5 tips to make your business more innovative
Innovation Day (Sunday 16th February) was created to represent and inspire business owners to reach greater heights. It’s designed to bring attention to those who aren’t just producing new technology, but those who are pushing the envelope on what could be done and what is possible.
Companies all over the world are constantly innovating – or so we think. A study of 1,000 workplaces, conducted by RADA in Business*, finds 81% of workplaces have failed to create a culture that encourages new ideas and experimentation, according to their staff. With innovation being such a buzzword in this fast-paced world, it’s become a crucial part to any business – big or small. Kevin Riley, a business growth specialist from ActionCOACH Warwick, knows all too well the challenge local businesses are facing.
“Businesses have to evolve and innovate every single day,” says Kevin. “If they don’t, they’ll see everyone else around them is moving forwards. If you don’t keep up, not only will your business stand still, it will actually retreat from the competition. One way to innovate in your business is to think of it as a living, breathing entity – introduce new methods, ideas or products to give it life.”
Here are Kevin’s top tips on making your business more innovative:
1. Teach someone something. There’s nothing better than relaying your expertise onto someone else, enabling them to grow. As a business owner or team leader, you should be present and nothing sends that signal stronger than taking your time to teach someone something.
2. Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is infectious and promotes creativity. If you’re excited, that usually resonates throughout the rest of the team. What’s more, you should have a space where employees can voice their ideas in a safe and comfortable environment. The more at ease they feel to make suggestions and come up with ideas, the more of them you’ll see – that’s a promise!
3. Tell someone they did a good job. As humans, it’s natural to want to feel like we’re doing the right thing. And appraisal is an important part of that. If a member of your team does something that is worthy of a pat on the back, then do it. There’s no greater satisfaction than feeling appreciated for what you do.
4. Communicate in a way that suits the individual. People work in a whole manner of ways and your approach to how you communicate with them should reflect that. It’s becoming increasingly important to be on the same level as employees to ensure you optimise operations and encourage ideas.
5. Talk about the future. Looking ahead is key to any business - your employees should be on that journey with you. They’ll feel like a valued member of the team and will be more likely to stick around for the long term if you communicate what you hope to achieve for the business as a whole.
Kevin adds: “All of these aspects promote a more feedforward approach, rather than feedback. Einstein’s definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results. How do expect to reach the next level if you simply don’t change the system?”
Kevin is inviting business owners to his monthly BusinessCLUB where solo entrepreneurs can benefit from the advice and expertise of each other. His next event is at the Pure Offices in Leamington on 20th February, with your first session being free. To find out more, visit warwick.actioncoach.co.uk
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For more information, or to speak with Kevin directly, please contact Liam on 07395 641 523 or liam@revpr.co.uk
Images attached: Kevin Riley speaking at one of his business coaching events.
Sources:
* “All the workplace is a stage” by RADA Business.