Lesson 17: Seven No's That True Innovators Never Accept
“We have always done it this way” is an often heard argument for not innovating. How do you deal with that as an innovator? What works and what doesn't? In lesson 17 Gijs describes the seven most important no's that innovators do not accept.
The first no he describes is the one I mentioned earlier. Other common no's are: "There is no budget." Or: "No, this is way too risky."
The biggest obstacle to innovation is the word no. As an innovator, it is difficult to deal with this. Gijs explains that it is important to let the ratio work. A 'no' can easily be taken personally, resulting in an emotional reaction from an innovator. Disappointment in yourself and the organization follows, which ultimately results in innovation not poland telegram data getting off the ground at all.
It is important to find out why one (or more) no's are used by people in an organization. Successful innovators learn how to get internal support for their innovative ideas, concepts & prototypes. Although it sounds logical, the book leaves it unclear how exactly that support should be achieved.
From I-nnovation to WE-nnovation
The book consists of 101 innovation lessons, divided into 7 themes. Such as innovation lessons from explorers. About innovations from the past and how they came about. Or: "only through teamwork can you be the first to reach Everest", about how Edmund Hillary climbed Mount Everest. Despite the fact that he will go down in history as the first mountain climber, it was an extensive expedition by a team of more than 400 people. The essence of this lesson: teamwork is essential for reaching new heights.
Lesson 31 I find very wise: it is not I-nnovation, but WE-nnovation. You can often have many ideas and invent things on your own, but the execution of these concepts is often teamwork.
But there are also pitfalls in innovation. On average, no less than 70-90% of innovations fail . Internal pitfalls here are: too little focus, (too) high expectations and not getting to know customers well. Another lesson in the book is about 'getting ideas'. Where do you get the best ideas? Probably not at the (home) office. A small study by the author himself shows that in the car is number 3, sleeping/daydreaming is number 2 and the best place to get new ideas can be read in lesson 59 of the book.
