Innovation

Innovation is hard.  Really hard.

Picture everyone in your company climbing a mountain,  You can see the summit and everyone is following the leaders toward that point.  The entire team is pitching in to reach that goal and although it’s a lot of work, you can see where you are going and have a plan to get there.  Then there’s you, the innovator.

You see a new mountain off in the distance and you believe the peak of that mountain is higher than the summit your company is currently climbing.  The rewards, you believe, will be more beneficial than the path you are on so you start developing ideas on how you can accomplish this new goal. But there’s a problem…  the unknown.

Climbing the mountain you are currently on has the advantage of line of sight.  You know where you are and you can see directly how to reach the summit. Sure, there are difficulties.  But overcoming them are typically simply a matter of effort. However, reaching the summit of the new mountain that is off in the distance requires navigating all of the unknowns of the smaller mountains that stand between you and the base of the new mountain.  Exploring new terrain requires, time, energy, money, and a different set of skills. The remains of the careers of innovators litter the valleys of the unknown. This is one of the main reasons I am creating this blog. To help you, the innovator, achieve your new mountaintop.

I’ll be sharing information and stories from my career and education to help you understand some useful frameworks and perspectives to help you succeed.

What challenges face you at your company with innovation? I’d love to hear your thoughts.