Becoming Innovative

The way we each go about solving problems tends to become entrenched within us.  When we find an approach that works, we subconsciously register that success in the "win" column and are likely to turn to it when the next challenge arrives.  Over time, we may build on that approach so that it becomes somewhat more "elaborate" and it will change slightly over time to incorporate new things that we learn.

Innovation comes with scrapping the old and bringing in the new.  It is difficult because our natural tendency is to turn to the tried-and-true methods that have previously brought success.  We "know" what works because experience has informed us that a particular approach provided a solution.  The problem is that we accept "a solution" as a "win" whether it was the best solution or, not.

One way to becoming more innovative is to look at how others solved similar problems.  We sometimes do this with friends, neighbors and acquaintances, but rarely look much farther.  Until we look beyond our circle of influence, we aren't likely to see radically different methodology.  This hit home with me years ago on a trip to Niger.

I was extremely interested in agriculture as practiced by farmers there.  I went with the preconception that the mega-farm approach using mechanization was the solution to all of their difficulties.  I quickly learned that I needed to lose all of my assumptions and start asking questions.  I didn't understand their situation and overlaying my experience was not truly applicable to solving their issues.

Finding that my "bucket of knowledge" was almost useless in their situation forced me to think differently.  What I learned there has helped me here.  Looking beyond the same old pool of experience is necessary to stimulate thought that leads to innovation. 

I realize this brief commentary doesn't include much in the way of details.  That is intentional.  My goal is to stimulate thought, not provide solutions....