innovative mindset

The Innovative Mindset: 5 Behaviors for Accelerating Breakthroughs

The Innovative Mindset calls the accepted definition of innovation into question, urging you to consider how innovation might function as a behavior that you perpetuate, rather than an inflexible theory or corporate-defined initiative. By asking yourself what it takes to be innovative—and by being honest with yourself about the answer—you can incorporate innovation into your life much in the same way that you would a behavior to help you lose weight, increase your strength, learn to play the piano, or improve your relationships. This groundbreaking text helps you identify what you need to do in order to become more innovative and less fearful, and assists in creating a regimen that transforms how you act.

  • If anyone can help you change your mindset, it's the team of John Sweeney and Elena Imaretska. Through their work with the Brave New Workshop, they break the barriers of innovation and fearlessness. This book is a how to for a brave new YOU.

    HARVEY MACKAY
    Author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive

  • Where we focus our time and energy is critical to our success. This book is a great guide for anyone seeking to behave in a way that transcends fear and fuels progress. An innovative mindset is the key to a happier, more productive, stronger life in and outside of the workplace.

    MARCUS BUCKINGHAM
    New York Times bestselling author and founder and chairman of TMBC

  • The best way to nurture community innovation is to stop thinking about it and focus more on listening to multiple voices.

    R.T.RYBAK
    Former mayor, City of Minneapolis

  • Be curious and know that it's all out there just for your choosing. You have more power in your hands than you can imagine, and you get to design the future. You just have to pick up the pen and start doing it, and just let go of the fear or what can't be, and celebrate what can be, and be grateful.

    GINA VALENTI
    vice president of owner services for Hilton Worldwide

  • Innovation is a popular topic in HR right now. Everyone's trying to transform their performance management system. Typically, they're really after tools and techniques and skills. But I urge them not to forget about how important mindset is. And anytime you're trying to change something, think of a contribution you're making to mindset. I am a big fan of continued investments on being intentional and doing all the right cultural things that support where you're headed.

    KEVIN WILDE
    Former Chief Learning Officer and VP, Org Effectiveness at General Mills

  • I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to achieve professional or personal growth. The Minnesota Timberwolves have partnered with John and Brave New Workshop for many years, and his unique and entertaining approach to business training is unparalleled. From new sales staff to senior executives, John's creative programs have impacted our employees in many positive ways, helping them to grow in their role, think more innovatively and achieve great results.

    CHRIS WRIGHT
    President, Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Basketball Team

  • It's critical that the exploration of mindset is surfacing in a very intentional way, not only for our young people but for innovators and leaders of communities and companies —because it's transformational.

    DIANA SHULLA-COSE
    Co-founder, Perspectives Charter School in Chicago

  • Reliability and consistency is comfortable, but it can also be blinding.

    RYAN ARMBRUSTER
    Harken Health

INNOVATION AT THE SPEED OF LAUGHTER

innovation book

Innovation at the Speed of Laughter explores the unexpected ways in which the tools of improvisational comedy can improve business performance. Combining his insights as a successful businessman with his expertise as a performer, John Sweeney reveals eight secrets to jump-starting workplace creativity and corporate ideation developed from the quirky, spontaneous art form of improvisation. The secrets include 'Accepting All Ideas,' 'Deferring Judgment,' and 'Creating a Statusless Environment.' Sweeney and the Brave New Workshop have used these secrets to help companies like General Mills, 3M Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, and Disney develop wonderfully uncommon ideas. Innovation at the Speed of Laughter will similarly help businesses, leaders, and individuals tap into their innovative potential--for creative expression as well as profitability.

the art of the laugh book

The Art of the Laugh

Since 1958, the Brave New Workshop (BNW) comedy theater has written and performed more than 250 scripted sketch-comedy shows. This book gives the reader an inside look at the process and philosophies that have been used to create some of the most innovative sketch comedy in America. Its contents can be used to immediately improve your skills as a writer, performer, or director.

Revealing the Brave New Workshop's eight core philosophies of improvisation, along with the detailed process of idea generation, scripting, rehearsal, and performance, this text provides "everything you need to know" for both the individual learner and the classroom instructor.

john sweeney

RETURN TO CIVILITY

This simple little book has a simple little theme, "Act the way you want the world to be." John had an eye-opening  experience at a concert where a Grammy Award-winning musician was forced to stop mid-song in order to ask the audience to ratchet down its conversation. After coming home from that fateful event, author and speaker John Sweeney rallied his creative troops to come up with 365 fun, insightful and thoughtful ways we can lead a more considerate life.

return to civility