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Meaning…
I can innovate.
You can innovate.
Anyone can innovate.
That’s because innovation is not about creating the next Tesla.
Innovation is simply about:
- Creative problem solving
- Making things better
- A way to help others
It’s true that I learned the tools of innovation through my innovation roles. But I saw the power in them. The magic they can have. And so… I never kept them just for my innovation work.
I used them to build programs and events for my employee resource groups.
I use them in my church, for mission projects to better meet the needs of the community.
I use them in my family, to solve logistic puzzles that come with having 3 kids in different activities.
Innovation tools work anywhere and everywhere. And importantly, they will also work in your job – whether it’s innovation or not.
Using innovation tools will only increase your effectiveness as a leader. That’s why I’m excited to share some with you today!
“What good is an idea if it remains an idea? Try. Experiment. Fail. Try again. Change the world.“
Here are 7 ways you can use innovation, today:
1/ Ask More Questions
Did you know that when you hear a question, the brain automatically looks to answer it? Our brain is built to fill in the blank, with any answer. If you don’t know… it’ll make one up that seems plausible.
And we don’t necessarily know the difference.
To get past this programming… ask more questions. Don’t take the first answer your brain gives. Don’t take the first answer anyone gives 🙂
Activating curiosity is a key Innovation skill.
2/ “Paint” A Picture
No, you don’t literally have to paint. But Innovation is about seeing a new future, a new way of doing things.
Your brain cannot create what it cannot see. So, activate your imagination:
Tell a story of the future.
Create a spreadsheet.
Build a prototype.
Sketch or draw.
Make something to share your vision.
3/ Seek Other Perspectives
You may think… if you do it yourself, you can prove how valuable you are. However, Innovation requires the ‘collective genius,’ as Linda Hill, a professor at Harvard states.
Since innovation is about creating something better, something new… the best way to get that is to combine new ideas – diverse thinking. The output is fresh insights and new solutions.
Leading successful innovation is an inclusive type of leadership.
4/ Talk To Your Customer
Every solution is solving a problem. And problems exist because SOMEONE has it, that’s your Customer. To best solve that problem, make sure you talk to that person. At all stages.
When you’re ideating.
When you’re building.
When you’re done.
The best innovation is centered around the people you’re trying to help.
5/ Experiment
Will it work? Try it out. That’s the best way to know. When you’re doing something new, you don’t know what you don’t know. And an experiment is the most efficient way to learn.
Thought experiments are great. But make sure you keep moving to real-world experiments. Don’t overthink Innovation.
It’s also a great way to move past a difference of opinion (because you have thought diversity 😊) – see what works better!
6/ Schedule Down Time
Down time helps with two things when Innovating:
1) Creativity.
When your brain is allowed to roam, not focused on a specific task… it has the space to be more creative. To make the connections and “ah-has!” you need to make new things.
2) Recharge.
Creating is hard work. It takes a lot more brain energy than executing a known process. Your brain will fatigue faster and needs time to refresh.
It might feel like you’re not being productive… but it can be the most productive thing you can do.
7/ Use Post It Notes
Whether you use physical ones or digital ones… post it notes are important because they can be moved. Innovation uses non-linear thinking. That means we use disconnected thoughts first… and then work to find connections between them.
Post it notes help to capture individual thoughts. When they are all up, you can start to see the connections. Moving the post its helps to visualize the connections and make them clear.
This works because of spatial thinking in your brain – it uses location to understand connections.
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None of this is too complicated. But it may require you to shift how you think and do some things.
What one thing will you do differently, to include a bit of innovative leadership into your work?
And say to yourself… “Yes, I can innovate!”
“What good is an idea if it remains an idea? Try. Experiment. Fail. Try again. Change the world.“
– Simon Sinek
English-born American author and inspirational speaker
