The Takeaways
- Innovation can be intimidating, but don’t confuse fear with inability.
- Deeply entrenched cultures need help understanding new tools and tactics to support their ongoing mission.
- Growth through innovation is a journey, not a static state.
The Keynote That Almost Wasn’t
In 2013, I was asked to deliver the first-ever keynote address for the Chicago Public Library’s all-staff institution day. Originally, a well-known tech figure was slated to speak, but they canceled a week before the event. A friend recommended me as a replacement, given my experience at Apple and multiple startups.
The Monday before the event, I met with Andrea, the Library’s Chief Strategy Officer. She explained the significance of the day: all 1,000 employees would attend as every branch was closed. The theme? Innovation and creativity. The day’s agenda included ideation workshops, lectures from IDEO, and hands-on 3D printing demonstrations. It sounded incredible, but there was an underlying tension.
Innovation Can Be Intimidating
Andrea shared a critical insight: many employees were anxious about the event. Their new CEO, Brian Bannon, had made innovation a cornerstone of his leadership, charged by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to rejuvenate the 140-year-old institution. Libraries were under siege; people were reading less, and staying relevant in the digital age was a battle for survival.
Andrea thought that hearing about my time at Apple, one of the most innovative companies in the world, might ease their concerns. The following morning, I gave a dry run of my keynote to Andrea and Brian. I talked about Apple, Steve Jobs, and how innovation was woven into the culture. I even connected it to the techniques they would learn later in the day.
Technically, I hit all the right notes, but something felt off. Andrea and Brian were too polite to criticize it, but I could tell I hadn’t hit the mark. Brian pointed out that style wasn’t the problem; it was about reassuring the staff that they still mattered in this rapidly changing world. The day wasn’t just about introducing new tools—it was about emphasizing that the mission remained the same: promoting literacy and lifelong learning, albeit with modern methods.
New Tools, Same Mission
That was when it clicked: the staff wasn’t resisting innovation because they were afraid of it. They were afraid they wouldn’t be needed if they didn’t adapt. Brian had the authority to make sweeping changes, even replace staff if needed. But instead, he chose to retain them—because they were the keepers of valuable institutional knowledge. The goal was to evolve the culture, not replace it. He wanted them to feel empowered to innovate, not intimidated by it.
The subtle shift was profound. What the staff heard was, “The Library needs you to be more innovative.” What they needed to believe was, “The Library needs you to be more innovative.” The emphasis wasn’t on change for the sake of it, but on ensuring that libraries remained essential in the digital age.
Growth Through Innovation is a Journey
So I rewrote my keynote.
Instead of focusing on the Apple everyone knows today, I talked about the Apple that was struggling in the 90s. The company had its back against the wall, much like public libraries do today. Despite the chaos, many of us stayed because we believed in the mission. Our work had more purpose than just hitting targets. We were building something meaningful.
Apple had lost many employees to layoffs and attrition, leaving a smaller group to carry the torch. We had to be nimble, creative, and resilient. As Steve Jobs often said, “We’re not just here to survive, but to thrive.”
My keynote transformed from a lecture into an appeal. I spoke to the librarians not just as a speaker but as a lifelong learner who depended on them. I knew that creativity and innovation could be empowering if it was approached as a journey of growth, not a daunting expectation. Instead of asking them to be something they weren’t, I was asking them to become something more. To evolve.
I closed by paraphrasing a line from a Cheap Trick song: “I want you, to want to be creative.” I wasn’t demanding they embrace innovation. I was inviting them to explore it.
The day’s activities weren’t just about using new tools. They were a roadmap for the journey ahead—one that would help them, and the Library, continue to grow and thrive.
This revision reinforces the key points from the takeaways, maintains a strong narrative, and puts more emphasis on the journey of growth and empowerment through innovation. It addresses fear as part of that journey and reimagines the role of entrenched cultures in adapting to change. Let me know how this resonates!