5. Connecting the Dots to Inspire Innovation and Turn Creativity into Money™ with Bill Stainton

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You are creative. You are an innovator if you choose to be. You have everything you need. You don’t need any other special training. Today’s guest, Hall of Fame speaker and innovation expert, Bill Stainton, talks to us about how we can find new and intriguing dots and how we can connect those dots to inspire innovation. He breaks this process for turning creativity into money down into three key steps:

  1. Lights! The ideation stage. It’s about coming up with lots and lots of ideas (light bulbs) — and THAT’S IT! Bill’s techniques will have you and your team coming up with dozens of killer ideas.
  2. Camera! The process of evaluation. During this stage, you and your team will focus, like a camera, on the highest value ideas from the dozens you’ve generated. You’ll narrow them down to no more than 3 (preferably 1) that you’ll take to the next stage.
  3. Action! The implementation step, where the rubber hits the road. You and your team have generated dozens of ideas and focused on the very few (or one) that will move the needle. Now it’s time to formulate a game plan for bringing it into reality.

In today’s episode, Bill guides us through the essential ideation stage and gives us great ideas on inspiring our creativeness. Then he shows us how to turn that creativity into innovation. Because, as Bill says, “Creativity on its own is worthless. It’s important but worthless because there’s no value in ideas.” The key here is to take those, winnow them down to the select few good ones, and implementing them.

I’m sure you’ll get a lot out of this episode, I enjoyed my conversation with Bill, and I’m sure you will too!

About Bill

Bill Stainton is a 29-time Emmy Award winner and Hall of Fame keynote speaker. For 15 years, he produced the longest-running and highest-rated local comedy TV show in the United States. Now Bill helps senior-level leaders and their teams Turn Creativity into Money™.

Bill is also a pilot, a scuba diver, and a musician—although rarely at the same time.

Web/Social Links

Bill’s Website
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube
Twitter
Instagram
Email

Highlights from the Conversation

  • Bill and Pia have a unique connection.
  • Bill tells some fun stories about the comedy show he produced, Almost Live!
  • We unpack creativity versus innovation, and Bill explains the difference.
  • Creativity on its own is the starting point, but it’s not enough.
  • There’s no shortage of problems, and that means there is always a chance for innovation.
  • Ideation, evaluation, implementation – Lights! Camera! Action!
  • Everybody can be creative. Bill shows us how to get our creative juices flowing.
  • Find the riveting dots in something new, then connect them into an innovative idea.
  • Ask how you can relate the new dots to your situation. How not can?
  • Your brain will find the connections that are always there.
  • It might be a little tricky at first, but you’ll get better with practice.
  • Bill mentions some others who have great info on creativity and innovation.
  • Come up with five ways to relate your new dots. They don’t have to be great right now.
  • It’s just a matter of getting your brain into the habit of doing it.
  • You never know, you might strike gold!

Resources Discussed/Links

Free Cheat Sheet – Turning Creativity into Money™
James Taylor
Josh Linkner
Stephen Shapiro

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