Innovation and CreativityIdea Generation

1. Ask
2. Prepare
3. Discover
4. Ignite
5. Launch

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• Action: Formulate compelling questions.

• Concrete Example: Instead of asking “How can we improve our sales?”, ask “How can we reimagine our customer experience to drive greater loyalty?” This shifts the focus from a narrow metric to a broader, more innovative scope.

• Action: Use “What If?” questions to open up possibilities.

• Concrete Example: “What if our store could magically present products customers were thinking about but hadn’t spoken aloud?”

• Action: Create a physical space conducive to creative thinking.

• Concrete Example: Linkner describes an office redesign where employees removed traditional cubicles and introduced open, collaborative spaces with playful elements like whiteboard walls and relaxed seating arrangements.

• Action: Adopt creative rituals.

• Concrete Example: Implementing daily brainstorming sessions, as one company did by starting each meeting with a five-minute creativity exercise. This primes the mind for innovative thinking.

• Action: Engage in field trips or experiences outside your normal environment.

• Concrete Example: Linkner tells the story of an advertising agency visiting an art museum to spark new ideas for a campaign. This lead to a revolutionary ad concept that broke the traditional mold.

• Action: Mix differing perspectives.

• Concrete Example: He discusses “collaborative collisions” where employees from different departments come together to share ideas. This cross-pollination of perspectives often yields unexpected and innovative solutions.

• Action: Use brainstorming techniques.

• Concrete Example: Linkner highlights the ‘Stretch and Squeeze’ method – starting with a big, audacious idea and then refining it into a feasible action plan. For instance, an initial concept for a new product might be grandiose and unrealistic, but through systematic refinement, it becomes practical and implementable.

• Action: Use constraints to fuel creativity.

• Concrete Example: One company challenged its team to develop a new mobile app with just two developers and a six-week timeline, which forced them to think outside the box and ultimately resulted in a highly innovative solution.

• Action: Develop a structured plan to implement ideas.

• Concrete Example: A tech startup that used a Kanban board to visualize and manage the process from idea generation to product launch. This structured approach facilitated clear progress tracking and accountability.

• Action: Rapid prototyping and iteration.

• Concrete Example: Linkner recounts the story of a team that quickly developed a series of prototypes for a new kitchen gadget. By swiftly moving from concept to physical iterations, they were able to gather user feedback and make refinements, significantly improving the final product.

• Action: Encourage and reward creative risk-taking.
• Concrete Example: A company that implemented a “failure bonus” system to reward employees who took big risks, even if they failed. This shifted the company culture to one that valued creative attempts rather than just successes.

• Action: Addressing fear of failure.

• Concrete Example: Linkner cites a company that held regular “failure story” sessions where employees shared their failures and what they learned from them. This normalized failed attempts as part of the creative process.

• Action: Breaking silos.

• Concrete Example: A multinational firm that structured cross-departmental teams to work on innovation projects. This encouraged diverse thinking and collaboration, breaking down the isolation of ideas within single departments.

• Action: Create a “dreaming room” in your office.
• Concrete Example: Linkner describes an organization that converted an unused conference room into a creativity hub with eclectic furniture, inspirational quotes on the walls, and tools for brainstorming. This environment fostered more free-flowing ideas and innovative thinking.

• Action: Apply the Five-Whys in brainstorming sessions.
• Concrete Example: When facing a drop in customer satisfaction, a team applied the Five-Whys. They started with “Why are customers dissatisfied?” and continued interrogating each answer. This approach unveiled underlying issues that were not apparent at first glance.

Innovation and CreativityIdea Generation