Are you one of those people who are always thinking out of the box? That signals you are an innovative thinker.
An innovative thinker likes to break away from traditional ideas and patterns and offers new thinking solutions instead. They have original ideas and a non-conventional approach to finding answers to complex issues.
The world is moving toward Artificial Intelligence, and your job is probably threatened as well.
In that case, innovative thinking is the future. Computers are yet to think creatively and flexibly as humans do.
If you want to know more about innovative thinking and how you should develop it, keep reading below.
What Are Innovative Thinking Skills?
Innovative thinking can be natural for a few people. These creatives do not have to invest effort in offering new solutions.
However, it is also a skill that anyone can learn. It includes:
- Synthesis
- Creative Problem Solving
- Persuasion
- Originality
- Curiosity
- Critical Thinking
- Communication
Synthesis
Synthesis refers to using information from different resources to come to your conclusion. If you are already good at uniting separate ideas to make a new one, you may already have the skill for synthesis.
Creative Problem Solving
Creative Problem Solving involves dealing with a difficult situation and devising another plan when met with adversity.
This includes understanding what the problem really is to either solve it or finding out a new solution that works by addressing it. Creativity entails looking at the problem differently.
Creative individuals will put ideas into practice through various methods, and they will also appreciate group input to combine the ideas of other participants.
Persuasion
Persuasion involves a good amount of emotional intelligence. It is about what the people around you need and want and how you are able to convince them.
This is also a way of understanding your target audience’s and clients’ actual needs in order to present them with the most suitable product or service and establish better client relations.
Originality
Thinking of innovative ideas means that there is some originality involved. You appreciate and consider unique ideas and find new ways to implement them.
As an innovative thinker, you are among the first to come up with new approaches and original solutions.
Curiosity
Innovators are curious about everything. They will dig deeper into how or why certain situations arise and challenge conventional ways of solving problems.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking includes attitudes and emotions while solving a problem. It involves inductive and deductive reasoning to understand information and draw conclusions.
Evaluating and analyzing ideas from different perspectives and reflecting on them throughout the process is part of critical thinking.
Communication
Having innovative ideas is crucial, but conveying them effectively is even more important. Innovators are also able to motivate others and foster their creativity.
This can be achieved through verbal communication or email marketing strategies to reach out to the target audience through email effectively.
How Can You Develop Innovative Thinking Skills?
It takes time to develop skills, and practicing them consecutively is the only way forward. You will probably fail in your first few attempts.
But you will notice a gradual change in your thinking patterns over time.
Developing Innovative Thinking as an Individual
- Don’t self-censor: You need to build the habit of innovative thinking like a muscle and get rid of prior depreciating habits. Do not dismiss ideas immediately; test them or at least consider them and place your trust in them.
- Be imaginative by practicing dreaming: Innovators are creative people who daydream of several possibilities to develop unique solutions. Consider how life will look after solving a problem a certain way.
- Think in “What if” terms: When assessing a problem, think of what if’s in three different directions. Keep exploring till you come up with unique solutions to the problems.
Using Innovative Thinking In the Workplace
- Write down new ideas and share them with management: Once you have developed an innovative thinking muscle, keep writing new ideas down in a notebook. Share them with your manager whenever the need arises in a meeting.
- Act on your ideas: If you want to prove yourself in your workplace, practice your innovative solutions within your capacity. Use these to impact your company better, and they will notice.
- As for feedback or input on new ideas: If you are making small changes in your workplace, ask your boss for some feedback. You should also ask your colleagues for their input because innovative thinkers work best in groups of people rather than alone. Brainstorm ideas with colleagues and bring them to reality with your management’s support.
Summing Up
Innovative thinkers will be future leaders. Hence, develop this skill soon enough to gain recognition in your workplace.
Practice makes perfect, so keep practicing the skillset till you think you are qualified enough to present your unique solutions to your target audience.