People don't understand innovation.

Article Summary

John S Veitch
The Network Ambassador

People don't understand innovation. Very few firms are innovative.
There's more to innovation than thinking outside the square or brainstorming for ideas.
Innovation requires the delivery of practical results. Innovation begins with many small seemingly insignificant things.
Innovators ask more questions and to persist longer in the process of finding suitable answers. Innovation is often just hard and uncertain and messy.
Innovation always starts with a vague idea, and only work by the champion can make that idea plain and clear.
Opportunities only exist if you have previously made yourself ready. It's a fact that only those who are prepared, or "ready" can "see" new opportunity early.
Ask better questions, work in a purposeful way. Keep trying to do things that will be useful or valuable: learn.
Innovation is not just about ideas, although ideas are important. There is opportunity for innovation in the most humble places.
Innovation demands the help of people who will produce the product, and people who will use or buy the product. Innovators must be communicators.
Companies have proven many times that a focus on innovation can save cost, not in an easily identifiable dramatic way, but by making 100's of little savings.
In the same way substantial improvements in the product and the output can be developed over time by lots of small progressive changes.
Opportunities for innovation are most often lost because people don't understand what innovation is, and they don't know how to get innovation flowing.
Talking about "thinking outside the box" and even discussing "innovation" isn't very useful.
People look for innovation in the wrong places. When it stares them in the face they don't see it.

If you need the original article it's here.