The Uncommonly
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Nine pieces of unconventional wisdom for change makers
“The earth is the center of the universe.” “The universe consists of the Milky Way galaxy.” “Heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects.” These claims all lived as conventional wisdom until disproved — by Nicolaus Copernicus (1543), Edward Hubble (1929), and Galileo Galilei (1589), respectively. Conventional wisdom can be — or seem — helpful. We…
Is your company prepared to see and address unimaginable threats?
At the recent Board Risk Committee-hosted event, “Threat Briefing: Russia’s War on Ukraine – Actions Boards Should Consider,” Richard A. Clarke, an internationally known expert on cybersecurity, shared specific consequences coming out of the current situation in Ukraine and key actions board directors and the executive team should take to get out in front of…
Eight Tactics to Make Questioning a Superpower
Are you getting ready for whatever comes next as we move forward and enter the world’s post-pandemic reality? No matter the path you choose, what I hear in conversations with friends, family and colleagues is a lot of reexamination and exploration, and of old assumptions being challenged, disproven, reshaped or even cast aside. New opportunities…
Finding Opportunity in Crisis
“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger, the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger — but recognize the opportunity.”[1] All organizations experienced danger on many fronts during 2020 – the pandemic, spreading wildfire outbreaks, social instability and economic fallout, translating…
Step One to Your After COVID Future
None of us knows what the future holds. But at least prior to March, we had logical bases from which to de-risk decisions. In the space of a few months, the logic behind our assumptions no longer feels solid. We’ve ripped up our plans. What will happen, when things will happen, and how long things…
Is the Chief Innovation Officer a Symptom or a Cure?
As 2019 comes to a close, and with 2020 just days away I’m excited and grateful to reflect upon a year of enriching relationships and experiences, anticipating what’s next on the journey. Reality is that the pace and intensity of change for most of the year encourage a lot of “doing.” These few weeks offer us respite – and time for…
Four Lessons Startups Can Find In Big Companies
It is not hard to beat up on big companies when it comes to innovation — and I’ve got plenty of proof, after two decades as one of those people delivering change from the inside of tough, conservative, regulated businesses. Big companies are bureaucratic. They are slow and complex. They get bogged down in how-things-have-always-been-…
How Corporate Managers Smother New Tech Adoption
One of the most fun and inspiring endeavors I’ve undertaken in my post-corporate life has been to advise select early-stage companies, portfolio managers and accelerators. Startups need lots of marketing advice, especially early on when there may not be a CMO on board. As a result, my work often involves defining audience targeting strategy and…
Purpose Is Your Innovation Catapult
Innovators who embrace the role of purpose in their work stand a greater shot at success. Having a belief stemming from a real problem that you passionately want to solve says, “I see something that needs to change, and I am going to change it.” Aligning your core belief to a real problem sets the…
Use Your Superpower
Before the holiday champagne starts to flow, the calendar fills with festivities, and you pack up and head off to rest and reenergize before the start of the new year, I want to leave you with a powerful piece of advice from all of the change makers I know, those featured in The Change Maker’s…
About Amy Radin
Amy Radin is an adviser, speaker and author, working with executives and senior leaders to deliver growth through meaningful innovation. She offers an uncommonly pragmatic and disciplined approach that begins with pinpointing high-potential unmet market needs, and from there provides a proven framework for “what to do next” and how to lead through the inevitable, daily challenges any organization will face in pursuit of innovation.
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Amy is a leader who is demanding and relentless in the pursuit of the great.
In The Change Maker’s Playbook she shares her philosophy and methods to transform ‘out-there’ ideas into new real world business models that can change businesses’ growth trajectories and how brands engage with their customers.
Kahina Van Dyke
Global Head, Digital Channels & Client Data Analytics; Standard Chartered Bank Board Member, Progressive Insurance