We see level playing fields everywhere. Competition has forced products and services to be “commoditized”. Can anyone distinctly differentiate between today’s mobile phone service providers? Types of phones sold, pricing plans, call-centre services? Even in the individual realm: looking to hire a MBA? Be ready to dive into an avalanche of resumes.

Differentiation has to move up another notch. That is why creativity and innovation is the coveted skill today. We need new twists and perspectives in our offerings to stand out, to up the ante so that our customers can tell us apart from the crowd. Creativity is the generation of ideas while innovation goes one step further to turn these ideas into workable and valuable solutions.

Innovation starts with ourselves as individuals before we can take it further on a team and organizational basis. Here I would like to share some snippets of how one can be more innovative:

Mindset
We need to set the context right: all of us can be innovative. Do not equate innovation with just grand endeavors. Do not expect yourself to be the next Einstein. You can be creative in your personal and every day’s matters. Think back and hard: Have you ever come up with improved ways do your work or manage your household affairs? Creativity and Innovation is not a function performed by certain people. It is and should be a part of our lives. You got to believe that you have the right and capacity to be different and innovate.

Be Child-Like
“We start out with a box of 64 color crayons and end up with one black Bic pen”: Jordan Ayan. As we grow into adulthood, we enter the age of lost innocence. Over time, our experiences and education determine the tints of how we view the world. On the other hand, a child’s mind is like a piece of white uncontaminated canvas sheet, always inquisitive and unbiased. We have to consciously attempt to block out doubts and long-held norms when we evaluate a given situation.

Curiosity
Like a child, we need to always question our world. Ask why and why not. New ideas and breakthroughs come about when we seek different views and perspectives from what our society dictates. We need to be more alert and sensitive to our surroundings because therein lie many insights that elude us because we are too busy to notice them.

Quiet Time
Take time out for reflection alone. Preferably in a quiet and soothing setting. This serves as the antidote to our rushed and stressful life style. Evaluate what you have recently done. What have gone right and wrong? Why? Gather gleams of learning points from your self-analysis. Look into the future. What does it hold for you and your loved ones? What opportunities and threats belie us down the stretch? Though not physically demanding, such reflection is actually mental exercise.

“Dis-Comfort” Zone
To be creative and innovative, you need to stretch your imagination to take in new inputs and experiences. An effective way to do that is to pick up new hobbies. Attend a well-ness talk, learn to wake-board, pick up accessory design…. Visit new places. Read a book. It could be as simple as taking a different route home from place once a while. The intent is to break out of familiarities and get out of our comfort zone.

Tools
Can creativity and innovation be learned? A classic dilemma of nature versus nurture. Today, we see a wide spectrum of creativity/innovation processes and tools that are available to guide and aid us in our creative endeavors. Many of our clients have benefited from our KnowBrainer Innovation Tool Kit and Innovation Journey series of training programs. Creativity and Innovation is a skill that can be picked up. Our brain can be trained to recognize and execute different thinking modes. Of course, like any skill, competency varies from person to person.

Calculated Risks
Creativity, in itself, stays hidden. Great ideas come alive when they are implemented. That’s Innovation. The guru on the mountain top stereotype no longer holds. At the end of the day, we have to roll up our sleeves to derive value from our creative outputs. This implementation step is often neglected. One reason is we tend to be reluctant to take risks that come with new ideas and initiatives. Successful entrepreneurs are those who dare to risk everything in order to make their plans a reality. We need to be prepared for failures. Failure is nothing but a signpost along the road to success.

Small Wins
“Greed is good”: Gordon Gecko, in the movie Wall Street, played by Michael Douglas. This character did not do so well at the end of the film. We need to manage our expectations realistically when we put on our creative hat. Plan and celebrate small wins. Let’s face it: most of us are not going to be world-famous for our inventions or ideas. But that does not mean we cannot be innovative at work, play and home. Use creativity to enrich our lives.

Creativity and Innovation is a discipline. We need to work on it. We have to make it into a lifestyle of sorts. Hopefully, the tips shared here can get you going.

Written by:

George Quek
Director
DistincTions Asia Pte Ltd

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