Is there a way of measuring someone’s talent for innovation?
In my previous post; ‘Your survival may rely on your ignorance’, I discussed Liz Wiseman’s great book: ‘Rookie Smarts’ where she proposes that in the emerging knowledge economy, new-comers; or ‘Rookies’, perform far better than their ‘expert’ colleagues. Wiseman’s research suggests that while the ‘expert’ can be have a narrow, fixed view based on previous knowledge and experience, the Rookie is open to and actively seeks out new ways of doing things.
At 56 some might regard me as an 'expert' and certainly that is what many of my clients are after, or think they are when they engage me and my company. But ironically, discovering new ways of tackling emerging problems, or being innovative, requires an ability to give up what you know, or think you do. And that is what we like to bring to our engagements. Like any other skill, an innovative, or Rookie mindset is something that can be learned.
How do you gauge or measure an individual’s inclination to innovation? Take Wiseman’s quiz:
http://rookiesmarts.com/rookie-smarts-resources/rookie-smarts-quiz/
http://www.stratsim.co.nz/new-blog/2016/8/1/your-survival-may-rely-on-your-ignorance