When the world we lived in was about production and efficiency, we could find security in being a little better than everyone else. We just had to focus on getting what was known done with quality and meeting expectations. In this, we had security. We enjoyed job security, long-term contracts, customer loyalty and predictable revenue streams.
That world undergirds the new economy we live in. Our value for that economy is expected; it is not special. Today, we have to do a lot more thinking and changing to remain relevant and special. Whether you are a business or hired talent serving a business, your security is not going to come from just doing your job.
Habits Of Innovation
Innovating requires a mindset that translates into continual habits. It is how you look at the world. Here are some of the habits I see in great brands that get this key concept for thriving:
- Focus on the experience. How your customer experiences your product, service, software and personal interaction has endless opportunities for innovation. There is always room for improvement.
- Driving simplicity. We live in a complex world. Making things simpler with a focus on elegant design without muting the sophistication of what you are delivering is a focal point for innovation.
- Always growing. You grow from reading books and engaging with people. The ideas which you encounter have an effect on you to shape your approach to your work and contribution to the world. Taking action around ideas is a discipline and a mindset which produces continual innovation.
- Having passion. If you don’t care about using your own stuff, then it’s hard, if not impossible, to have passion about it. Work on the staff that matters to you personally. You will sweat the details and push to make it supernatural, not just mundane.
- Make action easy. The habit of innovating requires both personal and collaborative systems for moving ideas to action. You have to make ideas happen easily and fluidly as a habit. Examine your systems for how you do this and see how much output you get from your inputs.
Noone is going to give you security, yet we all crave it. Your ability to innovate continuously will be what makes your business last and your personal value to the world persist. If you want to know how valuable you are, then examine how much innovation is a habit and not merely a crisis management piece to your world.
What are your thoughts?
