In order to compete effectively, we must look for new and
better ways to accomplish our mission. We must find
creative methods to delight our customers. And we must find
innovative strategies for getting more done with fewer
resources.
With things changing as rapidly as they are, doing things
the old way won't be profitable for very long. To grow, we
must be constantly innovating.
And an innovative company attracts and keeps better
employees. People want to be part of something creative.
It's stimulating and it's fun.
Here are 10 things you can do to foster a culture of
innovation and creativity.
1. Live in the possibility. Know that every problem has
many possible solutions. Stand in the belief that you and
your team can find a better way to do anything you put your
minds to. Practice CANI—Constant and Never-Ending
Improvement.
2. Always question what you do and why you do it. All too
often tasks and projects creep into our processes that
aren't necessarily in keeping with our mission and purpose.
Make sure everything you do is in alignment and produces
the results intended.
3. Challenge long-held beliefs. Just because something's
always been done a certain way doesn't mean that it's still
the best way. As Anthony D'Angelo said, "Just because
something is tradition doesn't make it right."
4. Don't accept the first solution right away. There are
many possible solutions to every problem. Most people go
with the first plausible one that comes up, and they miss
the value of thinking longer and finding more effective and
elegant answers.
5. Read. You can't learn less. The more you know about
something, the more you find that you DON'T know. By adding
to your knowledge base, you find more and more
associations. And making associations is where seemingly
magical things happen.
6. Have fun. Coming up with ideas on how to do things
faster, easier, with fewer resources really is fun. And
things that are fun to do get done more often. Schedule
regular brainstorming sessions and practice green-light
thinking. Order pizza for lunch and focus on a problem or
process and generate as many ideas as you can.
7. Get around people in different industries. By stepping
out of your familiar territory, you open the door to new
and different viewpoints you can use to your advantage.
8. Challenge your team to look deeper. When Henry Ford
asked his engineers to design the V-8 engine, they said it
couldn't be done. He said it WILL be done—and
eventually, they did it.
9. Make sure you have adequate "moodling" time—time
to do nothing. When we're constantly engaged in DOING
things, we don't provide the fertile ground for ideas to
take root.
10. Charge your subconscious. Give your mind something to
work on while you sleep. Select a problem you want solved,
a process you would like improved or a new product you
would like to create before going to bed and then forget
about it. Tell yourself you want at least three elegant
ideas by the next day and then expect to receive them.
Trust me, it works.
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"Innovation & Creativity" is one of the 10 pillars of a
World-Class Organization—get your special report on
all ten pillars from SuccessNet at:
http://SuccessNet.org/files/10PillarsWCB.pdf
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