2012
Brainstorming – a group or individual creativity technique by which efforts are made to find a conclusion for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously contributed by its member(s). The term was popularized by Alex Faickney Osborn in the 1953 book Applied Imagination. Osborn claimed that brainstorming was more effective than individuals working alone in generating ideas, although more recent research has questioned this conclusion.
How many of you are into brainstorming? Do youbrainstorm often? If you’re in a creative business setting I’m sure you brainstorm a lot. I bet even those of you who think you never brainstorm do it more than you think. Trying to figure out the next vacation spot with your family, searching for dinner ideas with your friend. This type of collaborative thinking can come in many forms, and its all good for your brain. The company I work for recently had a company called SmartStorming come in and train us to be better brainstormers. Taking us beyond getting in a room and just thinking of ideas, this training gave us lots of great tips and techniques to really get the creative juices flowing. I highly recommend this company for any and all businesses in need of a creative jump start (or tune-up).
Innovation is always top of mind in business. Gotta stay ahead! Not just in business, but our personal lives as well. We live in a society of MORE and THEN WHAT? Most of us want the best new thing, otherwise business wouldn’t be obsessed with creating the best new thing. In this way, we are trying to ‘innovate’ ourselves without even knowing it. I’m not saying this is good or bad, just interesting. I wanted to share an article from SmartStorming I found helpful…plus I love the nod to Darwinisms (how could I not)…check it out, its called “Innovate or Perish: The New Darwinism” and here are some highlights:
The Innovators
The topic of innovation certainly isn’t new; it’s been the business buzz word for several years now. We’ve all read about it in business magazines and heard the reports on financial news stations. Harvard Business School professors lecture on it at conferences and scores of books address it. And the same companies are consistently held up as the elite innovators-Apple, Google, Nintendo, JetBlue, Toyota, Target (and today again, WalMart). And there are hundreds and even thousands more you’ve never heard of, visionary companies that are seizing the opportunities (yes, opportunities) presented by the current economic phase, breaking the rules, establishing new standards, delivering incredible value, and then starting that process all over again…and again, and again. These companies come in all shapes and sizes, and exist in every industry-technology, biotech, pharma, automotive, consumer packaged goods, retail, you name it, they’re out there, outthinking and outdoing everyone else in their fields. Whatever they’re playing field, they all have one thing in common: they innovate.
Three Not-So-Easy choices
Today, businesses face three choices. In many cases, none may be easy to make.
1. Actively innovate. Stay at the forefront of their industry and their competitive set, doing whatever it takes to meet constantly evolving market conditions and consumer demand.
2. React. Wait for others to set the standard and play catch-up, forever scrambling to match the latest development introduced by market leaders.
3. Do nothing. Stay right where they are, do their best to survive, and almost certainly stagnate, eventually drifting into irrelevance, and finally, extinction.
Innovate or perish.
Innovation of the Individual
By the way, the innovation imperative doesn’t only apply to businesses; it’s a challenge facing individuals, as well, again, even more so today. Each and every one of us who collects (or hopes to collect) a paycheck has at least one consumer, the person responsible for our professional future. Individual employees must also continually reassess their approach and establish their value, or face the same dismal fate as their corporate counterparts. In fact, while we are currently facing increasing jobless numbers, still more than 90% of the workforce remains employed. While in many cases circumstances beyond the control of the individual are responsible, what might that 10% do, innovatively, that could help them make it back into the 90%?
Work Your Innovation Chops
The time to develop an innovation orientation is not tomorrow or next week or in the third quarter. It’s now.
Begin actively searching for new, better, more productive ways of doing things. Utilize proven innovation tools-advanced ideation techniques, new technologies, breakthrough processes. Adopt an “innovation mindset,” asking yourself every day, “How could I do this better?” Turn yourself and your organization into an Innovation Machine. You will not only survive this evolutionary upheaval, you will thrive.
Assignment: Have at least two brainstorming sessions this week! At work, at home, it doesn’t matter…how will you innovate yourself this week?