Taking an Hour to Innovate

Greetings.  It's the start of another week and another chance take a fresh look at your business and the opportunities to improve your performance and deliver even greater value to your customers.  If only you could find time given all the meetings, emails and "to-do's" that have mysteriously piled up over the weekend.  And even though you're keen on innovating, it will just have to wait until you plow through all of these urgent–though not necessarily important–priorities.  You just can't find the time.

But what if it only took an hour to be more innovative?  

Could you find the time then?

Well in a sense that's all it takes to get started.  An hour to clear your head, get out of the office and engage a world filled with ideas, inspiration and possibilities.  An hour to discover the missing pieces in your quest to be the best and the most valued company or organization in your industry.  And here's how you can do it…

By taking a walk around town.

With a sense of curiosity and openness.  Take 60 minutes to explore a part of your city with all of your senses wide open.  And in the process, try to identify anything along the way that strikes you as interesting or even remarkable.  It can be a cool building or museum, a company with a unique and successful business model or a unique product, service or special “offer,” a person or an animal that catches your attention, a statue or a public work of art, an unusual sound or smell or flavor…or anything else.  Or simply visit a place that is thought to be "world class" and try to figure out their secret or secret sauce.  Because somewhere in their formula might be a powerful key to your success or part of the answer to helping your company or organization stand out from the crowd.

All by taking a simple walk with a purpose and a sense of imagination. 

We win in business and in life when we make innovation our priority. And when we are willing to take an hour to walk around the block.

Cheers and have a great week ahead!