Thinking about change and innovation

Mixing with the leaders in creativity and innovation over the past week or so has been a liberating experience. It has allowed me to reflect on some dynamics that do and will affect both personal and organisational ability to embrace change and unleash innovation. I would like to share a few top-of-mind ideas.

One of the big inhibitors to change and innovation is every individual`s own mental model, a topic extremely well handled by Anthony le Storti, one of the international participants at the fourth International Creativity Conference held at Waterkloof, Pretoria last week.

Each of us has mental models we have used over the years to make sense of the world around us. These apply to every part of our lives and therefore also to our view of business.

Clearly, so much has changed and is rapidly changing that mental models of the past will be irrelevant and constraining as we deal with our new worlds.

One of the big inhibitors to change and innovation is every individual`s own mental model.

Our mental models also confuse communication between others, as they have different sets of mental models that shape and filter their view of the world. The only way to bridge this communication gap, as well as to break out of existing mental models, is to explicitly state the assumptions that we are applying in a particular situation, and then to find ways to challenge those assumptions until they are either validated or changed and set aside.

We often talk about lateral thinking, thinking outside the box, which emphasises the importance of setting aside existing mental models. It is critical to do this and it is comforting to understand that there are some techniques one can apply to start that process.

Another element of innovation and change, which most busy 21st century people don`t consider, is the idea of quiet time to reflect. I almost feel bad about writing this down. When last have you as an individual set aside time to think and reflect, and time to discuss and let the conversation roam a diversity of topics?

This is not about yet another company "think tank" or "bosberaad". Find ways to engage in serious intellectual reflection that exercises the mind with new ideas. Look for some diversity to stimulate the process. Find discussion groups and people who will energise and stimulate discussion on a wide range of topics.

Speed of learning is another 21st century core competency which each person and company will have to hone. Understand the way in which you, personally, learn the best. Is it from reading, interaction and discussion or formal learning? Ensure you leverage your own most effective approach to learning.

Enhance this learning process by developing personal techniques for bedding down the learning and then expand it by putting your own original work on top of that. Learning for me is dependent on understanding and then applying what has been taught to create a result. So, for example, after the creativity conference and the stimulating discussions that were part of that experience, putting some of that learning to work in writing this column helps me bed down the learning.

The process of learning and accumulating knowledge is also conducive to spawning new ideas. How often have you had an idea pop into your mind while reading, and how often have you thought that you really should do something with that idea... and then lost it?

A couple of years ago the strategist who works with our company, Wolfgang Grulke, gave us each an ideas book. It was a beautifully produced book, full of blank paper, simply begging to have great ideas committed to its pages.

This works for us. We carry the book with us and simply write the ideas down as they occur. The mechanism can be anything, from your PC notebook to a small handwritten notepad or even a tape recorder. The point is to record these ideas as you go and then revisit them when you ponder a particular topic or when you want to stimulate some thinking on a particular subject.

In an earlier column I reflected on the role of coaching and even mentoring. In the context of today`s discussion I would like to highlight the importance of the network of people each of us rely on; not a network for generating influence but rather a network of learning. The people we use to brainstorm new and wild ideas, where we have trust, freedom and a complete lack of criticism, but also honesty and the ability to do a reality check. There is also the network that helps us deal with the more factual and analytic issues.

We are surrounded by a network of talented and diverse people. I am increasingly aware of the value of that network and the need to consciously assess gaps in the network and how they could be filled to extend and amplify its power.