ARPA-E on the Practical Side of (Energy) Innovation

Leaders talk about growing a green economy and developing clean energy solutions, but the (mostly-male) talent trolling the halls of the Gaylord National Harbor Convention Center for the ARPA-E 2012 Innovation Summit last week was filled with folks actually doing it. One of the keynote speakers who brought the engineers face-to-face with reality was Steve… Continue reading ARPA-E on the Practical Side of (Energy) Innovation

Corporate America Needs to Get Out of Its Own Way

Imagine being in the room when Grey Advertising’s Amanda Zolten suggested to her colleagues that they use her cat’s soiled litter box to pitch a new client. How many people laughed? Or rolled their eyes? Or even thought she’d be in trouble? That’s the problem. Corporate America is in its own way. Every day, in… Continue reading Corporate America Needs to Get Out of Its Own Way

One Lesson from Steve Jobs We Missed – Embrace Conflict

Being nice doesn’t drive innovation. As the legacies of Steve Jobs are analyzed and dissected, one of the most important ones is that Steve Jobs did not worry about not being liked – and drew the best out of people. This flies in the face of traditional corporate culture. Jobs didn’t care about being liked… Continue reading One Lesson from Steve Jobs We Missed – Embrace Conflict