Simply put, innovation is the creation of a new idea, process or thing. It is undeniable that innovation played a major role in the creation of the new iPhone 4. The previous iPhone has dominated the smart phone market since its creation, and is second now only to iPhone 4.
What makes the new iPhone 4 so innovative? Attention to detail. Everything from the number of pixels on the screen to the size of the camera lens has been altered so that its “better” than the last model. This newest version boasts longer battery life, and incredible hardware that does more in less time. Each aspect of the already hottest piece of technology on the market has been improved or tweaked to the current standard of perfection.
What if your company could reinvent some of its practices? What if you went from a 2.0 to a 4.0 version because of your employee’s innovation? Well, that’s impossible isn’t it? You don’t have innovative employees, just dedicated ones, right? Wrong.
Companies all over America are failing to realize the importance of encouraging innovation among employees to boost productivity and enhance outdated business practices. The excuse “but it’s the way we have been doing it for years,” won’t hold any weight in the current market. What can you do to ensure that you are capitalizing on employee’s innovation?
• Promote open communication
• Encourage innovative thinking
• Deny failure, but promote trying until it’s right
The most innovative employees know that they can communicate their ideas directly with a manager or business leader. This open communication ensures that the leaders at the top have an opportunity to understand every idea coming from those in non-managerial positions. Communication promotes a healthy system of checks and balances, and encourages employees to problem solve based on their own experiences.
Do not let employees fail. Simply tell them to try until they get it right. Defining an attempt as a failure will inhibit new ideas and solutions because it promotes the idea of “I can’t.” Don’t let employees sell themselves short. Encourage them to try until the idea or process is effective.
The iPhone wasn’t built in a day. And several new versions have been created since the original prototype hit the market. Encourage your employees to keep an open mind, to seek new solutions to old problems, and to communicate their ideas openly with people in management positions so that their ideas can become realities.
