Innovators - They drive you crazy!
Aug 21st, 2006 by admin
[ image : robynejay ]
MARIE JASINSKI - Design Planet
A reflection on appreciating the value of diverse approaches to innovation…
INNOVATORS! They drive me crazy.
What drives you crazy?
Well, they leap before they look.
They get caught up in speculative ideas that often go nowhere.
They are like butterflies and they flit from one idea to another.
They dont seem too concerned about achieving results and making an impact.
And they question EVERYTHING.
AND what are their strengths?
Well, they have the impetus to venture into the unknown.
They sometimes achieve breakthroughs.
They are enthusiastic learners and their thinking is quite expanded.
You may be right. They drive you crazy. They just might be the lunatic you’re looking for.
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INNOVATORS! They drive me crazy!
What drives you crazy?
They are too tied to the present and dont see the less-obvious opportunities.
They dont question assumptions.
They are not open to radical or new possibilities.
They censor ideas that seem too far out for them.
AND what are their strengths?
Well, they have the uncanny ability to build on what has already been done.
They move forward one step at a time.
They have expertise in building upon and improving a situation.
They keep change relevant to current needs.
You may be right. They drive you crazy. They just might be the lunatic you’re looking for.
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INNOVATORS! They drive me crazy!
What drives you crazy?
They resist anything that doesn’t fit into their vision.
They become bored with the details of implementing.
They focus on the future and ignore the present.
They censor ideas that seem to timid or too short-term.
AND what are their strengths?
Well, they are gifted at seeing the big picture.
They provide direction, inspiration and momentum.
They are independent futuristic thinkers.
They keep people focused on the long term goal when the path becomes difficult or uncertain.
You may be right. They drive you crazy. They just might be the lunatic you’re looking for.
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INNOVATORS! They drive me crazy!
What drives you crazy?
They overemphasise the research and forget the goal.
They are not bold or imaginative enough.
They get lost in the details of implementation.
They criticise ideas that seem too idealist or too risky.
And what are their strengths?
Well, they have very systematic methods and take risks in stages.
They are committed to making new ideas work correctly.
They are skilled at combining the ideas of many people.
And yes! They can troubleshoot anything!
You may be right. They drive you crazy. But they just might be the lunatic you’re looking for.
INNOVATORS! THEY’VE ALL GOT STYLE, AND THERE ARE DIFFERENCES.
When William Miller was the Head of the Innovation Management Program at the Stanford Research Institute, he worked with innovators everyday - day in, day out. He soon recognised that people who were equally innovative had different approaches. There was no one way or no right way to be innovative.
Some preferred to have a VISION and imagine an ideal future and this is what drove them. They had dreams, trusted their instincts and made decisions to maximise future potential. They were persistent, determined and contributed to the innovation process by providing clear direction, inspiration and momentum.
Some preferred to MODIFY and expand and improve on what had already been achieved. They moved forward one step at a time and applied their expertise to fit a new purpose. They were precise, reliable, efficient and disciplined. They contributed to the innovation process by providing the stability and thoroughness needed to ensure the full potential of ideas was developed.
Some preferred to EXPLORE and discover new and novel possibilities without the need for a long term goal. They thrived on the unknown and the unpredictable. They were adventurous and disliked routine. They contributed to the innovation process by adding a sense of enthusiasm in the face of uncertainty and opened up potential for dramatic breakthroughs.
Some preferred to EXPERIMENT and test out various combinations of new ideas to see how they fitted together to create something new. They enjoyed applying reliable methods and were practical and good team players. They contributed to the innovation process by combining various elements and verifying th workability of different solutions.
TO MOVE FORWARD, INNOVATION REQUIRES A DIVERSITY OF STYLES.
A team with similar preferences tend to feel great together after all they do think alike, but they can become stuck. Their preferred approach to innovation is their biggest asset AND their biggest liability.
For an innovation to prosper, it needs the diversity of thinking and the unique creativity of all approaches to give a more whole and rounded perspective. At different stages in an innovation cycle, different styles make significant contributions. To embed innovation so it becomes a sustainable practice, requires the contribution of all approaches.
The Innovation Styles Profile was born and has been growing rapidly ever since.
So who drives YOU crazy? It may be someone with a different innovation style to you. And, by the way, what IS your style - Exploring? Modifying? Experimenting? Visioning? You have them all, but you will probably prefer to lead with one particular approach. It is just one approach.
It could be an approach like VISIONING or EXPLORING that tends to have a loud strong voice and enjoys attention. These are the ones who are often identified as “Innovators” - and they deserve it too, as they are pioneers.
Or it could be a soft voice, accomplishing through quiet achievement - more likely EXPERIMENTING or MODIFYING. Not so spotlighted, but essential in contributing to building a critical mass. They take it on and they see it through!! Often people with these preferences don’t don’t identify or are identified as “Innovators”, but they are - they are!
AND different styles can drive eachother crazy - great! There’s strength in diversity.
SO, how do you work with someone who drives you crazy?
Embrace them! Get to know them.
Be curious about:
1. Their first impulses when they are presented with a challenge.
2. What frustrates them.
3. How they generate ideas.
4. How their unique preferences can be used to progress innovative practices.
After all, they just might be the lunatic you are looking for!!
Please contact me at mariejas-at-designplanet.com.au to find out more about innovation styles!
Drive me crazy!!