Hit Refresh: Address Assumptions and Realities In Your Innovation Workshops

The more things change, the more they stay the same...and practice makes perfect. Both adages are slightly over-used and possibly tired. They're still worth reflecting on. I conduct workshops that focus on shaking out insights and igniting the imagination.

I work with brilliant people - and sometimes, they need to give themselves permission to "not know all the answers". That's when they can make the leap into the unknown.

This takes practice. When you're with brilliant people, you'll need to go through the process a few times before you can get them beyond their "faves" and the things "they've always said we should do" - those assumptions and prejudices that stand in the way of getting to real innovation. A few sessions in, the real game-changers will start to come out.

Here are some questions to use in a workshop:

• Review the obvious, and not so obvious trends in consumer life, the world and in your industry - what do they truly mean? 
• What is a "day in the life"your target consumer? Don't just download the latest research report - have your participants go ask a few carefully thought out question to the folks around them.
• What "Problem Statements" do you really want to answer, given the possibilities and scenarios that those trends and client journeys suggest?
• What are your core assumptions about how, when, where your products and services are used - and could the opposite be true with some innovation?

That set of discussions can drive to real ideas...and now PRIORITIZE. It's important to make things happen. Don't fall in love with all your ideas, chose the ones you can/ want to drive and then DO IT!!!

Remember - prototype, and make the organization SEE AND FEEL the change you want to unleash. Make it about more than the words and the numbers, and you'll be doing an end-run around the blockers.  

Do this...or the more you try to make things change, the more they'll stay the same!