Innovation is one of the oldest functions in human beings’ history even though it might sound new, modern term because it is hyped in business in every field, and highlighted to be a crucial thing for businesses to survive in a continuously changing world including example, globalization, technological and knowledge revolutions and climate change issues. (Shalaby 2022 and Slimane 2015.) Innovation is required to be able to survive in business and life, that is the fundamental of innovation. In fact, according to Shalaby (2022), innovation is just another term for problem-solving. 

When thinking of innovation as a problem solving, it sounds to hear more approachable activity, a normal function of people’s lives, that it is, very strongly. We are solving certain problems every day all the time. Shalaby (2022) emphasizes that the human being is a natural innovator because innovation is problem-solving. Therefore, it is a flaw to think that some are innovators type of persons and some aren’t. Everyone is naturally an innovator, but only have different types of qualifications and strengths regarding it. That’s why Shalaby (2022) emphasize thinking, what kind of innovator you are, what your ability to innovate and how this ability can be shared with other people. When thinking about these questions, need to take into consideration cognitive functions as well as where and with whom we have been from earlier life till the present. These can be considered for example, as current knowledge, skills, experience, ethics, values, motivations and social skills. (Shalaby 2022). 

The human being as natural innovator

According to Shalaby, there are two kinds of information, and human beings tend to use one of them more than the other. Those two kinds of information are perceived information by sensory processes and information by an intuitive process in mind. “Sensory people” can process physical information, like sound, smell, touch, taste, sight and somatosensory receptors over the body. Shalaby calls this kind of information tangible information, the reality that happened already in the past, and emphasises that this kind of people are great in attachment to physical reality. (Shalaby 2022, 3.) Some people are better at dealing with invisible information, for example, thinking about the future. These “intuitive people” can handle abstract situations, read between the lines and imagine visions. (Shalaby 2022, 3.)

Additionally, Shalaby (2022) notes that there is also one principle that needs to be taken into consideration regarding decision-making, with two natural preferences. Those are intellectual thinking and emotional thinking. Shalaby emphasizes that we all prefer to use one over the other. 

The environmental aspect of your innovative skills

As Shalaby (2022) suggest, we are affected by our history and environment which affects our innovation skills and abilities. But innovation is possible for everyone, need to just understand how to do it in the way that best suits you. For example, I have always thought myself to be “not that innovative person”. It might come from the fact that I have lived my life surrounded by family and friends who can create new ideas all the time and it feels that they can solve problems in the most creative way that I could even imagine. Or, that when there have been situations where innovation has been needed, I haven’t been able to apply ideas as quickly as others. That made me think that I might not be an innovative person, and innovation is something that is not my cup of tea. During my Proakatemia journey, I have learned more about innovation and understand that it is not an unreachable activity that is available only for some people and in fact, it is delivering a solution to a given task, like Shalaby (2022) says: problem-solving.

Regarding innovation challenges and problem-solving tasks in teams, it is crucial to understand what kind of innovators in the team exist. What is your natural way to deal with information? How about, intellectual or emotional decision-making? It’s important to remember that there aren’t better or worse ways to deal with information, and a team needs every type of personality to be versatile problem solvers. Being aware of one’s own strengths and natural powers is the key to shining in innovation tasks as well as enjoying them more.

References:

Shalaby, A. Know how to learn innovation your style.