Enter a basketball court and ask the coach, “So which wins the game, offense or defense?” and he’ll tell you without a blink of an eye that offense is the winner.
Now leave the basketball court and enter the 1997 version of Apple’s headquarters. The now late Steve Jobs has just returned from a hiatus and faces the challenge of gaining market share against Microsoft. Oh, and Microsoft just happens to essentially own the entire PC market.
What does Jobs do? He innovates. And the iPod is born. And then the iPhone. And then a cultural revolution.
In business, innovation is a leader’s key offensive strategy in an increasingly competitive game and it’s up to you to not only become an innovator but to create an innovative culture around you.
Managing change and innovation is a constant process.
Who’s an Innovator?
Andrea Leontiou writing for Tech News Daily lists curiosity, adaptability, vision, passion, and team playing ability as essential qualities belonging to innovative people.
Young Entrepreneur Magazine takes these one step further and adds action items like recognizing needs, taking chances and creating meaning to their list.
Your takeaway from these suggested qualities is simply this: Anyone can be an innovator, but some may have to work harder than others.
No matter where you fall on the natural innovation scale, you can start or stay on the innovation path with just a few baby steps.
Action Steps:
1. Make a plan. Behind every creative work is usually a process or a plan. Create an official business model that encourages innovation and work hard at keeping it. When innovation doesn’t naturally strike, it’s time to help it along. Remember the words of Albert Einstein, “Genius is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration.”
2. Stop multi-tasking. The biggest hindrance to the creative part of innovation is the stress of multi-tasking. It simply doesn’t work. Perform one task at a time and watch the ideas flow.
3. Schedule creative time. Since you’re no longer multi-tasking (see above) why not set some time for official brainstorming? Create mind maps of your individual brainstorming sessions, and whip out a flip-board for some old-fashioned group brainstorming.
4. Practice positive thinking. With tongue-in-cheek, entrepreneur Mike Maddock wrote in a December 2012 Forbes Magazine article that he no longer watches the news. It’s just too depressing and hinders the optimism he needs for innovation. He has a point. It’s hard to reach for the stars when you’re face down in the dirt. Keep a gratitude journal, compliment others and guard against those negative thoughts.
5. Change your behavior. A recent interview of nearly 100 entrepreneurs and business leaders revealed that most innovation is based on behavior rather than thought. The four behaviors identified were questioning, networking, experiment and observing. Practice these when managing change and innovation.
6. Hire the right people. When interviewing potential hires, keep a lookout for those people who grasp the idea of committing to something bigger than themselves.
7. Create an innovative culture around you. Prioritize innovation and set expectations from all players from your janitor to senior-level management. Keep an open door policy and a suggestion box in clear view. And remember — open-mindedness is key.