For most of us, when we think about innovation, we think about companies like Apple, Microsoft, or Google. We think about breakthrough, disruptive technologies like the GraphicalUser Interface which took access to the Worldwide Web from the hands of a few geeks who could write computer code and gave it to the masses. In other words, we think about totally new, never-seen-before products or services. But what about taking an existing product or service and making it better. Isn’t that innovation too? Or what about taking a bunch of ideas from a variety of unrelated sources and cobbling them into something new and unique. Isn’t that yet another form of innovation? The fact is, various forms of innovation are all around us and all of us need to participate in innovation. Even if you’re a low-tech company that’s been churning out commodity-type products for many years, you better be an innovator or your years will soon come to an end. For more about innovation and how you need to be thinking about it for your company, please continue reading below.
“I do not believe you can do today’s job with yesterday’s methods and be in business tomorrow.” ~Nelson Jackson
For most of us, innovation is not about rolling out the next high tech whiz bang product. It’s simply looking for ways to do what we do better/faster/cheaper. Companies that have Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) programs in place might just as easily call them Continuous Innovation programs. “Lean manufacturing” (**) is really just a highly structured CPI program. Companies that are engaged in “lean manufacturing” concepts are committed to finding ways to reduce waste . . . wasted time, wasted effort, wasted materials, and wasted money. And the only way they can do that is through finding new, innovative ways of doing things.
(**) As you may know “lean” started out as a way to streamline manufacturing processes, but “lean” concepts are applicable to any identifiable, discreet process within your business . . . HR, Administration, Sales, Marketing . . . all can benefit from the application of “lean” principles.
Simon Sinek, a business writer and keynote speaker, has an interesting take on all of this. He talks about “infinite players” vs. “finite players.” “Finite players,” he says, “play to beat the players around them. Infinite players play to beat themselves.” In other words, infinite players ask, “How can we make our company a better company today than it was yesterday?” And we ask ourselves the same question the following day, and the day after that, and the day after that, forever. That’s the “continuous” part of Continuous Process Improvement. It’s a circle and it never ends. And it all depends on innovation.
The good news is, “better” is a very general, non-specific term that can be applied in a lot of different areas. How can we make our company a better place to work? How can we achieve better financial results? How can we achieve better operational results? How can we compete better in our marketplace?
As you begin your day, you probably have a noisy cacophony of “stuff I gotta do” banging around in your head . . . reports that have to be written, deadlines that have to be met, customer problems that have to be solved, sales goals that have to be achieved, and on and on and on. Those are all important things that need to be addressed, but they shouldn’t get in the way of asking, “What’s the one thing we can do today that will make this a better company tomorrow?”
Simon Sinek challenges us to “Outdo yourself” everyday . . . to be an “infinite player,” a continuous innovator. Are you up to the challenge?
Rock Solid Business Development
Phone: (847) 665-9134
andy@rocksolidbizdevelopment.com
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