Combining Right Brain and Left Brain Thinking as Inventors, Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs
The entrepreneurial mindset is for everyone, from aspiring inventors to corporate managers. Richard Cahoon, a professor at the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, explains how we can combine the creative and analytical parts of our minds—the right brain and left brain—to give our ideas life and longevity.
Cornell Keynotes · Richard Cahoon, Chris Wofford
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Show Notes
Inventions can make day-to-day life easier or revolutionize industries. However, most novel ideas wither on the vine. In this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast from eCornell, professor Richard Cahoon from the global development department at the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences joins host Chris Wofford to discuss how creativity can shift a good idea that might be a flash in the pan to a great idea that stands the test of time.
Key Timestamps
- 03:45 - Cahoon’s background and international work in technology transfer
- 07:33 - Creativity’s role in invention as a catalyst to validation and longevity
- 11:10 - Right brain/left brain dichotomy and metacognition (thinking about your own thinking)
- 14:52 - “Inventiveness analysis” and “failed” inventions—like Post-it® Notes
- 19:13 - Blending analytical and creative thinking as entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs
- 20:55 - Jumping to conclusions
- 21:40 - Intellectual lenses and value proposition
- 24:05 - Entrepreneurial mindset in team dynamics
- 26:40 - Getting support for entrepreneurial endeavors through angel investors and networking
- 28:15 - Impact of AI on inventiveness and innovation
- 30:23 - Collecting the dots (data) and connecting the dots by looking for patterns
- 36:20 - Finding the target audience for your invention
- 39:04 - Maintaining momentum with your invention and knowing when to set things aside
- 42:35 - Common mental blocks that can inhibit the creative process
Relevant eCornell Programs
Learn more in Cahoon’s Invention and IP Management online certificate program and these technology, leadership and business programs from eCornell:
- Innovation Strategy
- Intrapreneurship
- Startup Funding and Finance
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets
Reading List and Resources
- “A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future” by Daniel H. Pink
- “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol Dweck
- “The Power of Mindfulness” by Nyanaponika Thera
- Google Patents
- United States Patent and Trademark Office - Prior Art Search
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