Switch on your television and take a look at the advertisements that are on right now. Look closely, and you will quickly see there is a commonality between these products, and this is that they are advertised as being “new and improved”. You may wonder why these products, which were fine to begin with, constantly need to be improved upon. The reason for this is actually not because there was something wrong with the product, but that the company that makes it has to stay ahead of the competition.
Take toilet paper, for instance. There are several hundred different brands out there and people familiarize themselves with the brands, sticking to the one they know. If a different brand then suddenly presents itself as “new and improved”, however, it will suddenly become interesting again and attract new people who used to use a different brand of toilet paper. So, improving on existing products is the most commonly used innovation management system around.
The new and improved rule can be applied to every single business, regardless of their product or service. Anything from toilet paper to IT solutions must use innovation management if they want to hold on to their existing customers and attract new ones.
At the same time, however, it isn’t just about creating brand new services and products. It is about having unique ideas. While this comes natural to some people, it does not to others. Additionally, implementing a culture of innovation and change in a business is very difficult. This is why you should consider taking up proper training in the techniques and technicalities of innovation management.
Three Things to Remember
There are many benefits to innovation programs. This includes things such as out of the box thinking and a drive towards measurable results. There are three important things you must remember however:
- You must tap into the full potential. This is not achieved by old fashioned brainstorming. Today, ideas have to be generated in a futuristic, unique and very intense way. This can be achieve through innovation training, as it teaches you how to tap into the maximum creativity and full imagination of every team member. This is what will allow you to make innovation engaging and therefore beneficial.
- The process of innovation always has to flow. This is why taking part in innovation workshops is such an investment in the future, as you will be able to use the knowledge you have gained again and again. Innovation is about setting a goal and achieving that, before setting another goal and achieving that. The next goal has to flow out of the first one, however, making it a continuous process.
- Communication is key. Only in an organization where communication is open and honest will innovation be beneficial.
Hopefully, these insights will have shown you how important innovation is and that you may want to take on some innovation training and workshops to help you get the process started in your own business.
