About ME: Nick skillicorn
My purpose is to help a billion people transform their ideas into reality
Hi, I’m Nick Skillicorn,
I believe that everyone in the world can improve their ability to have and execute better ideas. And I have the scientific evidence to back up these claims. My specialty is understanding the science behind how we have our best ideas, and using these insights to develop transformational ways for people to improve their creative performance and improve your company’s innovation capabilities and success rates.
Since 2005, I help companies innovate, grow, deliver their largest transformation programs and I have helped thousands of people fulfill their creative potential. I do this through my speaking, consulting, workshops and online courses.
Additionally, I am also a popular blogger, podcast host, video creator and author all about innovation and the science of creativity.
But how did I get to where I am now?
Check out the video below where I tell you my journey, and then read more about it below:
My journey
I have to admit, I have lived an interesting life.
Growing up very multicultural, across the UK, Germany, Singapore and South Africa, I noticed at an early age that my superpower was curiosity.
I was fascinated by new ideas, gaining new knowledge and trying new things.
At school, I even had several teachers tell me I was asking too many questions (not the last time I would find people trying to keep the status quo).
In 2005, I joined the world’s largest management consulting firm, and have since then gained more than a decade’s experience in strategy, delivering transformational programs and executing innovation frameworks.
But I noticed that just delivering projects the way they had always been done was not satisfying. There was no room for creativity. In fact, creativity was actively discouraged. Instead, I was told to focus on keeping my head down and giving the right answers.
Does that sound familiar to you?
When the company did work with new ideas, like in brainstorming sessions, it ended up being a waste of time as none of the ideas ever went anywhere.
Even worse, I noticed that the majority of training which was available around creativity and innovation was actually wrong. The facilitators and motivational speakers only cared about what happened during their workshop. They did not care about whether the company and their people actually improved their performance after they left and got back to their desks.
In my mind, this was scandalous.
So I became obsessed.
I am obsessed with finding out how creativity actually works from a scientific basis, how and when the best ideas get formed, and what it takes for these ideas to actually deliver value as innovations.
Since then, I have worked with many of the world’s largest multinational companies, governments, exciting startups and creative individuals to take their performance to the next level.
It has been an incredible journey, and I feel privileged that every day I feel like there is still so much more to explore and people to help.
Just a few of the clients I have worked with:
Deloitte | Google | British Petroleum | Barclays Bank | TED | The NHS | Royal Mail | Sanofi | British Olympic Association | Shell Oil | National Broadband Network | Parcelforce | University of Utrecht | Lloyds Bank | Cannes Festival of Creativity | ANZ Bank | New South Wales Government | Yoox Net-a-Porter | Zeppelin| UWCSEA | Moorhouse | HAVAS | Ketchum | University of Technology Sydney | Evergrad | Funzig
Some of my highlights so far:
