Workshops

Summary

First half hour is similar to the keynote “NEW IDEAS BY EVERYONE”, where we examine why Innovation Thinking is so difficult for most of us. If participants have seen this session, we spend more time embedding the techniques themselves.
We then deep dive into the basic techniques of Innovation Thinking. Here participants create a new business via a case study that develops as we put each new technique into practical use.

Techniques Covered:

• Build a big list (to look where no one else is looking). Left brained people love this one!
• Poke the mind with a nonsense.
• Create a big problem
• Random word power
• Be your customer
• Mind pumping

In Detail.

Section 1: We first explore how thinking has been left brain dominated ever since the days of the ancient Greeks, a fact which has served the western world very well up till now. We then show how and why the left brain takes over from the right creative brain, forcing linear procedural thinking, thus stifling the generation of new ideas
I then show the basic technique to disrupt linear, left brain thinking with a technique inspired by the simple craft of sketching.
Section 2: In the main part of the workshop. participants learn and then use each of the first 5 techniques by developing a new business model for a business type of their choice. Once the business type is decided, the group utilises each of the techniques to create innovative new business models, offerings, unique selling propositions, cost savings, customer segments and strategic partnerships.
Section 3: We then workshop the power of the final technique, Mind Pumping, to create an Innovation Thinking mindset in individuals and teams.

Section 4: The workshop finishes with a group effort to come up with innovations directly usable by your organisation using the techniques just learnt.

Summary

The first half of the day is identical to the half day workshop “INNOVATION THINKING FOR LEFT BRAINED PROFESSIONALS”.
The second half gives leaders the tools and coaching methods to create an innovation culture within their team.

Topics Covered:

The techniques covered in the first half day are identical to those in the half day workshop “INNOVATION THINKING FOR LEFT BRAINED PROFESSIONALS”.
Techniques covered in the second half include:

• Mind Pumping (in more depth)
• How to create a safe environment for innovation to flourish
• Personal habits that promote Innovation Thinking
• Team habits that promote Innovation Thinking
• How to find innovation opportunities

In Detail.

As stated, the first half of the day is identical to the half day workshop “INNOVATION THINKING FOR LEFT BRAINED PROFESSIONALS”.
The second half explores more deeply the nature of innovation, and why teams tend to be less effective than individuals under traditional management methods.
We also explode some common myths about Innovation Thinking (eg you have to be a nonconformist, or artistic), which cause people to self exclude from the Innovation process, instead leaving it up to the “Ideas People” in the team.
We then focus on the key habits of teams that excel at Innovation Thinking. In particular, we develop a management method which effectively replaces negative/conservative rejection of new ideas with a more open discussion format.

Finally, we look at the organisation’s challenges and its opportunities for Innovation, and develop workable solutions based on the techniques learnt during the day

Summary

• Need to sell solutions to clients?
• Need to pitch to investors?
• Need to build more cohesive teams?

It turns out there are seven - and only seven - reasons why people say NO.
In this workshop we uncover each of these reasons and see how and when we can overcome them.
Up to 80% of face to face time is dedicated to practical skill development.

Topics Covered:

This workshop deep dives into the 7 keys that need to be turned before people say YES:

• Key # 1 - is a Availability to be persuaded, or why you shouldn’t talk religion, politics or sport
• Key # 2- is Trust, which unlike what it says in the modern management hymn book, is not the most important key.
• Key # 3 - is the client Understanding you, or why engineers and technicians are so bad at selling.
• Key # 4 - is how much the client believes you Understand them, which might explain why you can’t communicate with your teenage kids
• Key # 5 - is whether anyone believes they Need what you’re offering. The needs we’re talking about are deeper than they first appear
• Key # 6 - is whether there is Agreement with what you’re actually saying. Notice how far down the list this is
• Key # 7 - is whether someone believes they have the Power to do as you suggest. This is where counsellors find their greatest frustration.

With each of the keys, we

• Understand when and why the key can be hard to turn
• Learn the basic persuasive strategies to overcome them.

Training Style

This session uses

• interactive instruction
• video
• workbooks

We work through real examples of difficult situations, and identify

• which keys are not turning, and why
• proactive solutions - or how situations like this can be avoided
• Fix it solutions - what skills you need to turn the key and get through the door

To get the most value from this session, participants complete a one hour online prework module that covers the basic ideas. This allows up to 80% of face to face time to be dedicated to practical skill development.

Summary

This workshop covers everything in the half day workshop, and then goes way beyond to extend the actual skills of persuasion.

• Need to sell solutions to clients?
• Need to pitch to investors?
• Need to build more cohesive teams?

It turns out there are seven - and only seven - reasons why people say NO.
This workshop deep dives into these 7 reasons (or keys that need to be turned).
Basically you spend the first half day developing a deep understanding of each of these keys, so you can quickly sense which key is stuck in the door and not turning.
We then dedicate the next day and a half to developing the 5 most important persuasive skills you need to get through each door.

This workshop focuses on practical skill development. Up to 80% of face to face time is dedicated to problem solving and feedback.

Topics Covered:

The first half day covers the & keys in more depth compared to the half day workshop:

• Key # 1 - is a Availability to be persuaded, or why you shouldn’t talk religion, politics or sport
• Key # 2- is Trust, which unlike what it says in the modern management hymn book, is not the most important key.
• Key # 3 - is the client Understanding you, or why engineers and technicians are so bad at selling.
• Key # 4 - is how much the client believes you Understand them, which might explain why you can’t communicate with your teenage kids
• Key # 5 - is whether anyone believes they Need what you’re offering. The needs we’re talking about are deeper than they first appear
• Key # 6 - is whether there is Agreement with what you’re actually saying. Notice how far down the list this is
• Key # 7 - is whether someone believes they have the Power to do as you suggest. This is where counsellors find their greatest frustration.

We then focus on the persuasive skills that every professional will need:

• Clarity - how we can become clearer and simpler in our explanations
• Visualisation - how to show more than we tell
• Empathy - because people are easier to reach when they feel understood
• Insight - because people are amazingly impressed when you can articulate their problems better than they can
• Discovery - how to uncover not just a person’s needs, but also how they perceive relative value

Training Style

This session uses

• interactive instruction
• video
• workbooks

For the first half day, we work through real examples of difficult situations, and identify

• which keys are not turning, and why
• proactive solutions - or how situations like this can be avoided
• Fix it solutions - what skills you need to turn the key and get through the door

For the next day and a half, we present scenarios, problems, puzzles, role plays and games to fully embed the persuasive skills. We don’t just learn about the skills - we start to internalise them.

To get the most value from this session, participants complete 3 online prework modules (one hour each) that cover the basic ideas. This allows up to 80% of face to face time to be dedicated to practical skill development.