Culture Guide - Innovation

A Culture of Innovation: ...

Innovation involves seeing value in taking creative risks

Why Innovation?

Innovation in this sense encompasses the process of making very small steps to produce large lasting results. As it is in these small steps where an understanding about yourself and your capabilities renews the energy needed to be innovative. To become innovative is to become disciplined in detaching yourself from outside influences and judgments, and begin to listen to yourself. It is how to heighten your own confidence and professional development through unraveling your fears, letting your uniqueness be known, and sharing with others what you can truly contribute and add to the future of your community.

What is Innovation?

Innovation is a continual workable process to explore and refine ideas. The discovery of your innovation is connected to a few key behavioral traits. Your level of optimism; how enthusiastic you are; your capacity to tap into your creativity; your own self confidence; and if you found an emotional connection to what you do. As you enhance your understanding of each of these behavioral traits, you will enhance your ability to apply and strengthen each one individually.

There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.

– Brene Brown

Innovation Metrics to Focus On

Every person has a creative side. Being creative is really about feeling safe to let your passions and interests that may not have a clear path yet, be known. In order to give yourself permission to be creative you need to believe in yourself and have faith in your optimism and enthusiasm to show that indefinable unique piece of yourself; you know you have in there. Being creative is giving yourself permission to let yourself be known by your community with the freedom of knowing you cannot control others perspectives. To fully engage in your own creative thoughts, it is about taking risks and letting go of the need to control the outcome.

Deliberation

Taking the time to deliberate keeps you a lifelong learner and open to consistent growth. Success is not defined as becoming an expert in your field, or putting in the time in a position, rather it is in the significance you reach by the impact you make though innovative efforts. It is within this process that you never let go of the need to question yourself to come up with a creative way to do something more efficiently to produce a greater impact. Your energy remains driving the cause forward with greater effect.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence incorporates kindness and empathy in performance and is a characteristic trait that helps create an environment where people feel a sense of fulfillment and belonging in their interpersonal relationships as their differing perspectives are being heard. It is an energy booster for your community to want to give more of themselves as they feel supported and belong to something greater than their immediate surroundings and are motivated to help create a better future all around. In this sense emotional intelligence creates an environment that becomes people driven. Being able to emotionally connect with others allows for genuine commitment to develop.

Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is all about your drive to get something done. The excitement that builds from seeing your vision as a reality and feeling the need to make it happen. In this sense enthusiasm is all about staying inspired and craving that sense of accomplishment to feel fulfilled. To be enthusiastic is to have energy and ambition toward something that you are able to continually build on to give you the motivation needed to put in the effort. Motivation comes in different forms and whatever ignites the feeling of motivation within you is unique to you. That initial jolt of positive energy that comes with the excitement over a new idea, or the risk of missing out on something if you don’t step it up are both ways motivation can be tapped into.

Optimism

Optimism is at the heart of innovation. To be optimistic is to choose to see beyond the constraints and see your vision as a real possibility. Optimism starts with your drive to get out of bed and be engaged and inspired by what you do. It is the driving force to using your energy wisely. In actuality, It is hope that you can and see yourself having purpose and making a difference. Having hope is having positivity, it heightens your awareness of your own inner motivation and what you need to see yourself thrive and attach toward growing opportunities. It allows you to create an environment for your community to strive for excellence as it provides you with an outlook to concentrate and emphasize on the positive with an instinctual knowing that everything will unfold as necessary and that there is opportunity within.

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