In my line of work, I am lucky to be surrounded by many incredibly talented and experienced people. As we collectively face a changing business environment, I've been wondering-do we let our experience hold us back? Do we let innovation pass us by because we "know" better?
With our business changing so rapidly, it demands a new way of thinking, and in my personal opinion-a healthy disrespect for the way things have always been.
No doubt this is a difficult transition. Our entire lives, we are socialized to value knowledge. Rewarded and recognized for learning our ABC's or performing on academic tests. So it's no wonder we maintain a similar focus in our adult lives, relying on our cumulative experience to inform everything else that we do. I mean, we know when things will or won't work... right?
When was the last time you reviewed an idea and quickly dismissed it, determining that "it won't work"?
I think about a recent personal experience, where we researched, specified and ordered a brand new car-completely online. We didn't even test drive it before purchasing. If you had told me 10 years ago that people would be buying cars like that-I would have lowered my newspaper to tell you that you were dreaming. Would I have been wrong-you bet. As a side note, when was the last time you actually read a printed newspaper?
Speaking of being wrong, when faced with opportunity for innovation, experts have been responsible for some of the worst predictions. Here is a brief selection of my favorites, courtesy of Allvoices.com:
- "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." - Western Union internal memo, 1876
- "We don't need you. You haven't got through college yet."- Hewlett-Packard's rejection of Steve Jobs, who went on to found Apple
- "Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?" - H. M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927
- "Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction"- Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872
- "Theoretically, television may be feasible, but I consider it an impossibility-a development which we should waste little time dreaming about'. - Lee de Forest, 1926, inventor of the cathode ray tube
- "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." — Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment, in 1977.
I find these predictions sobering, and inspiring. I mean, who wants to see their name on a list of "worst predictions" in 20 years? I'm looking forward to approaching 2012 with a more open mind and a healthy appetite for the ideas that will undoubtedly come our way.
Despite being a massively overused buzzword, innovation is accessible and uncomplicated. At the core, it's about connecting ideas with challenges to create solutions. To be the most effective, look for participation from everyone in your organization (even customers). Trust me-they have ideas. Sometimes, overcoming the barriers to benefiting from these ideas is simply about giving people permission, a voice and then getting out of the way.
I'm not suggesting that you execute or support every idea that comes your way, but certainly create an environment where ideas can be surfaced and then evaluated against specific business criteria: revenue potential, business problems it solves, potential market, and how it would integrate into existing systems (as a few ideas to start). An example of an organization that does a great job of this is Dell, through their Idea Storm initiative.
Furthermore, when you do decide to explore a new path-don't give up too soon. An example I like to give here is the oddly named, WD-40 (one of my favorite household handy items). It was developed in 1953 by Norm Larsen, founder of the Rocket Chemical Company. WD-40 stands for "Water Displacement - 40th Attempt". That's right, 40th.
As a final thought, I'm reminded of a great quote by Eric Hoffer:
"In times of change, the learners will inherit the earth while the knowers will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."
In 2012, I encourage you to become the agent of change within your organization. Start creating the conditions to gather ideas, and give yourself permission to take the road less travelled.
Happy New Year!