Innovation is a State of Mind

<p>About the author ix</p>
<p>Preface xi</p>
<p>Introduction: What is innovation and why do we need it? 1</p>
<p>Part I: A process for innovation 7</p>
<p>1 Think 9</p>
<p>Prioritise thinking 10</p>
<p>What do you think about? Identifying opportunities for innovation 13</p>
<p>Processes and systems 15</p>
<p>Interactions with people 16</p>
<p>Notice when you feel bad 17</p>
<p>A method for innovation 18</p>
<p>Habitual thinking 21</p>
<p>Eight ways to break out of habitual thinking 26</p>
<p>1. Question everything 27</p>
<p>2. What assumptions are you making? 30</p>
<p>3. Technology is not always the answer 36</p>
<p>4. Reframe the question 39</p>
<p>5. The solutions might be right in front of your eyes 42</p>
<p>6. Is the answer in your data? 45</p>
<p>7. Think like a customer or client 51</p>
<p>8. Plan for failure 65</p>
<p>Four reasons why we don t think enough 68</p>
<p> I don t have time 68</p>
<p> I m just not creative 70</p>
<p> Innovation isn t part of my job 72</p>
<p> Thinking is hard! 73</p>
<p>What if you re stuck? 79</p>
<p>2 Value 85</p>
<p>Ideas are like balloons 88</p>
<p>Hold the phone 89</p>
<p>Listen sometimes, don t listen sometimes 90</p>
<p>3 Use 93</p>
<p>Do the next thing 94</p>
<p>Find the end point of each idea 95</p>
<p>Bring in other people 97</p>
<p>Sometimes you need to persist 98</p>
<p>4 How to pitch an idea 101</p>
<p>Why a pitch is important 101</p>
<p>Who should pitch? 102</p>
<p>What are you trying to achieve? 102</p>
<p>What you say 104</p>
<p>How you say it 107</p>
<p>Respect the fact that a good pitch is hard 107</p>
<p>Nervousness 108</p>
<p>Verbal ticks 110</p>
<p>If it s important, say it like it s important 111</p>
<p>PowerPoint 112</p>
<p>Fill the room 112</p>
<p>5 Innovation in your own life 117</p>
<p>Think 118</p>
<p>Value 118</p>
<p>Use 119</p>
<p>What about you? 119</p>
<p>Think it all through 119</p>
<p>Give your ideas value 121</p>
<p>Use your ideas 122</p>
<p>Part II: Creating an innovative organisation 125</p>
<p>6 How success and growth can discourage innovation 127</p>
<p>The role of management 130</p>
<p>Outsourcing creativity 131</p>
<p>7 How do you get people to think? 137</p>
<p>Make it clear it s part of the job 138</p>
<p>Quantity not quality 139</p>
<p>8 If you think innovation is important, act like it s important 145</p>
<p>Innovation campaigns 146</p>
<p>Tell people what you want them to do 146</p>
<p>How much direction do you give? 149</p>
<p>What if someone says I can t ? 150</p>
<p>9 Valuing ideas 153</p>
<p>Pitch ideas to a person, not an email address 154</p>
<p>Thank people for bad ideas 156</p>
<p>10 Using ideas 159</p>
<p>Set up a process 160</p>
<p>Ideas that are going further 163</p>
<p>Ideas that are not going further 164</p>
<p>Commit! 165</p>
<p>Find the end point of each idea 166</p>
<p>11 Reach right down 169</p>
<p>Conclusion: The adventure of innovation 175</p>
<p>Notes 177</p>
<p>Acknowledgements 183</p>
<p>Index 185</p>