Innovation is about introducing new ideas or to take existing ideas and making them better. Innovative thought comes from being creative and original in your thoughts and ideation, with a goal to improve things from what they were before.
This often requires a fresh approach to achieving results, a willingness to try new things and to apply creativity and innovation to it. Applying the right ideas to the right problem. Taking a business case, understanding the root cause of the problem, before generating ideas and applying solutions and technology to solve the problem.
Innovation is often considered a survival tactic in helping organisations to remain competitive, to use new technologies to solve the problem. It can also lead to creating new markets and solving problems that exist now only due to new technology or tools.
What does a higher score mean?
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You like to share ideas, so you are willing to ideate and think deeply about the problem and discuss theory and ideas to solve the problem. You can think outside the regular solutions and blue sky ideas to come at the problem in a different way.
What does a lower score mean?
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You do not ideate willingly, you do not like to strategize or solve problems, and are likely more hands-on in your approach, willing to do things the way they have always been done.
To nurture your Innovation:
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Understand innovation, it is not creativity but the ability to generate ideas or improve upon existing ideas. Become an idea machine, share willingly and discuss them to see if you can add value. Don’t fear change, but rather flip and challenge your existing perceptions and assumptions to open yourself up to new ideas and ways of doing things. Leverage empathy and put yourself in the shoes of your customer to understand their pain points, to get to the root cause of the problem and then apply your ideas.
Use this checklist for self-evaluation
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Are you encouraged to ideate within your team when they face a challenge?
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Do you find yourself inspired at work?
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Can you surround yourself with people who like to ideate and innovate?
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Can you take the opportunity to pick a small project and come up with a new solution to it?
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Are you encouraged to challenge assumptions and the status quo?
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Are you motivated to ask “why”... to get to the root cause of a problem?
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Do you have the opportunity to reframe challenges you are facing and suggest alternatives?
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