Chapter 17

Applying the Framework

Whenever there is a change in the economy, experts point to innovation as the answer. They will say things such as, “Innovation will drive the new economy.” And “we can innovate ourselves out of these problems.” To which you might wonder, “Okay, what does that mean? What exactly do I have to do?” This section strives to help you answer that for yourself.

Kate's team gives us an example of how a team that is aware of its process can successfully crack the toughest problems by being intentionally focused on innovation. If you are reading this book, you are likely looking for new ways to solve problems. Whether you are a CEO, team leader, or a team member hardly matters. You have the power to guide innovation no matter what your position is in the organization.

Just as Kate's team discovered, understanding how to deliberately take control of and apply the universal creative process is the first step. The next is to learn how to spot your own and others’ preferences within that process in order to set each other up for doing your best (individually and as a team). To innovate successfully you'll need to enhance your team's strengths to their fullest extent—and that's what this section is all about. We'll dive deeper into the FourSight framework, highlighting practical techniques you can apply and customize to your needs. With practice, you'll be able to spot, for instance, an implementer across the conference table before the coffee gets cold and the best donuts are gone. Thanks to that perspective, you'll know what to expect from that person and how you might react in order to keep him or her engaged throughout all of the team's activities. Instead of dreading your differences, you will discover ways of appreciating and strategically using them to your team's advantage. The result will be that rather than ignoring, combating, and blocking each other, your team will find ways to work more efficiently, with less strife, and with targeted results.