Great Ideas Can Come from Anyone and Anywhere!

There’s a great example in the news today of one of our 10 ideas to encourage risk taking from Innovate the Pixar Way…
#5. Don’t cry poor. Many innovative breakthroughs haven’t come from the formal “fat cats” in the R&D departments but from field operations scrounging around trying something new, learning and trying again. Not having the budget is an excuse, not a barrier!

I’m sure you have all been following the horrific BP tragedy where gallons of oil have been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.

For three months, and with billions of dollars of resources, the government and corporate engineers and scientists were unable to find a solution to the problem. It took the creative genius of a retired plumber with NO resources to suggest a solution that, as of today, appears to be working.

So, again, let’s not claim we can’t attract the people and resources we need to be creative! Everyone – from the front line to the boardroom – can and probably does have unique and innovative ideas that can help propel your organization to greatness!

BILL CAPODAGLI ON CONTACT TALK RADIO WITH SUSAN AXISA

JULY 16, 2010….TO BE AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE ARCHIVES SOON!

In my work as a teamwork consultant for companies wanting to improve their teams' abilities to work together well, I've noticed a dramatic rise in the need for real innovators: people whose creativity helps break through old, stifling paradigms for how things ought to be. My work as a self-esteem coach tells me that increasing numbers of clients have vast resources of untapped creativity, so why can't we, as a society, tap into it more. My guest today, Bill Capodagli, talks about just that – how to bring more creativity into the way we work. We will be talking about his latest book, Innovate the Pixar Way, which he co-authored (along with The Disney Way) with Lynn Jackson.

As our thirst for true innovation grows, and if my own experience is anything to go by, it is not surprising that Bill is much in demand as a keynote speaker on both these innovative cultures, but what makes them so innovative?

Join us as we discuss the Pixar culture and why the authors think it has become nothing short of an animation hit factory, full of films that enhance our lives by touching our innocence and our can-do spirit!

BILL CAPODAGLI AND INNOVATE THE PIXAR WAY FEATURED IN IDEA CONNECTION

Check out Vern Burkhardt's interview with Bill Capodagli at
www.ideaconnection.com/books/225-Innovate-the-Pixar-Way

Innovation in the Disney Stores!

Last week, Disney relaunched its Disney Store concept with the grand opening of their Montebello, California store, located near LA. What a makeover it is…some might say it's more of a “theme park” than a store. This high-tech attraction-focused “dream” store is the prototype for more than 20 newly designed Disney Store locations in the US and Europe that will open this year. The Montebello store has the first-ever Disney-Pixar CARS-branded RIDEMAKERZ experience in which kids of all ages can build toy cars, the initial line-up being Lighting McQueen, Mater and Sally! The Disney-Pixar CARS-branded RIDEMAKERZ attraction is a one-of-a-kind immersive car building and customizing experience.

The 4,800-plus square foot store's floor-to-ceiling remodel now features multimedia technology, interactive storytelling and Disney Store exclusive merchandise that bring Disney's most beloved characters to life for families in the local community. Naturally, the latest and greatest technology is integrated throughout the new store to create magical moments for guests.

And, there’s a "Pixie Dust Trail" that leads guests through the store and to major interactive elements as they enjoy a Disney-themed skyline and surrounding magical trees which are programmable with changing colors, images, and music set to an array of Disney themes. The new store is organized by franchise neighborhoods anchored by “hero fixtures” so it easy to seek out your favorite character or theme of interest.

The new store concept features an interactive kiosk with touch screen that leads the guests into an animated experience in shopping, viewing video clips, perusing articles and checking out in-store events. This technology also allows Disney to share news with customers via email, Facebook and Twitter.

And….how cool is it to have a theatre in a Disney Store? Guests can pick from a selection of pre-loaded content that will be updated regularly and can view a variety of Disney entertainment, sneak-peek previews, music videos and more. The theater will also be used for exciting in-store events including reading time and scavenger hunts.

As you may remember from reading The Disney Way, one of Disney’s great success stories (once upon a time!) was the launch of the Disney Stores. What began as theme-park shops where customers could buy Mickey Mouse shirts and other Disney memorabilia developed into a place where not only a wide array of merchandise was available, but also tickets to Disneyland and Walt Disney World could be purchased. In the mid 80s, former Disney employee Steve Burke (now COO of Comcast Cable Communications) convinced the management to open a mall-based chain of stores. For over a decade, Disney Stores maintained strong sales, but then the mounting cost of sales and operation and the loss of key executives who had driven the Disney Stores to success lead The Walt Disney Company to convert Disney Stores into a licensed operation.

But since Bob Iger assumed the leadership of Disney in 2005, many good things have happened such as taking buying back the Disney Stores. Bob has said that the Disney Stores goes beyond offering Disney merchandise...it’s all about reinforcing the company’s core businesses. Recently, Bob told the New York Times, “Our brand is so powerful because of our heritage. But you’ve got to innovate, and not just in terms of what is new today but what will be new far into the future.”

Legacy is one thing, but Innovation is the key to Disney and Pixar’s continued success!