Michael Michalko

NOVEMBER 17, 2022

Creativity special: Ten top tips Tom Ward senior research fellow in the Center for Creative Media at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and editor of the Journal of Creative Behavior “Merge two previously separate concepts that are in conflict with one another. Especially, engage in that for which you have not been schooled.”

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Creativity Tips Handbook Exercises 40

BrainZooming

FEBRUARY 24, 2017

We have released a host of eBooks on strategic planning exercises and ideas to increase collaboration, creative thinking, alignment, and successful implementation. You can download your copies by clicking on the titles or the covers of the eBooks below. Results – Creating Strategic Impact (Download).

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Exercises Tools eBook Strategic Thinking 94

BrainZooming

APRIL 22, 2016

I debuted a presentation on “Results – Creating Strategic Impact,” our mini-book on employee engagement ideas to boost an organization’s strategic thinking. The mini-book focuses on the tremendous value when an organization finds ways to strategically solicit employee insights and perspectives to shape its strategic thinking.

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Engagement Strategic Thinking Underperforming Technical Team Exercises 40

Michael Michalko

DECEMBER 10, 2021

His international team applied those methods to various NATO military, political, and social problems and in doing so it produced a variety of breakthrough ideas and creative solutions to new and old problems. After leaving the military, Michael facilitated CIA think tanks using his creative thinking techniques.

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Handbook Exercises Brainstorming Creative Thinking 52

BrainZooming

FEBRUARY 15, 2017

We can suggest more ways to dial in these strategic thinking questions for your organization’s specific opportunities and challenges. Download our FREE eBook: Reimagining the SWOT Analysis. Whether you are just starting your strategy or think you are well down the path, you can use this eBook to: Engage your team.

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Strategic Thinking eBook Exercises Analysis 89

BrainZooming

AUGUST 30, 2016

There may be more, but thinking back on business collaborations from the past few years, those items characterize the decision making and expected impacts of our varied collaborations. 10 Keys to Engaging Employees to Improve Strategic Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! – Mike Brown.

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Collaboration Strategy Strategy Creative Thinking 92

BrainZooming

FEBRUARY 10, 2017

We routinely ask those of you downloading Brainzooming strategy and innovation eBooks to share – if you are willing – the opportunities and challenges you are facing at the time. “Buy in from staff on the new vision and the required change” 5 Keys to Engaging Employees in Innovation Strategy – Our Buy-In Manifesto.

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Strategy Strategy eBook Strategic Thinking 40

BrainZooming

JANUARY 24, 2019

Topics ranged from entrepreneurship to leading creative teams, from being cognizant of one’s news sources and information suppliers to the factors that make up a creative mindset. Here’s a sneak preview: Deep knowledge of the values of a project, plus trust and freedom, are the “measure twice, cut once” of creativity.

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Conference Strategic Thinking Creativity Resources 74

BrainZooming

MARCH 28, 2017

In place of only recycling ideas, try these nine strategic thinking questions and creative thinking paths. The formula is to ask a specific question, LISTEN for responses from others, and follow a related creating thinking direction to generate ideas more quickly: Ask: What’s been tried before? Extreme Creativity.

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Strategic Thinking eBook Creative Thinking Creativity 40

BrainZooming

JANUARY 25, 2016

You know, this week doesn’t have to be as unproductive as last week, what with business meetings going nowhere along with wasting time, positive energy, and any hope of creativity. 10 Lessons for Engaging Your Employees to Create Stronger Results. FREE Download: “Results!!!

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Meeting Collaboration Creative Thinking Tips 40

BrainZooming

FEBRUARY 26, 2016

We’re big proponents of the value of bringing together a diverse group of people with varied creative thinking skills for strategic planning workshops within organizations and communities. When discussing a strategic planning or innovation strategy engagement with a client, we use the graphic below to design our recommended approach.

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Collaboration Creative Thinking Exercises Groups 40

IdeaScale

DECEMBER 27, 2016

These insights can become the inspiration sparks of your group’s creative thinking. Support staff to engage in open innovation with customers. Social media : Participate in social media by asking questions, commenting and engaging with your fans. If you’d like to skip ahead, you can download the entire chapter today.

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Technical Review Handbook Innovation Groups 173

BrainZooming

OCTOBER 6, 2015

My response is the more we share the Brainzooming methodology with you, the more you can improve your own strategy work on a daily basis in situations where it would NEVER be practical to engage us for help. Strategic Thinking – Exercises and Tools for Creative Thinking and Strategy. What to Blog About?

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Strategic Thinking Exercises Creative Thinking eBook 40

BrainZooming

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

10 Keys to Engaging Stakeholders to Create Improved Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! Creating Strategic Impact” Leaders are looking for powerful ways to engage strong collaborators to shape shared visions. Actively engage stakeholders in strategy AND implementation success.

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Leadership Underperforming Technical Team Creative Thinking Meeting 40

BrainZooming

DECEMBER 1, 2015

Strategic Thinking Perspectives – Three Strategic Voices to Include on Your Team. Creative Thinking Skills – Using Questions and Structure Successfully. 10 Keys to Engaging Stakeholders to Create Improved Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! Actively engage stakeholders in strategy AND implementation success.

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Collaboration Strategy Strategy Strategic Thinking 40

BrainZooming

FEBRUARY 23, 2016

Designing strategic thinking questions leading to engaging conversation among familiar and new participants. 10 Keys to Engaging Stakeholders to Improve Strategic Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! Actively engage stakeholders in strategy AND implementation success. – Mike Brown.

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Strategic Thinking Exercises Collaboration Groups 40

BrainZooming

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

You can provide people with strategic thinking exercises, creative thinking tools, strategy questions, and ways to collaborate with one another, using structure to help imagine better strategies. 10 Keys to Engaging Stakeholders to Create Improved Results. FREE Download: “Results!!!

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Exercises Strategic Thinking Collaboration Strategy 40

BrainZooming

JUNE 20, 2016

Chuck facilitated multiple engaging, high-energy strategic innovation sessions for us at Yellow Corporation. Chuck’s creativity techniques and helped us generate tons of ideas. The mix varies from pure creativity to pure planning, with usually some mix in between. The First Brainzooming Strategic Planning Workshop.

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Exercises Strategic Thinking Strategy Strategy 67

BrainZooming

APRIL 20, 2016

I asked them to engage in some strategic thinking about innovation opportunities for the company. They used that as a justification for opting out of strategic thinking. That’s why leaders should be looking for strategic thinking THROUGHOUT their organizations ! – Mike Brown. FREE Download: “Results!!!

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Strategic Thinking Innovation Engagement Creative Thinking 40

BrainZooming

JUNE 20, 2017

That is why wrapping strategy meetings in creative thinking exercises and the appropriate amount of fun and diversion is optimum. Across our client engagements, here are links to 80 activities and ideas for making strategy more fun! 6 Last-Minute Creative Ideas for Fun Strategy Exercises. 4 Times to Avoid Toys.

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eBook Exercises Meeting Strategy 41

BrainZooming

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

Last week was diverse in the Brainzooming world, as we were engaged in serving clients across many different aspects of what we do. While we perform a tremendous amount of what we do online via our Zoomference online collaboration platform , engaging people directly always pushes what we do into new areas.

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Collaboration Strategic Thinking Groups Engagement 40

BrainZooming

APRIL 5, 2016

And if it’s bad, use other strategic thinking exercises to gently bring the ideas back to something smarter and more productive. – Mike Brown. 10 Keys to Engaging Stakeholders to Improve Strategic Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! Actively engage stakeholders in strategy AND implementation success.

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Strategic Thinking Exercises Underperforming Technical Team Brainstorming 40

BrainZooming

DECEMBER 9, 2015

But when we look back and see how we pushed the thinking on the initiative, it’s clear all the challenges were all worth it! – Mike Brown. 10 Keys to Engaging Stakeholders to Create Improved Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! Actively engage stakeholders in strategy AND implementation success.

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Strategic Thinking Exercises Groups Strategy 40

Paul Hobcraft

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Utilitarian in its principles, seeking real-world use and implementation through a more creative, collaborative environment, leading to more discoveries that distinctly ‘blend’ the lab application with the customer discovery of unmet need. In my view I visualize a new integrated innovation engagement platform to be like this shown below.

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Engagement System Innovation Design 205

BrainZooming

NOVEMBER 4, 2016

For as much as we share about the Brainzooming approach to strategy, creativity, and innovation, I still frequently get the question, “What is it The Brainzooming group does?”. I am taking over an organization and want to engage our employees more directly in culture change and moving forward. Stimulate fresh thinking.

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Strategy Strategy Underperforming Technical Team eBook 40

BrainZooming

OCTOBER 15, 2015

While having a daily deadline has become less stimulating creatively over the years, I shudder to think of how much experience and the number of strategic thinking exercises that would have come and gone without any documentation if not for the Brainzooming blog. Boost Your Creativity with “Taking the NO Out of InNOvation”.

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Strategic Thinking Exercises eBook Guidelines 40

BrainZooming

OCTOBER 1, 2015

10 Lessons for Engaging Your Community to Create Stronger Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! This new Brainzooming mini-book, “Results – Creating Strategic Impact” unveils ten proven lessons to increase strategic collaboration, engagement, and success for organizations.

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Collaboration Exercises Strategic Thinking Brainstorming 40

BrainZooming

MAY 6, 2016

Ask them to provide concrete examples of when they devised creative solutions. 10 Keys to Engaging Employees to Improve Strategic Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! Download this free, action-focused mini-book to: Learn smart ways to separate strategic opportunities from the daily noise of business.

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Strategic Thinking Underperforming Technical Team Company Culture 40

BrainZooming

FEBRUARY 22, 2016

10 Keys to Engaging Stakeholders to Improve Strategic Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! Download this free, action-focused mini-book to: Learn smart ways to separate strategic opportunities from the daily noise of business. Actively engage stakeholders in strategy AND implementation success. – Mike Brown.

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Strategic Thinking Exercises Underperforming Technical Team Groups 40

BrainZooming

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

A friend recently told me a story about her friend whose grandmother, after engaging with Facebook, said the most wonderful thing. Whatever it is, there are indeed inspirations behind the creative clicks that just pop up on my Facebook page that influence my work everyday. I don’t think I need to say much about this Innovation!

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Creativity Creative Thinking Design Video 40

Values Centered Innovation

APRIL 6, 2017

Forging wide-spread employee engagement – expanding available “brain power” to find the right solutions, even tapping into the voice of the customer. Download the full white paper. She has described creative activity as having 3 components: Knowledge and skills in one’s professional domain. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

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Crowdsourcing Report Software Review Innovation 40

BrainZooming

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

The process was difficult, slow, and only worked because the consultant staffed the engagement with a bunch of MBAs that did the work for our people. They billed high-dollar hours like crazy, turning a single strategic planning initiative into a seven-figure annual engagement. The Brainzooming strategic planning process was the result.

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Exercises Strategy Strategy Strategic Thinking 76

BrainZooming

JANUARY 11, 2016

10 Lessons for Engaging Your Employees to Create Stronger Results. FREE Download: “Results!!! Creating Strategic Impact” Senior executives are looking for employees who are strong collaborators and communicators while being creative and flexible. Actively engage more employees in strategy AND implementation success.

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Strategic Thinking Exercises Creativity Engagement 40

BrainZooming

OCTOBER 21, 2016

Someone downloading the new 11 Ideas for Fun Strategic Planning eBook when we released it stated his biggest strategy challenge as coming up with fresh ways to do the same strategic planning exercises with the same executives every year. I hear that challenge in a big way. 9 Ways to Keep Strategic Planning Process Exercises Fresh Every Year.

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Exercises eBook Strategic Thinking Groups 40

Qmarkets

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019

Quantum innovation is the name given to the kind of innovation characterized by bold and creative thinking designed to take an enterprise into a lucrative new paradigm – even if that means going beyond the bounds of the existing business model. However, brands that leveraged quantum innovation (Amazon, Whole Foods, etc.) 5G Innovation.

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Trends Disruption Technical Review Innovation 60

BrainZooming

AUGUST 28, 2015

It is one of the best ways to get creative. Here are some Creative Clicks that may help. Remember to click on the headlines for these creative clicks to link to the articles. I become so engaged in reciting the poem, mindful of both the rhythm and meaning of the words, that I let go of all other thoughts.

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Creativity Creative Thinking Tips eBook 40

BrainZooming

JUNE 27, 2016

Last Friday’s Gas Can Creative Conference sponsored by AAF-KC (American Advertising Federation – Kansas City) was a half-empty gas can, at best. While there were a few presentations and ideas to stimulate our creative thinking skills, there were far too few for an all-day event. Push for Absurd Ideas. Icky Brand Pairings.

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Creative Thinking Creativity Exercises Strategic Thinking 63