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You may have heard about market disruptors—organizations, products or services that aim to change the way we work. More businesses are shifting to innovative thinking or a new approach to problem-solving. A solution-driven, creative mindset is what the modern workplace demands!
Think about customer service. Today, we have chatbots to answer customer queries in real-time. You don’t have to send emails or fill contact forms anymore. You can simply chat with a learning-based artificial intelligence bot to get answers—this is the future.
To keep up with this fast-paced, digital-first world, you have to equip yourself with the right mindset. Innovative thinking can help you find unique ideas to solve existing problems.
What Is Innovative Thinking?
Similar to design thinking—simplifying user experience—innovative thinking adopts an abductive approach to come up with viable solutions. An abductive approach in logical reasoning is where speculations are made based on existing information.
Here are some examples of innovative thinking:
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A social media manager relies on Twitter trends—for instance—to understand what people are searching for. This information helps them develop sound social media strategies for marketing and advertising.
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Law firms are slowly moving toward innovative thinking with ‘legal automation’. Integrating technology will help them improve efficiency, accuracy and audibility.
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Everything we use today, from a vegetable peeler to a refrigerator and of course, our mobile phones and laptops are products of innovative thinking.
How To Respond To Change
Every day we see new and improved ideas taking the world by storm. Whether it’s Tesla’s self-driving cars, virtual reality or even upgraded versions of voice assistants like Siri or Alexa, there’s no shortage of services to make your life easier.
So, how do you contribute to this advancement?
Innovating thinking helps you respond to change, move with the times and have your breakout moment. Today, you have the chance to see science fiction become reality. Unique ideas and problem-solving techniques will set you apart from the rest.
Innovative thinking is not restricted to technology. It’s applicable to all sorts of industries, sectors and organizations. From sustainability and ethical ways of doing business to effective leadership, you can identify where your contributions will create the most impact.
Now that we’ve discussed the meaning of innovative thinking and its implications for change, let’s see how you can think innovatively.
How To Think Innovatively
A creative mindset can help you understand how to get innovative ideas. There are several roadblocks that stand in the way of innovative thinking, such as:
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Personal bias
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Lack of faith or confidence
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Limited information
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Tunnel vision
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Fear of change
You may feel awkward stepping out of your comfort zone. But if you want to keep up with the changing world, you have to make an effort.
Here are some ways to think innovatively:
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Creativity In Groups
At work, you probably have to brainstorm ideas with your team members and managers. This is one of the most efficient ways to drive innovation. One idea leads to another and before you know it, you have an idea map with possible solutions. Creativity in groups is a quick and effective way to think innovatively.
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Get Inspired By Unlikely Places
You may not expect to be inspired by things like greenery, the mountains or the sea. But many artists, engineers and writers get their inspiration from nature. It’s the sense of freedom associated with walking through trees that really adds perspective. Of course, you won’t always have access to a forest, so take a walk in your nearest park!
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Change Your Environment
It’s good to have a dedicated workspace with all your essentials but sometimes you should change it up. Not only will a change of environment be refreshing but can also help boost your creativity.
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Read Up To Gather Information
The more you know, the better your ideas will be. Innovative thinking works with existing knowledge. So, you have to learn more about various topics before you can speculate solutions. Read about people, places and things online—you can even talk to industry experts or your friends who work in different sectors.
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Do Things Differently
This one’s easy! One way to think innovatively is to do routine things in a different way. For instance, if you take notes digitally, try writing in a notebook or storing voice notes. Create trackers and think about how you can improve the quality of your work. Each of these daily tasks will force you to use different software and work on different mediums. There’s a learning curve to doing things differently!
Integrate innovative thinking into your routine with small steps like reading new articles every day or trying new things. Research ideas that already exist in the market so you can observe how they’ve been implemented.
Creative Problem-Solving Is The Future
Become a creative problem-solver with the right mindset and the right tools. Harappa’s Unleashing Creativity course is a comprehensive one-stop solution for all your creative thinking woes. It’ll teach you how to overcome barriers to creativity. You’ll also learn about the creative formula to address roadblocks and brainstorm in groups. Let your imagination run wild and change the way you see things!
Explore topics such as What is Design Thinking, the Importance of Creative Thinking & How to be Creative at Work from Harappa Diaries and discover ways to get your creative juices flowing.
