CPP Product Release- Introduction to Type and Innovation
posted by agammy
Today CPP released its newest Introduction-to-Type booklet, Introduction to Type and Innovation . I was personally very excited for the release of this book- although innovation is an oft repeated buzz word at most organizations, not many people can really explain innovation as a concept, or identify how innovation is different from other traits, like creativity.
The authors, Damian Killen, and Gareth Williams, define Innovation as the “implementation of ideas.” This is a good definition to adopt for the concept because it allows anyone to participate in the innovation process, helps define more completely how an organization fosters a Culture of Innovation, and broadens the term “innovation” to include many different ways organizations can innovate besides the obvious “come up with a creative idea that no one else has thought of.”
According to the authors, there are four main ways to categorize innovative ideas:
- Efficiency Ideas: Doing the Right Things and Doing Them the Right Way (SJ Innovation)
- Refining Ideas: Doing Things Better (SP Innovation)
- Adopting Ideas: Doing things Others are Doing (NJ Innovation)
- Different Ideas: Doing Things No One Else Is Doing (NP Innovation)
I had never considered that anything besides “Different Ideas” could be considered Innovation - as an ENTP originality is always my top priority - but there are actually significant benefits an organization can gain from ideas that AREN’T completely new. For example, Efficiency Ideas, which are internally focused on finding the best way to do something, save time, money, and energy for an organization. (Think about how much time you waste when you do something the wrong way.) Similarly, Adopting Ideas leverage industry best practices to improve an organization’s products and services, and are great because they’ve already been proven to work. Refining Ideas change or eliminate ineffective processes, and help an organization become more streamlined and effective.
There are a lot of organizations out there who are struggling to “innovate” - but understanding that innovation is more about seeking ideas than creating ideas is a first step in developing a Culture of Innovation. Not everyone can come up with the next Big Idea, but everyone can play a role in discovering solutions for organizational problems.
I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Type and Innovation when you have a chance. It is a fairly involved book (my synopsis here barely grazed the surface) and is full of applicable recommendations for organizations - and people - looking to discover their inner innovator.
