Robyn Waters
Founder & President, RW Trend, LLC; Executive Director, Trending & Consumer Experience, LAGA
(click here) for bio

Question 1.
How important is speed in the innovation process?
Answer:
The nature of our world today is such that speed is not just an imperative, it’s a way of life. I’ve always felt that ‘ready, fire, aim’ was a critical component to many successes. i.e. prepare a product for the market and get it out there quickly…..let the consumer ‘test drive’ it….then take the feedback, refine the product quickly, and get the new, improved product to the marketplace again….quickly. I think that’s a much better approach than the "ready, aim, fire" approach. Too many companies spend too much time testing and perfecting a product past the point where it makes a difference to the ultimate consumer. When that happens the competitive advantage disappears. All that said, however, speed, at the expense of quality and safety is never an option. It’s a balancing act.

Question 2.
To what extent does competition stimulate innovation?
Answer.
I think competition stimulates ‘incremental innovation’ and there is value in that, although usually short-lived. I believe the best results occur NOT when you are watching and observing the competition, but rather you are observing your customers and their lives. Innovation on steroids involves finding the unaddressed needs and the unarticulated and unfulfilled desires of your customers,and then fulfilling them in new, exciting ways that no one else has thought of before.
I offer similar advice from the other side of the equation in my Trendmaster’s Guide from A to Z. i.e. "spend less time worrying about who’s knocking you off, and more time thinking about your customer and their needs and desires."

Question 3.
When creativity and innovation doesn't necessarily look like 'working hard', how can you expect this level of innovation in a traditional corporate setting?
Answer:
You can’t! It’s nearly impossible, unless you have a servant leadership style of management in place. A leader has to create an environment where innovation can flourish, where possibilities are cultivated, out-of-the-box thinking is encouraged, and passion is welcomed and rewarded, not ridiculed.

Innovation and creativity can’t be mandated or even structured. Typical ‘command and control’ corporate leadership, and ‘six-sigma’ process improvement initiatives tends to be either ‘fear driven’ or un-sustainable. We all know what that looks like.

Robert Redford said: "Creativity is a growth process, not an accounting process." Wake-up beancounters!


Margot Cairnes
Chairman, Margot Cairnes International
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Question 1.
What role does TRUST play in aligning corporate values and individual values and how do we do it?
Answer:
Alignment between a leader’s vision and the organizational members can only be achieved through the development of high quality relationships. Trust is a good indicator that these are present. World class relationships require open and honest communication, integrity, healthy rules and empathy. In my experience working with corporations, these can only be developed when leaders and staff alike are committed to their own personal transformation as well as organizational transformation.

Question 2.
If 60% of respondents think that values are "window dressing," what effect does this have on the workforce and on the bottom line?
Answer:
I also believe that corporate values can be ‘window dressing’. They can be an exercise in promoting the image of the company internally and externally while the reality is quite different. A company may espouse trust and honesty while at the same time it is drowning in covert and destructive politics. The only way to develop a workforce to their full potential and have a positive impact on the bottom line is for the organization to undergo a corporate transformation process where all aspects of the business, culture and relationships are addressed & transformed to a new, healthier form. In my experience with clients over the years this is the best recipe for success – perhaps not as appealing as values but much more effective.


The Honorable Henrietta Holsman Fore
Director, United States Mint
(click here) for bio

Question 1.
I believe that popular culture is impacting values of societies/peoples (and many times in a negative way). How does that impact people's overall values for the long term? How do the values shape a person's work ethic? From a business perspective, which of these values categories is more desirable?
Answer:
Values are being reshaped and they do matter. Values of Honesty, Justice, Equality, Civility, and Compassion create good societies. Values of Accountability, Leadership, Trust, Teamwork, and Communication form good corporations. At the root of the best societies and corporations is a strong, caring individual who values personal responsibility. With these values our future is in good hands.

Question 2.
Do you see a potential shift in values as women move in to more leadership positions both in corporations and in government? In other words, are values more "women-directed"?
Answer:
Possibly. Women often place a greater value on the quality of life issues, which could change our corporations and governments. The best leaders are gender blind they believe in delivering vision, integrity, and performance. As a wave of new leaders, we women should challenge ourselves to set a higher standard of values-based leadership.