Use the same strategy everywhere, even innovation and it works!
By: Maurille De Smalen
Tags: Startup Lessons, Innovation, Innovation Management, Creativity, Management And Leadership

You can apply the same strategy everywhere if you are prepared to look for the commonalities.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

I don’t want to jump to conclusions to fast so bare with me. Still, I have noticed many of the same rules and strategies are applicable everywhere from life coaching to marketing, from innovation to procrastination.

As an expert on creativity and innovation, I need to clarify innovation first because there are many definitions of innovation out there that we use randomly. I see the same thing happening with the word innovation as it did with sustainability. It loses it’s power and becomes an umbrella term.

Get this clear from the start, I use the term innovation when I talk about new ideas or new ways of doing things. Change is directly connected to innovation.

The new replaces the old. And this is not tech-related it could be any innovation, within any industry. New business models or changing of the production sequence, marketing, branding, course creating, product design, you name it. To me, designing change: from old to new and improved is the absolute best thing in the world. Status Quo to me is not sacred, and adversity is just new possibilities waiting to be discovered. So that’s my version.

I noticed the phenomenon of same strategy different definitions some time ago and many times before and never shared it, but I did started using it in my own work. To be honest, I thought everybody also saw this, and it was common practice. But now after having done some research on the topic, it’s finally hit me that there are no articles about it everywhere. Nothing. Do let me know if you find anything. All the best practises are build upon the same set of rules, strategies. It’s shared knowledge.

You can pick up any book in the world about any topic and it all boils down to the same essences. From creativity to sport and lifestyle, from architecture to innovation.

And you can use it any way you want.

I have heard people say before; “hmm isn’t that the same thing as…”

So let me explain how I am thinking.

Ben Hardy wrote in one of his articles about motivation: “ the more clear you are on the outcome, the less you procrastinate.”

Not only do I love the work Ben Hardy shares with us but let’s see what happens when you take this and use it in another field of action. The strategy of understanding what ‘it’ is you need to know and building on that knowledge, helps you move forward.

It is the clear path you need to aim for. Know your way! This way you will be working less and get more done.

When I translate this into the absolute essence, it boils down to something like this:

If you visualize your goal, you will reach it. (success coach to client)

or If you know what you need to buy you can buy it. (consumers)

or If you know what your client needs you can give it to them. (product design)

if you know what you want in life you can go for it. Clear path. (life coach)

Now let’s take a closer look at what a soccer coach, tells his team. What is the advise his players receive when they need to score. Get the ball into the goal, visualize this and make it happen.

To my students when they are working on their thesis, I tell them the same thing, albeit in other words. Know what you want to do, and this will create a clear path you can follow.

Artists use the same work ethic, you know what you aim to create, and you will understand the steps you need to take to get the work done.

Now let’s take a look at a business model, you need to know the value you can deliver to your clients and need to know if this is also the value they are seeking or the problem they are having.

You need to find clarity, and once you have this information, you can follow through.

You need to find out in-depth what the customer wants and before then ever determine in detail who your customer is, all about getting elements clear.

Procrastination is something you do when you need a break, and your mind needs a rest in the creative process. When you are working on solutions, your brain needs time out not to think but to connect, to make room for the AHA moments. Procrastination is not always a bad thing, a habit that you should eliminate but is is a moment of pause, although it could be a habit you have taken into your routine to not do what you need to do simply due to the fact that you don’t know precisely what you should do. You are working aimlessly. Without a purpose.

Innovation without purpose and clarity is essentially wasting money. Trowing money and precious time away that could have been used getting the purpose, goal clear. Crystal clear.

This is the case within many organizations who aim to innovate but have no clear vision, no clarity on the goal. These innovation teams have determined a vague goal and this makes the path to innovation unmistakably hard to create.

Innovation as you have seen uses the exact same strategy. You need to know in detail what you are trying to change: this is clarity, and then you don’t need to spend any time on creating solutions, generating ideas that don’t fit the description of the goal. Clarity should be gained beforehand.

It is no coincidence that this exact element in the base of innovation and how you can tackle complicated challenges, wicked problems. For me, this strategy has always worked, and it will also work for you.

Innovation and change are always based on clarity on the subject you are trying to change.

And this clarity can be obtained by deep-diving into the material at hand. What information is available and what is the goals you are trying to achieve. Combine these two elements, and you have the innovation fuel you need to create anything.

I know it sounds overly simple but is that not one of the great thing in life, we find simple things and make it more complicated.

Keep it simple!

Maurille