What do you do if your creativity and innovation skills are falling behind the emerging trends?

Don't let the stress of keeping up with every latest trend bog you down. Especially if you're starting out, still developing your skills, or even reaching a mid-point where you're starting to feel comfortable. Focus on building a solid foundation with your skills. Know the programs, know the tools, know how to use them well. Make sure you know HOW to do what you want to do. The "how" almost never changes. (Generative AI being a recent exception). New trends emerge all the time. That's why they're trends. Next week there'll be a new one. Perfect your foundational skills, then worry about applying them to a new trend and filling in any skill gaps. #creativity #development #learning

In my opinion, few tactics you can do: 1. Explore Beyond Your Field: Immerse yourself in art, music, literature, or even science outside your usual domain. New perspectives can spark creative connections particularly if they use different parts of your brain. 2. Follow Trendsetters: Identify thought leaders and innovators in your field and related fields e.g. linkedin top voices and influencers. See what sparks their creativity and how they approach new ideas. 3. Attend Industry Events: Conferences/workshops, that offer exposure to cutting-edge ideas and opportunities to network with creative minds. 4. Consume Diverse Content: Read industry publications, listen to podcasts, and watch documentaries that explore new trends and approaches.

When expanding your network, there are few questions that you can ask yourself: 1. Reflect on network: ask yourself who can fill my skill gaps? Industry leaders? Mentors? identify the right people you need to add to your network 2. Seek diverse connections: try to expand beyond your team/colleagues. Explore experts & innovators cross fields, this is how creativity can be cultivated. 3. Engage in discussions: Reflect on industry events & online forums. Share & learn from others as often as possible. 4. Regular reflection fuels network growth: regularly identify the connections that can boost your skillset and add them to your network, we live in a fast world, your network should be changing and expanding continuously.

Failure is part of life, it is a way to learn and grow your resilience. To learn to embrace it, this is what I would do: ? Reflect on setbacks: Analyse what went wrong. Learn from past failures to fuel future success. ? Celebrate small wins: Reflect on progress, not just perfection. Every step builds momentum. ? Embrace experiments: Reflection helps you see failures as learning opportunities, not dead ends. ? Reframe "failure": Reflect on challenges as stepping stones, not roadblocks. ? Regular reflection: Fuels resilience & fosters a growth mindset through embracing failure.

In my experience, continuous learning is the key to stay on top. This is what I would do: 1. Take Online Courses: Numerous platforms offer courses on creativity, innovation, and industry-specific trends. 2. Pursue Certifications: Earning certifications demonstrates your commitment to latest advancements. 3. Shadow Industry Leaders: Seek opportunities to observe innovative professionals in action. 4. Mentorship Programs: Connect with a mentor who can guide you in developing your creative and innovative skillset. 5. Read Industry Books and Articles: Stay informed about the latest trends and best practices through targeted reading material.

Reflection in my opinion should be practiced regularly regardless of your situation: 1. Self-Assess Skills: Reflect on recent projects. Did you feel creatively limited? Identify skill gaps. 2. Challenge Assumptions: Question "why" behind existing practices. Spark innovation by looking at problems from new angles. 3. Curate Learning: Reflect on learning needs. Update resources based on skill gaps. Explore diverse learning methods. 4. SMART Goals & Track Progress: Set goals for improvement (SMART). Schedule reflection time. Track learning journey for motivation. 5. Regular Reflection = Innovation Spark: Consistent reflection fuels continuous learning & keeps your creative fire burning.

Other sources of inspiration: 1.Engage with Online Communities: e.g. forums and discussions focused on creativity and innovation. Share ideas and get feedback from a diverse community. 2.Challenge Assumptions: Question the status quo in your field. Can existing processes or products be improved through a fresh perspective? 3.Experiment: Set aside time for creative play. 4. Sketch, brainstorm, or prototype new ideas without judgment. Allow yourself to explore freely. 4.Collaborate: Team up with individuals who possess different skillsets and perspectives. Collaboration can foster new ideas and approaches. 5.Embrace Failure: View setbacks as learning opportunities. Analyse what didn't work and use that knowledge to refine your next attempt.

First assess where you're lacking. Seek inspiration from current industry leaders and emerging technologies. Expand your network to include professionals who are at the forefront of your field. Embrace failure as a learning opportunity, not a setback. Actively pursue skill updates through courses, workshops, or online learning platforms. Reflect regularly on your progress and adjust your learning path as necessary. Additionally, attend conferences, webinars, and seminars related to your field to stay informed about new trends and technologies. Practice applying what you learn in personal projects or collaborations to reinforce new skills and concepts. Stay curious and open-minded to continually evolve with the industry.

Take a trip, surround yourself with novel environments to foster creativity, and connect with new ideas and new sensory information.

I come from an engineering background. In my nearly 12 years of experience in the aerospace industry, I've embraced an invaluable insight: true innovation often emerges at the confluence of diverse disciplines. I've learnt that advancing our field isn't solely just deepening our technical expertise; it's also about incorporating a broad spectrum of perspectives from areas as varied as the social sciences and the arts. Consider, for instance, the application of psychological principles to improve aircraft design ergonomics, making them more intuitive and user-friendly. Or envision utilizing linguistics, specifically semantics, syntax and pragmatics, to craft more precise and effective communication protocols on a production shop floor.