Failing sucks. It can be a difficult time of navigating emotions, goals, and setbacks. Now, picture how much more difficult it is to guide others through a failure. We're sure that many of you don't have to let your imagination run too wild. You've probably been there. This is something leaders do constantly. Leading a team through failure is more difficult than a single individual, as different people have different reactions. This Harvard Business Review article gives clear instructions and motivations for leaders to help guide their teams … [Read more...]
Can brainstorming be an effective tool in building a culture of collaboration and innovation?
My teenage son recently asked me during a conversation about brainstorming, "do we really need rules for everyone to follow?" I had just finished reading Jonah Lehrer’s "Groupthink" in The New Yorker and recalled his remark, "The fatal misconception behind brainstorming is that there is a particular script we should all follow in group interactions." I have been part of many effective brainstorming sessions (at NAS) and just as many nightmarish ones (not at NAS). In my quest to learn more about the dynamics of the process and if there truly … [Read more...]