THE IMPROVE MINDSET

‘TO BE MENTALLY BRIGHT, HAVING SHARP OR QUICK INTELLIGENCE’

It is no mistake that the last mindset of The Six ‘I’s^® is clever. Being clever is required throughout the whole of the innovation journey, but there is something about this phase of innovating, when you are trying to maximise what you already have, that needs this particular type of orientation – a keen, sharp mind that is awake and mentally bright. Think of how Apple leverages its existing product range – different colours, different sizes, different memory capacities, incremental as well as radical improvements – creating more and more value out of the same idea. Or IKEA with its focus on cost reduction through improvements in robotic manufacturing and flat packing – making arm rests detachable, tweaking handle design on mugs, doubling the number of products that can be fitted on a pallet, thus reducing transportation costs. Examples abound and, while we may not see these smaller improvements as innovation, their cumulative effect can be astounding in terms of value creation. The profitability of the iPhone, securing 103.6 per cent of the smart phone industry’s profits in the third quarter of 2016, and the sheer number of BILLY bookcases sold by IKEA, over 60 million in the world – nearly one for every hundred people – are examples of the importance of this clever mindset and a focus on improvement. But no organisation, not even Apple or IKEA, can rest on their laurels or think that the past secures the future. History teaches us otherwise. This makes the mindset of being clever all the more important.

Just imagine, if we all had this mindset when we turned up at work or started new projects, of constantly looking for how we could do things differently or do things better, what a collective impact we would have. Of being sharp, switched on, awake and alert – how much more personal satisfaction would we gain? How much more would we contribute to the organisations and teams with whom we work?

This is why I want to debunk the myth that I see in many organisations, that being innovative is only about being radical or creative or if you happen to work in research and development or new technology, or if you work in an innovation lab or department, or a brand new startup. Being innovative is so much more, and open to all, everyone can and must contribute. In fact, innovation needs to come from everywhere.

Sometimes, we think it is easy if you work in a small and nimble business to be clever and responsive and fast to adapt but, what if you work for a large organisation with all its legacy systems, bureaucracy and history? One of the best and most ambitious examples I have come across, that is well documented, of a large organisation with a clever mindset, is the story of white goods manufacturer Whirlpool. Back in the 1990s, faced with increasing competition and pressure from shareholders, Whirlpool’s leaders created the vision of a business that would encourage ‘innovation from everyone, everywhere’. This meant innovation across the board – products, customer touch points, business methods with suppliers and vendors, processes as well as its overall strategic focus. New ways of working included enrolling every salaried employee in an online course on business innovation, training 600 innovation mentors, setting aside a substantial share of capital spending every year for projects that were truly innovative and requiring every product-development plan to contain a sizeable component of new-to-market innovation. Also, one sure way to put innovation at the top of the agenda was to make it a large component of top management’s long-term bonus plan. Even today, it continues to lead the way in its industry, particularly in environmental innovation being the first manufacturer to produce Energy Star products that save electricity and offer customers more value for money.

Of course, it takes commitment. Having this commitment to being clever is ongoing and needs nurturing and development by managers, leaders and all employees. While important to build awareness and skill, it is not just about sending people on training courses to become more innovative, it is about getting down into the processes, the systems, the values and beliefs about how things operate and having a commitment to making innovation central to all ways of working. It is not about having a campaign on innovation for a few months and then moving on to the next management fad. If we are to be clever – bright, with a sharp and quick intelligence – we need to think about how we can harness our skills and strengths to create more value for ourselves and the people and organisations with whom we work.

So, you have traversed the journey of The Six ‘I’s of Innovation^®. Whether you have read this book through from cover to cover or have just read particular areas of interest, I hope that it has given you a digest of different perspectives, with tips and tools that you can practically apply in your own life. More importantly, I hope that it has broadened your world view of what it means to be innovative and shown you how to contribute your skills and talents, inspiring you to say, ‘Yes, I can Innovate!’

Make these clever mindset activities part of your life.

Use this simple checklist to make sure you have covered some of the most salient points of improve.

To dig deeper into developing the skill and mindset, refer to the resource guide at the end of this chapter, but first let us meet Rose Shapley, whose highest score on The Six ‘I’s^® is improve.