Many companies, departments, and individuals find it tough
to innovate and think of new ideas. So, how can you identify and develop “the
next big thing?” Continue reading to learn five ways to boost your company's
innovation.
Encourage
Teams to Make Decisions
When we have too many choices, we get stuck and are unable
to choose a single solution. Many projects or teams can be easily derailed because
of this. It is even worse to deny a team or person the ability to make a
decision in the first place. Empowering teams through decision-making is an
excellent approach to increase ideas in your company. Employees are more
willing to seek new, innovative ideas when they are confident.
Listen
to Customers
Customers provide some of the most creative ideas. Counting
on employees to come up with the next big idea limits creativity. When it comes
to creativity, ideas, and determining what the next focus should be, your
customers are a great resource. Take turns reading surveys, listening to calls,
reviewing customer recommendations, or sifting through customer feedback. You
might be shocked by how creative your customers are.
Give
Time and Resources
Without the essential resources, innovation cannot thrive. When
teams are forced to innovate without the time or resources to do so, they will
stall. Setting aside the right amount of time, people, resources, and tools
will help teams achieve their goals while reducing burnout, stress, and worry.
Be
Okay with Breaking Patterns
We all fall into habitual patterns of behavior or routines
of operation. However, this behavior can have negative effects. The world
around us is always changing, and what worked last week might not work this
week. We can only truly blossom as innovators when we take a step back from our
routines and patterns and observe the bigger picture.
Mistakes
are Okay
Using mistakes to bring out the flaws in people's, projects,
or initiatives will only hold you and your team back. Instead, learn from your
mistakes and improve as a result of them. It is hard to predict the results
when trying something new unless you do it. If something goes wrong, take the
time to identify what went wrong and why. Share what you have learned with your
teammates in a positive way that encourages them to keep trying new things.
