BigInnovation

 

 

Better. Faster. Cheaper. BigSpeak Innovation Expert Navi Radjou unleashes his Jugaad manifesto on corporate America.

 

"The motto ‘innovate or die’ held true for American firms in the 20th century. In the 21st century, ‘innovate faster, better, and cheaper—or die’ will be your new mantra. Indeed, in today’s hypercompetitive, über-connected, and globally integrated economy, you need to crank out new products faster than you can spell ‘R&D,’ or else your customers will switch their allegiance to more agile rivals. Plus, your products need to deliver more value to customers—value no longer being defined by the bells and whistles in your product, but by the experience customers get from using your product. Finally, given the rapidly-shrinking purchasing power of the American middle class, your products got to be affordable to meet the frugal needs of thrifty US buyers. In sum, you need to innovate faster, better, and cheaper. Sadly, Corporate America is just not equipped to do that.”

Download Navi's full Jugaad Innovation PDF here

BigSpeech

BigSpeak Eco-Warrior and Race-Car Driver, Leilani Munter will speak at the National Mall in Washington, DC this Earth Day (Sunday the 22nd). Over 200,000 people are expected to gather there for the celebration. The last Earth Day event featured speakers such as James Cameron and Robert Kennedy Jr, as well as musicial guest Sting. Leilani has been taking DC by storm this month, as she was also recently a guest at The White House. And, lest you think an environmental activist who drives a race car to be an oxymoron, check out her video.

Big Issue: Why Can't We Be Friends... On Facebook?

BigSpeak Social Media and Personal Branding expert Dan Schawbel recently tackled the timely and tricky issue of social media connections and the workplace, in recent interviews and articles for TIME and Fox Business. 

 

http://moneyland.time.com/2012/01/17/is-it-a-bad-idea-to-friend-co-workers-on-facebook-how-about-your-boss/

 

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/01/16/blurring-lines-between-work-and-personal-life-on-facebook/

BigGift: Jon Bul Dau Brings Sight to Sudan

Born in war-torn Sudan, BigSpeak's John Bul Dau has experienced challenges in his life that most people never imagine. One of 27,000 “Lost Boys of Sudan,” driven from their villages when the northern Arab government attacked the ethnic minority population of Southern Sudan in 1987, John Bul Dau led groups of displaced boys across Sudan for hundreds of miles facing starvation, disease, and violence.

Today, John Bul Dau is a compelling motivational speaker whose life is defined by his uncompromising commitment to the future of his native country, as evidenced in an inspirational holiday update he sent to our offices today:

"WOW! I cannot begin to say how happy I have been for the last three days!  

We have world-renowned eye surgeons plus four other doctors who've flown in to our dirt airstrip near Duk Lost Boys Clinic in Duk County in a Cessna Caravan plane. These selfless doctors have been performing at least 178 eye surgeries as of today to restore sight. 

Watching these patients celebrate after the 'Miracle' doctors take the patches from their eyes and they can see after being blind is awesome!

I have watched many, many of these patients jumping up in celebration, singing their songs, seeing their loved ones again after long time of blindness, and embracing the doctors ."

 

The Duk Lost Boys Clinic opened in 2007 to serve people of Duk Payeul in the State of Jonglei, Southern Sudan. By February 2009, it had provided care to more than 20,000 patients. All this in an area where there was no medical doctor for 75 miles and where virtually all travel is on foot.

 

                                 

BigBoard: Conant Makes the Cut – Tapped for Fortune’s Executive Dream Team

According to Geoff Colvin, Fortune’s Senior Editor-at-Large, vanguard leadership goes beyond the C-suite to the boardroom. Recently, he compiled not only the attributes necessary in a great board, but also assembled a stellar list of candidates to fill out his “Dream Team.” Colvin contends that a great board combines several competencies, including global perspective, financial expertise and a deep understanding of infotech. Where to find those traits?

The contact list of all time.

Included among Colvin’s top picks for leaders in global business and government, was BigSpeak’s own Douglas Conant, who saved Campbell Soup from a precipitous downward spiral. Others named were Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, FedEx’s Fred Smith and Caterpillar’s James Owens.

View the complete article and entire All-Star line-up here.

Find out more about celebrated CEO and speaker Doug Conant here.

BigTalk

BigSpeak Social Media Expert, Dan Schawbel recently interviewed BigSpeak Change Management Guru, John Kotter about the significance of creating a sense of Urgency in today's business climate. Check out the interview here:

Listen to John Kotter: Create a Sense of Urgency in Your Life

BigSplash Update: She's Off!

Last night at 7:45 Eastern time, 61 year-old long-distance swimmer and BigSpeak motivational speaker, Diana Nyad set off from the shores of Havana, Cuba in an attempt to swim from the island nation to the coast of Florida -103 miles away.
Originally planned for the summer of 2010, last year's attempt was cancelled due to bad weather.

The swim is planned to take approximately 60 hours and Diana will be constantly monitored by a small support team stationed on boats and in the water nearby.
The team at BigSpeak wishes Diana the best on her amazing adventure and we look forward to some incredible new stories upon her return.