Beyond Perfection: Building an Innovative Mindset
Over the last week, I have been in conversations with friends, family members, and former business colleagues where a common theme has surfaced. The theme has centered around innovation. Whether it was “education is not advancing as fast as it needs to” or “the business is growing due to the innovation of new products.” I even heard someone suggest that kids should use paper and pens to do more physical writing, rather than use Chromebooks. While it doesn’t have anything to do with innovation, I do agree that there are benefits to reducing screen time. That’s a post for another day.
All of this discussion made me wonder how innovation is defined. Of course, I know what it means, but I wanted to know the official definition. According to Merriam-Webster, innovation is a new idea, method, or device, or the introduction of something new. The next question I had was, “How does one stay ahead of, or even in sync with, the innovation curve?”
I set out to identify what is needed to “keep up” or innovate as an employee. An HBR article put it simply: Leaders must give employees license to experiment and approach their jobs with an entrepreneurial mindset, even if they fail. I particularly appreciated how the article advocates for innovative leaders to embrace the notion that if one is not failing, they are not trying hard enough, and that leaders' focus on perfection can be a barrier to progress. What can one do if perfection is the barrier?
Fortunately, we live in a world where information is easily accessible through a variety of channels and forums. Waiting for someone to provide the necessary information to help you think more creatively, test new ideas, and iterate is like waiting for someone to hand you an API for your imagination. There are a variety of ways to start building out an innovative mindset.
Experiment with new ways of doing things - Start small. If you’re used to using Post-its to remember things, start using your mobile device to capture voice reminders and review them each day.
Listen to podcasts - Find a few podcasts focused on innovation and creativity to help spark new ideas. There are boatloads of these; pick one and jump in.
Seek inspiration - Go for a walk in a new neighborhood or visit a store you wouldn’t ordinarily go to.
Engage within groups - The next time you have an opportunity to be a part of a Business Resource Group, volunteer, or other event. Chat with others and take the time to communicate and hear others’ ideas without judgment.
Take a FREE course - Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn more about that will help you advance your thinking? There are numerous free online courses available at your fingertips.
My final thought on innovation is that to keep pace in this fast-moving society, we must embrace a mindset of thinking differently, exploring new approaches to everything, and becoming comfortable with failure more often than success. While the getting comfortable part is what trips many up when it comes to failing, there are soft skills that can help navigate changing environments. Are you curious about which skills will enable you to embrace the innovation mindset and shift your focus? Let’s connect and explore how I can use my API to spark your creativity.
