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Innovate: Encouraging "Light Bulb" Moments in Your Workplace
Innovate: Encouraging "Light Bulb" Moments in Your Workplace
Innovate: Encouraging "Light Bulb" Moments in Your Workplace
I N N O VA T E : EN C O U R AG IN G
“ L I G H T B U LB ” M O ME N T S
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I N N O VA T E : EN C O U R AG IN G
“ L I G H T B U LB ” M O ME N T S
I N NO VAT E : E NC O UR A G I N G “ L IG HT B U L B ”
MO M E N T S IN Y O UR W O R KP L A C E
When‟s the last time you experienced moments of unexpected insight that
could be called “a light bulb moment ”? Isn‟t it refres hing and energizing when
that happens? While there‟s no easy way to force these electric ideas to
check out some high- and low-tech ideas to spark innovation that may surprise
you with their simplicity. You‟ll not only walk away with a fresh viewpoint, but
you may be able to turn up the wattage at your very own mental desk.
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Corporate creativity is directly related to innovation. By isolating the countless causes of corporat e
„creativity gaps,‟ you can play a vital role in boosting innovation. In ot her words, if deficient creative-
thinking skills are to blame for a lack of innovative thought, companies can coac h employees to flex
their creative muscles and develop more original ideas. And, if the constraints of corporate life are
stifling creative endeavors, employers can provide mind -expanding tools and techniques to encourage
As you can probably imagine, free-thinking individuals can keep businesses healthy and fiercely
competitive with innovative products, services and ideas. While supporting workers in the quest for
innovation may be a new role for management, giving employees an extra little push in the right
direction may be all that‟s needed. So what‟s causing your own creativity gap? Read on to check out
If you‟ve ever watched the television show “MythB usters,” you know that old ideas die hard. One such idea is that of the lone inventor toiling away in
the laboratory and eventually hitting pay dirt with a new discovery. This erroneous idea was explored in a business article presented by Drs. Rob
Cross, Andrew Hargadon, Salvatore Parise and Robert J. Thomas. These researchers pointed out that “… companies continue to assume that
innovation comes from that individual genius, or, at best, small, sequestered teams that vanish from sight and then return with big ideas. But the truth
is most innovations are created through networks — groups of people working in concert.” So even though “individual genius” is a nostalgic way to
look at innovation, the truth is that most of today‟s original ideas stem from group efforts. So, take it from us…this myth is busted!
Here‟s another myth that emerges from time to time: small companies can‟t even begin to compete with the big guys,
so they shouldn‟t even try. Innovation is actually one of the best ways smaller companies can level the playing field to
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I‟m sure you‟ve heard this myth before: you need cutting -edge technology to be innovative in today‟s marketplace. In a recent business article, “A True
Story About a Chair, ” a fantastic idea stemming from a low-tech approach won out corporate disbelievers. With the manager and a couple of chairs —
… [the manager] plopped down t wo chairs in the heart of this busy corporat e campus and put a sign over the t wo chairs calling out a topi c for the day.
She occupied one chair and then waited. And waited. And waited for anot her employee to sit down and discuss the topic she had posted. No
technology. No motives. Just a person genuinely interested in her co -work er’s thoughts and feelings.… People start ed to sit and talk . One at a time,
[the manager] sat and spok e wit h employees. Tak ing notes on employees’ conc erns and feedback , she promised their input would be anonymously
Can you believe there are long lines of employees waiting to talk
When a team of experts from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researched some breakthrough innovation projects such as GE‟s di gital X-ray, GM‟s
hybrid vehicles, and DuPont‟s biodegradable plastics, they discovered most of the ide as came together as the result of “happy
accidents” rather than a purposeful quest for a new product or service. Since this haphazard approach is one that many
businesses use, it‟s no surprise 75% of executives questioned in recent worldwide surveys were disappointed by their
own company‟s lack of direction for innovation. A renowned California innovation and product design firm, IDEO, has
this take on the creative process: “Fail oft en to succeed sooner.” It‟s no secret that failures and false
starts can pave the way to outstanding inventions. The WD-40 Company, for
example, talked to employees and end users to come up with 600 product
ideas. The initial list was whittled down to 100 possible concepts and
finally to ten leading ideas. In the end, two new products were on the
market in less than two years. A whopping 598 product ideas were
destined to fail! It‟s pretty clear that the very ideas destined for your
“round file” right now may actually open the door to a unique solution.
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How can you structure your business so more of these happy accidents occur? After all, ground-breaking
ideas don‟t emerge from a vacuum. Robert I. Sutton, writing in the Harvard Business Review in 2001, thinks
he might know how to encourage innovation. Here‟s his unusual take: “Hir e naive misfits who argue with
you; encourage failure; avoid letting client input limit your vision; and fully commit to risky ventures.” E ven
though it sounds wacky and contradictory, he feels this extreme approac h to innovation works by mixing
things up in the boring and static office environment. Sutton believes that unconventional employees with
diverse backgrounds actually work for a company rather than against it. By challenging the status quo, a
few well-positioned “misfits” can inject new life into old problems and mindsets. Think of it as the contrarian
approach to innovation. But there‟s more than meets the eye when it comes to innovation approaches. Let ‟s
On the following pages, you can read about some of the best ways to set the stage for creat ive problem
solving. E ven though the ideas were compiled from companies that specialize in fields other than training,
they could just as easily apply to training and development organizations. Take a look for yourself.
A host of tools, tips and techniques are available to cultivate employee innovation!
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always imagine the full extent of what‟s possible. By involving e very one—even employees not directly involved on ideo.com/work/item/method-
cards
a project—and then identifying the best ideas, you‟ll have a broader view of the problem and may strike gold with
“Creativity is a Practice,”
a fresh project approach.
Innovationfocus.com, by
where the market may be headed and how your organization can best position itself. Robert B. Tucker
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How it Works: Encourage employees to get together frequently to share their best ideas with one another.
Create a „suggestion box‟ meeting forum where nothing is off limits or not good enough.
The Approach: S wap jobs or take on a project that‟s out of the realm of your regular work
How it Works: Have employees and managers switch roles every so often just to get a feel for the good—
and the bad—about another team‟s processes and business methodologies. Is there a better way to do
things?
There‟s nothing quit e like walking a mile in another employee‟s shoes to see your own role in a different light.
Any effort you make to step out of the realm of your „regular work‟ has a benefit. Just pick a period when work
demands are lower than usual so a crisis doesn‟t strike during the job swap.
How it Works: Try taking a class that pushes your limits to develop new skills. Using your brain in new ways
can also help unlock creativity: take a different route to work, eat at a different lunch spot, brush your teeth
with your non-dominant hand or put your clothes on in the dark (but check before heading out the door so
there are no “wardrobe malfunctions”). Anything novel can stimulate the brain to form new connections.
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How it Works: Include more employees in the process of formulating new product and servic e ideas and in
customer support calls is another easy way to get a feel for your customers‟ mindset.
The Approach: Increase communication and get the right people talking to each ot her
How it Works: E very company has its share of “information magnets” that need to open up and cont ribut e
their knowledge. Figure out what every one inside the company knows —and make sure they talk to people
How it Works: Some employees may have exactly the right range of skills to produce new ideas, but they
aren‟t „allowed‟ to innovate because of limited job roles. Make sure wort hy ideas aren‟t rejected just
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Looking for innovative ideas for How it Works: Record the milestones along your path to innovation, and keep everyone in t he company
your training organization? Try informed of steps you‟re taking. Let them know that innovation works best when everyone participates, and
out these resources when you want
continuously encourage communication.
to encourage a “light bulb
moment.”
The Approach: Focus on customer needs that they don‟t always express
How it Works: Just as you look to your customers for new ideas, think of your organization as your supplier's
customer. You also have needs. Try to nail down your own needs and then get your supplier's idea -generating
How it Works: Use technology wisely to conduct productive meetings from multiple locations. Allow teams to co-locate and create an innovation
space that is uniquely theirs. Some companies have designated a special room with an unusual decorating scheme, blog or e -mail listserv designed
solely for group idea sharing. Or, considering taking employees outside on a nic e day for a little project brainstorming over a picnic lunch.
How it Works: Facilitate humor, share it and celebrate it. You‟d be surpris ed how many creative
How it Works: Organizations that rely on innovation to build their company need to seriously
examine the climate in whic h idea development takes place and then put someone in charge
seminars, and constantly seek to improve their skills. Your CEI should
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I N N O VA T E : EN C O U R AG IN G
“ L I G H T B U LB ” M O ME N T S
How it Works: Large companies can undermine their innovation efforts by keeping workers isolated from
other groups. Take down the visible and invisible barriers that s eparate groups from one another and don‟t
How it Works: If you feel positively about a co-worker, you're more likely to turn to him or her for help and
advic e. Generating ideas together isn‟t easy, but people who are paired with others they get along with are
more likely to share ideas, strengthen connections and contribute positively to the corporat e “think tank.”
Conversely, someone who leaves you feeling drained or irritated can put a damper on innovation.
Ask management to map the energy and enthusiasm in their net works by asking people to identify who
How it Works: Encourage senior management to tell stories, create an innovation-focused folklore, and
actively counteract the „anti-innovation‟ syndrome. They can also provide support and tools for the various
Want to increase your own po tential for innovation? Try these quick, fun activities:
Make a list of the first 100 ideas or Do something that involves as many of your senses as
thoughts that come to your mind. They possible. For example, go to an arb oretum, go for a
don’t have to be related in any way; the drive in the country, visit an art museum or get
thoughts that may lead to something and mind, you may just turn on that mental
Did you know that yellow inspires creativity? Try adding some yellow Go somewhere comfortab le—inside or outside—and turn
to your workspace, or spend off the TV or radio. Be alone with your thoughts, and allow
some time in a place with them to wander. There are plenty of ideas already swirling
yellow walls or furniture. around in the b ack of your b rain—you just have to quiet
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Do Something Better
As you‟ve seen, innovation isn‟t a quest to be taken lightly. Companies need to be fully pre pared for today‟s competitive environment, and inno vation is
one of the best ways to increase the chances of success. A recent article in the Harvard Business Review by Ted Hoff, inventor of the mic roprocessor,
had these words of wisdom: “Don‟t do what the customer wants; do something better.” How‟s that for innovative thinking?
If you would like to know more about how your own team can be more productive and innovative, contact us. We‟re here to help!