Innovation is Contagious

I had the great pleasure last week of hearing Dr David Hamilton talking about the remarkable properties of mirror neurons in the brain. They are the mechanism behind how we empathise, emulate, copy and learn.

This resulted in many light bulb moments firing in this particular head of mine.

I’ve been doing talks and workshops on creativity and innovation for some years now and I’d noticed that when I get into the state where I can receive light bulb moments, people in the room would follow shortly after.
To find out how this all works, I recommend you buy David’s book called The Contagious Power of Thinking or, better still, attend one of his talks and then buy the book – as he explains it all much better than I ever could.

So at my talks naturally people will pick up on my body language, the words I say and the images should I use any slides or handouts. The mirror neurons are the mechanism whereby such empathy is achieved. There is something which is more subtle in operation too however.

Before I even get to the venue to do the talk, I set my intention that the attendees of the talk will get into the state of having light bulb moments. Furthermore, that this state will linger either for a few days after the talk or even permanently.

People report having not known why they came to a particular talk but that they felt strangely drawn to attend. They also can’t remember where they first heard about it.

Now I am not claiming any extrasensory powers. What everyone is experiencing is a natural state of affairs and happens all the time but, mostly, outside our conscious awareness.

What is interesting is how this concept can be applied in business – especially if the business is involved in new product development or any creative field such as publishing, marketing, design or any artistic endeavour.

Any mindset we adopt will spread unconsciously – including anger, fear and guilt – and any behaviour and culture set will also ripple throughout an organisation like gossiping and lunchtime drinking.

So if you want innovation to spread in your organisation, it needs to be seeded and then it will spread organically. For example, apocryphally a US president visiting NASA in the Apollo era asked a janitor what he did and the reply was, “I fly rockets to the Moon”. This type of team spirit amplifies, reflects and ripples from mirror neurons to mirror neurons in each team member working to a common goal.

Sowing the seeds for innovation

The first step is to initiate the culture change with a thought and attitude and it can start anywhere in the organisation but ideally with senior management. The end goal is for it to be adopted from the bottom up whilst also aiming to remove the whole idea of the top and bottom hierarchy, as one could not exist without the other and it is in essence more like a symbiosis.

Then practical steps should be taken to foster innovation throughout the business, such as:

1. A simple suggestion box [perhaps anonymous]

2. A suggestions wall or whiteboard [best seeded with an associative Mind Map]

3. A more formal and facilitated intervention like a Walt Disney Three Rooms session or de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats. Even better again would be to use Appreciative Inquiry which additionally generates a positive thinking mind set. The idea of positive thinking also spreads like wildfire and is based on taking what works and making it even better rather than focusing on woes and trials and tribulations.

Related Posts:

Seven Ways to Encourage Light Bulb Moments

Twelve Ways to Generate Spin Offs

Seven Ways to Block Light Bulb Moments

The Business of Light Bulb Moments

Reclaiming Happiness

The latest podcast in the Moments of Light series is with the sublimely wise and intelligent soul who is Nicola Phoenix.

Nicola is a Spiritual Psychologist and yoga teacher with such a simple approach to share by which we can all get to a place of happiness. Where many make the journey over-complex and arduous, Nicola makes it accessible and do-able. What’s more, we can all start doing it today – right now.

Have a listen to the interview to find out more … and then get yourself a copy of the book !!

Nicola Phoenix on Reclaiming Happiness (mp3)

Details on how to get your copy of Reclaiming Happiness and how to contact Nicola here … www.nicolaphoenix.com

Light Bulb Moments for Authors

A wonderful and eclectic chat with Joel Friedlander on how authors can use light bulb moments in their work …

Topics covered :

Where do light bulb moments come from?

What blocks light bulb moments?

How to use your whole brain and whole mind

The beauty and power of Mapping Your Mind

The importance of meditation and the breath in ideas generation

Find out more about Joel and subscribe to his brilliant blog which is full of help for authors and publishers – and get a copy of his book too – www.thebookdesigner.com

Three Artists with Soul

August has been quite a month for the Moments of Light Radio show on The Barefoot Broadcast.

You can’t plan this sort of thing, it just happened but my three guests are all wonderful artists with three different takes on art and spirituality that touches the soul at a fundamental level.

In case you missed them, you can listen to the shows again here … your comments, thoughts and social media shares much appreciated.

Note that the show will be off air now until the end of September as I have a much needed break and it will be returning in a new guise when I’m back … more on that soon. In the meantime, enjoy.

They need no introduction as the recordings speak for themselves đŸ˜‰



June-Elleni Laine – www.psychicartworks.com

iPad and iPhone users listen here


Whitney FerrĂ© – www.creativelyfit.com

iPad and iPhone users listen here


June Maffin – www.soulistry.com

iPad and iPhone users listen here


In Conversation with The English Sisters

Something rather magical happened over the last few months as this amazing force of nature called The English Sisters came into my world …

These amazing ladies are somewhat difficult to describe and encapsulate in words so, to get a handle on their insight, wisdom and erudition, have a watch and a listen to one of what I hope is the first of many chats below.

And to hear and watch more, subscribe to their hypnotic ramblings either on YouTube or on their Hypnotic Rambling site – www.hypnoramblings.com

iPad, iPhone users, watch here

Twelve Ways to Generate Spin Offs

You will have no end of ideas coming your way when you follow the guidelines in two blogs …

Seven Ways to Encourage Light Bulb Moments
Seven Ways to Block Light Bulb Moments

Sometimes you can have a great idea and do nothing with it – only to see it successfully copied by someone else who you unwittingly inspired.

Sometimes your initial idea doesn’t quite live up to your hopes for it.

The solution to both these woes, lies in the Spin Off and here’s 12 ways to generate them!!

Think about your idea in these context …

1. Industry – could it be applied in new sectors?
2. International – could you change it so it works in new markets?
3. Inter-operable – could it be made to work with more ‘things’?
4. Demographic – can it be sold to a new target market?
5. Duplicity – can you replicate its essence, say with a minor change, but in such a way that it becomes something entirely new?
6. Down-size – can it be made smaller, cheaper or with a sub-set of features?
7. Education – how can it be made so that it can used to teach or be taught?
8. Entertainment – how can you make it more fun?
9. Extension – how can you add more features so it does something entirely new?
10. Augment – how can you add more features so it’s better value for money?
11. Amortise – how can you spread the cost of production to improve cash flow or spread the cost for the client
12. Agreements – who could you partner with to get to new markets or so that 1+1 > 2

Now if all this sounds wonderful but you have no idea how to introduce these practices into your business, get in touch. I am passionate about bringing these simple and freely available techniques into business – see Light Bulb Moments on Demand for more info