The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity

Excellent read.

This is an absolute must read for anyone involved in education, particularly those wishing to develop their leadership capabilities. It is so refreshing to read a leaders view and experiences of education that actually consider the ever changing landscape we are in. There are already great teachers and leaders doing amazing things, however if every leader/principal could read this book and make the changes the students of today require, our education systems would start to align with the world we live in both now and into the future. Thank you George for your fabulous work!Leah

As you may already know, Sir Kenneth Robinson’s presentation, "Do schools kill creativity?" is the most popular of all TED videos, with 37,824,635 total views thus far. Presumably George Couros agrees with Robinson that many (if mot most) schools kill the development of their students’ creative thinking and the mindset responsible for that systemic process now controls it and steadfastly resists change.In Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck observes, “In a growth mindset, students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching, and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.” When concluding The Myths of Creativity: The Truth About How Innovative Companies and People Generate Great Ideas, David Burkus discusses the Mousetrap Myth, suggesting that it “is perhaps the most stifling to innovation because it doesn’t concern generating ideas. Rather, it affects how ideas are implemented. It’s not enough for an organization to have creative people; it has to develop a culture that doesn’t reject great ideas…Leaders need to get better at counteracting their own bias and recognizing innovations sooner. We don’t just need more great ideas; we need to spread the great ideas we already have.”With only minor modification, most of the material in The Innovator’s Mindset is as relevant to a workplace environment as it is to an academic environment. According to Souros, “The growth mindset is crucial to one’s openness to learning. But to change education and prepare students for their futures, we need to adopt an innovator’s mindset for ourselves and instill this mindset in our students. We must focus on [begin italics] creating [end italics] something with the knowledge that’s been acquired.” Substitute “workers” for “students.” Peter Senge is a staunch and eloquent advocate for the total learning organization. He probably had corporations in mind but all of his insights could also be applied to schools, colleges, and universities.These are among the several dozen passages of greatest interest and value to me, also listed to suggest the scope of Couros’s coverage Parts I and II (Chapters 1-7):o Introduction (Pages 1-10)o Defining Innovation, and, Innovation Starts with a Question (19-22)o Open Innovation Learning (22-23)o Adopt an Innovator’s Mindset (32-36)o Critical Questions for the Innovative Educator (39-41)o The 8 Characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset (48-58)o The Power to Kill Innovation (70-71)o The Power of “No” versus a Culture of “Yes (72-73)o Disrupt Your Routine (82-84)o Master Learner, Innovative Leader (86-88)o The Characteristics of an Innovative Leader (88-90)o A Culture of Empowerment (97-99)o 8 [Occurences, Habits, Customs, etc.] to Look for in Today’s Classroom (111-115)Whatever and wherever the given circumstances may be, the challenge remains the same for everyone involved: create an environment within which creative thinking is most likely to thrive. Organizations need innovative governance, leadership, and management. That is as true of each elementary school in an inner city such as Detroit as it is of a Fortune 50 company such as General Motors. George Couros has identified eight crucial characteristics that are necessary for an innovator’s mindset, not only for teachers but also for everyone involved in education. And I presume to add, not only for C-level executives but for others at all levels and in all areas of operation.Many of those who read this book and feel motivated to empower learning, unleash talent, and (perhaps) lead a culture of creativity may hesitate because of doubts about what can be accomplished. I urge them to remember what Margaret Mead once observed: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."

Colleagues & I read this book together as a book club. I have followed George Couros's blog for years and loved reading this book - it's a great synthesis of his ideas from his blog but goes further by putting forth various stories and examples to support his big ideas. This is not a book touting technology & maker spaces as the answer to innovation. Couros proposes that we as teachers must be life-long learners, we must share our best practices with each other, and create new and better learning opportunities for our students through invention and iteration.What I especially loved about this book are the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. This really helped me reflect on my actual experiences in relation to the material presented in the book. The questions then also made hosting our staff book club for this book very easy and natural. This book is the first one to get my colleagues & I excited enough to start a book club!Additionally, the ideas in this book live on in discussions long after you're done reading this book (if you choose) via social media using #InnovatorsMindset. Educators all over the world come together using #InnovatorsMindset to discuss, share and tell stories. The author himself participates - what better way to really live the ideas in this book!I highly recommend this read for all educators!

Fantastic! Couros is open and honest about his journey, what worked and what didn't. Many "a-ha" take-aways for me, including innovation is a way of thinking (not the latest tech), innovation involves risk, and more depth, less breadth (don't overwhelm your colleagues with choice). A welcome and useful addition to my professional library that I'll keep coming back to as I work with my colleagues. Thank you.

I once said about a principal that while I read to make me think about alternatives, she reads to find "the answer". I hope she reads this book!And while no book provides all the answers, this provides some great questions, ideas and discussions.If you're an educational leader, you definitely should read it. If you're not, reading this may make you want to become one.

I have been following George Couros' blog for several years and was very excited when the book was first released last fall. In my role as a technology coach, innovation is a word I hear on a daily basis but also a term I feel can be easily misunderstood. It seems everyone has a slightly different definition for innovation. In the Innovator's Mindset George Couros not only provides a definition of innovation that I think many educators can see themselves in, but he continues to challenge educators at all levels (classroom, system, administration) to embody the innovator's mindset, recognize the power of relationships, foster a community of innovators and recognize our barriers. The 4 parts and guiding questions at the end of each chapter made it the perfect fit for our OSSEMOOC bookclub this winter. Connecting with the #innovatorsmindset hashtag on Twitter or the Facebook Page allow the conversations to extend even further.

As an innovative educator, I have usually begged forgiveness rather than asked permission to try risky/innovative new ideas. Innovator's Mindset affirms my belief that I have made a difference. I have been leading and learni g alongside my students. I am inspired to share what it means to me to have the innovators mindset. Thanks George! The most important book I have read in this exciting time of change in education and congratulation. It's brilliant.

Although I have been a huge fan of George's blog for the past 7-8 years, his book brings his thoughts on leadership and innovation in education to a whole new level. Many education books are either too philosophical (so you are left nodding your head and saying "yes... Now what?") or too much like a recipe (so you are left with little room for context or personalization)... This book is an effective balance between big picture, philosophical ideals and stories that share how it can be done. All of the ideas are shared in a way that make you think, "yup... We could do that" and also (more importantly) asking yourself "why aren't we doing that?".The book truly challenges us to bring out the best in our colleagues and students by keying in on their strengths and challenging and supporting in a way that makes change happen.This book should not only be on a must read list for any formal leader in education but also for any educator seeking to make change in his/her classroom and school.Highly recommend!!!

You want to be inspired, look no further! This book makes you reflect and review your personal pedagogy on life and within the classroom! You are going to be blown away with the new Innovative Growth Mindset you start to instill within you as you read this incredible book! I even went to a George Couros talk and left with even more respect and passion for our incredible profession as educators! Thanks George for inspiring not only me but all those walking through my classroom doors this past year and in the future too!!

Simply put, this book is a must read!Here is the short of it:-#InnovatorsMindset is told in a narrative the draws readers into the learning story.-This book is great for Central Admin, Principals, Teachers and Parents - everyone can be a learner!-This will open the reader up to new perspectives, new ways of thinking and most importantly, new ways of learning.-Not only a passionate narrative, but George lays out a solid foundation and plan to improve school culture and the learning environments in our buildings.-The ideas in this book are transformational!And the long of it:I have read many a resource on supporting learners, assessment, leadership, 21C teaching and learning and innovation. Many of these books, while having some valid points, lack the personal touch and narrative. These two points are extremely important when it comes motivating staff to take action and bring about a change in learning for students. The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros (@gcouros), has BOTH of these and easily engaged our staff.The personal narrative the George winds throughout the book entices readers along in their learning journey throughout all of the chapters. This narrative causes readers to reflect on their practices and asks them if they are bringing out the best in our students. Further to this, the narrative also encourages staff to create a safe culture and to focus on building relationships where all people feel safe as they challenge their current practices and educational philosophies.Our staff have been reading this book as we re-examine our school's vision and we craft our new direction and it meshes perfectly with what we are doing. The discussion questions at the end of each chapter assist staff to deepen their understanding and broaden the possibilities of innovative learning opportunities. The resource links that George provides are current, relevant and engaging and are highly suitable for professional learning opportunities. They really help to illustrate the points that George makes and they resonate with staff.Initially we purchased copies of this book for just our school leadership team. Our staff were so engaged and passionate about the book, we purchased copies for everyone in our school. We are also undertaking the revision of teaching and learning for our entire school board; and we purchased copies of The Innovators Mindset for everyone on the committee.George's book is a must have for any organization looking to help people move out of their comfort zone in order to build innovative learning environments for students.

I am not even half way through The Innovator's Mindset, by George Couros and I am blown away. I am blown away by George's passion for education, his passion for building up his colleagues and his passion for celebrating each other. I had the pleasure of hearing George share multiple times in Victoria this fall, and he is nothing less than inspiring. One of my highlights that I took from him is building up the people around you. He is so passionate about other educators, he is so passionate about sharing success stories whether it be his father's, his colleagues, his niece, his wife, his students. His book is filled of positive stories of educators trying new things, being leaders and sharing their expertise. George's talks and book has inspired me to begin a leadership group with our 4/5s to learn and inquire more about leaders, and what a difference leaders can make. The Innovator's mindset is a must read for all educators. Overall, I highly recommend the read The Innovator's Mindset, to fellow educators, parents and learners

The Innovator's Mindset has had a huge impact on my teaching career. Years ago when I moved from a large urban center to a small town I felt isolated professionally despite being with a great staff. In my experiences it was easy to connect with other educators where schools were close to each other in cities but living in a small town the closest school was 35 km away. By listening to one of George Couros' keynote speeches and reading The Innovator's Mindset it was quite clear to me that isolation is a choice instead of an external circumstance. Thanks to a newfound motivation from George's keynote speech and book I took the initiative to start connecting to other educators through Twitter and other venues. My professional life continue to grow which has benefits everyone around me. This is definitely a book to read!

I’ve been a regular reader of George's blog for quite some time. George is a prolific writer who pulls readers in with an incredible balance of support, inspiration, and challenge. His book is a tidy and succinct collection of some of his best posts, but goes beyond to weave large themes together. You can literally open up any page and start reading a get something profound from this book. It is a well constructed, thoughtful, and challenging book that provides current and relevant resources on topics that anyone interested in innovation in education will enjoy.I purchased this book for all 20 of our middle school group of Principals and Vice-Principals, and several of them have read it twice. George’s language on empowering lead learners, culture of innovation, and innovator's mindset have been infused into our schools in various ways. I would strongly recommend this read for anyone who is looking for solutions on how we can empower students for their own learning in schools.Thank you for this book George. It is both supporting and pushing us in the direction we all want to go in education, and that is to do what is best for kids.

As an educator of more than fifteen years who reads anything about education he can get his hands on I was impressed and surprised by The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros. It is jargon-free, timely, honest, and enthusiastic about the education system and our potential to harness and shape what it can become. For teachers, principals, and learners: this book will help to inspire you to do the things you should be doing with students and colleagues alike while strengthening your own pedagogical beliefs and teaching practices. Be careful if you do decide to pick it up as you may rediscover that original energy and spirit of innovation you had when you first entered the field of education.Enjoy!

I read this book as part of a mass open online course (MOOC), and it has really motivated me to keep learning and honing my craft as a teacher. It was great to read it at the same time as others and learn from everyone's perspective. By sharing about this book online, I've connected with many other teachers internationally who also have an innovator's mindset. Just look for this hashtag on a Twitter to connect: #innovatorsmindset

As an educator of over 20 years and a Tech Integration Specialist, George Couros's book has given me an effective road map as to how to make real, substantial changes in my school and district. Through stories and specific, usable examples, Couros is able to help any educator find a tool or idea to change theirs and a group's mindset from fixed to innovative. Though his ideas center around schools, his ideas could be applied to any group or organization looking to make positive and worthwhile changes. I will be buying copies of this for my school's leadership group and would recommend it to anyone looking to move themselves or their organization forward.

26+ years of teaching and I am thrilled to have found this book. It inspires big ideas while guiding small, immediate changes. Easy to read and easy to go back to find something you need to consider again. While I am not super tech savvy, I have been energized to give new-to-me technology a try and more importantly, continue to learn alongside my students. The Innovator's Mindset is in my top three books for personal and professional growth.