Do You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone Or Expand What’s In Your Comfort Zone?

Posted on February 8, 2010 by imaginibbles

Do you step outside your comfort zone or do you expand what’s in your comfort zone? This has been the debate raging in my head for the past several days. It may be a glass half full or half empty argument but doesn’t your perspective on that make all the difference? Isn’t there a big difference between half full and half empty people even though the glass looks exactly the same?

I think if we all made that little tweak about our comfort zone we would be able to achieve so much more. It just feels easier to expand what’s comfortable than to step outside it. Sure the result is probably the same – more self confidence, a sense of discovery, feeling like you could conquer the world – but how much more often would you do it?

Would you take that risk, ask that question, try that new thing if all you are doing is expanding your comfort zone? Would you do it more often it that’s how your mind thought about it?

Let me share a personal example with you. Last weekend I attended the monthly Colorado meeting of the National Speakers Association. Now, this is an association that has to approve your membership. Some local celebs like Steve Spangler and Colleen Stanley (well known in our little circles) show up regularly. The focus of this weekend’s meeting was humor and using humor to connect with your audience. At the beginning of the meeting the two fabulous presenters said that they would be sharing their insights with us and then asking for volunteers to come up on stage do a 3-minute bit from one of their speeches and then they would provide feedback on how to make it funnier. My heart beats just thinking about it. The thought of standing on stage in front of expert speakers, people that I only know from TV and all those judging eyes….no freakin way. I speak all the time but speaking to speakers is another thing! I will pretty much do anything but that was just too much. I mean, these are people that travel the world, make bucko bucks and are known…..yikes!

Well, Colleen Stanley – founder of Sales Leadership for all you needing sales help out there – nudged me and said, “of course you are going to do it.” My first thought was to run into the bathroom, lock the door and wait for everyone to leave the building. I can’t sit for 8 hours so that wasn’t an option. At first I thought no way am I doing something that out of my comfort zone. But then I caught myself. Instead I thought, well if I do this I’m simply expanding my comfort zone. When I put it that way to myself it didn’t seem so bad. So, I put my name in the hat and hoped for the best.

Don’t get me wrong, I was totally nervous but after I got up there and did my bit I felt awesome with a capital A. Now I can add speaking to my mentors and peers as something inside my comfort zone. Just call me Captain Fearless.

The next time your heart starts to beat a little faster or you catch yourself saying no to something out of fear or turning you back on a risk, ask yourself why. Ask yourself if you are thinking about this in terms of stepping outside your comfort zone or expanding what’s in your comfort zone.

Tell yourself that all you are doing is expanding what’s in your comfort zone. You’ll find that it makes the leap a little less scary.

I bet the latter statement will help you become Captain Fearless for a few moments each day.

Dream Big. Dream often. Stick your tongue out in the snow!

Tues. @10am MST on Imaginibbles Blog Radio, Sara Ortiz from Creativity On A Mission stops by for a chat

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A little sweat goes a long way: spark creativity, decrease stress, increase energy

Posted on February 5, 2010 by imaginibbles

I get to my desk, boot up my computer, grab a cup of coffee and sit my but down in the chair. And there I sit and sit and sit all day long. Sometimes I get up to walk to the conference room only to sit again. If I’m lucky I get up to fill my water bottle. As the day goes on I go from a caffeine high to a caffeine low, wishing I had a pull-out bed and my favorite pillow.

Sounds like many of your days? If you answered yes, you aren’t alone. Most of park it on our rear ends and barely move for the rest of the day. But, unleashing your creative potential and getting joy, laughter and happiness out of every day does require MOVEMENT, building block #7. Yes, going to the gym or out for a run is great but movement is also about increasing our calorie burn and getting the blood flowing throughout the day. It gets more oxygen to the body and brain, shifts our thinking, increases positive endorphins and lowers stress. A recipe for a fantastic day!

Don’t worry, I’ve done my job and done the research for you. I scoured the internet for the easiest every day exercises you can do at work or home. Your job is to pick at least 3 to incorporate into your day from here on out.
For all of you out there that excel in this area, feel free to comment with your personal experience and ideas for keeping the metabolism fire hot and the imagination flowing.


Office stretches: How To Video Collection

Tone up at work: 7 easy exercises you can do without leaving your cube


Exercise at your desk


Best exercises to do at your desk: in pictures

You could always trade in your traditional desk and chair for the Tredesk. I must admit, I like it!

Next Tues. @10am MST on Imaginibbles Blog Radio, Sara Ortiz from Creativity On A Mission stops by for a chat

Miss yesterdays episode of Imaginibbles TV? Watch Tamara do a wall sit (and fall down)

Dream big. Dream often. Sweat at least once a day!

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Throw Noman In The Trash: Letting go of fears that hold you back

Posted on February 3, 2010 by imaginibbles


What holds you back? I mean, what really holds you back? Think about it for a minute.

We all have that inner voice that is ready and willing to give us all the reasons why we shouldn’t, can’t or are unable to do something. It’s the voice that whispers in our ear why we will fail or worse get laughed at.

I call mine Noman. Everyone say, “hi Noman!”

He can feel 10 feet tall with dark ominous shadows behind him or almost invisible like a secret puppet master. He starts at a whisper and elevates into a shout. Just as I am about to step into the spotlight he starts gently pulling me behind the curtains. We all have him. Sometimes he stops us from saying something we want to say and other times he keeps us from going after something we know in our hearts to be great.

Does yours have a name? If not, feel free to call him Noman too. I find it helps to give him a name.

Believe it or not, I‘ve learned to accept Noman. Even better, I’ve learned to use Noman to my advantage. I no longer let Noman make a decision for me, conscious or subconscious. I now make sure Noman and all his reasons are front and center. Once I do that Noman goes in the trash and so do all his excuses. Oohhh, it feels great to throw him away! With power I crumple him up and like a 7-foot basketball player he gets a one-handed dunk into the trash can. Swoosh, Noman 0, Tamara 1.
Don’t let your Noman get in the way of life. Trust, one of the building blocks, is about believing in you and not letting your fears hold you back. In order to do that we have to own our Noman yet not let Noman own us. No need to ignore him to accomplish that. In fact, I’m saying the opposite. Acknowledge him completely but let him own all the lame fears, excuses and reasons. At the end of the day those are Noman’s issues!
The next time you find yourself holding back (and you know when you are doing that) follow this simple exercise:
1) Print out Noman or draw one of your own
2) Write down all of Noman’s fears, excuses, reasons and bad ideas
3) With gusto, crumple him up
4) And like you mean it, throw him and his lame fears and excuses in the trash
5) Done! You no longer need to hold back. Go forth with courage and belief.

Remember you own that b*&#*!

Dream big. Dream often. Say no thanks to Noman!

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Being Inspired Is A Choice

Posted on February 1, 2010 by imaginibbles

This weekend, while pushing a double stroller up a slight hill, my 5 year old told me to pick it up and run. Normally I would tell him not to talk to me like that, especially because I’m doing all the work, but today I felt a strange urge to do just that. I can’t say I was going very fast but we made it up the hill, kids laughing and me grasping for air. What’s funny is that it put me in the best mood all day. Weird right? The day ended up full of spontaneous games and laughter. We made up a chase game at the park, had fun cleaning and when I left to get work done I had 2-hours of uber-productive creativity.

Maybe it was the sun and slightly warm weather or maybe it was the lower stress that comes with the weekends. Actually I don’t think it was any of those things. In fact, I think being inspired is a choice, not a reaction. My day could have gone either way but I chose to break into spontaneous joy all day. Then it became like a snowball effect. Once I chose to be inspired once my inspiration and joy got bigger and bigger and easier and easier.

Let’s take my story and break it apart. I could have gotten annoyed at my son (he did deserve it). I could have been annoyed as usual. That would have sent me down a much more negative path. I wouldn’t have gotten the joy from my not-so-graceful burst of energy and my day probably would have snowballed in the other direction. I know this because like everyone else I have those days too.

My plan is to carry that inspiration over into the week and I’m asking you to do the same. Tomorrow when the alarm clock goes off choose to sing your favorite song in the shower. Then choose to wear your favorite pair of shoes. If you are at work choose to smile at everyone and if you are at home choose to dance to your own beat. Surprisingly you’ll find that your day is more productive and more joyful.

All too often we think inspiration is this elusive external thing that finds us but that’s wrong. The truth is that inspiration is all around us and we either choose to see it or we choose to ignore it. It could be the warm seats in our cars, a flower, a good cup of coffee, a funny quote.
On Monday, look at the world through eyes of inspiration, not eyes of negativity. Again, being inspired is a choice. Choosing to be ins
pired will help you live the life you want. If you find yourself gearing towards a negative mood or reaction stop yourself, shake up your mind and finish this sentence:

I choose to be inspired and this is great because…..

What a simple solution for taking hold and having a great day. Don’t you deserve to have a great day today? The choice is yours!

Dream big. Dream often. Feel the change in the wind!

Listen to Chief Imaginator live every Tuesday at 10am MNT/12pm EST on Imaginibbles Blog Radio

Want to learn how to unleash your right brain superpowers and creative potential LIVE! Join Tamara at her May workshop in Denver

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Lollipops and Bendaroos – Imaginative Games Indoors

Posted on January 30, 2010 by imaginibbles

Wow, it’s cold these days. The West is covered in rain, the middle of the country has cold wind rushing through and the East has snow. Oh the fun. If you are stuck inside all day with kids, like I am, then you know what I mean when I say that it feels like an exercise in creative problem solving. I have to start the day by asking myself, “How do I engage my kids without totally rotting their brain with TV?” I’m not against TV but I’m not really for a whole day of it.

Being stuck indoors creates the perfect opportunity to have a little imaginative fun. are two ways to get physical and imaginative indoors this weekend without ruining the furniture. Oh ya, also great afternoon activities once you’ve done the park.

1) Indoor hopscotch: All you need is some blue painters tape and a plastic spoon. Make the squares out of the tape. If you really want to get creative, add a few squares as you go until eventually your hopscotch field goes from the kitchen to the living room and back again.

2) Wall art: Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you draw on the walls and hope the industrial strength cleaner gets it out. I prefer to use Bendaroos. They are wax sticks you can use to create art. We build on each other’s artwork, make faces and even have an entire village on our living room wall. It really does spark the creative juices without the mess. And the best part moms is that it comes off!

If you are looking for a baking activity I suggest making lollipops. Here is a link to an easy to do recipe. For kids, it’s like creating artwork you can eat.

Kids love to use their imagination early and often. Mom and dad, you too deserve the same. It’s fun, joyous and may even make you smile a little more so make sure to participate in the fun. You’ve earned it!

Dream big. Dream often. Make lick a lollipop.

It’s official, we’ve launched Blog Talk Radio – Imaginibbles Chats @ 10am every Tuesday starting February 2nd. We bring the imaginative and the inspiring to your desktop.

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Get Lost, See The Sights, Think Imaginatively

Posted on January 29, 2010 by imaginibbles


May people have asked me to explain the building block LOSE. Before I go into some ideas let me back up and talk about what LOSE is really about. This is from the HOW & WHY page…

Lose: get lost mentally and physically, lose track of thoughts, go out of comfort zone for new experiences
When we let our thoughts go and just wander off our brains actually kick into high gear. New studies have shown that losing our thoughts can lead us to wonderful new places. fMRIs show that the problem solving and executive decision making parts of our brain become highly active even though we aren’t aware of it. Physically, feeling lost by trying new experiences helps us ignite new synapses in our brains. We are efficient creates so for the day-to-day our brains create short-cuts. We need to break free from our experience-dependant thinking and the best way to do that is to try something new, to get lost and get some new synapses firing.

As science often discusses, our brains are actually very lazy. They prefer to use experience-dependant thinking. What does that mean? Well, it’s like taking a shortcut. Your brain knows you are going to turn left when leaving your driveway so a very quick short-cut in your brain sends the appropriate signals to the appropriate places. You recognize the same names in your email box so your brain takes a leap from point A to B when processing that information…another short-cut. Our brains do this to save us time and energy. If everything, everyday were a new experience we’d be totally overloaded. It’s a way for our brains to manage all the stimulus we take in.

That leads me to imaginative thinking. How are we supposed to think imaginatively if our brains are using the same synapses and short-cuts over and over again? If you answered it can’t then you are correct. This is why infusing your life with new experiences is critical to unlocking your creative potential.

Some prefer to take their new experiences to the extreme and try new sports or even bungee jumping (OK, I did that once in Costa Rica). I’m all for it but that takes a lot of planning, time and money. While I hope you try a new sport, restaurant or movie I also want you to gather new experiences on a small, accessible level.

This is why my suggestion today is to physically get lost….walk a new neighborhood. But, don’t just walk, observe, take in and really experience a new neighborhood. Now, please don’t get yourself totally lost but do find a place outside of your daily comfort zone.

Do you remember the last time you were driving on the highway and weren’t sure about your location? What did you do? More than likely your brain started coming up with creative ways to determine your location. Visual cues, relationships between streets, the direction of the mountains or ocean relative to you…do you see the big picture here? We become more creative, even on a subconscious level. Our problem solving skills kick in and then some.

As another example, think about the last time you hiked a new trail or even walked a new mall. Do you remember the sense of discovery and wonder, not knowing what was around the corner…..a river, more people, a Barnes and Noble. This is why I think it’s often very important to take people out of their day to day world to do creative brainstorming. That can be a café or even a different room of the house.

So the next time you have 10 minutes park your car at a new park or neighborhood, get out, take a walk. Check out the trees, the sounds, the cars driving by, the style of the houses and more. A good walk will help you clear your head, get lost and rediscover your imaginative side. Don’t forget your walking shoes – it’s hard to do this in heels!

Dream big. Dream often. Carry a gym bag everywhere!

It’s official, we’ve launched Blog Talk Radio – Imaginibbles Chats @ 10am every Tuesday starting February 2nd. We bring the imaginative and the inspiring to your desktop.

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The Power of Play In Your Life

Posted on January 27, 2010 by imaginibbles

“Play is not only our creative drive; it’s a fundamental mode of learning”- David Eikind, Comtemporary American phsychologist.

“Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities.”- Stuart Brown, M.D. Contemporary American psychiatrist, Founder of National Institute for Play

Play, one of the 7 Building Blocks To Imaginative Thinking™, is an integral part of our lives. Yet, somewhere between childhood and adulthood we lose our ability to play. We become self-conscious and overly serious. This is unfortunate given that play has so many wonderful benefits.

Dr. Strong, one of the great researchers on play and the founder of the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY (they have a Lego castle) created a very insightful chart that helps us better understand the value of play. Let’s take a look at the chart and bring that back around to right-brain thinking and living a joyful, imaginative life. After all, it’s hard to dream big if you can’t let go and laugh a little!

“

As it states in the chart, Play begins with Anticipation which brings a sense of openness and curiosity. Can you imagine starting your day with a sense of openness and curiosity? That would make everything go well. Of course that leads to Surprise which brings appreciation, discovery and awakening. Follow that up with a dose of understanding which includes empathy, insight and mastery. Next and here is where it gets really creative, you get to Strength which includes vitality, creativity and passion. Of course the final stage is Poise which finishes us up with fulfillment, spontaneity and balance. That sounds great to me and I hope it does to you too? Can you remember the last time you felt any of these?

It’s no wonder that unadulterated play leads to creative thinking and joy. Many years ago, when I was working as a consultant in New York City, I was given my first project. I remember it so clearly. I was actually going to head up my first team, manage the project and present to the client…wow! Oh, did I mention it was for a panty hose company? Late one night, way past dinner, the team and I were sitting around the conference table trying desperately to come up with some innovative messaging for the product. We weren’t getting anywhere! Instead of hunkering down I had the team put on their thinking caps. In this case, those thinking caps were panty hose. We all came up with new panty hose characters and proceeded on with our brainstorm. You can guess what happened next. We looked ridiculous but the ideas were flowing. Right brain thinking a go-go and good times by all. In all seriousness, adding a little play to the moment unlocked our right-brains giving us the ability to tap our imaginative sides.

On a personal note, I have been helping my 5 year old learn to read. I went out and bought all the appropriate teaching tools and made a homework schedule for us to follow. It bombed! I couldn’t keep his interest for more than 5 minutes. Talk about a lack of curiosity and absolutely no sense of discovery. After a few weeks I was on the verge of giving up when it hit me, perhaps if I made it a game he would get more out of it. So that is exactly what we now do. We write silly, creative stories to read. He’s a boy so farting bunnies and Tae Kwon Do dogs are in almost every story. He gets to be creative, I write the stories and then he reads them back. Way cool and he tapped his sense of discovery and wonder, integral to living an imaginative life.

The lesson here…add a little play to your life! You’ll get creativity, laughter and joy out of it. Stop being so serious – it doesn’t do you any good ;)

If you are at work going through the motions, put on your bunny slippers under your desk. You’ll feel silly and that silliness will lead to openness, discovery and creativity.

If you are at home cleaning, put on some fun music and dance. I hate cleaning but the other day I pressed play, put on my dancing shoes and off I went.
Running a painfully boring meeting, pass out clown noses. Even those that roll their eyes at you will eventually play along.
Most importantly, turn off the cell phone and play a game. Skip down the hall, play a game online, whatever gives you that feeling of being a kid again.
Don’t let the fact that you are a responsible adult get in the way of some unadulterated belly laughter. It makes life so much for imaginative and enjoyable.

Did you hear the one about the guy that………ha ha ha ha

Dream big. Dream often. Drink through a straw.

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It’s official, we’ve launched Blog Talk Radio – Imaginibbles Chats @ 10am every Tuesday starting February 2nd. We bring the imaginative and the inspiring to your desktop.

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“duh” Products: Great Innovation In The Obvious

Posted on January 25, 2010 by imaginibbles



Innovation really does come in all forms.

We laugh, we make fun of and yet secretly we wish we came up with it! I was recently having lunch with some friends, one of which was bragging about his “man purse” or “satchel” as he tried to convince me. Then, the very next morning I found this article titled, 2010 – Year of The Man Purse. Seriously!

As many of your know, I speak a lot about finding innovation in the obvious. About stopping the search for the Atlantis of innovation – not only is it not relevant in today’s world, but it doesn’t exist.

Well, the article above got me thinking about all the recent products that are almost a “duh”. It’s as if they are so obvious that most of us didn’t see the opportunity or idea until someone else showed us its brilliance.

Here are my top 5 favorite products with a “duh” attached. Try not to laugh too much, they’ve sold millions.
On a side note, I would love to hear your “duh” innovations. What’s out there that is obvious and brilliant all at the same time.

1) Snuggie: Perfect, take a blanket and put some holes in it. Simple and comfortable. Be honest, you want one too.
2) Raz Pacifier: Of course, a pacifier that shuts when it falls on the floor, every parent’s biggest problem. No more crying babies because dog hair has covered their favorite soothing friend.
3) iPhone apps: The iPhone and everything that goes with it gets a lot of hype. I think the apps whether it’s a recipe finder or drawing application are the most user-friendly technology out there. Clearly we should be searching the web this way!
4) Magic Bullet: How did we ever live without mini-blenders? Grind coffee, make omelets or mix the perfect margarita. It can do anything, fit in any cabinet and cleans easily in the dishwasher. Not sure it gets any better.
5) Twitter: Laugh, run away, think what you want, but the truth is that Twitter has become a powerhouse. It helps people connect, sparks innovation and probably most importantly fuels people’s need for 15 minutes of fame. It’s the last need that makes it so amazing.

While I can’t yet add the man purse, I do find it’s rise in popularity both amusing and awesome!

Dream big. Dream often. Laugh till it hurts.

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At The Intersection of Random Ideas Are Found

Posted on January 22, 2010 by imaginibbles

Truly innovative thinking often occurs at the intersection of the seemingly unrelated. Either by accident or by revelation, a product is born.

In our day to day lives, we get stuck looking at the same information through the same lens. Sometimes, in order to get to the innovative we need to throw in some random thinking. As I talk about in the building block EXPAND, imaginative thinking comes from going wide with our knowledge and then finding new ways to connect the dots.

Recently my son received a book filled with random facts. The next day, as I sat down to work through a business challenge I was having, a huge light bulb went off. To give you an inkling, I was grabbling with a new product I am trying to develop. I’ll tell you more about the product when I have it in hand! As I was thumbing through this book, I read a piece about Stonehenge….
“Stonehenge is a mystery – on a grand scale. An enormous ancient monument, Stonehenge was built in Southern England over 3,000 years ago. The monument consists of many large stones, some weighing up to 100,000 pounds, arranged in circular patterns. It may have been used to observe the movements of the sun and moon – and then to create a calendar. No one really knows.”
- Exert from The Biggest Book of Questions and Answers
It was the piece about large stones in a circle that gave me an idea about how to best represent the 7 Building Blocks To Imaginative Thinking™ in a real and tangible way.

I’ve added a few other exerts and pieces of random information for you to apply to your life and/or work.

Try this….
1) Write down your challenge or what you are trying to accomplish
2) After reading each piece of knowledge, brainstorm around these 2 basic questions
a. What could I learn from this knowledge?
b. How does this apply to my challenge or idea?

It may not seem obvious at first but I bet you’ll come up with some incredibly innovative thinking.

Dream big. Dream often. Dream in color!

Exerts from book:

What is the difference between a sea and an ocean? Seas are smaller. A sea can be part of one of the four oceans (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic). Other seas such as the Caspian are surrounded by land

What is octopus ink? It’s a smoke screen. The ejected ink doesn’t dissolve quickly. It floats in the water in a cloud shaped somewhat like an octopus. The idea is to confuse its enemies and over its escape.

Why is it considered unlucky to open an umbrella indoors? Umbrellas were first used by African royalty to shield themselves from the sun god. To open in the shade was an insult to the god. To open one indoors must have been worse.

Why can I drink something really hot, but if I spilled the same thing on myself it would burn? Your mouth has air conditioning! As you sip hot liquid, air comes into your mouth along with it and cools the drink. Your saliva mixes in and cools it further.

What is the most powerful muscle in your body? Your jaw muscle – and it’s because exercise makes a muscle stronger! Talking and chewing exercise this muscle more than any other.

What is St. Elmo’s fire? Sometimes a flammable mass caused by electricity in the air appears at the tops of tall objects during thunder storms. Long-ago sailors who noticed this strange light above the masts of their ships named it after their patron saint, St. Elmo.

Book is the Biggest Book of Questions and Answers.

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Turn your ideas into Hollywood Storyboards

Posted on January 20, 2010 by imaginibbles


Before a movie ever hits the big screen it is turned into something called “storyboards.” A storyboard is an easy way to visually depict shot by shot how a movie or commercial will flow. When you look at it you can see the connection from one frame to the next. If you look at the example I found online you can clearly see the sequence of shots and how it comes together to create a commercial. I used to review a lot of these in my ad days!

Storyboards have another wonderful use and that’s idea generation. Storyboard templates, also above for download, allow you to think visually as well as verbally. You will tap into more parts of your brain by drawing and writing out your ideas. It also helps your mind think in sequences from one idea to the next. In my example you can see how I went from my first image to the last. I wanted to think through how to do the Imaginibbles radio show I am about to launch and make sure I had come up with creative and engaging ways to keep the audience involved. I started by placing an image of a radio (old school) and a light bulb. Now, I know this is blog radio but I was looking for images that represented my ideas and for me those two did the job. I used each frame, or box, to think through the next step of the idea. In the first frame I have my idea. That led me to the obvious, me hosting the show. That took me to interviewing people which then took me to all the cool stuff I could do with those interviews. Eventually I landed at ending the show with something I call Imagination Station– specific 5-minute exercises audience members can do at home. I wouldn’t have gotten to that idea if I hadn’t started with my first frame.

Here is how to use your storyboards solo and in groups.

1) Solo Idea Generation: Begin with a drawing of the nugget of an idea. Then build from there. It’s important that you continue to draw out your ideas.

2) Group Storyboarding: If you are working on innovation whether it’s product development or marketing tap the divergent power of the team. Before the group meeting, place an image of the product, brand, challenge, etc in the first frame. Make as many copies as needed and pass it out to the team. Each person will be working off the same original frame. But, different minds think differently and what you will get back will be a range of ideas. Have each person present their full storyboard and then discuss. Presenting the full storyboard versus just the final idea will ultimately help the team understand the individual’s train of thought and may even generate new ideas.

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