“This I Believe: INSIGHT is the catalyst for all innovation.” - Growth Strategies 10

“This I Believe: INSIGHT is the catalyst for all innovation. However, it is poorly understood and many times doesn’t even make it into the conversation. Properly understood and nurtured, it is the secret weapon to high-value innovation.”

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I believe that standard idea generation processes produce less than sterling results. The bar is set too high (must be a full idea), and expert patterns are many times not broken. This results in the obvious ideas and under-utilizes the creative capacity of an organization. We must focus first on insight.

Keys to a better idea-generating INSIGHT-focused culture and process include:

• Volume. We can’t build with materials we don’t have. Those that consistently generate ideas are those that have seen (and paid attention to) a bunch of insights (they have a LOT in the mind to pull from).
• Diversity. It’s tough to get “outside the box” when you live in the box all the time. The more variety of things you see, the better your chances. This leads to valuable intersections (Medici Effect).
• Seeing Things. We must learn to really “see’ things. Pay attention to anything that “outlies.” Store these up for the future.
• Appreciate/Encourage the mess. Let’s face it; this “insight leading to idea generation” part of the innovation process is messy and difficult to “manage.” It is easier to focus on the more left-brained aspects…but we leave a lot on the table.

“This I Believe: INSIGHT is the catalyst for all innovation. However, it is poorly understood and many times doesn’t even make it into the conversation. Properly understood and nurtured, it is the secret weapon to high-value innovation.”

About Allan
Allan S. Jones, Ph.D.
Founder, Puffin Innovations and Discovery Ice Cream
Former Director of Innovation at W.R. Grace
Former Global Director of R&D at W.R. Grace
Innovation Expert, Entrepreneur, Consultant and Lecturer

Allan’s innovation consulting flows from his life’s work and love as an inventor, product developer, entrepreneur, and innovation process leader. He has developed new plastics, coatings, robot systems and an ice cream franchise. He consults with big and small businesses, from Fortune 500 firms to small construction companies and machine shops. Allan and wife Kathleen have six kids and reside in East Tennessee.