Join your Las Vegas ASTD Chapter Members for our Spring Event feature Dr. Stephen C. Lundin, author of CATS: The Nine Lives of Innovation.

After writing the “FISH” series of books that now total 7 million in sales worldwide, Steve has adopted a new animal. “CATS : The Nine Lives of Innovation” is all about innovation, but from a personal, not corporate perspective. The basic premise is that we all have the capacity to innovate and that if you want a more innovative organization, develop more innovative people.  The Nine Lives represent the curriculum needed to improve our personal innovation capability. In his presentation Steve will describe the four basic challenges to innovation and outline The Nine Lives approach overcoming those challenges.  While the subject is CATS, not FISH, he will still find the simplicity in the subject and present the material in a fun and provocative way.

Over the years Steve has noticed two things that provoked him to develop CATS.  First of all, innovation isn’t taken as seriously as topics like change, strategy and leadership.  There is a lot of talk and very little action.  He believes one reason is that we ask the left brained world of management to engage in activities with which they are uncomfortable.  And we practitioners have not been clear about the rational for these activities in terms they might find compelling.  Secondly there is the cluttered landscape of innovation, littered with wonderful approaches and great talent but lacking structure.  CATS has been developed to clarify the rationale and provide a structure. 

The Nine Lives approach to innovation recognizes that there are four basic challenges to innovation and outlines nine ways, called lives, to meet these challenges. The focus is on the individual and the assumption is that all innovation is personal and that the capacity to innovate comes with membership in the human race. In order to develop this capacity we need a curriculum and the nine lives have been developed for that purpose.

Get in on the early bird registration by March 31 and get a copy of CATS included with attendance.  Registrations received after March 31 may or may not receive a book as supplies are subject to availability.  Dr. Lundin will be available for a book signing immediately after the meeting.