Being Innovative – How to get started: Fake it to Make it!
Firstly many thanks to all of you who took the time and effort to a) read, b) think about and c) actually send through your thoughts on my last blog on the urgent need for UK businesses to stop talking about Innovation and to get on and do it.
And yes, I am aware of the sweet irony that by pointing out that somebody, somewhere needs to do something I am of course becoming what I am railing against. Your points are well made. So chastened by the feedback and touched by the untimely demise of Steve Jobs I am now putting myself in a much more positive frame of mind and going in search of progress.
So, if you are a business leader, who is looking to truly go on the fantastic journey of innovation here are a selection of some of the positive things that I have learned over the past 20 years that will enable you to get the creativity ball rolling – more to follow next month
1. Think Innovation – now this is an old mind trick (non-Jedi) and it may sound crazy, but start describing yourself to friends and colleagues as someone who has a passion for innovation, as someone who loves to see innovation occurring, as an innovator, as a champion of change – whatever, the phrase and positioning you need to make yourself believe your own press. You will be amazed at the effect. You’ll find yourself having conversations about Innovation, being invited to meet other innovative people and generally getting yourself in and around innovative people. Which brings us to today’s second idea
2. Hang out with innovative people – more fake it to make it advice I know, but, genuinely this works. Being around creative people, chatting to creative people and playing with creative people is an excellent way of stimulating your own grey matter and sparking those innovative synapses.
Try these top two tips seriously for a month and see what happens. Next month I’ll do another blog on some of the more esoteric aspects of Innovation – but for now enjoy a month of meeting cool people and having your world view challenged.
A rant free blog – I’m sure normal service will be resumed soon.
