I’ve always been a huge fan of IDEO and the Really Cool Things they bring to life. The process by which they create these Really Cool Things has shaped much of my thinking about innovation and product development. Luckily for all of us, IDEO is very open about this process – check out these books, the design thinking blog, and the case studies on their site.
Today’s IDEO ah-ha moment comes from Diego Rodriguez’s blog:
…the question of “how can we be more innovative?” is better couched as “how can we be more comfortable acting in innovative ways?” It’s about encouraging a behavior, not a thing. A verb, not a noun.
What a simple but profound statement. If leaders can create a culture where ideas thrive then innovation and the profit that innovation drives will naturally follow. Corporate culture is a tricky thing to be sure, but it’s a much more effective road to innovation than putting a few smart people in a room and hoping they come up with the next big thing.
Besides, a creative culture is a hell of a lot more fun than a stuffy one.