Influencing and Problem Solving for Leaders and Others Mike Lehr's Blog

Creative Innovation (Pt 14): Time Alone

Posted on14 Jan 2013

Tagsbrainstorming, Creative Innovation Series, creativity, introvert, Susan Cain, The Atlantic, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Gregory Feist, solitude

Comments5

Creativity and innovation requires alone time. In her article, “Hire Introverts,” The Atlantic (July/August 2012 edition) Susan Cain cites the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and...

Predictability as Hell: A Problem-solving Perspective

Posted on10 Jan 2013

Tagsproblem solving, hell, heaven, The Twilight Zone, Walter Kirn, predictability, Predictability as Hell Analogy, The Atlantic, standardization, perspective, Influence, emotions, control, assessments

Comments0

Businesses strive for predictability. Standardization helps them achieve that. Still, many employees like their jobs for their variability, “It’s something different every day.” Herein is...

Lightning-rod Employee (Scapegoat)

Posted on07 Jan 2013

Tagscomplexity, conflict management, organizational culture, employees, integration, leadership, problem solving, process, process management, Lightning-rod Employee Analogy

Comments2

Early on in my career, I witnessed a manager’s termination for the incompetence of her boss. The strategy he outlined for her area failed, and...

Wildfires, Computer Models and Sophisticated GIGO

Posted on03 Jan 2013

Tagsquantify, The Atlantic, Velten Mood Induction Procedure, Michael Behar, wildfires, Influence, anchoring, computer simulations, computers, confession, experience, history

Comments0

Early on, I learned about GIGO, Garbage In Garbage Out. Translated, if you don’t input good data into the computer don’t expect good data in...

Creative Innovation (Pt 13): Overcoming Biases

Posted on31 Dec 2012

Tagschange, decision-making process, Harvard Business Review, leadership, leadership vs management, management, process, quantify, Scientific Method, statistics, associative thinking, Giovanni Gavetti, empirical evidence, institutional biases

Comments1

One of the points Giovanni Gavetti makes in “The New Psychology of Strategic Leadership” (Harvard Business Review, July-August 2011 edition) about associative thinking but holds...

Vanilla Words and Uncreative Personalities, Cultures

Posted on27 Dec 2012

Tagscreativity, diversity, innovation, Personality, power, Real-time personality assessment, standardization, vanilla words, Velten Mood Induction Procedure, word choice, words, Vanilla Word Analogy, Vanilla Words-Thinking Series, analogy collection

Comments0

Just as music can set the tone, so can words. Just as music can help you assess personalities, words too. In business, standardization and processes...

Mobile Workforce: Less “Face Time,” Less Advancement

Posted on24 Dec 2012

TagsUC Davis School of Management, mobile workforce, MIT Sloan Manangement Review, behavior, employees, face-to-face interactions, Influence, London Business School, management, subconscious, technology, The Economist, unawareness, Business Spectator

Comments2

One day long ago, I was working late for an employer when the President walked into the department and commented, “You’re working late!” I replied,...

Clausewitz’s Friction and Project Management

Posted on20 Dec 2012

Tagsplanning, management, Harvard Business Review, budgets, body analogy, process, deadlines, Donald Reinertsen, Stefan Thomke, friction, On War, Clausewitz, The Economist, project management

Comments0

A reader requested more clarification and examples of Clausewitz’s friction in business. Project Management is excellent for this because of its detailed planning, more so...

Relationships: The Ultimate Power

Posted on17 Dec 2012

TagsBattle of Ganjgal, Dakota Meyer, informal organizational power, morale, power, relationships, strategy, training, vision, warfare, Adam Smith, The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, Medal of Honor

Comments1

Many say relationships in business are important, but the real question is, “How important are they?” In reality, they are the ultimate power; yet, business...

Creative Innovation (Pt 12): Associative Thinking

Posted on13 Dec 2012

Tagsanalogy, Creative Innovation Series, creativity, organizational culture, diversity, Harvard Business Review, Heidi Gardner, innovation, The Medici Effect, associative thinking, Frans Johansson, Giovanni Gavetti, Intersectional Thinking

Comments1

It’s difficult to discuss creative innovation without addressing associative thinking (aka Intersectional ThinkingTM). It’s the act of comparing something to another to explain, create and...

Competition, Success & Testosterone

Posted on10 Dec 2012

Tagscompetition, testosterone, Villanova University, Rutgers, Charlotte Markley, Patrick Markey, The Economist, success, risk, rational actor theory, free will, control, conscious, competitive, Challenge, aggressive

Comments0

Many chemical reactions occur in our bodies. This we know, but how they affect our decisions and actions is another matter. The most commonly known...

Computers, Emails, Dishonesty

Posted on06 Dec 2012

Tagsemail, Stephen Marche, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Robert Feldman, Mattitiyahu Zimbler, The Atlantic, team intelligence, team building, social media, relationships, management by walking around, management by email, management, Harvard Business Review, happiness, Facebook, computers

Comments6

Technology has made communication tremendously convenient and fast. Consequently, communicating via computers, especially emails and varying forms of text messaging and instant messaging, has become...

How to Assess Creative Problem Solving Potential

Posted on03 Dec 2012

Tagsassessments, creativity, organizational culture, people's differences, problem solving, questioning techniques

Comments0

Assessing creative problem solving is not easy. It can be done though. You do not need to be a pro either. I call this way...

Placebo Management (Pt 4): Tiger, Golfers, Superstitions & Performance

Posted on29 Nov 2012

Tagsemotions, golf, Harvard Business Review, Influence, management, motivation, Performance, phraseology, placebo, Placebo Management Series, Sally Linkenauger

Comments0

In business, we tend to discount – even ridicule – people’s superstitions. What’s the tangible connection between crossing your fingers and making a great presentation?...

Creative Innovation (Pt 11): Quantification Restricts Creativity

Posted on26 Nov 2012

Tagsbrain, cognition, Creative Innovation Series, creativity, decision-making process, Harvard Business Review, Heidi Gardner, innovation, knowledge, pressure, problem solving, process, quantify, Scientific American, Evangelia Chrysikou

Comments0

Business prizes quantification; yet, ironically, it restricts creativity and innovation in two ways: Encouraging electrical activity in our brains which restricts idea generation Compelling people...

Mike Lehr’s Blog

Creative Innovation (Pt 14): Time Alone

Predictability as Hell: A Problem-solving Perspective

Lightning-rod Employee (Scapegoat)

Wildfires, Computer Models and Sophisticated GIGO

Creative Innovation (Pt 13): Overcoming Biases

Vanilla Words and Uncreative Personalities, Cultures

Mobile Workforce: Less “Face Time,” Less Advancement

Clausewitz’s Friction and Project Management

Relationships: The Ultimate Power

Creative Innovation (Pt 12): Associative Thinking

Competition, Success & Testosterone

How to Assess Creative Problem Solving Potential

Placebo Management (Pt 4): Tiger, Golfers, Superstitions & Performance

Creative Innovation (Pt 11): Quantification Restricts Creativity

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