Funky Innovators

It is really true, and I am a firm believer of this saying – “ We learn something new everyday”.  

The learning’s may not always be profound. The learning’s most often than not are actually experiences in humility.  But once in a while you are treated to learning that is something really new and exciting.

Having worked so long with Operational Policies, Regulatory Guidelines, and tons of Control Procedures, one tends to be critical when it comes to the topic of “Breakthrough Innovations”.

It really takes a leap of faith into the realm of the unknown to get yourself into the groove of imaginative or innovative thinking.

Today, we were asked to be little children again.  Today we were taught to ask “HOW” instead of “WHY”.  It is in asking more of the “how’s” and not minding much of the “why’s” we  are reined back to think innovatively like most children.  By focusing more on how a concept can be improved rather than rationalizing a concept can we make our selves really think out-of-the-box.

Most inventions are made out of necessity. Great inventions are stumbled upon by accident..  While the goal of an  innovation is to take a necessity to the next level, it is sometimes achieved by serendipity or a “fortunate accident” to make that breakthrough.  This is where the culture of experimentation is encouraged to make fortunate accidents turn out to be innovation.  In the culture of experimentation, we are allowed to make mistakes.  The mistakes are lessons in themselves so we may build upon  positive reinforcements.

To really take matters into a different and higher level, we were taught to be “Funky Innovators”.  I admit I was taken aback when I heard the concept. But hey, this is not the day for rationalization so I just took it in stride.  It’s the day of the “How’s” so we all gave it a shot.  In “Funky Innovators”, you were given an existing  product or a service and you are asked to innovate that product or service in two hours time.  Jeez, not much lead time since the textbook says it normally takes fifteen days to accomplish such a daunting task.  

To be a “Funky Innovator”, you and your team mates put in their crazy ideas on innovation one after the other and you build on them like blocks. The crazier the idea, the better it is for the product.  There are no out-of-bounds for ideas for they are only concepts.  We all had a blast innovating on an existing product because we were not bound by budget and  physics. We just kept building on the “how’s” and not minding the “why’s”. 

In the end, we came up with an innovation concept of a product that is not only “funky” but what can be called a “Wicked-Cool-Innovation”.

I learned a lot of things today.

1.For me, the business side of innovation could not be made possible without taking brave steps into the unknown and  

not being afraid to try new things.

2. Teachers only transfer knowledge while true Educators prepare us for life’s ever changing events.

3.  Even though you are aging in birth years, you are not necessarily getting wiser.

4. Every once in a while, you should get in touch with the “child” within yourself and you will see fresh perspectives in an 

otherwise gloomy world.

The bell shrills and it’s 6:00 pm, classes over. Finished or not finished, it’s time to pass the paper.

Ocean Deep

We have been taught a new management approach in dealing with Market Innovation called the  “Blue Ocean” concept. 

In this topic, you are taught not to lock horns with your business rivals or what is known as a “price-war” to get market share.

The concept of Blue Ocean starts with “scanning the waters” or checking the industry where you are presently competing with others.  After you have plotted where you are versus the rest of industry, do an honest assessment of your product or service, meaning you do a SWOT(strength,weakness,opportunity,threat) analysis. After doing your SWOT, determine if there is a unserviced market that your competitors have not yet tapped yet. If you can find that “unserviced market” then you have found your Blue Ocean or an opportunity where you are not directly competing with your business rivals but can get more market-share. 

In the Blue Ocean concept, you do not have to engage in a price-war otherwise your product or service begins to be a commodity.  In the Blue Ocean concept, you find innovations in your product or service so you can differentiate your self from the rest of the pack and be a leader in a potentially untapped market. 

This strategy is not limited to business concerns but also in your personal lives.  If a guy is trying to win the battle of “hearts and mind”  for a very special woman and there are several key competitors, the “Blue Ocean” concept can be applied. How is it done? Study the competition.  Look at their common traits, styles, and approaches.  Do your SWOT and look for things they haven’t covered yet.  If the woman is always getting the gifts, flowers and fancy dates, you may want to try a different approach.  It maybe old fashioned but try writing good “love letters” ( in ink, paper, hand-written). It worked for Pepe Rizal in the late 1900’s, why shouldn’t it work for Pepe Smith at the dawn of  Y2010. That’s differentiation for you, in a novel way of course.