The New IQ – Innovation Quotient

Do you have what it takes to be an innovator?  Its NOT as simple of question to ask as many think. Experts have been attempting to develop tests to identify those individuals who can have significant innovation impact on an organization. What some are calling the Innovation Quotient (IQ). One word of caution: I’m not a believer that any test result is deterministic. Use the following test to determine your strengths and weaknesses and then commit yourself to work on those areas you need to improve.  Have the confidence to know that you are creative and can create game-changing innovations.

IQ innovation quotient

Section 1: The IQ (Innovation Quotient) Test

1) Which of the following can you honestly say is a true statement about yourself (check all that apply)

a) I know the colors of all my friends eyes
b) I am comfortable with ambiguity
c) I know what all of the options are on my smartphone are for
d) I often change the options on my smartphone and can tell the difference

2) True or False: I routinely solicit, listen to and act upon feedback from a wide range of people – not just friends, family or direct co-workers.

3) Every day you take a walk outdoors.  You carry with you a notebook and pencil.  After a month, your notebook is filled with (select one):

RELATED:   Richardson Innovation Quarter (IQ)

a) Thoughts and opinions
b) Several “to do” lists
c) Drawings and doodles
d) Phone number and email addresses

4) Bellow are four statements.  Rank each statement depending on how true it is about you.  “4” means generally true while “1” means generally false.

a) In conversations, I frequently use the words “totally”, “always”, “must”, “never” and “absolutely”
b) I frequently end conversations with an unanswered question
c) I frequently use the words “maybe”, “perhaps”, “depends”. “sometimes” and “relatively”
d) I frequently end conversations with a definitive statement

5) To help get money for a project, I should (select one):

a) consult with my boss and follow the official procedure
b) ask my boss and if I don’t get an outright “no” – work my connections to make it happen

6) True or false

a) In 1993, two executives from Rubbermaid toured an exhibit of Egyptian antiquities at the British Museum.  They came away with 11 specific ideas, including some derived from Pharaoh’s kitchen utensils.
b) a 3M employee came up with the idea for Post-It notes after using slips of paper to mark the hymn’s he sang in church.
c) The first woman known to become a millionaire from one of her ideas was African American  named Madam C.J. Walker.  She invented hair straightener in 1905.
d) The actress Hedy Lamare, an innovator of on-screen nudity, received a patent in 1942 for helping to invent the radio controlled torpedo.

RELATED:   Richardson Innovation Quarter (IQ)

Answers are below

Section 2:  Listener Questions

  1. The value of participating in the PDMA (Product Development Management Association)
  2. Finding it difficult to come up with wild/disruptive ideas, especially for services rather than tangible products.
  3. How do you manage to have a podcast among everything else you do both professionally and personally?

Link to August 19th podcast MP3 audio

 

Answer Key For The Innovation Quotient (IQ) Test

  1. 1 point for each that you can say “yes” to (4 points max)
  2. True (2 points)
  3. C (2 points)
  4. B & C – Add the ranking for B and C and device by 2 for your points (3.5 points max)
  5. B (2 points)
  6. True to all – 1 points each (4 points max)

What Does it Mean?

> 14 points = Master Innovator
10 – 14 points = Moving Up
5 – 10 points = Need to work it it some more
< 5 points = Long way to go but not hopeless

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