Last week Apple released the I-phone 6 and the I-phone 6 plus. Buzz surrounding the keynote address had been building up for weeks and people from around the world tuned in to witness the product launch. When Apple’s CEO Tim Cook took the stage he informed the audience that they were about to witness the launch of the greatest I-phone yet and perhaps the greatest cellular phone the world has ever seen. The I-Phone 6’s new features include a dramatically slimmer design, two phone models, retina HD display, more accurate color with photo alignment and more advanced video capabilities to name a few. Apple continues to innovate in an attempt to be the best in their field and continues to improve and re-design, even during periods of great success.Steve Jobs once said that “innovation comes from people meeting up in the hallways or calling each other at 10:30 at night with a new idea, or because they realized something that shoots holes in how we’ve been thinking about a problem. It’s ad hoc meetings of six people called b
y someone who thinks he has figured out the coolest new thing ever and who wants to know what other people think of his idea. And it comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don’t get on the wrong track or try to do too much”
The challenge for any small or mid-sized business become how can we instill this way of thinking in your own culture? Often times when leaders ask themselves and their teams the right questions around problem solving, creative thinking can occur. What developments need to occur in your business and what challenges or problems do you need to solve to be the best in your field? Start by addressing some simple questions to get your business thinking about new ways to solve challenges. Here are a few to get started with:
3) What is your timeframe for solving this problem, or can you just choose to move on? Often times we spend too much time on a problem that may have little significance on the end result.
4) What constraints have you or your leadership team self-imposed on solving the problem? Perhaps your past experiences (successes and failures) have created limiting beliefs surrounding your future. Don’t allow these experiences to negatively shape the future growth and direction of your business.
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