This week on the Digital Velocity Podcast, Carla Johnson, author of RE:Think Innovation, joins Erik and Tim to discuss how using the Perpetual Innovation Process can help individuals and companies deliver exceptional results by learning and applying more creativity and innovative thinking.
The most fundamental part of understanding innovation is defining yourself, or your company. Carla explains,
“The first thing that I start to do when I work with companies…is ask that organization, let’s create a common agreed upon, acceptable definition of what innovation is. Innovation is a word that’s kind of bastardized. People use it all over the time. It’s cliche…It’s a word without meaning because it’s been so overused and used in completely irrelevant ways. So, the first thing I say is if you want people to perform an action, you have to define what that action is.”
Innovation isn’t something innate. It can be cultured through discipline and practice. Carla says,
“…the short answer is that yes, it is something that people can learn and apply, and it doesn’t have to be in situations where you’re looking at big innovation with a capital I, capital letters all the way through like we think of disruptive innovation. Part of rethinking innovation is the size and the scope of what we consider innovation, and that’s a big part of what I want people to understand.”
Once the innovation process is learned, it can continue to be applied repeatedly. Carla says,
“…the whole idea behind calling it the Perpetual Innovation Process is because it’s in a circle. It’s not something you do one and done. It’s not about the ability to come up with an idea in a situation. It’s the ability to perpetually do it over and over again. Just like a flywheel. So, once you get that momentum going, it’s just a matter of how you approach the work that you do every day.”
Listen to this week’s episode to learn more about the 5-Step Perpetual Innovation Process and how it can lead to more creative thinking.
About the Guest:
Carla Johnson helps organizations constrained by old-school approaches when taking on new-world opportunities. These companies struggle with unpredictability, frustrating inefficiencies, and a shortfall of results. They point fingers and say they have the wrong people, the wrong strategy, or the wrong product. But in reality, it’s outdated methods.
As the world’s leading Innovation Architect and CEO of RE:Think Labs, Carla helps organizations design and build the ideal architecture to accelerate innovation, engagement, and growth. Having written 10 books and studied both innovation and architecture for more than 20 years, she’s developed specific frameworks to help leaders remodel their approaches in order to boost speed, reduce risk, and enjoy more predictable outcomes.
After collaborating with Carla and her team, clients experience modernized cultures that help them rise to the challenges of the day. By renovating the internal environment to meet current opportunities and challenges, she equips leaders and employees to innovate better outcomes, faster. This streamlined and creative approach leads to greater engagement, expanded competitive advantages, and sustainable shareholder value