There’s no denying that “innovate or die” is the defining slogan of the digital age. These days, the ability to swap outdated systems for a customer-centric mindset is intrinsic to survival. But fostering a culture of creativity is fraught with challenges of its own. Here are four top tips for using innovation to transform your business.
Turn creativity into output
There’s no point encouraging your staff to think outside the box if they’re following orders all day. True innovation is about closing the divide between bold ideas and real-world results. From allowing your staff to spend an hour working on their own projects to scheduling brainstorming sessions to generate new ideas, making innovation part of ‘business as usual’ can help you get ahead.
Get used to hearing “no”
Most innovative ideas were met with resistance at first. To truly champion innovation, you need to understand that rejection is part of the process – even if stakeholders and upper management don’t immediately get onboard.
Choose collaboration over teamwork
We’re all familiar with the importance of teamwork, but collaboration is a different kind of art. Spark a collaborative culture by:
- encouraging staff from different teams to work together
- introducing tools and apps that drive collaboration
- setting KPIs that depend on input from various employees and encourage them to challenge what they know.
Setting the stage for a collaborative culture can generate truly trailblazing ideas.
Get out of the office
Age-old workplace structures can make it difficult for creativity to thrive. From spending time with colleagues from different industries to taking a road trip somewhere unexpected, encouraging your team to regularly leave the office can ignite their creative spark.