True innovation means pioneering into territory no one has ever been in order to discover something new. Not everyone can do this but fortunately for the rest of us some can. Still, it can be helpful to find ways of supporting innovation. Here are seven strategies for fostering innovation.
1. Believe it’s possible
There’s a line in a Peter Gabriel song that goes, “All of the buildings and all of the cars were once just a dream in somebody’s head.” All innovation started by someone believing that something is possible that others thought was impossible. See what’s really possible by asking “what if” questions or other empowering questions, like “How can I make this work?”
2. Let people be creative and believe in them
We often don’t know just how powerful and capable we truly are. As managers and coworkers and even as consultants, we must believe in each other to bring out our best. When we achieve things we didn’t think we could, it not only supports the team it also supports our own growth. Personally, I’ve always found when I give people the freedom to do their best they usually do.
3. Spike on unknowns
Being an innovator means dealing with unknowns. I find one technique particularly useful when dealing with unknowns: spiking. Spiking is where one or more people go off for a fixed period of time to research something. They usually have a list of questions they want answered. Spiking is an invaluable technique for researching unknowns that come up in the course of innovating. Spikes can be time boxed to minutes, hours, days, or more but generally the shorter the better and longer spikes should be augmented with periodic check-in’s and retrospectives.
4. Walk the road less traveled
Innovation comes from asking questions others don’t ask. To do this we must think uniquely. Look for connections where others don’t, search for how things are the same, and look for ways of breaking down big problems into smaller ones.
5. Challenge fundamental beliefs
I once saw two-time Nobel Prize Winner Murray Gell-Mann speak. Someone asked him how he came up with the ideas that led to two Nobel Prizes and he said that one thing he does, and I’m paraphrasing, is he challenges fundamental believes and sometimes that gives him new insights.
6. Have a vision of the outcome
Faith is a key ingredient and holding a vision of what you want to accomplish or achieve is an important part of bringing something new into the world. Faith isn’t about hoping or even believing, it’s about passionately knowing that what you want will come to pass. Keep a clear vision, make it sensory-specify and feel it passionately then communicate that passion to others.
7. Stay unattached to the details
Energy always flows along the path of least resistance. When we focus on an outcome it creates energy and the path it takes may be something we didn’t expect so staying unattached to the details can be a good thing. Focus on the benefits and let the details take care of themselves.
Innovation isn’t always easy but there are things we can do to support and foster innovation. Doing these things can make stepping out into the unknown less scary and give us a higher likelihood of coming up with something truly new and innovative.
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