Thursday, February 13, 2020
Leader Insights Improve Innovation
As a leader, are you known for your insights?
Consider this: In January 2018, the World Economic Outlook (WEO) reported the broadest synchronized global growth upsurge since 2010, and estimated positive growth through 2020. But in December 2019, they reported the weakest pace since the financial crisis a decade ago. According to the WEO, "rising trade barriers and associated uncertainty weighed on business sentiment and activity globally."
On January 20, 2020, they reported that despite prominent risks, "global growth may be bottoming out," suggesting that we are on the cusp of great change. And while many leaders and organizations take a cautious, wait and see approach, great leaders recognize the opportunities for innovation. They think beyond adaptation, drive change, and make significant contributions that shape our future.
Leaders who are known for their insight identify fresh trends and actively prepare new products and services-before a need or problem is even identified. They instill an innovative mindset throughout their organization. Insightful leaders simultaneously improve efficiencies today, and prepare for the demands of tomorrow.
Innovation is not a choice. However, a lack of insight often results in a lack of innovation. Leader insights improve innovation.
Barriers to Insight
Insight is a process. Unfortunately, we often create barriers for insights to occur. We:
- Over focus on risk management and compliance
- Emphasize efficiency and effort on short-term goals
- Set unrealistic deadlines
- Adopt a win-at-all-cost mentality
- Fail to recognize our own bias, assumptions, blind spots, and leave questions unasked
- Fixate on the wrong problem(s)
These barriers go beyond a leader and affect the entire culture.
Insight is a Process
The human brain is a marvelous machine, able to generate brilliant innovations seemingly out of thin air. And while intuitive thinking and insight can lead to innovation, they're not the same. Intuition is the use of patterns already learned; insight is the discovery of new patterns. Unlike routine problem-solving, our insights aren't conscious or deliberate.
In a November 2019 article for Psychology Today, Dr. Marty Nemko, PhD, describes the process of insight as:
Raw Ingredients =gt; Filtration =gt; Fermentation =gt; Evaluation
Insights change what we do next, and what we need to validate new ideas. Start by asking these six questions:
- What do underlying trends suggest about possible future states?
- What would happen if some of these trends converged into a perfect storm?
- Where is there a small, but growing, trend?
- What can you learn from analogies and metaphors?
- What similar situations have companies faced in the past?
- What can you learn from others' mistakes and history?
When insightful leaders recognize the need to change, they ensure their business is prepared to innovate, before it's too late.
Improve Your Leader Insights
You can improve epiphany moments with a few key strategies:
- Be inquisitive: ask "what if?"
- Make human connections: interact with people from diverse backgrounds
- Notice and observe: look at the world with business radar
- Play and experiment: try new things, in new places, for new experiences
Identify specific tactics to implement these strategies. For example:
- Mandate Ramp;R for yourself: get ample sleep, take vacations, and disengage. Consider incorporating meditation into your daily routine.
- Practice gratitude: think about the people, places, and things that bring you joy, and express your gratitude.
- Daydream: periodically consider your long-range goals, assess your values, and develop plans.
- Learn something new: start a new hobby, study a different culture, or delve into something completely unrelated to your past experiences.
As you stretch your comfort zone, you'll expand your curiosity, think abstractly, and identify seemingly remote associations.
Use Your Insight to Improve Innovations
Leader insights improve innovation in four distinct steps:
- Identify opportunities.
- Develop a framework: organize ideas into plans or pilot projects.
- Test, assess, and if necessary, make changes.
Each step requires an open mind, and that you learn from mistakes.
Identify Opportunities
This is the gathering step, when you need a beginner's mind. Focus on the client, and what may be going on in their mind:
- Identify your target client.
- Identify problems the client is struggling to solve today. Clarify how your client is using your product or service (it may be different than you think.) Ask your client what they are trying to accomplish.
- Discover any signals that suggest the client is dissatisfied with the status quo.
Before you jump to solutions, ask "why?" five times in succession. Ask questions in context, using observation, listening, and empathy, to gain insights on client experiences, and opportunities for innovation.
Develop a Framework
While your idea doesn't have to be perfect, it must deliver better solutions. Develop your framework that include short- and long-term:
- S.M.A.R.T. goals
- Required resources
- Anticipated revenues
- W.O.T. Analysis
- Known (and unknown) assumptions
- How the solution aligns with your values, mission, and purpose
Most innovators point to failures as their greatest success. It is most likely that your first idea will lead to a better one.
Assess and Test Your Insights
Improved innovations require resilience and persistence. Tests are the best way to learn about existing and new critical assumptions. You'll know whether your idea works only after actual implementation.
Sharing and feedback are a critical part of this stage. Fortunately, it#39;s easier now than ever to get prototypes made and reviewed. As 3-D printing becomes widely available and affordable, this might become even easier and faster.
After test completion, analyze the results. Review your framework and make adjustments based on your learning. Re-test.
Start with a pilot project, and document everything. A balance between minimizing performance errors and maximizing the flow of ideas will improve insights.
Track information that can be used in training, marketing, and reporting. Prepare presentations for executives and be meticulous. Lead with "why", and link to values, mission, and purpose. If necessary, seek help from presentation experts to ensure success.
Success is never guaranteed, no matter how hard you push or market your innovation. As Thomas Edison said, "Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration." Remain open for feedback, new information, and adjustments.
Dr. Maynard Brusman
Consulting Psychologist amp; Executive Coach
Trusted Leadership Advisor
Professional Certified Coach (PCC), International Coach Federation
Board Certified Coach (BCC)?
San Francisco Bay Area
I coach emotionally intelligent and mindful leaders to cultivate trust and full engagement in a purpose-driven culture who produce results.
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Our services:
- Executive Coaching
- Mindful Leadership
- Neuroscience - Conversational Intelligence (CI-Q)
- Attorney and Accountant Coaching
- Emotional Intelligence amp; Mindful Leadership Workshops
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For more information, please go to http://www.workingresources.com, write to mbrusman@workingresources.com, or call 415-546-1252
Dr. Maynard Brusman
Consulting Psychologist amp; Executive Coach
Trusted Leadership Advisor
Professional Certified Coach (PCC), International Coach Federation
Board Certified Coach (BCC)?
San Francisco Bay Area
I coach emotionally intelligent and mindful leaders to cultivate trust and full engagement in a purpose-driven culture who produce results.
Our services:
- Executive Coaching
- Mindful Leadership
- Neuroscience - Conversational Intelligence (CI-Q)
- Attorney and Accountant Coaching
- Emotional Intelligence amp; Mindful Leadership Workshops
Top 5 Clifton Strengths#0160;-#0160;Maximizer,#0160;Learner,#0160;Ideation,#0160;Strategic,#0160;Individualization#0160;
VIA Character Strengths#0160;-#0160;Love of Learning,#0160;Social Intelligence, Bravery, Gratitude, Appreciation of Beautyamp;Excellence
For more information, please go to http://www.workingresources.com, write to mbrusman@workingresources.com, or call 415-546-1252