In this episode, we dive into the fascinating story of Fred Cox, a former NFL kicker for the Minnesota Vikings, who transitioned from the football field to becoming the inventor of the Nerf football. His story showcases how innovation can emerge from unexpected places and how outsiders with fresh perspectives often lead to groundbreaking changes.
We are also joined by Kim Christfort, chief innovation leader and national managing director at the Deloitte Greenhouse Experience and co-author of The Breakthrough Manifesto. She discusses the concepts of overcoming resistance to change, distinguishing between critical thinking and cynicism, and fostering innovation by maintaining a beginner’s mindset. Kim enlightens us on dealing with internal and external skepticism, optimizing team dynamics to promote innovation, and leveraging the language of your organization to advocate for new ideas.
Key Learnings:
Outsider Innovation:
Fred Cox’s journey from NFL kicker to the inventor of the Nerf football exemplifies how fresh perspectives can lead to groundbreaking innovations.
Critical Thinking vs. Cynicism:
Critical thinking involves asking provocative questions and seeking truth, while cynicism is a toxic presence that shuts down new ideas.
Beginner’s Mindset:
Adopting a beginner’s mindset helps strip away preconceived notions and encourages openness to new possibilities, crucial for fostering innovation.
Dealing with Skepticism:
Logical explanations and creating structured environments for discussion can help mitigate the impact of skepticism and keep innovation efforts on track.
Leveraging Organizational Language:
Framing innovation opportunities in the language of the company (e.g., ROI, culture) can make them more convincing and increase the likelihood of buy-in.
Get full interviews and daily content in the Daily Creative app at DailyCreative.app
Mentioned in this episode:
NEW BOOK! The Brave Habit is available now
Rise to important moments in your life and work by developing the habit of bravery. Available in paperback, ebook, or audiobook wherever books are sold. Learn more
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com