Myths That Inhibit Innovation

The first step on the way to inspiring innovation is to ruthlessly expunge the romantic myths that surround it — they often stop us from seeing the fresh ideas that are right in front of us. Here are four of the biggest myths about innovation, along with tips for seeing your way around them:



Myth #1: Innovation Involves Quantum Leaps. According to this myth, innovation must be transformative. The PC was a quantum leap innovation, as were the printing press and the automobile. But there aren’t many of these. Furthermore, quantum leaps typically involve high costs and huge risks. The better alternative? Think constant, incremental improvement.

Myth #2: Only Geeks May Apply. We’re constantly told that engineers are the only people who make important innovations. But there are many other sources of ideas. Be open to all these sources. Innovators are people who pay attention, not just geeks cooped up in cubicles.

Myth #3: Innovation Requires Off-Sites with Geniuses. Much has been written about Nathan Myhrvold’s Intellectual Ventures, the company he started after retiring from Microsoft. He gets all his super-smart pals to read scientific papers and then convene to solve Big Problems. So far, they’ve filed over 500 patents — but where are the businesses? Ideas are cheap, functional companies and real products are hard. Or, as Steve Jobs said, “real artists ship.” Forget the geniuses; give thinking time to your staff instead.

Myth #4: Innovators Are a Special Breed. According to this myth, to be innovative, you need to hire an innovator with a track record. But beware: just like stocks, past performance is no guarantee for the future. Even Steven Spielberg has made flops. The romantic belief in the power of individual creative geniuses won’t make you smart, it will make you dependent. You’ll do better to cultivate creativity as a process. Oh and by the way: your customers are fantastic sources of ideas, if you know how to talk to them.

If you work from the assumption that every person in your organization is capable of having a good idea, then you have to ask yourself a serious question: What is stopping that idea from contributing to your organization? It may be mythology. It may be processes. It may be individuals. It might even be you. What are you going to do about that? Where are your next innovations going to come from?