Early Access: The Daily Innovation Journal That's Changing How Leaders Think

Why traditional innovation training fails at developing creative leadership—and the philosophy-based approach that's transforming how leaders solve complex problems.

You know that feeling when you're in a strategy meeting and everyone's using the same buzzwords, following the same frameworks, but somehow missing something deeper?

You've done the design thinking workshops. You know the standard processes. You've read the latest books on creative problem solving. So why do genuinely transformative ideas still feel so elusive?

I've spent over three decades studying this puzzle—first as CTO at HP, now as CEO of CableLabs driving industry transformation, and helping executives worldwide develop decision making capabilities.

After working with thousands of professionals, I discovered something surprising: The difference between leaders who consistently create transformative ideas and those who simply follow trends isn't what they know—it's how they think and make decisions.

The Missing Piece in Leadership Development

Most business education focuses on methods: design thinking, lean startup, agile development. These are useful tools, but they're built on an assumption that's rarely examined: that you already understand how to approach creative challenges systematically.

But here's what I've learned: Before you can lead transformation effectively, you need to understand your own relationship with creativity, risk, and original problem-solving.

Consider these questions:

• What do you really mean when you call something "innovative"?

• What unconscious fears shape which creative risks you're willing to take?

• How do your past experiences influence what you consider possible to create?

Most executives have never examined these fundamental questions—yet their answers shape every strategic decision they make.

What I've Been Developing

For the past two years, I've been creating a systematic method to help innovation leaders examine and strengthen their creative mindset. Not another framework or methodology, but something that develops the intellectual foundation underneath all transformative work.

I call it The Philosophy of Innovation Journal—and before you click away thinking this sounds too academic, let me explain what I mean.

Philosophy is simply the practice of examining fundamental questions clearly. Applied to innovation, it means understanding the deeper assumptions that guide all your strategic decisions. It's intensely practical because these hidden beliefs determine everything from which problems you choose to solve to how you measure creative success.

The Power of Journaling

The method I've developed uses sustained written reflection—what some might call journaling, but much more focused and systematic. Here's the process:

You focus on one carefully crafted question about innovation and creative leadership, — write continuously for 20-30 minutes without editing, and let your thoughts flow naturally. No right answers, no polished conclusions—just honest exploration of what you actually believe about creativity and transformative work.

Why this creates lasting change:

Most training tells you what to think. Written reflection through journaling helps you discover your own beliefs and insights about creative leadership.

Methods become outdated. A strong foundation in strategic thinking adapts as circumstances change.

Surface-level learning fades quickly. Insights you develop through your own contemplation create lasting shifts in how you approach complex challenges.

I've been testing this innovation mindset development quietly with innovation leaders, and the transformations have been remarkable. People who felt stuck in conventional approaches suddenly start tackling problems from entirely new angles. Teams that were following predictable patterns begin generating genuinely surprising solutions.

Ready to get early access and help shape this work?

Preview of My Upcoming Book

I've prepared a sample from my upcoming book—three of 30 sections with 21 journaling prompts as questions—exclusively for paid Studio Notes subscribers.

Your feedback will directly improve the final version, and you'll receive the completed book free as part of your subscription to Studio Notes when it's released.

Continue reading for details and your exclusive preview.

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