Effortless Innovation

Effortless Innovation

When people discuss innovation, it’s good to distinguish the what from the how. Folks generally agree on the “what” of innovation: generating new useful/valuable ideas or insights.

We usually find disagreement around the “how”.

You have the (1) harder-faster camp (e.g., brainstorming) and the (2) use-an-external-trigger camp (e.g., exercise, showers, the beach, word association, etc.). Research is clear that neither camp really works: a pressured mind makes less new connections and external triggers are not reliable or consistent.

There is however a more powerful approach – to understand how the mind surfaces those new ideas. When you realize this process, insights can be commonplace. Let me explain.

If you reflect back, I bet you’ll find that your most original ideas didn’t come from whiteboards or brainstorming. Instead, they arrived out of nowhere when your mind was quiet — in places like the shower, on a walk, or during that meeting where you accidentally zoned out for five minutes (you know the one).

The shower doesn’t hold all the answers, of course. But when you’re showering, you relax, at least a little bit. In these moments, your mind has a chance to rest, which allows for the creation of new ideas, because our minds are inherently innovative when they’re clear and settled. When we stop overthinking and allow ourselves space, insight has room to surface. New ideas burst through when the noise is quieter. We might realize connections we hadn’t previously seen. New ideas pop in. The lightbulb goes off. That’s how innovation happens.

A few years ago, we ran a retreat for a leadership team that had been struggling with a strategic decision: whether to do a joint venture with their number one global competitor. The stakes were high and despite 11 months of analysis and meetings, they still could not agree. On the third day, having learned about their minds, the team found themselves really quiet on the inside and with each other. Over a 17 minute conversation, with no pushing or arguing, they revisited and saw an innovative way to resolve the topic. They were amazed.

It is, of course possible to have new, even fresh thinking when you are rushed, bothered, or working hard. The mind has miraculous capabilities. In our experience, it’s a lot less likely.

Your organization’s greatest competitive advantage isn’t just capital or strategy. It’s fresh thinking that allows you to innovate easily and quickly. And that doesn’t come from grinding harder — it comes from knowing when to pause, listen, and trust that your mind knows how to deliver when the pressure is off.

It always has and it always will.

So maybe this week, next time you need to innovate, try skipping the brainstorm or the shower and taking a quiet moment instead. You might be surprised by what bubbles up.

Nikki Platte and Robin Charbit