3 Ways to Boost Your Innovation

I had the most fun time doing a webshow on Connectional Intelligence with the wondrous Shama.tv! In this episode, we talk about what it means to have Connectional Intelligence in business, key ways to boost innovation and what Bollywood dancing has to do with it all. Be sure to watch until the end for a little surprise–some dancing! yes, I'm serious.

Here are 3 ways you can increase your Connectional Intelligence –

1) Spend 15 minutes every day connecting to new sources of perspective outside your normal perspective  (different news source, forum, conference etc).

2) Schedule 2 conversations with millennials or people you think differently from you on a regular basis.

3) Take the Connectional Intelligence Test at ericadhawan.com/cxq

 

My 2013 Commencement Address

Sewickley Academy 2013 graduation ceremony. Photo by Jason CohnThis Sunday I had the distinguished honor of being the keynote commencement speaker at my high school, Sewickley Academy in Pittsburgh, PA. The theme of the address was to "Choose Excellence", to urge graduates to choose excellence, to pick a path and master it and to be the most inspiring version of themselves they can be.

Addressing my high school in a commencement speech was an amazing opening for growth for me. The truth is: I spent most of my high school experience treating myself as 'not good enough' and always felt it was awful to be 'the nerd' in high school. Then when I wrote my speech, I realized that so many of the "inspirational messages" I was writing were the things I had felt I needed myself. So, in essence, it was really a speech to myself, a speech to call myself to excellence and create space for the young graduates to do the same. It also made me realize that how easy it is to get stuck in an 'old story' about my high school experience, so many years later–which was finally transformed during the ceremony in a beautiful way.

What negative self talk from your school days still keeps you in your 'old ways'? If you were to write a speech to your 18 year old self what would it say?

Here's mine. 

2013 Sewickley Academy Commencement Speech

Connect with me. It’s conference season.

ConferencesIt's conference season. The months of May and June are always a "connection" time of year with lots of movement and events going on, as well as opportunities for us to connect.

Why do conferences matter? Conferences are self-selected communities of people who come together around a shared cause. Conferences are places for inspiration, connection, and vision to be created. They are also places filled with hallways where random connections are created that can turn into fruitful friendships, projects, and long-term relationships (this is the best part!).

So you might ask–why are conferences still important in our digitized, video-based world? Conferences introduce us to people who want to talk about topics we are passionate about as well. They allow us to talk about points of view, problems, opportunities, and even wild ideas. Let's face it–Twitter and Instagram started at a conference.

What conferences will you be attending over the next few months? How will you create space to connect with 'old' and 'new' people in your life? During conference season this year, I am excited about traveling to speak at many amazing events with some of the best and brightest executives and high potentials in cities around the world. So where will I be? Here are upcoming events I'll be at. I would love to meet you personally and get blog readers together. Comment below if you'll be in town and or can join one of my keynotes or sessions. I'll be speaking on Connectional Intelligence, Innovation, Leadership and Creating Breakthroughs across Multi-Generations. I promise to offer some Bollywood too (if there is strong interest of course!)

1) KPMG Shared Services Conference Keynote, Unlock Generations through Connectional Intelligence New York, May 8-9

2) White House Office of Public Engagement, World Economic Forum, D.C, May 10

2) American Society for Learning and Development National Conference, Dallas, May 18-21

3) Blake's Unleash the Power of Generations Keynote, Toronto, May 29-30

4) ATKearney Partners retreat, Connectional Intelligence session, June 4-5

5) Huffington Post Women's Conference, New York, June 6

6) Sewickley Academy graduation commencement Keynote (my high school!), Pittsburgh, June 9

7) StartingBloc Institute Keynote, New York, June 10

8) The Future Work Institute's Emerging Majority Conference, Millennials Connectional Intelligence session, New York June 11-12

9) Working Mother Media Social Media Summit, New York, June 14

10) Society for Human Resource Management Annual Conference, Chicago, June 17-18

11) World Domination Summit, Portland, Oregon, July 5-7

12) Toastmasters International Convention, Connectional Intelligence session, Cleveland, August 7-8

Come see me speak or say hello! I'd love to chat about your innovation and leadership challenges and see how I can be of service.

 

My keynote on unleashing innovation across the multi-generational workforce

Here is a clip from my recent keynote speech at Rotman School of Management. I touched on some of my new material around driving innovation across multi-generational workforces, thriving in 21st century work environment, and reframing generational dialogue altogether. More keynote sneak peaks to come as I'm travel to over 5 cities in the next few months for speaking events. 

 

 

Hire Erica Dhawan to speak at your next event. Click here for more information.