Innovation is usually the opposite of the status quo, yet we tend to cling to it.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, heaven and earth were moved to conquer the skies. The military, in particular, saw enormous potential in motorized flying machines to gain a strategic advantage over potential aggressors. For instance, the U.S. military hired the renowned scientist and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Dr. Samuel Pierpont Langley, and provided him with all the necessary funding.
Although they were aware that successful test flights had probably already been conducted by the Wright brothers in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, this was dismissed as a fable. After all, they were just bicycle makers and did not have the esteemed reputation of someone like Langley.
By sticking to the status quo, the Department of Defense, led by Langley, had to face years of failures. They only approached the Wright brothers after the French military showed interest.
Why are we so inclined to stick to the status quo and place so much value on someone’s 'knowledge' and 'reputation' when true innovation often comes from entirely different corners?
Searching for Innovation in the Wrong Places
Although many companies and entrepreneurs claim to be innovative, it is more often luck than wisdom when they actually bring something new to the market. This is usually not due to unwillingness, but incompetence, as they do exactly what hinders innovation. It's like trying to set a speed record with one foot on the brake. It is time to identify what this brake symbolically represents.
Clinging to Familiarity and Safety
People and organizations often feel more comfortable with familiar names and established reputations because these are seen as safe and reliable. This reduces the perception of risks.
Authority and Hierarchy
When an expensive consultant or a respected colleague says something, it is often valued more than the ideas of an unknown person. This is also a form of covering oneself in case something goes wrong. The manager can then say that they were advised in the best possible way, thus never being entirely blamed for a failure.
Cognitive Bias
People tend to interpret information in a way that confirms their existing beliefs. This phenomenon, known as confirmation bias, ensures that new and unknown ideas are often rejected in favor of traditional views.
Limited Imagination
Innovation often requires the ability to think outside the box and envision something entirely new. Many people and organizations lack this imagination or do not dare to take the associated risks.
Innovation Lies in the Least Expected Corners
Thomas Edison is seen as one of the greatest inventors in the world and found solutions to countless problems. When he was once asked what a particular invention was intended for, he replied, "This is an invention for a problem that does not yet exist!"
True innovation involves experimenting, seeing things that are not yet there, and daring to ignore reality. It also involves the courage to fail, recognizing the value of it, and learning the right lessons from it.
This is an invention for a problem that does not yet exist!
The same Thomas Edison once said, "I have not failed 1,000 times. I've found 1,000 ways that won't work." This reflects his unwavering perseverance and his view on the innovation learning process.
Daring to look in the least expected corners comes with trial and error.
Every failure can lead to great discovery and innovation.
Many credit the creation of the iPad and iPhone to Steve Jobs, but the truth is that it was the often-criticized and much more pragmatic John Sculley who laid the foundation. In 1993, Apple introduced the Newton MessagePad. It was a colossal failure due to (price) technical reasons, but it did inspire what would later become the iPhone and iPad.
Another complete failure was the invention by Dr. Spencer Silver and Art Fry at 3M. Silver tried to create a super-strong adhesive but failed and instead created a weak, reusable adhesive. Fry found an application for this adhesive by using it as bookmarks in his hymnbook. This failed adhesive led to one of the world's most popular office supplies, which we now call Post-it Notes.
Another remarkable example is the discovery of the pacemaker by Wilson Greatbatch. In 1956, Greatbatch was working on a device to record heart sounds when he accidentally placed the wrong resistor in the circuit. The device started emitting a regular pulsing electrical signal, leading to the development of the pacemaker. This discovery, which arose from a mistake, has saved countless lives and is a cornerstone of modern cardiology.
By giving employees the space to experiment and make mistakes, the greatest discoveries can emerge that would otherwise never be made. Instead of embracing the status quo and seeking safety in renowned experts, it is often better to let innovation flourish through people who are not hindered by existing knowledge or guidelines. Innovation is, after all, transcending what most people consider the standard.
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