As technology changes the business environment at an increasing rate, established companies have become increasingly innovative.
Despite their best efforts, however, large companies are often unable to keep up with technological change due to bureaucracy, legacy systems, pre-existing business models, institutional inertia, and financial constraints.
The purpose of this article is to suggest five habits that employees can adopt in the workplace to embrace the spirit of innovation.
1. Connect ideas from unrelated fields
Humans are pragmatic and organize ideas into distinct categories. One method or idea might belong to marketing, another one to human resources. However, a first step towards innovation is to actively connect unrelated ideas from diverse fields. This is sometimes called ‘associative thinking’, which is the spontaneous process of forming associations between disparate ideas. For example, Steve Jobs connected what he had learned from dropping in on calligraphy classes in college with his understanding of user interface when designing the first MacIntosh computer.
You can become better at associative thinking by gaining exposure to multiple areas of knowledge. After all, it is hard to draw on ideas from diverse fields if you have an overly narrow and specialized knowledge base. For example, you might decide to try watercolor painting or learn to cook French cuisine. You don’t have to be an expert in every field, but going far enough to understand how people think and the key ideas that are emerging in domains beyond your own can go a long way in helping you to connect unrelated ideas that lead down the path towards creating something entirely new.
2. Seek advice from external experts
Importing insights is one of the fastest ways to become innovative. Inside your company, people will have a variety of experiences that are invaluable for creating new ideas. However, outside the company, there are even more people and new ideas being developed. Other companies may be succeeding in ways that yours is not. They may also have good ideas, strategies, approaches, and technologies that you could benefit from. Observe other companies in the industry and adapt accordingly.
Seeking advice from external experts is often a faster and more reliable way to learn what you need to know than reading newspapers, academic journals, or trade publications. It is likely that a professor or graduate student has thought about your problem deeply and can provide valuable insights. Treating these external sources as experts will make them feel more valued, respected, and willing to share their thoughts on the issue at hand. Crucially, it will also make you more willing to consider their ideas. In the fast paced world of business, it is all too easy to discard good ideas merely because you weren’t the one to come up with them.
3. Test ideas quickly, and simply
Although designed for small newly established companies, large companies can also innovate by employing the lean start-up method, an entrepreneurial process of quickly testing a new product idea.
Testing new concepts quickly with simple analyses can help a business to gauge consumer interest, and to judge reactions to product features, pricing, distribution, and marketing messages. This can provide valuable information about whether to persist, make small iterations, or pivot direction entirely.
A common way to test a new product idea is to create a pilot version, which is produced at small-scale. Feedback gathered from the pilot can then be used to improve the product design, functionality, and features before it is released to a wider audience. This can ensure that the product actually meets the needs and expectations of the target market. It can also reduce the financial risk involved in a full scale launch.
The scale and size of an existing organization can provide excellent opportunities to test new ideas. However, there are some dangers when it comes to testing ideas in a large company. Ready access to capital can allow protypes to be over-engineered, leading to a failure to ship new products on time and on budget. Over-confidence can cause management to skip the prototype stage, leading to a high-risk product launch. Peer pressure and group think can also lead the organization to rely on consensus opinion rather than careful data analysis and critical thinking.
A large company can help to free itself from these innovation traps by developing a culture of experimentation and risk-taking, as well as creating a dedicated team for product development which has the autonomy and resources to pursue new ideas.
4. Challenge every assumption
When something is done merely because it’s the way it has always been done, innovation disappears. Old assumptions need to be called into question and revised when proven false. Best practices from twenty years ago are likely to be out of date. Moreover, many excellent new ideas may seem ridiculous in light of the old assumptions. Thus, a key to innovation is openness to seemingly impossible or outlandish ideas.
To be clear, innovation does not always require completely discarding old assumptions. Instead, it can involve revisiting old assumptions and building on new technology or information to create better solutions. For example, in the healthcare industry, the assumption that traditional medicine is the only effective treatment for certain conditions has been challenged with the rise of alternative and complementary medicine. Instead of discarding the old assumption altogether, healthcare providers are incorporating these new practices to create a more comprehensive and effective approach to treating patients.
5. Follow through on ideas
One of the biggest mistakes innovators make is failing to turn their ideas into reality. When an innovative thought strikes, write it down immediately. Once you’ve assessed its potential and feasibility, make concrete plans to execute it. Remember to document your process along the way, as you may need to explain it to others in the future.
Without execution, ideas are worthless. Ultimately, the most successful innovators and companies strike a balance between creative thinking and disciplined execution. As an innovative employee, you should strive to excel at both.
The bottom line
Innovation requires not only the generation of ideas but also the discipline and persistence to execute them. The key is to cultivate a lifestyle that combines exposure to diverse ideas, a willingness to sacrifice sacred cows, and the consistent effort to bring new ideas to life. These behaviours are simple, accessible, and have the power to transform you into a recognized innovation leader. By adopting an innovative mindset and integrating these practices into your daily routine, you can become a catalyst for change and drive innovation within your organization.
Wes Brooks is an incoming Summer Business Analyst at Cicero Group and an undergraduate studying economics, management, and strategy. He is a serial entrepreneur, works in venture capital, and enjoys singing a capella and piano improvisation.
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