Miami Presents: From Bold Ideas to Real Results — How Leaders Build Innovation That Lasts
Featuring Robyn M. Bolton '98
Presented on: Wednesday, August 13th 2025 at 12:00 PM EDT
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Great ideas are everywhere—so why do most organizations struggle to turn them into lasting results? The challenge isn't a lack of creativity or better brainstorming—it's that innovation requires leaders to do the opposite of what made them successful in operations.
When leaders don't make this shift, business leaders face daunting odds—90% of innovation teams fail within three years—yet some consistently succeed. Join Robyn M. Bolton '98, author of Unlocking Innovation, for a practical, engaging session on why innovation is a leadership problem, not an idea problem. Drawing from 25 years of experience helping leaders at companies like P&G, Nike, and Medtronic innovate within established and successful organizations, Robyn will introduce her ABCs of Innovation framework and dive deep into why successful innovation leaders must learn to do the opposite of their operational instincts.
You'll learn:
Three essential elements that make innovation stick in any organization
Specific behaviors that separate successful innovation leaders from the rest
Practical strategies to overcome common organizational obstacles
Tactics to build momentum despite skepticism, resistance, and low budgets
Tools that enable innovation AND operating teams minimize risk and
succeed even in uncertain times
If you're ready to turn bold ideas into lasting impact, don't miss this inspiring session designed for business leaders across industries and company sizes.
Robyn M. Bolton '98 is the author Unlocking Innovation: A Leader's Guide for Turning Bold Ideas Into Tangible Results and the founder and chief navigator at MileZero, a consulting firm helping mid-market companies use innovation to grow revenue. Previously, she was a partner at Innosight, the innovation and growth strategy consulting firm founded by Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen, and a manager in the Boston Consulting Group's offices in Boston and Copenhagen. She began her career at Procter & Gamble, as an assistant brand manager, where she helped develop and launch Swiffer and Swiffer WetJet, and later served as a brand manager on the Walmart sales team. Robyn earned her MBA at Harvard Business School and graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, cum laude with University Honors. Her thought leadership has appeared in Fast Company, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Harvard Business Review Online, The New York Times, and NPR's Marketplace.
This event is open to all and free to attend, but registration is required. Questions? Please reach out to Meghan Grabowski at grabowme@miamioh.edu.
The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Miami University Alumni Association.