“You see things and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were, and I say, ‘Why not?’ “
George Bernard Shaw
Network marketers are unconventional by definition. We defy the norm by working from our homes, by refusing to bend to the whims of an employer, by steadfastly insisting on our freedom and happily accepting the risks and consequences of that insistence. As I stated in an earlier article, we are the new face of non-traditional employment.
All that exhilarating bucking of convention, however, doesn’t mean that we don’t occasionally find ourselves stuck in the same old ruts as anyone else who works for a living. Using creativity to find new solutions to old problems is something at which, I believe, we are inherently great. It’s in our nature – we are think-outside-of-the box people. Some of us know this about ourselves, and others need a gentle nudge to realize their potential for innovation. It’s a mindset thing; it’s problem solving with the end goal being new ideas that are elegant in their simplicity.
“Why not?” challenges the status quo. Isn’t it just so much more fun and energizing to tap into your creativity to get past the problem and into a solution? It’s also just the tiniest bit rebellious, too, and doesn’t that feel deliciously wicked? Although solitary innovation certainly has its place (think Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford), problem solving is at its most effective when played as a “team sport”. Dilemmas present opportunities for you and your team to collaborate for a single purpose. An exchange of ideas and engagement of lateral thinking skills among people of diverse cultures and backgrounds, with one common goal, results most often in empowerment, contagious optimism and innovation. It is a direct attack on the fatalists who say, “Oh, that can’t be done!” or “We thought of that but just knew it wouldn’t work.”
Toyota’s commitment to the environment is a prime example of the kind of innovation that teamwork can enhance. In researching innovation, I stumbled across a page on the car maker’s website (http://toyotawhynot.com/ – /home) that, with a model of a small community, showcases Toyota’s dedication to environmentally-friendly production. It illustrates, separately and with links to more information, Toyota’s efforts to save energy, preserve public lands, reduce water consumption in its manufacturing processes and develop technology to help keep our air cleaner. I’ve not seen an illustration quite like that before, and it was elegant in its simplicity and creativity.
We can keep our businesses fresh, endlessly interesting and on the creative cutting edge by keeping in mind that thinking outside-the-box and realizing that we, singularly or as a team, are the engine for innovation. And I say, “Why not?”
For innovative resources see http://palmettobizpro.com
For further reading:
Leader’s Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills: Unlocking Creativity and Innovation in You and Your Team, Paul Sloane
Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift
On Toyota: New York Times Magazine, February 18, 2007 http://tinyurl.com/dl6h8c
