Blog - Melissa Dinwiddie | Create the Impossible™ | Innovation Keynote Speaker & Consultant -

Beyond the Bottom Line: New Ways to Measure Innovation

Click to watch (13:10) or scroll down to read more Hey there, innovation champions! I recently found myself reflecting on a challenge I see across the tech world: we’re trying to measure 21st-century innovation with 20th-century metrics. Innovation leaders often face the same frustrating question: “But how is this impacting our bottom line?” It’s a […]

Innovation in the Age of Anywhere Work: Creating the Impossible Across Distances

Click to watch (19:27) or scroll down to read more Hey there, innovation champions! Picture this: It’s December, I’m sitting in a living room with eleven other people, launching what we think will be a small local community action group. Our stretch goal? 50 members. Fast forward just three months, and we’re suddenly 220+ members strong, […]

Why Some Teams Innovate (And Others Don’t)

Click to watch (14:05) or scroll down to read on Hey there, innovation champions! Have you ever wondered why some teams consistently produce breakthrough ideas while others seem stuck in a cycle of “same old, same old”? The answer might surprise you – and it’s something I’ve been experiencing firsthand in a completely unexpected arena. Over […]

Why Women-Led Teams Innovate Differently

Click to watch (13:08) or scroll down to read more Hey there, innovation champions! Have you ever wondered why some teams seem to innovate so differently than others? I’ve recently had a fascinating experience that shed light

Why Pressure Kills Innovation (And How to Fix It)

Click to watch (09:55) or scroll down to read more Hey there, innovation champions! Ever notice how a four-year-old will fearlessly create masterpieces with finger paint, while highly skilled professionals often

The Billion-Dollar Button: How Different Perspectives Drive Innovation

Click to watch (09:43) or scroll down to read more Hey there, innovation champions! During the depths of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, California suffered from some of the worst fires in history. We were all on lockdown, stuck inside our homes, while ash

Why Innovation Dies in Disconnected Teams

Click to watch (11:32) or scroll down to read more Hey there, innovation champions! When I tell you that my most powerful lesson about innovation came from organizing a grassroots movement, you might wonder

Leading in the Age of AI: The Human Advantage

Click to watch (08:56) or scroll down to read more Hey there, innovation champions! Let me tell you about a surprising discovery I made about AI – one that completely transformed how I approach leadership and innovation. Unlike many of my colleagues who dove into AI tools the moment they appeared, I was hesitant. After all, […]

The Overthinking Trap: Why Quick Action Drives Better Innovation

Hey there, innovation champions! When I first took the stage back in the mid-90s to teach calligraphy, I never imagined I’d one day be helping tech giants strengthen their teams through creativity and connection. Yet here we are! I’m thrilled to share

Why Your Next Innovation Should Be Terrible

Hey there, innovation champions! Big news! My second LinkedIn Learning course, “How to Overcome and Avoid Creative Blocks,” just went live! When I first started teaching calligraphy back in the mid-90s, I never imagined I’d one day be helping professionals at companies like Meta and Google unleash their creative potential. Yet here we are!

The Neuroscience of Play: Why Fun Drives Innovation

Click to watch (09:56) or scroll down to read Hey there, innovation champions! Picture this: I’m watching a room full of senior tech leaders at Meta engage in what looks like a kindergarten game. They’re passing an imaginary ball around, making whooshing sounds and giggling like kids. Now here’s what fascinates me –

From Second Place to Center Stage: Innovation Lessons from 2024

Click to watch (10:34) or scroll down to read Hey there, innovation champions! Remember that old saying about how to make God laugh? Make plans. Well, looking back at 2024, I can’t help but laugh at how my biggest breakthroughs came from

Beyond Resolutions: How Innovative Leaders Create Real Change

Click to watch (08:21) or scroll down to read Hey there, innovation champions! It’s that time of year when everyone’s talking about their grand resolutions and ambitious plans for change. But let me share a story that might change how you think about transformation. Back in 2011, I made what seemed like an embarrassingly small commitment: […]

Merry Creativity: How the Holiday Spirit Can Transform Your Innovation Practice

Click to watch (04:13) or scroll down to read Hey there, innovation champions! As we wrap up another year of creating the impossible, I’ve been thinking about how the holiday season perfectly embodies the spirit of innovation. Think about it: What’s more creative than figuring out how to fit

Embracing AI as a Creative Partner

Click to watch (09:36) or scroll down to read Hey there, innovation champions! You might think, since I help companies unlock innovation, that I’m an early adopter of every new technology. In fact, I’m often slow to jump on the bandwagon. When ChatGPT came out, it took me over a year before I really dove in. […]

Innovation Insights: Where Play Powers Breakthroughs

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