How to Build an Innovation Engine: 6 Proven Methods for Consistently Generating New Ideas
The need for new ideas and innovation can arise at any time. You need a plan for how you can quickly generate solutions to problems that arise in the moment. Assembling a large group for a brainstorming session may not be possible. So how do you ensure you always have a way to source new ideas and solutions to issues or roadblocks that keep you from reaching the results you want or the potential you know exists?
Your plan can even be in the form of having a routine to help generate new ideas all the time. Either way, every leader requires a process for ideation and seeking new thoughts and concepts from people and resources around them. Here are six ways you can build a process to create an innovation engine.
Small, quick group session
You need some quick thoughts on how to solve a problem that arises. Do you have a group of people you can assemble and challenge for new thinking on short notice? You may even have a couple of different groups based on the type of problem you are solving for that you could utilize for a short brainstorming session or a discussion group. Creating a small think-tank for these types of situations can be very handy to have.
Sleep on it
This sounds simple, but it is tried and true. If you need some new ideas, before you go to bed at night, read through the problem you are working to solve. It is highly likely that your brain will go to work in the background while you sleep and present some options for you the next day. Build a routine around this. As part of your nightly wind-down ritual, read or think about something you want to generate new solutions for. Then enjoy a good night's sleep and new ideas in the morning.
Personal brainstorm every morning
Similar to sleeping on it, build a plan for exercising your mind each morning. Have a list of challenges or existing ideas that need to be fleshed out further. Set aside as little as five to ten minutes, no more than fifteen, to do your own mind mapping or brainstorming session. Take an item from your list, and just write any of the things that come to mind. You will train yourself and your mind to be ready for this work each morning by building a routine around it. This is a perfect compliment to the previous idea to sleep on it.
Read and take notes
If you're seeking new ideas by reading articles or even watching videos, that is a great choice. Keep your pen and notebook handy. Write anything that sounds interesting. Do not assume you will remember it later once you’ve moved on to other things. I can speak from experience: no matter how often I tell myself, “I can remember that,” I don’t and then wish I had the thought again when I needed it. Writing it down and even capturing where you got the idea from helps to put everything back in context for you when you need it. Pro-tip: Use something like Apple Notes on your iPhone or iPad to make the notes and capture the link all together with the new Quick Notes Feature. I covered this in a recent Tech Tip article.
Ask what else
I learned this one a long time ago and have used it ever since. I am sure some people find it annoying at first, but it really does work in nearly any setting. When you think a discussion is about done, ask the group, “What else?” You will be amazed at how frequently there are still more ideas and thoughts to be shared. I typically will ask this at least three times at the end of a meeting or a call, and especially during an open discussion session. It creates a quick expectation around the notion that there is always one more thing to cover. Some of the best ideas come in these moments.
Build ideation into recurring meetings
Establish a routine for your team to expect to share new ideas for your meetings and calls. Build the time into the agenda. In some cases, you may send the topics out before the session and in other cases, you make it spontaneous. Either way, everyone knows that you are going to have about ten to fifteen minutes dedicated to brainstorming and sharing new ideas on whatever the topic of the day will be. It's a great way to spur creativity, demonstrate the importance of always thinking in innovative ways, and having a process for generating an endless stream of ideas to refer to later.
The great thing about any of these items shared above, they can be used with your team or just yourself. They can be used independently as well as together. There is always a need for new ideas, and even if some things are recycled, it creates great dialogue about pushing forward and thinking through some of the things that can be easy to take for granted.
What other ideas do you have for jump-starting your creating process and building a routine around it?
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