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The first step to innovation is…
…turning off aeroplane mode in your brain. Paul Matthews explains
M
ost people go through life with their brains on aeroplane mode, unaware of the interesting things
going on around them. When you ignore what’s going on around you, it’s easy to forget that input is essential in the first steps to innovation. So, switch off aeroplane mode and pay attention!
Look for things that you wouldn’t normally notice because they work so well. It might be a system or process you are subjected to, or products you use, or even a service you receive. We often notice when things don’t work well, and can get frustrated. For example, we may feel like complaining, or returning something for a refund. However, noticing when something works well is more constructive, and your surprise at the lack of frustration when you do something is a great indicator of something working very well. You just bought something from a website and it was simple and easy – why? You are queueing for a ticket, the queue system works and somehow it seems different to those other queueing systems – why? You have a new kitchen gadget that works so much better than the old one – why? You take your car in for a
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full valet. You drive away with a sparkling shiny car and the feeling that you were cared for while they cleaned and polished – what was different? Be curious. What is it that makes a difference with these experiences of systems, products or services that work well? You are looking for elements within a situation that are contributing to a great experience, and, as the person having experience, you are also one of the input ingredients. What attitude and expectations did you have?
Also notice what works well around you, even if you are not directly experiencing it. For example, while you are waiting for your new tyres to be fitted, don’t just bury your head in the trashy magazines in the waiting room. Instead, notice the ebb and flow of people around the workshop. What tricks or shortcuts have they found to make their repetitive task easier and quicker?
Now that you have isolated what you think is
an ingredient that makes a difference, how can it, or the concept of it, be applied to something you do?
One simple definition of innovation is taking an idea, and then using it somewhere else in some other context. A famous example is the Dyson vacuum cleaner. James Dyson did not invent cyclone separator technology, but he
was the first one to make it work in a domestic vacuum cleaner. He noticed how effective the centrifugal separator cyclones were in a sawmill to extract the sawdust from the vacuum system that removes sawdust from the cutting machines. The rest, as they say, is history. In a sense, curiosity is the mother of innovation. People often think that they will struggle to be innovative because they feel that they are not creative. Creativity is certainly useful, but curiosity is really all that you need to get the process started. Curiosity about what’s going on around you, and then curiosity about how an idea would work in another context. So, when looking to make a difference to a system or a workforce, turn off your brain’s aeroplane mode and be curious! n
Author
Paul Matthews is the founder of People Alchemy, and an expert in workplace learning, especially informal learning. He is the author of Informal Learning at Work: How to Boost Performance in Tough Times and Capability at Work: How to Solve the Performance Puzzle. For further information, please visit
peoplealchemy.co.uk, or head to stand D10 at the World of Learning.
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