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/ Innovation Nation Online Community: innovationnation.group

Collaboration tools are essential for remote design thinking sessions. But they can be just as much of an obstacle as they can help. The most important tool in your design thinking toolbox is you! Here are some tips for how to upgrade your facilitator operating system. Get the worksheet here: http://digitalfastforward-9288358.hs-sites.com/en/innovation-facilitator-self-assessment Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/ Innovation Nation Online Community: innovationnation.group

This week I'm talking about my top three tech trends and predictions for 2022 and how you can quickly translate them into real business impact for your team. Shift From Digital Transformation To Human Transformation Adoption Of Low-Code As A Management Discipline Automating Intelligent Processes In The Metaverse Watch the Pegasystems 2022 Next in Tech replay: https://www.pega.com/insights/resources/next-tech-2022-forecast Download the predictions and trends worksheet: http://digitalfastforward-9288358.hs-sites.com/en/en/predictions-trends-worksheet Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/ Innovation Nation Online Community: innovationnation.group

In this episode, I talk about how innovation leaders can become better influencers within their organizations. Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/

In this episode, I talk about my morning routine, and how innovation leaders can build a morning routine to help them be their best, most creative selves. Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/

In this episode, I tell you about my move to California...in order to explain why the combination of design thinking and systems thinking is so powerful. Combining systems thinking with design thinking will help you tackle tough challenges. Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/

In this episode, I go over the 5 C's of Work Redesign -- the five things you should focus on to increase your pace of acceleration as the pandemic dies down. Assess yourself on the 5 C's here: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/assessments/2147494570 Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/

In this episode, I go over the four steps to create an innovation rhythm that ties together grassroots ideation and support from executive leadership. If you struggle to maintain energy long enough to execute on all those new ideas, you need an innovation rhythm. Innovation Sprint Playbook: https://digitalfastforward.mykajabi.com/opt-in-fd0f4aa7-609b-4b24-bd86-31fe5e028807 Innovation Rhythm Worksheet: https://digitalfastforward.hubspotpagebuilder.com/en/innovation-rhythm-worksheet Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. Complementary strategy session: https://meetings.hubspot.com/clay59/innovationstrategy 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching/

In this episode, I talk about how to transform from a process-thinker into a design-thinker. Making the commitment to design thinking is a fundamental shift in how you solve problems and look at the world. Taking the three steps I recommend will help you feel more confident to abandon the traditional process thinking mindset that underpins how you’ve operated in the past. Our previous episode about low-code and design thinking: https://fastforwardradio.libsyn.com/achieving-innovation-nirvana Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching

In this episode, I want to talk to you about low-code, and how you can combine low-code and design thinking to triple your ideation efficiency. Low-code is a powerful tool for creating simple digital prototypes to share with users to get feedback while your idea is still fresh. Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com. 5-Day Innovation Challenge: https://programs.digitalfastforward.com/5-day-innovation-challenge Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program: https://digitalfastforward.com/innovation-coaching

Thought leadership can be such an overloaded concept, so I wanted to share my perspective on it as a former Forrester analyst and a current CEO of a fast-growing startup. In this episode I share 3 actions you can take to establish yourself as a thought leader: making calls, knowing your audience, and developing your authentic voice. Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com if you're interested in our 5-Day Innovation Challenge or the Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program.

Visualizing your destination postcard is a great way to get clarity about your personal innovation mission for 2021. In this episode, I walk you through how to write your destination postcard and why it's important. I challenge you to share your destination postcard with me – one sentence that represents what you will have done as an innovation leader in 2021 and the impact it will have. I’d love to hear where your destination would be, too. If you did everything you needed to accomplish your big goals as an innovation leader, where would you go? What would you write on your postcard, and who would you send it to? Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com if you're interested in our 5-Day Innovation Challenge or the Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program.

Recently, one of the innovation leaders going through our Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program asked me “How do you get it all done? How do you find time to focus on innovation and creativity when you have all this other stuff going on?” As an innovation leader, you’ve probably asked yourself the same question. In this episode, I talk about the innovation productivity hacks I use and recommend for innovation leaders, including: 1. Getting clear on your mission 2. Separating needle-moving from non-needle-moving activities 3. Making time for "deep work" 4. Using a daily/weekly planner I hope you enjoy the episode, and good luck with accelerating! Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com if you're interested in our 5-Day Innovation Challenge or the Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program.

In this episode, I talk about blueprint and blue-sky innovation mindsets, and how to assess your own mindset to achieve the best results. When the pandemic was forcing businesses to change, some of our clients took a blueprint innovation mindset. They were hurrying to fix things according to the way they already did them – just adapting a little bit to survive. On the opposite end of the spectrum were those with a blue-sky innovation mindset. They were saying “This is an opportunity to blow everything up and re-imagine it.” They’d decided the blueprint they had wasn’t going to work going forward. They were going to rethink everything. If you’re an innovation leader or an aspiring innovation leader, I recommend assessing your team or even your personal life to see if you’re taking a blueprint or a blue-sky approach. This episode is all about getting your head in the right place to generate breakthrough innovation and work with your team to get them there too. Subscribe to FastForward Radio for more innovation and design thinking tips and best practices, and find us at digitalfastforward.com if you're interested in our 5-Day Innovation Challenge or the Innovation eXcelerator Coaching Program!

In this episode, I interview Reshma Block, Principal at Compass Consulting Group, a woman-owned IT consulting firm specializing in business continuity and recovery strategies. One of the youngest disaster recovery managers at Intel Corporation in the late 90’s, it was the historic September 11 attacks that positioned her as the leading voice in disaster recovery and business continuity. Remember that infamous ‘Jerry McGuire moment, the memo?,’ well Reshma shares how her 10-page paper changed the trajectory of her career, and the vulnerability of one of the largest technology companies in America.

In this very special episode, I interview Cindy Praeger, Co-Founder & Managing Partner with Rhythm Systems. Rhythm Systems helps mid-market firms develop their growth strategies and provides software that helps get everyone aligned to execute on an organization’s gameplan for growth.

On this episode, we interviewed Baruch Sachs, Vice President of Client Innovation at Pegasystems. His company is a leading provider of cloud software for customer engagement and operational excellence. Enjoy the conversation.

In this episode, we interview Shane Bray, Head of Customer Experience (CX) at Willis Towers Watson. His company is one of the leading health care providers in the country. Enjoy the conversation. 

This is part 2 of our interview with Greg Warman, Principal at Experience Point. His company has developed a breakthrough approach for quickly ramping up enterprises on design thinking. Enjoy the conversation. 

On this episode, we interview Greg Warman, Principal at Experience Point. His company has developed a breakthrough approach for quickly ramping up enterprises on design thinking. Enjoy the conversation.

In this episode, I interview Reshma Block, Principal at Compass Consulting Group, a woman-owned IT consulting firm specializing in business continuity and recovery strategies. One of the youngest disaster recovery managers at Intel Corporation in the late 90’s, it was the historic September 11 attacks that positioned her as the leading voice in disaster recovery and business continuity. Remember that infamous ‘Jerry McGuire moment, the memo?,’ well Reshma shares how her 10-page paper changed the trajectory of her career, and the vulnerability of one of the largest technology companies in America.

In this very special episode, I interview Cindy Praeger, Co-Founder & Managing Partner with Rhythm Systems. Rhythm Systems helps mid-market firms develop their growth strategies and provides software that helps get everyone aligned to execute on an organization’s gameplan for growth.

On this episode, we interviewd Baruch Sachs, Vice President of Client Innovation at Pegasystems. His company is a leading provider of cloud software for customer engagement and operational excellence. Enjoy the conversation.

In this episode, we interview Shane Bray, Head of Customer Experience (CX) at Willis Towers Watson. His company is one of the leading health care providers in the country. Enjoy the conversation.

This is part 2 of our interview with Greg Warman, Principal at Experience Point. His company has developed a breakthrough approach for quickly ramping up entrerprises on design thinking. Enjoy the conversation.

On this episode, we interview Greg Warman, Principal at Experience Point. His company has developed a breakthrough approach for quickly ramping up entrerprises on design thinking. Enjoy the conversation.