INNOVATION IS A TEAM PROCESS
AND EVERYONE CAN CONTRIBUTE
AND EVERYONE CAN CONTRIBUTE
Who is the real innovator ?
Everyone, probably, has a notion of his own innovative power.
Some people are, indeed, pretty good in imagining new ideas, where others think of themselves as less creative.
But real innovation seldom emerges in one single person's head !
Innovation arises when people meet and discuss and exchange ideas.
Actually, it is true that a certain person may be better than others in outside-the-box thinking. And someone else may be excellent in identifying the big picture, while his antipode is much better in minding important details. We can also encounter people who are very good in spontaneously imagining creative solutions, while others may be known as more pragmatic.
The interesting thing is that innovation only can be achieved when the ideas of the idealist meet the logical thinking of the analyst and when the brainwaves of the dreamer are tested by the sober realist.
Innovation arises in a group process when the different participants seriously listen to each others' ideas and learn to see the essence of what the other means and learn to identify the possibilities of it, and, of course, the consequences.
Our Cognitive Bias hinders us in seeing new solutions
Wikipedia:
A Cognitive Bias is a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment. Individuals create their own "subjective reality" from their perception of the input. An individual's construction of reality, not the objective input, may dictate their behaviour in the world.
Everyone will, dependent of the own personality, be biased when searching for solution alternatives for a challenging problem. One may also overlook certain possibilities or even be 'blind' for them.
Only teams that are able to come to an in-depth dialogue on 'pro's and con's' of the extremes of seemingly contradictory solutions, are equipped to arrive at a synthesis of ideas and new innovative solutions.
What can be done to stimulate innovation and develop an innovative organisational climate ?
Innovation cannot be forced 'top-down'. When it appears, it will emerge 'bottom-up' in a dialogue between 'ordinary people'. Innovation is a product of human interaction in a 'trial and error' process, seldom as a result of a top-down planned human design process. But it is possible, indeed, to develop the innovation power of individual people and in teams and organisations. And, to foster an innovative climate in the organisation.
For bringing together people in a creative team, it is necessary to have a deeper insight in the personality of the individual participants of a group: Complementarity in team roles and diversity in thinking styles of the different players is the key for success.
The Bluefinger Innovation Center uses the Advanced Team Design Tool for this.