When even mistakes are great lessons

MOST companies state that innovation is a key priority, often without being aware of what this really means. From a business standpoint, innovation involves implementing creative ideas that add value to the company - often through the development of new products and services that lead to increased revenues, or improved processes that help to reduce operational costs. What strategies can businesses put in place to allow innovation to be more than just a buzzword? Mentor John shares his thoughts:

Can I learn to be more innovative? What specific skill sets and behaviour should I nurture if I wish to increase innovation by increasing my CQ (Creativity Quotient)?

Innovation in a business is a culture that pervades the whole thinking of those who run it and those who work in it. It is not, as so many appear to think, a 'department' of freaky people. So rule No 1, if you want to increase your innovation, is to work with innovative people. The common characteristic of such people is their incessant curiosity and their never-ending questions. Lee Kuan Yew was such a person. He wanted to know the history of, reasons for and potential of everything he heard about. When you have that kind of enquiring mind, you innovate.