Being First Does Not Mean Being the Most Successful

Ever heard the phrase "The early bird catches the worm?"

Well, as true as that might be in parts of life, it does not necessarily ring true in business. We can often feel that as leaders we need to be the first to market, the first with innovation - well, yes that can be great. But never forget that many companies such as Google, Pampers - even the iPod from Apple were not the first to market.

What these companies did was to build on the innovation - to build on an idea and then deliver something innovative for consumers. They usually simplified the experience.

The lesson is that don't dismiss an idea because it is not "new". Think about how you can create a better experience for the consumer, for the employee.......the slightly later bird may catch an even juicier worm!

How do you inspire innovation?

Do you ask for ideas? Do you hold creative sessions? Or do you speak like Jeff Immelt of GE who asked his teams for

"breath-taking, mind blogging, word rattling, technological innovation"

Now that is inspiring talk, that is helping people not to have an idea but to have a dream....to create something special. Both approaches are asking in reality for the same thing, but one uses words that stir emotion, that stir the company to want to create success.

What is Your Nascar?

When IDEO wanted to redesign an operating room, it found insights from the NASCAR team. The way that the team worked together safely and quickly, despite the time constraints.

Too often managers think that they have to come up with the solution...not so, what you have to do is recognise the problem, or even better the potential problem, and search for a solution. That search should not be limited to you, to your team. Look outside to other departments within your firm and also other firms that face similar issues...what is your NASCAR?

If it ain't broke...fix it!

Often we wait until something is broken before we fix it....why not fix it before it is broken.

A great example is Dick Fosbury. People had a way of teaching the high jump - it worked. But Dick Fosbury reinvented the method. He developed a revolutionary approach that took high jump to ...new heights!

He didn't have exceptional strength or speed but what he had was a revolutionary approach that brought him a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics.

He did not listen to the critics, the people who banned the technique...he believed in his ability to create a new method that would help him achieve his dream

Do you wait until it is broke, or do you challenge the norm, do you challenge yourself and your team to continue improving?

Understanding why people reject your idea

A great example from history is Galileo who claimed that the sun was at the centre of the solar system. Did everyone celebrate the idea, did people welcome this thought, did he get promoted(!) at his next appraisal?

Far from it, he faced persecution from the Church. Why? Was it the idea that they rejected, no it was how the idea made them feel, it would not have mattered what was at the centre they were thrown as someone was advocating a theory that was different to theirs.....years go by and the principle stays true.

Make sure that you understand that to be successful in convincing people of an idea, you must address their feelings, their preconceived ideas, their sense of holding on to the past. Then present the idea as a solution to an existing problem - not as a revolutionary idea that will change the centre of their universe.

People reject what they don't understand, they fear big change...to get an idea accepted you need to ease the audience into the future....

It is how you develop and learn that is important

A little story.

This boy grew up in the countryside, left school at 11 to work on the farm. He was dyslexic and had never been away from his community. He couldn't read or write. Did he resign to his fate or did he succeed in his dreams?

He succeeded and built a multi million pound company, how did I know? He was my dad.

He always said that it was not what you were taught that was important, it was what you learned. It was not the knowledge that you had, it was how you used it.

Often we can focus on what development we have not received....well, with the world of the internet this is an excuse not a reality. To succeed at work you need to evolve your learning, evolve your thinking and practice, practice, practice.

You are your own barrier.....if you want to succeed you can, if you think you won't, you won't...

As Dad always said "The world of business is always looking for new ideas, new ways of working, new products....no body could have taught me about them, as they didn't exist. I learned to watch the world, see the problems then think of a solution and sell it. I didn't need to be educated to do that, it would have been great but it has never held me back because I have never let it"