Pause Fest & Awards’ Post

Innovation is not just about new ideas; it's about embracing vulnerability and the imperfect journey toward making those ideas a reality. Join Abram Sirignano, Senior Partner at Prophet, on the Innovation Storytellers Show as he delves into the unique nature of innovation compared to other business tasks. In this compelling episode, Abram highlights a crucial aspect of innovation—its inherent uncertainty and the critical role of vulnerability. Unlike traditional business processes that often rely on certainties and absolutes, innovation requires a leap of faith into uncharted territories. It's about: 🤲 Belief and conviction in what could be, rather than what is. 🔄 The willingness to unlearn the certainty of absolutes, precise numbers, and fixed outcomes. 💬 Adopting a language of possibilities, focusing on what we believe and what could be true if we commit to exploring new directions. This discussion is a reminder that innovation is not just about creating new things but also about changing how we think and communicate. It’s about the collective commitment to nurture and progress an idea, despite the uncertainties. Are you ready to embrace the vulnerability required for true innovation? How do you handle the uncertainties in your innovative endeavors? Join the conversation below! 🔗 Listen to the full discussion and be inspired to innovate differently #Leadership #Innovation #podcast https://zurl.co/ppLB

🌟 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 – 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼v𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 🌟 Exciting news for all innovation enthusiasts and business leaders! Our latest episode is now live, and it's an absolute must-listen! 🚀 Episode Highlights: Unpack the dynamic concept of Open Innovation and how it allows for more flexible, collaborative business practices by integrating external and internal ideas. Dive deep into the work of Henry Chesbrough, the pioneer behind this revolutionary concept. Understand his influential books and how his ideas have redefined how industries innovate. Discover real-world applications and the transformative impact of Open Innovation across various sectors. 📘 Whether you're an innovator in a startup or guiding a multinational, this episode offers vital insights and strategies to harness the power of collaborative innovation. 🎧 Tune in to "Breaking Boundaries: Embracing Open Innovation with Henry Chesbrough" and empower your organization with the tools for a more innovative future. #OpenInnovation #HenryChesbrough #BusinessInnovation #Podcast #NewEpisode #InnovationStrategy #CollaborativeInnovation

🌟 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 – 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼v𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 🌟 Exciting news for all innovation enthusiasts and business leaders! Our latest episode is now live, and it's an absolute must-listen! 🚀 Episode Highlights: Unpack the dynamic concept of Open Innovation and how it allows for more flexible, collaborative business practices by integrating external and internal ideas. Dive deep into the work of Henry Chesbrough, the pioneer behind this revolutionary concept. Understand his influential books and how his ideas have redefined how industries innovate. Discover real-world applications and the transformative impact of Open Innovation across various sectors. 📘 Whether you're an innovator in a startup or guiding a multinational, this episode offers vital insights and strategies to harness the power of collaborative innovation. 🎧 Tune in to "Breaking Boundaries: Embracing Open Innovation with Henry Chesbrough" and empower your organization with the tools for a more innovative future. #OpenInnovation #HenryChesbrough #BusinessInnovation #Podcast #NewEpisode #InnovationStrategy #CollaborativeInnovation

FutureProof Episode #3 Preview: "Technology Only Advances If It Finds a Market" Welcome back to #FutureProof, the weekly blog where I dive into the messy, exciting intersections of Leadership, Crisis Management, and Sustainable Innovation. This week’s episode is titled "Technology Only Advances If It Finds a Market", a quote I borrowed (with admiration) from Chris Miller’s insightful book Chip War. Now, let me be honest—it wasn’t my first choice. I wrestled with this week’s topic longer than I care to admit: six drafts, ten subtitles, and an absurd amount of overthinking. But this one stuck, and for good reason. It perfectly captures a simple but profound truth: even the most brilliant innovations are irrelevant if they don’t meet a need. Getting to this title, though, wasn’t exactly a straight line. I tinkered with ideas about failed inventions (hello, Segway) and sustainability in tech innovation before landing here. But as I reflected on my last six years—a journey spanning six months of research into emerging opportunities in emerging technologies, the theme of "market fit" emerged as the thread tying it all together. This episode explores why some technologies change the world while others vanish into obscurity. If you've ever wondered how to turn bold ideas into lasting innovations, or why timing and market alignment matter as much as the ideas themselves, you’ll want to read this. Mark your calendar: FutureProof Episode #3 will be available on Medium (https://lnkd.in/ggxFktX6) early Wednesday. Until then, keep questioning the status quo. — Bayo Adebogun

𝕽𝖔𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖓 𝕲𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖙𝖍: 𝕽𝖎𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕿𝖔𝖌𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗 I recently came across a podcast that truly resonated with me. The analogy used about the growth of a tree — both 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒄 (growing down into the unseen, resisting the pull of gravity) and 𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒄 (reaching up toward the light) — struck a chord. I couldn't help but draw parallels between this and our own leadership journeys, personal growth, and peer support. Just like a tree, our success isn't only measured by what is visible to the world. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 — 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 — 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲.🌱 The root system, deep and unseen, holds the foundation. Similarly, it’s crucial to give credit where it's due — for the persistence, resilience, and unseen work that often goes unnoticed. Without the roots, the tree would never reach the light. As peers and leaders, our role is to acknowledge and support both: 1️⃣ 𝑪𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒄 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔. 2️⃣ 𝙀𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙩 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙘 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡. In leadership, recognizing the importance of both directions ensures that our teams and colleagues not only survive but thrive. 𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫!

If I ask you at the end of 2024 where your pile of rejections are, and you don’t have any? You may be a leader, but you may need a nudge to venture out in thought leadership. GOAL: Find your biggest, best, suckiest NOs. Then frame them. They’re proof that you’re doing the work. 👏 👉 So many gifted people hide their talents. They take their 1 talent, and bury it in the sand. They won’t make it 2, much less 5, or even 10! 👉 Why stop after you serve 100 if you were given enough talent to serve 100,000? Can you live with that? Do you have the right to, when ✨ mentorship from so many others is what made you who you are today✨ and grew you beyond your raw talent? Or - were you made for more - so, you’re going to go get some no’s, and on the way, a big bunch of YESes? Good. ✅ Go find those conferences, convene a panel, pitch a cool collaboration, start your podcast, and invite me to listen in. I can’t wait to hear your talent multiply real time. 👉 Bring me your NOs, because those are who I know to bet on for the greatest impact. (Photo: me after a big no this year that led to a massive YES, and FaceTiming daughter from Vegas to tell her all about it.) 👏❤️

🚀 How do innovation peer networks transform outcomes? Dive into an enlightening conversation with Roland Deiser, Founder & Executive Chairman of the Center for the Future of Organization, on the latest episode of Innovation Storytellers Show. 🎧 In this episode, Roland Deiser shares his profound insights on business ecosystem leadership and the critical role of sophisticated social and political strategies in driving innovation. He discusses the importance of creating and leveraging networks within organizations and across industry boundaries to foster innovative conversations and processes. Roland highlights the power of peer-to-peer experience sharing, which not only mitigates the feeling of isolation in organizations but also brings diverse perspectives essential for innovation. By designing and nurturing these corporate networks, companies can break down cognitive, industry, and organizational boundaries, sparking new ideas and collaborative efforts. Don't miss out on this compelling discussion that underscores the necessity of collaboration in the innovation landscape. Listen now and discover how to build and benefit from innovation peer networks. 🔗 Listen to the full episode here https://lnkd.in/eGbSVARi #Onnovation #Podcast #Leadership

🚀 How do innovation peer networks transform outcomes? Dive into an enlightening conversation with Roland Deiser, Founder & Executive Chairman of the Center for the Future of Organization, on the latest episode of Innovation Storytellers Show. 🎧 In this episode, Roland Deiser shares his profound insights on business ecosystem leadership and the critical role of sophisticated social and political strategies in driving innovation. He discusses the importance of creating and leveraging networks within organizations and across industry boundaries to foster innovative conversations and processes. Roland highlights the power of peer-to-peer experience sharing, which not only mitigates the feeling of isolation in organizations but also brings diverse perspectives essential for innovation. By designing and nurturing these corporate networks, companies can break down cognitive, industry, and organizational boundaries, sparking new ideas and collaborative efforts. Don't miss out on this compelling discussion that underscores the necessity of collaboration in the innovation landscape. Listen now and discover how to build and benefit from innovation peer networks. 🔗 Listen to the full episode here https://zurl.co/JAjp #Innovation #Podcast #Leadership

You don’t have to drag your feet in Q1 wondering what excitement there is or how you can bring something fresh to your team, organization and community. Brainstorming happens naturally when you’re tuned in and listening to the kinds of challenges and considerations you face as a leader. Get inspiration from Felicia’s solo episodes and have a front row seat as she’s drilling in with the best questions for guest episodes. Let Felicia Ford & Co.®️ introduce you to Change Makers like you from across the country and get ideas for how you’re going to lead, impact and grow in 2025. The only thing between you and impact strategies to transform how you work is the click of a button. We’re catching you up on Q4 of Impact Innovators with Felicia Ford, but you can always head back to kick off of episode 1 - 29 anytime. For Change Makers seeking to maximize their impact:  Have you ever landed a media feature and felt the excitement fade? This episode reveals 5 strategies to turn that fleeting moment into sustained growth, building trust, expanding your reach, and driving business results. Tune in now. https://lnkd.in/gmhwkH9x

Excited to share insights from a past Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge episode! This one's a must-listen for tech execs looking to scale their operations, improve efficiency, and lead with innovation. Here are four highlights that stood out: The Power of Fractional CTO/CPO Services (0:00:44) - Discover how businesses leverage fractional leadership for strategic advantage, achieving significant cost savings while accessing top-tier expertise. Maximizing Efficiency with Experienced Guidance (0:05:17) - Learn about the transformative impact of having a seasoned fractional CTO/CPO on guiding strategy and execution directly from the insights of Ram Prasad. Strategic Savings and Business Growth (0:03:14) - Ram Prasad shares the financial and operational benefits of opting for fractional leadership, including the potential for 70%-75% savings. Adapting to the Needs of Tech Companies (0:09:12) - Gain insights into Ram's custom approach to support enterprise SaaS companies across various verticals, tailoring his expertise to their unique challenges. Enjoy content like this? Subscribe to the show at https://gtle.show/YouTube. Want to be a guest on a future Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge episode? DM "podcast" to receive a booking link!