Transformation Through Innovation

Being a recruiter is an interesting profession. I meet many people in every stage of their job search.  In these intense times, many people are calling to ask me what skills are in demand right now. This has become a prominent question as people try to re-invent themselves to obtain work in this economy. Unfortunately, I don’t think that mere re-invention of skills is a solution.  Technology is changing rapidly…so a lot of the skills you have today will be entirely irrelevant tomorrow. Your mind, however will always be with you and ready to grow.

Innovation is at the true heart of the new economy. In the future, employers will base their hiring decisions on a person’s ability to be creative and produce innovative results. They will be looking for talented people who can think. If you are going to differentiate yourself, you must be able to innovate.

A lot of my candidates are uncomfortable with this. Many people do not consider themselves to be creative. This is absurd. We are hard-wired for creativity. Sure, some of us could use a little development in the area of creativity and innovation, but it’s within our reach.

Stephen C. Lundin’s recent book, Cats: The Nine Lives of Innovation is like a training manual for innovative thought processes. Lundin highlights the value of personal innovation by challenging the reader in a fun, interactive way to find their inner “CAT.” Lundin postures that everyone has creative potential just waiting to “pounce” and guides the reader through a series of thought-provoking exercises to help them discover their inner creativity.

According to Lundin, a CAT is “anyone working to develop his or her capacity to innovate.” Everyone has the ability to be innovative, to stand out in the crowd, and to think outside of the box. The challenge is fostering this creative process to let innovation begin, starting with simple day-to-day activities.

Have you ever taken a new roadway, just to see where it takes you? Have you ever basked in the sun, just to get a moment of peace to sit and think? Do you stop to smell the roses? All of these are perfect examples of simple, day-to-day activities that will start you on your path to developing your inner CAT.

Furthermore, the brain is a nest of associations, from its synapses to its firing, which categorize all that we learn in a normal and logical order. In order to “escape the norm,” Lundin states you must elicit innovations through provocation; “All innovation is personal. All innovation is the result of personal provocations.”

The three forms of provocation outlined in the book, that will release your inner CAT into a world of free and creative thoughts, are physical provocation, social provocation, and intellectual provocation.

Physical Provocation

“Physical provocation is provocation by an object, a condition of the real world, the way things are arranged, or the senses” that starts the innovation process.

Being a recruiter is demanding, and I rarely take the time to “minister” to my creativity. I do, though, have a passion for plants. Some weekends, after I have made a new plant purchase, I find myself sitting on my porch just enjoying them.  It is in these times that often, my mind is relaxed, open, and ready to think independently.

Lundin encourages the reader to surround themselves with different, physical provocations to elicit pure innovation. Give yourself permission to escape into nature for hikes and scenic views, to observe different people groups, or to dive into an art project.  You might be surprised at how much more creative you become from these “breaks” from work.

Social Provocation

Social provocation is interacting with others, striking up dialogue to evoke spontaneous innovation. Basically, the concept is that two heads are better than one, and through conversation, new ideas can formulate and take shape.

One clear illustration that I can think of is how our office is physically structured. Our performance hall has an open, “prairie dog” style floor plan. While we still have our half wall of “privacy” around each of our individual office space, we can still hear all conversations around us. We can take what we like from those conversations and incorporate them into our own strategies. When in need, each little “prairie dog” can pop up their little head to ask for advice from the rest of the team. Our “prairie dog” concept definitely fosters open dialogue, giving added perspective to any situation at hand. Thus, innovation!

Intellectual Provocation

The final type of provocation Lundin speaks about is the intellectual type that challenges your thinking. Ask the unexpected. Ponder on the ridiculous. Read material that challenges your paradigms.  You would be surprised what you come up with!

We had an opportunity with a client that needed a large volume of customer service candidates and fast! We realized that in order to meet this need, we would have to recruit and interview a high volume of qualified candidates quickly. How were we going to do this in time to meet our client’s expectations? After brainstorming, one of the solutions was doing group interviews. Not only did this expedite the application process, it enabled us to see each candidate in a completely different light. We were able to not only assess their communication skills, but also their social interactions immediately. It made it easier for us to remember each candidate and gave us valuable information used as selling points to our client.

We took our “typical” process, thought about it in a different light, and tweaked it to meet our needs. From a business perspective, just like Clayton Christensen and Michael Raynor say in their book, The Innovator’s Solution,

While the outcomes of past innovations seem random, the process by which innovations are packaged and shaped within companies is very predictable. By understanding and managing the forces that influence this process, companies can shape high-octane business plans that create truly disruptive growth.

Lundin goes on to talk about embracing failures, as they are the key to becoming innovative, and earning your “CAT belt,” once you overcome your fears. He talks about “CAT Wranglers” as a critical part of fostering other CAT’s growth, all the while delivering his message with engaging stories and insight.

I would encourage anyone who is feeling stifled by their present role to read this book. Unlike other creative books, this one is laid out in simple, easy-to-follow, practical steps. Survival in the times to come will depend on one’s willingness to engage and innovate in order to create value. There is nothing to fear. CATs always land on their feet. Has your inner CAT jumped yet?