“You need to be more innovative.”
That’s what the feedback said. So it’s back to the drawing board for that promotion or career move. What does it mean to be more innovative? There are lots of articles about corporate innovation, but how does it all apply to me?
The good news is, I’ve broken it down into 3 tangible things we can work on:
- Imagination
Imagination is the building block for innovation. The capacity of the human mind to wonder, to make connections, to see things that do not already exist and imagine that they might. There are a range of exercises and activities that can help develop this. Some may push you out of your comfort zone, because we all have a number of blocks about this, but I am here to encourage and stand with you.
- Practical imagination
So many voices out there invest in telling us that creativity is a talent, something we are born with. In fact, they are simple systems that let us access our imagination and use our creativity in real life situations. To be more innovative is to be able to exercise practical imagination, to bring it out in the situations we need it. Exploring the Creative Problem Solving system and others will give you steps to take that help put your imagination into action.
- Putting it all together
From the building blocks, we ascend to the next stage. While at some level imagination is always useful, there are times and places to use the creative mindset – and moments where something else will serve you better. Knowing when to innovate, especially when dealing with others, is as important as being able to do it well.