Gregg Fraley

I am a creativity and innovation expert.  Mostly I advise people on innovation process and facilitate new product development, that’s my work.  I write this blog to provide my insight on my area of expertise, innovation.  I’m not a political pundit.  So, you might ask, why am I starting a boycott of Fox News?   It’s a good question. I’m kicking off the boycott because there is a time to talk about creativity and a time to take creative action. My passion for creative action has been aroused by what I see as a giant con game being played on the American people, the citizens of the USA.  I firmly believe that Fox News is not news because it has

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A simple point I want to make today, in light of all that went down last week: Innovation can be dangerous.  We saw it when Enron collapsed – creativity without regard for legality.  This time it’s much worse.  Back when the financial markets were deregulated a lot of folks, on both sides of the aisle, thought that it was a good thing.  They thought it was innovation, and, it was.  For years, it appeared to be a genius move, as new financial products were created, more competition was introduced, and folks got mortgages they wouldn’t have in earlier days.  The people who architected and pushed for deregulation had a real vision of the upside, and indeed it came to pass.  

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The irrepressible Julia Cameron is at it again.  Does this woman define the word prolific or what?  She’s been cranking out a good book at least once or twice a year for ages, and now, with her eppervescent partner in crime, Emma Lively, she’s just turned out a musical.   The Medium At Large will debut in Chicago at the Village Players Performing Arts Center on October 17th and will run through November 16.  If you live in the area you’d be crazy not to check it out. I’ll stick my neck out here — I wouldn’t be surprised if this does so well in Chicago (okay, it’s Oak Park technically) it will re-open in NYC.  Can a movie be far behind?

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I keep an eye on Starbucks — as readers of this blog are well aware. I do this not as an investor, but as a student of all things innovative, and as a bona fide coffee lover. Starbucks is a fascinating study because it’s a combination of good practices and not so good practices when it comes to innovation.  Their recently slide into hard times and 600 shop closings indicates trouble in paradise; sadly, I see them as an on-going case study in innovative failure at this point. I don’t think they are listening to their consumers, the key to incremental innovation.  Nor do I see them making any radical departures, or starting any new ventures, the key to disruptive

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I was recently gifted a copy of Deepak Chopra’s book, “Why Is God Laughing?  The Path to Joy And Spiritual Optimism.” I don’t often read books related to spirituality, probably an over-reaction to being inundated with religious instruction as a youth.  Frankly, I’m one of those people who believe the more you talk about spirituality the less likely you are actually spiritually connected.  I must confess that in the past I had less than an open mind about all things new age, but that’s changed.  Chopra’s book helped me make more connections between my expertise area of creativity, and something I am still mystified about, spirituality. The fact that Mike Myers (yes, of SNL and Wayne’s World fame) wrote the

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In early June I posted under the title, Starbucks Is Dead.  In that post I explored how, for me as a consumer, the experience had changed, and I was walking away from my favorite coffee.  I expressed some hope that they would return to innovative greatness under the newly resumed leadership of Howard Schultz, the original founder.  Well, things have taken a decided turn for the worse; Starbucks posted its first ever loss last week, and announced the closing of over 600 American stores, and nearly all its Australian ones.  Don’t Aussies like coffee? The closings might be a smart move in the long run. Schultz undoubtedly has gotten that advice from the bean counters (no pun intended).  Starbucks has

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Okay, I’m not the greatest cartoonist. I try. Self expression means doing things you aren’t so good at sometimes, just for the fun of it. So, by posting this drawing I’m giving you permission. Drawing is one of those skills that most people associate with creativity, as in, if I can’t draw I’m not creative.  Well, that’s a myth, but drawing is fun, and a grand form of self expression. If you haven’t read it yet, pick up the classic book on drawing by Betty Edwards, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.  I promise you, it will be an eye opener, especially for those of you who repeat the mantra “I can’t draw.”  Yes, you can!

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  I was in Paris over the weekend for a family celebration. While there we made a side trip to the cities primary tourist attraction, the Eiffel Tower.  It was a Sunday morning and we went early to get in line to go up the tower.  My 12 year old step son had never been and was quite excited, and it was fun for Caroline and I, two jaded old-timers, to be with someone getting such a kick out of it.   While we waited in line a funny thing happened — Greenpeace activists somehow unfurled a huge yellow anti-nuke banner. For a few precious moments it time, it was perfectly positioned in the middle of a ring of stars newly

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I just returned from a long weekend in Paris.  I was there doing a keynote at the CREA Universite conference on creativity “fun-damentals.”  I’ve written a book about creative process but it’s clear to me that before a process can be highly effective one must practice the fundamentals.   What are creativity fundamentals?  Simple things really, here is my list from the talk I gave at the conference: Writing things down in a notebook. Keeping lists of ideas. Regular review of your ideas to add onto lists, rule out some, take action on some. Always seeking new stimuli, to be in constant learning mode. An open mind that practices deferral of judgment as a way of life. To be an instigator

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Just became aware of the untimely death of newsman TimRussert.  He fell victim to a heart attack this past Friday, June 13. What a shame, what a loss for journalism and all fair-minded Americans.  He was a voice of reason in the journalistic scene and was respected by both sides in the USA.  Simply because he was honest, well informed, tough, fair, and he asked great questions. Two lessons to learn from his sudden death of a heart attack. One, competency in one area does not mean you aren’t blind in another.  Tim was clearly overweight and at risk, and he knew it. The wise person would have modified his behavior instead of depending on drugs to prevent disease.  Tim

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