25 Small Steps to Your Innovation Calling
Friday, June 7th, 2013
Innovation requires tons of personal energy and professional will. In the best case it flows from a deep attachment to a particular problem or opportunity. Something about the challenge or how you see approaching it stirs your heart, mind or soul. In short, the most effective innovators are energized by a calling.
Finding or creating an innovation calling takes time. And you need certain skills and habits of mind to do it. While you most likely won’t find it by reading a book you can cultivate the skills and habits needed to eventually develop one. At least that is the spirit behind an assignment I give in my graduate class in the Foundations of Leadership at Northwestern University.
The work is guided by a set of 25 knowledge cards (example to the left) that students access from NewHabits a free iPhone and iPad App or from a private social networking site. The knowledge cards describe a proven practice for getting in touch with your innovation calling. The idea is to build these practices into your daily routine until they form habits.
While each card is only one small step toward finding your innovation calling the steps can add up. To see this effective check out a log recently created by a student documenting some 20 small steps. An excerpt is shown below.
After using the deck for a month the student concludes:
“The deck has all the elements to develop a leadership calling. To put it broadly, find something you are passionate about (stir mind, heart, soul). Find an opportunity to create value and follow through on the compassion. All of the cards are very doable (take two minutes, find one way, make a short list, etc.) and will be useful as I progress in my career.”
Give the calling cards a try and let me know how they work. What idea do you find so compelling that must take action on it?
