Innovating means being able to address complex problems in a different and original fashion, contributing value in the process and achieving successful results. Innovation is therefore the outcome of combining creativity and change management. Having said this and leaving definitions aside, it is essential to have an associated behaviour model which is capable of transforming people and organisations and achieving real changes. This model is comprised of 7 different strategies which are outlined below.
ZEN
It is not possible to innovate if we don't devote enough time. Innovation demands a different rhythm that enables us to reflect upon the future, study trends and see things from a different perspective. However, most companies state that they "don't have time" to innovate. This big contradiction and the inability to overcome it is one of the keys to managing innovation.
PO
Innovation involves provocation, a constant challenging of conventionalisms and dominant ideas. If we don't dare to change the way we are then it will be hard to come up with truly creative ideas. Thinking PO is thinking disruptively, breaking brain patterns which prevent us from accessing groundbreaking ideas.
OPEN
Where is there more talent, inside your organisation or on the rest of the planet? You are the only one who can answer this question by conceding that no matter how much intelligence is locked up in your company, there is much more talent out there. Thinking OPEN means making a constant effort to incorporate the collective intelligence that surrounds us: customers, suppliers, experts, enemies, admirers, critical consumers, etc.
FLOW
Knowing how to think creatively is key to achieving innovation processes. It is essential to generate large quantities of ideas that are as daring as possible (divergence) and to know how to evaluate them, select them and come up with prototypes and innovation projects (convergence). However, there are a lot of barriers which often prevent teams from being sufficiently creative: self-censorship, pre-judging, the "egos" of participants, etc.
EMO
It is hard to innovate without emotions. Organisations that are really able to innovate are those that connect emotionally with their customers because they know how to tell stories that appeal and seduce. To motivate emotions is not the same as manipulating. It means to succeed in getting a product, a service or a strategy to make someone live a different and emotionally gratifying experience. Consequently, it is of vital importance to transmit values that go beyond the intrinsic characteristics that define what a company does. In short to enrapture.
HAPPY
You can do things with just professionalism or with a real passion. Undoubtedly, it is very difficult to orchestrate an innovation culture if we don't have people with a passion, who live the day to day as an adventure and a challenge.
TEAM
In order to innovate we need to replace the attitude of blind competition that is still widespread in many companies with one of intelligent collaboration. To understand that cooperation within diversity and the setting up of creative debate platforms are much more effective than the irrational struggle between departments or senseless competition.
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