Messy Persistence for Innovation
Dr. Hemang Shah ??
LinkedIn Top Voice | I share insights on innovation and strategy | Incubate startups in India | Here to learn
My younger son has taken a liking to squash. His most frequent opponent is his elder brother who has a stronger game thanks to tennis lessons. The games can get competitive with each trying to find holes in the other's game. One of the easiest weaknesses to attack is the backhand, which doesn't come naturally. Both had a weak backhand which is steadily improving over months. If the boys did not work on it, they will easily lose most points sent on their backhand. This leads us to today's thought.
Innovation may feel unnatural but is important skill for long term relevance.
Our initial attempts at innovation projects are similar how most beginners approach backhand. We avoid it by using the forehand, which comes naturally. Yet we cannot avoid it and we send feeble returns losing many points.
It's tempting to give up but this is where persistence comes handy.
We have to work at it inching further from weak to moderate to a strong game. It's ok to make mistakes. But we have to keep at it.
What does that look like for innovation projects?
Get comfortable with generating bad ideas. Know that a bad idea just means an inefficient way to solve a problem. What matters is your commitment to finding better ways.
Let it take months - we have plenty of time.
This requires a consistent schedule to ideate. Set a frequency that you can maintain. Take notes to keep track of ideas generated.
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Also, set time to reflect on the ideas.
This happens after the ideation sessions. We know the true worth of ideas afterwards, sometimes even days later. This is best done by sharing your notes with a team and having judgement-free review sessions.
This feels uncomfortable and is a messy process.
Yet, we are required to go through this process to get better. Not only for sports but also for innovation.
That's it for today.
Happy Ideating!
Hemang.
I can help with Talent Acquisition across India and Africa, backed by over 17 years of Recruitment Experience | Top Rated Mentor on Topmate and Unstop | Resume Writer | Podcast Host "Expert Talk by Vipul The Wonderful"
6 个月Very informative
Leading the Way in Applied Science: Bridging EcoChemical Innovation with Circular Economy for Sustainable Development in Construction, Chemicals & Waste, Water, Aquaculture, and Agriculture across Sub-Saharan Africa.
6 个月Even within a field like chemistry with long established standards, innovation is not easy. New materials require new measurements called chemical characterizations. The fact that there are a vast number of unknowns makes characterization very difficult. A Science-Based Agenda for Health-Protective Chemical Assessments and Decisions (2023) https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-022-00930-3 There is also a lot to be discovered https://theconversation.com/only-1-of-chemical-compounds-have-been-discovered-heres-how-we-search-for-others-that-could-change-the-world-211302 It takes daily practice to look for what is unknown instead of what is well understood.
Government Affairs - Applied Materials India
6 个月Great advice
Intellectual Property Professional
6 个月I like to correlate innovation with equity markets. Most people are afraid of entering the markets and would rather take an indirect route (MFs). Even those who enter, get scared of some ups and downs and may retreat. But those who persist would eventually see the returns in the long run. The investment in equity market also requires lot of research and an eye for good scripts (ideas).