The 5 principles of innovation
As The Practice of Leadership blog points out, the Center for Creative Leadership has developed the following 5 principles that form the essence of innovation. In short, these five principles give life to the process of innovation:
(1) Innovation starts when people convert problems to ideas. New ideas are born through questions, problems and obstacles. The process of innovation is indebted to the trouble that comes about when we are surrounded by that which is not solved, not smooth and not simple.
(2) Innovation needs a system. All organizations have innovation systems. Some are formal, designed by the leadership, and some are informal, taking place outside established channels.
(3) Passion is the fuel, and pain is the hidden ingredient. Ideas do not propel themselves; passion makes them go.
(4) Co-locating drives effective exchange. Co-location refers to physical proximity between people. It is a key for building the trust that is essential to the innovation process. It also increases the possibility for greater exchange of information, cross-fertilization of ideas, stimulation of creative thinking in one another and critique of ideas during their formative stage.
(5) Differences should be leveraged. The differences that normally divide people — such as language, culture, race, gender and thinking and problem solving styles — can be a boon to innovation.
[image: Center for Creative Leadership in Colorado Springs]