Inspired by @GaryGulman's great #GulmanTips

365 days of #innovation lessons from my years at Andersen, American Express, MasterCard, Citi & IdeaFaktory.

#FaktorTips #1: Start w/small problems. Ironically, your most meaningful & impactful work will seem meaningless at the start.

#FaktorTip #2: When starting a new #innovation job, don't waste time on process. Everyone will have an opinion, but it will yield nothing. Instead, identify 3 small opportunities where you can have a measurable impact in 3-6 months & build process alongside, as you do & learn.

#FaktorTips #3: Desperation is your friend. Go where something important is broken to have an impact. Companies, divisions, departments where all is well have little incentive to cooperate, change or invest. But it's a fine line between broken & incompetent. Avoid the latter.

#FaktorTips #4: Take a long, hard look at the people at the top of your company & profession. Do they look like the future you envision for yourself? If not, RUN! Find those who do. Offer to intern or help some way. You have no choice. Sour milk won't be any fresher tomorrow.

#FaktorTips #5: The difference between successful & exceptional leaders is the ability to read people, understand their motivations & frame priorities in ways that nourish those motives. Not interests, motives. You'd be amazed at what people will do to be who they think they are.

#FaktorTips #6: Buy your freedom. If you don't know your purpose, use your early career to make all the money you can (ethically), live well below your means & invest. Buys you freedom to try anything. Always remember FREEDOM is the goal. Youthful energy & time only happens once.

#FaktorTips #7: Change agents are treated w/suspicion, sometimes as viruses, by established organs of power. When joining a new organization, first learn the culture, power brokers & influencers. All your great ideas will flop without the trust & support of powerful sponsors.

If your work is not satisfying, keep lists of business ideas, people you like who complement your skills & companies you think are doing cool things. Your wealth &/or satisfaction will likely come from somewhere on that list.

#ABP - Always be prospecting

( #FaktorTips #8)

To most large organizations, innovation is a muse. But they're never leaving their spouse, Business-As-Usual. So to win executive support, you must cloak new ideas in familiar words & steep proposals in the company's historical successes.

( #FaktorTips #9)

Chip away.

People start their days w/grand plans, long to-do lists & optimistic delusions unsupported by history.

Hit 1 mini-milestone/day.

Ex: If you want to switch industries, contact 1 new person/day. Even a 5% response gets 3 people in 2 months or 18/yr.

( #FaktorTips #10)

Whether you're doing a startup or corporate innovation/NPD, don't be precious w/your ideas. Most aren't that special. 90% can only improve w/input & stress-testing.

1 exception: some corporate parasites will steal ideas, so pick trusted, constructive colleagues.

#FaktorTips #11

A mentee once asked me, "How do I know when it's time to leave?"

I told her, "When you feel like you're no longer learning or the job's not helping you get where you want to go."

I'll cover having a long-term vision in future tips.

PS - She's a CMO now.

( #FaktorTips #12)

Your best professional life lies at the nexus of your aspirations, your abilities & what the world needs/wants. The beauty is you can always adjust your aspirations, learn new skills & get better at identifying needs (like others doing it is a good sign).

(FaktorTips #13)

Mathematically, NO ONE can matter to a giant corporation. Not even the CEO. While the pretense is cute, reality is
1) You matter mainly to your boss's career prospects
2) His/her plans<>yours
3) If you don't take control, someone else will write your career/future
#FaktorTips #14

Success in any field requires a certain humorlessness. You have to take it seriously, even if only because others do. Work becomes their identity. An affront to the job is an attack on every choice to prioritize career over things like family, fun, etc.

#FaktorTips #15

Your ability to *influence* those who don't report to you (or your boss) in an organization depends on:

1. Vouching (via shared relationships/allies)
2. Mutual interests
3. Executive priority/dictate
4. Low blame/credit ratio
5. Likeability/ease of collaboration

#FaktorTips #16

Over time, your professional network weakens. For those you value but rarely engage with, organize your contacts by priority & topic of interest. Whenever you find an article or connection relevant to that person/group, email them individually or via mail merge.

#FaktorTips #17

Simplify, simplify, simplify!

Conventional corporate wisdom has everyone cramming jargon, acronyms & corporate-speak into every sentence & PowerPoint.

Just by NOT doing that (& avoiding PPT), you can stand out. But be warned, if you do this, you better be GOOD!

#FaktorTips #18

A resume is BS...to entrepreneurial people.

A resume is everything to corporate admins in HR, who match keywords to job descriptions.

-Get to the hiring manager
-Show, don't tell, them what you've done & how you'll help them achieve their goals
-keep it short

#FaktorTips #19

Never offer advice, unless you're asked.

The more respected you are, the more you'll be asked.

Earn that respect by working creative ideas into the workflow, without a hard sell.

#FaktorTips #20

Even objectively unimportant projects must be treated seriously, with pride and professionalism. Or you'll never get the important ones.

#FaktorTips #21

Everyone you hire is your ambassador. Conversely, everyone interviewing you wants a delegate who represents the image they want to project into the world. Don't be surprised when the "bring your whole self to work" mantra fails you. https://twitter.com/ideafaktory/status/1321849170651762689?s=20

#FaktorTips #22

Choose your next job SOLELY on who you'll enjoy working with most. Not salary, brand, or future promises. 90% of "stepping stone" jobs get derailed by reorgs, bad bosses, circumstances. Focus on reading people & finding those you enjoy. The rest will follow.

#FaktorTips #23

Wealth rarely comes from chasing money. Money, happiness & influence are byproducts of helping others, solving a big problem. The more scalable your solution, the bigger the reward.

#faktortips #24

Also see @DanielPink's great thread: https://mobile.twitter.com/DanielPink/status/1356241760440217607