Come up with your own definition of innovation. Go beyond “the introduction of something new,” and figure out what innovation really means to your organization.
“Innovating” is arguably getting harder. You can’t just build an app and market the hell out of it — software doesn’t always cut it anymore. The bar has steadily risen, and clearing it in many cases now requires cutting-edge hardware, machine learning, and other expensive, high-tech gambits. Add to that mix a highly specialized domain focus, ready-to-use content, and expert help — all features companies increasingly have to turn to in order to distinguish themselves in the market.
Then again, technological innovation isn’t the only variety there is. When you get down to brass tacks, “innovating” is really just about shaking things up so your team can look at challenges with fresh eyes, and increase the speed at which they’re tackling them. In other words, it’s neither as vague nor as out-of-reach as it may sound.
Here are three concrete steps you can take toward innovating on even a shoestring budget, all before the first quarter of the year is out — and how you’ll know they’re working.
Infographic made with Visme.
Copyright © 2017 by Faisal Hoque. All rights reserved.
I am an entrepreneur and author. Founder of SHADOKA and other companies. Shadoka enables aspirations to lead, innovate, and transform. Shadoka’s accelerators and solutions bring together the management frameworks, digital platforms, and thought leadership to enable innovation, transformation, entrepreneurship, growth and social impact.
Author of “Everything Connects — How to Transform and Lead in the Age of Creativity, Innovation and Sustainability” (McGraw Hill) and “Survive to Thrive: 27 Practices of Resilient Entrepreneurs, Innovators, and Leaders” (Motivational Press). Follow me on Twitter Faisal Hoque. Use the Everything Connects leadership app and Suvvive to Thrive resiliancy app for free.