David Quinlan Archives - Price Associates

Are We Solving the Right Problem?

By David Quinlan

Imagine an iceberg floating in the middle of the sea. Above the surface sits the impressive tip and rugged edges. What you do not see is what rests below the surface – a massive glacier with peaks and valleys and mass that comprises 90 percent of the entire body.

Defining a problem is like an iceberg. Many organizations make the mistake of trying to fix what they can see above the surface and ignore the root of a problem that sits below the surface.

Just like an iceberg, the deeper we go into the world of innovation, the more we discover. And as leaders, it’s our job to find the truth and identify a problem for what it really is versus what we think it is.

Why Changing the Culture Helps Businesses Innovate

By David Quinlan

If there is one takeaway from my journey into the world of innovation, it’s that truly successful innovation requires courage and the willingness to let go of uncertainty.

Welcome back to the Innovators Academy – a behind-the-scenes, unscripted backstory of what it means to be innovative and how an organization like Better Business Bureau can make it happen. For the past month our cohort had two jobs – ideate and identify waste.

And by waste, I mean duplicated processes, inefficiencies and bottlenecks – the processes that plague instead of propel good intentions. For our team of innovators, waste was surprisingly not hard to find, and the solutions on how to correct them came pouring in.

Creating a Culture of Innovation

By David Quinlan

A personal journey into the world of innovation and what it might mean for your business.

Few things can be scarier than challenging ourselves and our preconceived notions. Yet, fewer things can be more rewarding.

This is my behind the scenes, unscripted back story of how I challenged myself and staff. We tore down our preconceived notions and learned what it means to be innovative and how even a 107-year-old organization like BBB can make it happen.

Trust me, I get it. I’ve found myself in numerous situations where I felt like a fish out of water, grappling with an abstract idea or concept. It’s uncomfortable – especially if you’re a process freak like me!

OUR THINKING