One Simple Question that Unlocks Innovation

Last week, I received an email reply from a new subscriber:

"I’m glad I found your newsletter….I’m very interested in learning how to create a great working environment for my team. I inherited a team which is very averse to any change."

(yes, I really do read your replies to these emails)

Look, people can become averse to change for many reasons.

Often, it has to do with being unable to mentally move around their assumptions, biases, or preconceived notions.

So we get stuck in our old ways of thinking and old operating models.

And that way of thinking puts a halt to any meaningful change, innovation, or progress.

Most importantly, it stops organizations from ever being able to BREAK THE MOLD™.

It doesn't have to be this way.

As leaders, we can set the tone and help our teams shift their thinking from what they can see to embracing the art of the possible.

It can start with a single question (and a big mindset change) that may seem simple and easy, but I see so many organizations who think they do this well completely miss the mark.

If you do it wrong, you'll stay right where you are.

If you do it right, you'll end up with an entirely different result.

A Mindset of Possibility

Here's the thing…asking the right question to a room full of people with the wrong mindset isn't going to get us anywhere.

The longer we've been doing things a certain way, the more stuck we tend to get.

A former colleague once told me, “It’s not about what you are asking us to do, it’s the fact that all of us have done it this way, this many times, for this long. So you’re fighting thousands of repetitions and instances of doing it the ‘old’ way.”

Often, that’s what we’re up against. Conventional ways of thinking and doing.

And since that’s often the case, before we start talking about HOW we'll do something, we need to examine WHAT we're trying to do.

And this is where most teams leave a lot on the table…

We often come up with safe or traditional solutions because those assumptions, preconceived notions, and biases are often brought to the table as soon as we start talking about doing something differently.

A question like: "How do we increase sales by 30% next year?" will be met with grievances about the organizational structure and lack of headcount, the billing model we use for our services, or the lack of new business opportunities within a certain market segment.

To shift people from a mindset of focusing on the past to a mindset of possibility, sometimes it starts with saying...

"Let's design this from scratch."

It allows people to remove their mental roadblocks and throw traditional ways of thinking out the window so we can define a more progressive and forward-thinking WHAT.

Let's define what the ideal path is and then we can we can address whatever roadblocks might be in the way.

This puts people in the right mindset to approach the next question...

Changing the Question

Questions like "Can we do this?" or "Is this possible?" and even “How can we ______?” are often the wrong questions.

Simple questions earn simple answers.

If you want your team to embrace the art of the possible and think differently, start by asking the question:

"What will it take?"

(Let's just call it WWIT for short)

This is where we start to illustrate the HOW.

Notice how WWIT doesn't allow for one-word answers.

It challenges people to think. It makes us define and map out a solution and doesn't allow us to hide behind convention and the roadblocks that we foresee will get in the way.

It brings in possibility.

And innovation, progress, and the ability to BREAK THE MOLD™ are built on a foundation of possibility.

So, the question shifts to "What will it take to increase sales by 30% next year?"

And no, the answer of "We need people to make 30% more sales calls" is not a good answer. It addresses a potential symptom while ignoring what likely lies behind that symptom that might limit success.

Aside from more calls, what will it take?

More headcount? New markets? A revised sales org or process? New product or service offerings?

At this stage, no answer is a wrong answer.

It’s about designing a new solution assuming we have no barriers or constraints. We’ll deal with those later.

And if you're thinking, "I know Alan, we already do something like this."

No, you likely don't.

I've been a part of enough high-level conversations at different firms in the last few months to know that people who think they are doing this at a high level aren't.

Keep reading...

The Benefits of "What will it take?"

As a leader, you are going to learn a lot about your people through asking this question and if done well, unlock a whole new level of innovation.

Here's what you can learn about your team:

• Are they set in their ways or willing to evolve?

• Are they willing to think differently about solutions?

• Are they glass-half-full or glass-half-empty type people?

• Are they going to be an obstacle or enabler to your success?

• Are they ok being uncomfortable while exploring possibilities?

• Do they have a complete understanding of the ecosystem they exist in?

You'll notice these things have nothing to do with ability and everything to do with mindset.

When teams get stuck in convention it's not always because of a lack of talent or ability (although it could be).

Often, it's because people are entering into these conversations with the wrong mindset and as leaders, when we change the mindset, we may change the outcomes.

Once you start having these WWIT conversations, you may experience results like this:

• You may make people uncomfortable and help them grow.

• You may realize things you thought were impossible aren’t.

• You may simplify situations that you believed to be complex.

• You may open the door to new outcomes and new ways of thinking.

• You may remove obstacles you thought were impossible to overcome.

• You may create an environment that encourages and expects innovation.

• You may put yourself a few steps ahead by starting to design a project plan.

• You may create a solution to a different problem while solving the current one.

• You may take on more projects that will have a larger impact on your organization.

• You may help people realize they are capable of more than they thought they were.

• You may have a better chance at success because you’ve already identified the critical ingredients.

Not bad results from simply asking an additional question, huh?

And here's the thing: Going through a WWIT conversation isn't even about the solutions we come up with.

It's about the process we took to get there.

Sometimes, even after we've defined what it will take, we may not end up pursuing the path we've laid out.

And that's ok. As a CEO, I’m good with that.

Because along the way, we may have solved a different problem, or realized roadblocks we thought existed really don't, or created a whole new way of thinking about something.

What Seems Simple & Easy Often Isn't.

This whole WWIT framework may seem simple. And it may seem easy.

If you're still thinking, "I don't know Alan, I feel like you're pointing out the obvious here...."

I can assure you, it's not easy.

As I continue to wear the advisor hat, I'm seeing organizations answer "What will it take?" with things like,

"Well, we just have to do it..."

• "Make more calls."

• "Bill more hours."

• "Put in more effort."

BS.

If that's gotten you your current results, why is continuing that same approach ever going to lead to something different?

Executing this WWIT framework is about going a few levels deeper. It's not about the action.

What is standing in the way of doing the action?

What is the cause of the action or inaction within your organization?

That's what we want to figure out when we go through a WWIT exercise.

Executing this framework properly can reward you with differentiated and meaningful results.

And that's how you, as an organization, BREAK THE MOLD™.

If you want to see this in action or have me lead this exercise for your group, call me. Let me help you do this the right way.

You can reply to this email to schedule a time or book a discovery call using this link.​

With intention,
Alan D Whitman