Innovation's a Pied Piper

Innovation's a Pied Piper

via Brain Based Biz by noreply@blogger.com (Robyn McMaster) on 9/26/09

Innovation can be addictive when you toy with an insight to shape a new reality. Innovation's often unexpected, coming in a flash. Like that Pied Piper, it's alluring and many seek after it. For those "imaginers" who are persistent to follow a vision, learn from mistakes and keep reshaping, a needed invention may result.

While innovation taps into logic and scientific facts of the left brain, it's supercharged by our right brain's ability to synthesize ideas, see the big picture, create and design.

Interestingly, Dan Pink describes a "seismic--though yet undetected--shift...moving from an economy and a society built on the logical, linear, computerlike capabilities of the Information Age to an economy and a society built on the inventive, empathic, big-picture capabilities of what's rising in its place, the Conceptual Age." A new focus on innovation springs from this shift. To see the depth of this change, be sure to read Pink's, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future.

While there's no strict formula to create innovation, here're several insights about innovation along with pointers to stir creative ideas in your right brain...

Show your destination and let your team choose the route. Empowerment, according to Paul Sloane, "is about encouraging and enabling people to solve problems, meet customer needs and seize market opportunities on their own initiatives - either individually or in groups from different disciplines."

Strive for innovation in trenches "When the highest levels of corporate executives asks 'where do we go next?'" Steve Todd says, "they should look to their innovators in the trenches." Otherwise they might miss creative employees who works on solutions outside their core job.

Reconfigure approaches to money and mind "Structures that welcome multiple approaches arise from many minds," according to Ellen Weber, "with a shared vision to increase wealth."

Share and be open Noika interprets CSR (corporate social responsibility) entirely different, Niti Bahn shows that companies like Noika take new approaches to corporate social responsibility, "from 'recycling of ideas' to ' giving back to the community.'"

Reverse assumptions "Changing the assumptions allows a business to look at a new reality," David Mork says.

Curiosity is not luxury But curiosity is imaginative thinking. And imagination fortified by knowledge is a powerful force. It is exactly what oppressive states fear. Jim Leach, new chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts says. “…the future is now the province of the curious,” he concludes.

Try a little empathy "The idea that an innovator should understand the experience from the perspective of a user is called empathic design," Art Markman notes. "It might seem obvious that the perspective of product users should be part of the process of creative design, but in fact it is common for design teams to treat innovation abstractly."

Avoid managing innovation "Like an unruly pet or teenager," Bob Rosner points out, "innovation is often survived—not managed." Paradoxically, mistakes and things that don't work, can later be stars in a different context.

Cultures affect innovation The real reason why Silicon Valley is so special for innovation, according to David Kralik is that a set of values were "laid down as early as 1956 and continually reinforced, that encourage risk-taking to help people succeed and, indeed, are there to pick you back up when you've failed... In addition to venture capital funding, there is also a nurturing culture to help you get your idea off the ground by providing things like free software, hardware and even office space."

Unleash inner genius Many of us want tips to stir our creativity when we reach that blank wall. Paul Sloane offers 10:

1. Ask why, why?
2. Sleep on it
3. Talk it over with someone who has nothing to do with the situation
4. Ask how some celebrity would tackle the issue
5. Pick up any object at random and say to yourself... Be sure to check out Paul's article to see what he advises on this an the other tips!
6. Use similes
7. Imagine an ideal solution in a world where there are no constraints
8. Open a dictionary and take any noun at random...
9. Ponder the issue and then go for a walk around an art gallery or museum
10. Draw a picture of the situation showing the people and the issues in simple cartoon style

Paul notes that he hasn't found just the right one yet, so be sure to share something that works for you...

Start with your curiosity... and enjoy the journey!

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