It was pleasing to see Sir John Armitt in his inaugural speech identifying innovation as a key need for the Construction Industry to move forward. Most businesses realise that innovation is key to survival and with global competition there are more and more reasons to be on ones toes.
However, innovation is not as easy as it sounds, and Sir John did identify the role of Clients in the process. But to even be able to offer innovative solutions it may be worth borrowing some wisdom from others to get us started…..
- Before you break rules, you had better learn them – Noel Coward
We must ensure we have a sound level of expertise to enable us to challenge/ adapt our offerings and so deliver improved value to our customers.
- There’s a saying that you never ask an expert to innovate – It usually comes from someone who came in from the outside and has a combination of expertise in their field and ignorance of the limitations in the new field– Chris Boardman
I think quote is very revealing insomuch as it screams how important it is to ensure your mind is constantly been exposed to new and different ideas. Having an effective network plus ensuring you are widely read will give you the edge.
- Creativity is just connecting things – Steve Jobs
Whether it is quite literally connecting things or just joining the dots this quote outlines how important it is to spend ‘thinking time’. How else can you see the connections which may be sitting at the end of your nose???
Each quote has provided a slightly different perspective on innovation/ creativity and undoubtedly there are others to consider. Key is to realise that increasing your knowledge, and occasionally pushing the boundaries is not just good but the key to success.
Take the IPD+ challenge and get the IPD+ Roadshow to your Region to find out how you can get ahead in the innovation race.