There is no shortage of unnecessary inventions - things brought to life that offer solutions to a problem that doesn't exist or doesn't really solve. Most of the time these inventions are naturally weeded out by lack of market interest and soon disappear.

One, seemingly curious exception seems to be the mysterious shoe shining machine. These strange contraptions can be found in hotels and office buildings, offering a variety of automated brushing and polishing options to invigorate your footwear. Strangely, the use of these machines is free, and there seems to be hardly anyone using them or asking for them. Yet numerous facilities opted to invest in procuring and operating them and they are still abundant. What gives?

What unnecessary inventions have you noticed lately in your industry, and how does it help you to make sure yours don’t fall into that category?

By the way, there is a wonderful online resource called https://unnecessaryinventions.com/ - the brainchild of self-proclaimed 'evil genius' Matty Benedetto - bringing to life a continuous stream of inventions that purposely probe the absurd. Exploring them can help you plant the seed for not just viable but market-driving innovation.

#innovation #transformation #strategy #leadership #invention

With the Paris Olympics in full swing, it’s the perfect time to draw inspiration from sporting pioneers who re-imagined their sport. Daring to challenge conventional wisdom and set traditions, they redefined boundaries and blazed a trail of new heights.

My favorite Olympic example is Dick Fosbury. An American high jumper who passed away last year, Fosbury is considered one of the most influential athletes in the history of track and field. He revolutionized the high jump event with a radical ‘back-first’ technique that became known as the ‘Fosbury flop’.

Fosbury introduced his new technique to widespread skepticism at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, but soon captivated the world by winning the gold medal and setting a new world record.  His innovative approach soon became universally adopted as the new standard for the sport.

With such inspiration, ponder this as you watch the Paris games:

What could be the next Fosbury Flop innovation in your industry? 

And how could you be the one to introduce it?

#Olympics #Parisgames #inspiration #sports #innovation 

Are you looking for a way to recalibrate and refresh your life?  To embrace a more simple, healthy, and meaningful approach that will invigorate you?  To reconnect with nature, slow down and enjoy the present through all your senses? 

We know him as an iconic action hero and film star. But what business is Sylvester Stallone really in? The man himself revealed his true profession at the very end of the Netflix documentary ‘Sly’, which chronicles his life.

As the only creator of three separate movie franchises – Rocky, Rambo, Expendables – all positive heroes – Sly says that ultimately, he is in the ‘Hope Business’.

What a great answer. It shows that he understands and cares about the deeper impact of his art, which is foundational to his success. 

Similarly, you should stretch the definition of your business to express a strong connection with core desires and aspirations of your target audience. Just like your favorite Rocky film does.

#silvesterstallone #inspiration #transformation #leadership #entertainment 

We had some fun putting AI into practice to create this short video explaining the power of pursuing 3 levels of Blue Waters, from Blue Lake to Blue Sea to Blue Ocean.  This strategic approach is central to the Slingshot Framework and enables you to simultaneously optimize and refresh your current business while also expanding and transforming it. 

https://youtu.be/0v72zhsxlXo 

Making this video reminds me of the classic old commercial by Memorex, a leading cassette tape manufacturer when that was the pinnacle of recording technology. Their ad campaign in the 1970’s featured Ella Fitzgerald belting out notes that broke a glass and challenging viewers to distinguish if this was done live or via a recording, with the tagline: “Is it live or is it Memorex?” Similarly, we can now ponder the origin of any clip we see by asking: “Is it real or is it AI?”

#AI #blueoceanstrategy #digitalization #transformation #keynote