Tip #1: Expand the diversity of your network
Diversify you network
Identify and have a dialogue with people most different from you.
List the top-ten people you would typically talk with if you were trying to get or refine a new idea
How many people have a background or perspective that is likely to be very different from yours?
- How many were teenagers
- How many were older than 75
- How many were born and grew up in diff country
- How many were from different socio-economic group than yours
Tip #2: Start a “mealtime networking plan”
Plan to have a meal with someone from diff background at least once each week.
#actionItem - see Keith Ferrazzi’s book Never Eat Alone
Tip #3: Plan to attend at least two conferences in the next year:
One is on your area of expertise and the other on different one. Make an effort to meet new people and get to know what problems and issues they were facing. Ask for their ideas and perspectives on problems and issues you are wrestling with.
Tip #4: Start a Creative community
Identify a few founding members who you believe are open to discussing new ideas and who you think will stimulate your creative thinking. Decide on a creative place to meet where you can exchange ideas and develop new ones. Meet regularly (at least monthly) to discuss trends and new ideas.
Tip #5: Invite an outsider:
Bring in a smart person with a different background to have lunch with you or your team once each week. Ask him about your innovation challenges and get his or her perspectives on your ideas. Or hold on an open house for ideas, inviting 2 to 4 people from a variety of perspectives, including non experts who are new to a situation, to present their ideas and viewpoints.
Being in a new environment allow us to ask dumb questions about how and why things work
Tip #6: Cross-train with experts:
Find experts in diff functions, industry or geographic regions and sit in on their traing sessions and meeting to experinece their work and world. - to get new ways to challenge fundamental assumptions in the other industry.