Do you still remember how we define innovation? Innovation = Meaningful ideas (or in other words: Creativity) + Action. Many people come up with great ideas every day, but only a few ever become an innovator. Why? Because they fail on the action part. In today’s article, please allow me to share with you four short episodes that highlight the vital importance of taking action to win the innovation game.

1. The Computer Game

Our THINKERGY designer Khun Tem approaches me in the office with a sad look: “Do you still remember my take-home term exam project work in Business Creativity?” I do. Tem was the most outstanding master’s student in my Business Creativity course at the College of Management, Mahidol University (CMMU) so far — hence I invited him to become part of the THINKERGY team — and he created a striking computer game concept for forming a rock band with your friends and then playing instruments online. “So what about it?” Tem shows me the website www.rockband.com and says: “They have done it. They have created exactly the platform that I suggested in my term exam project.” Tem opens the exam files on his computer, and we review once again his concept and compare it with the established website solution — what a remarkable similarity, even the names sound nearly the same. “How do you feel about this?” “I think it’s a great gaming solution, but honestly speaking, I feel a bit jealous that they did it,” Tem responds. I raise another question: “Well, what’s your learning from this incident for the future?” Tem sighs. “I need to take action on a great idea and need to find ways to make it happen.” Amen.

2. In the Business Creativity class

Cédric, our Belgian exchange student, comes to me at the end of our third class in the Business Creativity course at the CMMU. “Today, you taught us that research findings suggest that extrinsic motivation is regarded as counter-productive to creative thinking. In that case, I do not want to collect any Action Tags anymore.” Smart argument. In one way, Cédric is right — if we only care for the research findings on creativity. But creativity without action never turns into innovation.

I want to condition action taking into my Business Creativity students. Hence, I invented “Student Action Tags” as a way to force students out of their comfort zone: Whenever my creativity students take action and make a positive contribution in class, they can earn an “Action Tag” that I will later on use to fairly determine their participation score, which forms part of their final grade. “How about if I give you again those tags that you have lost?” I ask Cédric, remembering that he had lamented during class that his previously earned action tags had gone missing. “And have another one for courageously taking action and challenging me with a good argument.” Cédric collects his action tags and leaves with a big smile.

3. In the THINKERGY Business Creativity Bootcamp

Peter, a seasoned senior manager visiting from our client firm’s Head Office to join the training, crosses his arms. “Hold on for a moment. We should take some time to think this over.” We’re halfway through ‘In the Year 2100’, our unique creative entrepreneurship game that we play with participants at the end of the first training day. Peter’s team member Khun Noi has just suggested the right idea that will set her team on course to win the game. However, with his comment, Peter has effectively killed the group’s initiative to take action on Noi’s winning idea.

Five minutes later, another team (that consists solely of young Thai participants) comes up with the same solution, takes action and goes on to win the game with a landslide score difference. I debrief the game — and Peter realizes that his reactive hesitation cost his team a sure victory. After a night of pondering over the game, Peter returns transformed the next morning and goes on to become one of the most open, curious and proactive participants for the rest of the bootcamp.

4. The Strategy Innovation Project

The phone rings. “Hi Dr. D, I am calling from XYZ. We are interested in doing a Strategy Innovation Project with THINKERGY.” I am both excited and alerted at the same time.

One year ago, the company’s management team had already contacted me on this topic with a high sense of urgency. I had rushed to their office on the same day to discuss with two top executives until late Friday evening about their business challenge and the possible design of a Strategy Innovation Project. Nothing has happened ever since we submitted our proposal. “Why don’t we set up a meeting to discuss the proposal that we sent to you one year ago?” I suggest. “OK. Please forward it to us again, so that we can review it.” “Thank you for the opportunity,” I say and hang up, then take a deep breath.

We have the right methodology and all the right thinking tools at hand to help this company discover and create new profitable growth opportunities in their very competitive industry, but we will never be able to serve them as long as the firm’s executives will not take action to commit the necessary time and money to do the exercise in a results-producing way.

Conclusion: “Nature knows no pause in progress and development, and attaches her curse on all inaction,” noted the German mega-creator Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and the English mathematician Alfred North Whitehead adds: “We cannot think first and act afterward. From the moment of birth we are immersed in action, and can only fitfully guide it by taking thought.” There is no doubt about it: If you want to become a creator, inventor, or innovator, or if you want to create innovations to profitably grow your business, you need to take action. Stop procrastinating and start activating meaningful ideas. What great idea should you start taking action on today?

© Dr. Detlef Reis 2009. This article was published in parallel in the Bangkok Post under the same title on 5 November 2009.