You're struggling to innovate in your team. What's the best way to break through?

1 Challenge assumptions

One of the reasons why teams struggle to innovate is because they rely on assumptions that limit their thinking. Assumptions are beliefs that we take for granted, often without questioning or testing them. They can be based on past experiences, habits, or stereotypes. While some assumptions may be valid, others may be outdated, inaccurate, or biased. To challenge assumptions, you need to identify them, question them, and look for evidence that supports or contradicts them. You can also use tools like the 5 Whys, the Ladder of Inference, or the Reframing Matrix to dig deeper into the root causes, perspectives, and alternatives of a problem or situation.

4 Seek inspiration

A fourth tip to enhance innovation in your team is to seek inspiration. Inspiration is the feeling of being motivated, energized, or stimulated by something or someone. Inspiration can help you overcome creative blocks, generate fresh ideas, or discover new opportunities. To seek inspiration, you need to expose yourself to different sources of information, inspiration, and stimulation. You can also use strategies like benchmarking, trend analysis, or storytelling to learn from best practices, emerging patterns, or compelling narratives.

5 Celebrate successes

A final tip to encourage innovation in your team is to celebrate successes. Celebrating successes is the act of recognizing, rewarding, or appreciating the achievements, efforts, or contributions of your team members. Celebrating successes can help you build trust, morale, and engagement in your team. It can also help you reinforce a positive attitude, a culture of innovation, and a sense of purpose. To celebrate successes, you need to set clear and measurable goals, provide regular and constructive feedback, and acknowledge and celebrate both big and small wins.