When Apple unveils its iSlate in late January, the tablet computer will be just the latest wowing of the world by the pioneering computer company. With its iPhone, iPod, and MacBook laptops, plus the original Macintosh computer itself [and the “1984” TV commercial that pitched it], Apple’s innovation has changed technology — and the people who use it.
Often overlooked in these rollouts, though, has been the inspiration behind the products. How does a man — CEO Steve Jobs, who co-founded Apple with Steve Wozniak — foster such an upwelling of inspiration? How does a leader motivate teams in the organization and transform consumers into loyalists? More importantly, how can you foster such inspiration in your organization?
Before you can answer these big questions, you need to start with another: How inspired is your organization? In a survey on InnovationCoach.com, a Web site I created with tools and resources for innovators, I asked, “Which elements of an innovation process and/or culture are in place today?” Half the respondents answered “inspiration.” The good news was that half realized the need for inspiration. The bad news was that just as many didn’t recognize its importance or hadn’t put a process in place.
I’ve worked in innovation for 25 years, and over a 10-year span, I was charged with delivering at least one new product a year. In my new book, Robert’s Rules of Innovation, I captured the imperatives of how to create and sustain innovation. In writing the book and creating InnovationCoach.com, I’ve sought to encourage the creative spark that ignites broader thinking and inspiration, which are vital to the continued growth of any organization. But you must first identify its source within your organization and channel that wellspring.
Inspiration from Everywhere
Inspiration goes beyond the thinking that brought us various Apple products. Inspiration is the creative…