Every so often I read an article that really hits home.Β This is one of them.Β In the post Professors Jeff Dyer of Brigham Young University and Hal Gregersen of Insead explain how the “Innovators’ DNA” works.Β The summary of their findings is encapsulated in the post, but the start of the article nailed it for me:
Β Interviewer: You conducted a six-year study surveying 3,000 creative executives and conducting an additional 500 individual interviews. During this study you found five “discovery skills” that distinguish them. What are these skills?
Dyer:
The first skill is what we call “associating.” It’s a cognitive skill that allows creative people to make connections across seemingly unrelated questions, problems, or ideas.
The second skill is questioning β an ability to ask “what if”, “why”, and “why not” questions that challenge the status quo and open up the bigger picture.
The third is the ability to closely observe details, particularly the details of people’s behavior.
Another skill is the ability to experiment β the people we studied are always trying on new experiences and exploring new worlds. And finally, they are really good at networking with smart people who have little in common with them, but from whom they can learn.
If you work with creative people or within good innovation teams, the above traits will ring true like a dart hitting the bulls-eye.
Apparently there is a follow-up article due in the Dec 09 issue of HBR. I’ll be watching for it with interest..