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Phil McKinney

Phil McKinney is an innovator, podcaster, author, and speaker. He is the retired CTO of HP. Phil's book, Beyond The Obvious, shares his expertise and lessons learned on innovation and creativity.

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There Is No Such Thing As A New Idea, And That's Ok.

It's time to think differently about what is a new original idea. Instead of creating something entirely from scratch, focus on finding fresh connections between existing ideas. By combining pre-existing elements in innovative ways, you can create something unique that has never been seen before!

There Is No Such Thing As A New Idea, And That's Ok.
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Changing The Default: The Secret to Innovation Success

We all have defaults in technology, routine, beliefs, or anything else. But what if we could challenge the default and try something new? What would happen then? That is the secret to innovation success.

Changing The Default: The Secret to Innovation Success
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The First Mover Myth: Why Being an Improver is Actually Better

Do you ever wonder why some companies are wildly successful while others quickly fizzle? The answer lies in the power of being an improver—not a first mover. History has repeatedly proven that entering later with a superior offering is often better.

The First Mover Myth: Why Being an Improver is Actually Better
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The Punctuality Paradox: The Ethics of Time

Time is our most valuable resource, yet it is finite and fleeting. It cannot be saved, paused, or rewound. It is constantly moving forward, regardless of how we use it. Therefore, we must use our time wisely and purposefully to make the most of every moment.

An image of clock and child presenting to idea of time and how to use it.
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New Media Gallery

The project, done for the Newseum - The Museum of News, was to illustrate how technology can help create fresh forms of communication and information sharing, which was reshaping our news media, social media, online content, and our society.

New Media Gallery
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My Experience with Innovation Influencing

Innovation influencer marketing is all about connecting with people passionate about innovation and helping them spread the word about your organization and brand.

My Experience with Innovation Influencing
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Innovation Hero Worship: FTX, Theranos, and the Media

Just because we consider someone an “expert” or an “innovator” doesn’t mean we should automatically believe everything they say. We should be willing to challenge the idea.

Innovation Hero Worship: FTX, Theranos, and the Media
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The Near Future. Step Inside

Using an Innovation Storytelling approach, created a short film, The Near Future—Step Inside, which gives viewers the ability to peek into the future.

The Near Future. Step Inside
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Automaticity: A Thinking Trap?

Just as a car can be driven more smoothly and efficiently when the driver doesn’t have to think about each action, so can our lives run more smoothly when some tasks are done automatically. For example, if you’ve ever ridden in a car with someone learning to drive, you know it’s not a very smooth […

A child learning match by building automaticity
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Future Faking Innovation

Future faking is a term that has crept into the lexicon that originated from a harmful dating practice. When applied to innovation, someone is predicting a future to get others excited about it, with no intention of making that future a reality.

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