My grandfather, who was a graphic designer by profession, said that russia number printing press was the greatest innovation he had ever handled.
A set of gears that synchronously prints any text that is assembled using iron types, LETTER BY LETTER.
In its environment, this system perfectly solved the problem of replicating printed pages in the same way. The production of an invoice took about 2 days.
But the environment came along and changed the variables. It brought new alternatives. What was new is no longer new. Computers and printers appeared.
Innovation always seeks to solve a real problem in the best way (fastest and cheapest). But saying whether something is innovative or not always depends on the context of the person looking at it .
Therefore, it is common for us to think that we are innovating , but when we look from an external perspective and compare it to the market, we are far behind.
Innovation is necessary
Is standing still or innovating slowly an option for you?
Kodak, Blockbusters, taxi drivers and many others have used this strategy. We know how the story ends.
Ignoring the avalanche that is coming is very common and natural for human beings.
Many of these companies knew the game was changing. But humans are prone to “not changing.” This saves us energy. Continuing to do things the same way is much safer for our primitive brains, which worry about every bit of energy they expend because they don’t know if they’ll have food tomorrow or not.
I guarantee that many of you who are reading this text are already preparing a thousand excuses not to innovate. It's the primitive brain wanting you to stay safe.
However, the scenario has changed. Globalization means that our customers are generally located all over the world. And so are our competitors! This, combined with technological innovation and the excess of information, means that we have a very different environment.
What used to be problems of scarcity are now problems of abundance.
Startups have already understood this
If you mean startups that have slides, beanbags and games, I'm sorry to say but just putting these things in your company won't solve the problem.
In fact, the light and cool environments are formally designed to attract the best professionals. However, those who visit Google or other Silicon Valley companies notice that these entertainment venues are almost always empty.
Basically, I joke that it's a provocation to show everyone who says they don't have time that here we have plenty of time and money. Spending money, oddly enough, is usually a sign of efficiency in nature.
This is what you should look for in startups. Efficiency!
We know many of the leading startups that are making a difference in Brazil and abroad. And I can say with complete certainty that this efficiency is achieved through a culture of innovation throughout the COMPANY.
It starts with a defined and strong purpose, because high performance is only achieved when you are motivated. This is a variable that was underestimated by IQ processes and competency assessments. Today, it is clear that we are more irrational than we thought and that passion and the unconscious are what actually guide us.