Cindy Rabe, author and marketing consultant
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Dec
12 |
Expertise: The Innovation Killer...and What To Do About It Luncheon |
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Time and Location 11:30am - 1:00pm Benson Hotel 309 Southwest Broadway Portland, OR About the Topic: In our increasingly competitive, global business environment, an organization's ability to innovate has become vital to its ability to thrive - and even survive. Unfortunately, many organizations seem better prepared to thwart innovation than nurture it. From poor strategic planning to lackluster execution, there are multiple 'innovation killers'. Arguably however, the most lethal is one that may be the most surprising: our own expertise. Where innovation is concerned, our hard-won experience and carefully captured 'best-known methods' can weigh us down in 'what was' vs. 'what might be'. This discussion presents the concept of "Zero-Gravity Thinkers" as a solution. Zero-Gravity Thinkers are a specific type of outsider playing particular roles for a team. Using academic studies, real world marketing examples and audience participation, this session will help attendees understand why expertise can be so lethal to innovation, the characteristics a Zero-Gravity Thinker should have and the ways organizations can find and work with people in these roles. The session will also address the 'culture of courage' leaders need to instill in their organizations in order to capitalize on the presence of Zero-Gravity Thinkers. About the Speaker: Cynthia (Cindy) Barton Rabe has 20 years of experience in marketing and innovation roles for consumer product and technology companies. In early 2006, she left her position as Innovation Strategist for Intel Corporation to found Zero-G, LLC, an innovation and strategy consulting firm. Cindy is also the author of 'The Innovation Killer; How What We Know Limits What We Can Imagine and What Smart Companies Are Doing About It', which was published by the American Management Association and has won praise from industry executives and critics such as the New York Times. Prior to her role as Innovation Strategist for Intel Cindy was the Director of Consumer Marketing for Intel's first consumer home networking product line, AnyPoint Home Network. She also acted as an advisor to 'intrepreneurs' within the company's new business group, providing guidance to engineers working to turn their technology breakthroughs into valuable innovations for the company. Earlier in her career, Cindy managed consumer product businesses for the Ralston Purina and Eveready Battery Companies where she had profit/loss responsibilities for Purina Premium Cat Food, Eveready Flashlights, Eveready Lighting Toys and Energizer Batteries. An interesting sidebar is that while she was with the Eveready Battery Company, she was one of the 4-person product management team that originally introduced the "Energizer Bunny" (a marketing innovation that keeps going and going and…). Pricing:
Registration:
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 Event Sponsor
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UPCOMING EVENTS
June Professional Development
Workshop June 24, 2008 5:30PM-7PM Ecotrust Building 721 NW 9th Avenue Portland, OR |
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