“In today’s dynamic and turbulent world, individuals, organizations, communities face a stark challenge – CHANGE or PERISH”
In the last edition we deliberated extensively on the power of the mind. We also emphasised that our mind is the most powerful force in our lives and that this power is the starting point of every good thing that happens to us. In this edition, however, let us take this a bit further and examine how we can develop innovative thinking that will move us ahead in life and help our aspiration, especially as we are preparing to start a new year.
Innovation – the process of change – is critical to the success of all. Innovation is about human creativity, organized and applied across the organization. As an individual, a manager, a pastor, a trader or a business owner you need to understand how the innovation process works and how you can mobilize this creativity. Inventions and ideas are products of innovative thinking. Innovative thinking is thinking that goes beyond what you can see. It is imaginative. It is the ability to look beyond the obvious. It is creative and it is different. An innovative thinker can look at something ordinary and see the extraordinary. An innovative thinker is always considered as mad or crazy because he uses his mind in an incomprehensibly positive way. He sees things different from the way common people sees things. Innovation is about invention. It is about been able to come up with something that nobody has come up with before. Being an innovative thinker means you have a mind that does not quite work like a logical, down to earth mind that the majority of people have. Innovative thinking is a gift. Being able to go beyond the obvious is not something everyone can do. Some people are naturally born with this gift, while others have to work to train their brain to be able to think outside the box, which ever innovative thinking is possible.
The story of Jacob, the son of Isaac, son of Abraham presented a man full of innovation and creativity. Imagine how he got the birthright from his twin brother Esau, a negotiation he made with a pot of soup. See how he applied the process of innovation in Genesis chapter 30 verses 37 – 43 to acquire more flocks from his father-in-law, the result was astronomical. David’s innovative thinking killed Goliath, or how can one imagine that a stone could have killed a well armoured soldier, who was well kitted with no enough space for bullet to penetrate. But a sling and a stone in the hand of an innovative shepherd did the damage. Yea, with the help of God Almighty; but if he had no such thinking God wouldn’t have worked on nothing. Agree?
One of the major challenges of our environment is draught of innovative thinking. And it only requires sophisticated minds to be innovative. Minds that are transformed from negativity and terrestrial challenges. Innovative thinking is something that can help us in many aspects of our lives. We can use innovative thinking to create a new outfit, come up with good business ideas, create spiritual development programmes and grow our churches. Innovative thinking will take us out of the shackles of poverty to wealth which God has provided for us. An Aspired Mind is always Innovative. And you can achieve this fete.
Oftentimes innovative thinking is being misunderstood. I love to share my story of when I was growing up, as a child, I loved to play
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with particles like stones, sticks of matches cut into pieces, and I would organize them and started to speak to them as if they were human beings. I gave names and roles and arranged them, often times like pastors during conventions. I had among the famous Pastors of our growing years in the mid and late sixties and seventies, those I grew to know as great men of God at that time. My parents could not comprehend what I was doing, it was strange to them and I always kept the particles away anytime I noticed they were approaching, funny enough, they thought I had familiar spirit. I was extremely misunderstood and they could not help my innovative mind. As I grew to become a father, years after, I looked back and reflected on the consequences of their actions, though genuinely done and I used this as a lesson for me to deal with my children and help their innovative mind. I am sure, if my parents knew what I know today they would have used a different approach to interpret my action and helped my innovative mind as well. (Though I discussed this with them while they were alive and made them to see the genuine mistakes they made.)
Innovative thinkers are often looked at as strange; most people do not see innovative thinking as being productive, however it takes plenty of crazy ideas to produce one amazing ideas. Most people do not understand that innovative thinking is a skill. One skill David developed while he was a shepherd boy. Or how can you imagine a boy with stones and sling wanting to kill a giant who has all armours on him. This is purely a function of innovation. Let me tell you, today such skills are being highly sorted for in the business world. One thing parents should begin to develop in their children is INOVATIVE THINKING. Innovative thinking is not just quality of a brilliant genius; innovative thinking is not just a quality of those with high IQs. However the genius mind simply makes them more open to new ideas and innovative thoughts. Anyone can be innovative thinker. You don’t need to be a radical to be an Innovative thinker, you do not need to be highly structured or organized to be an innovative thinker; you just need to MIND your MIND. Innovative thinking is sometimes God giving gift. For most people, though innovative thinking is something they have to learn. For the majority of people, learning how to be an innovative thinker can be a struggle. To make the process easier it can help a person to recognize skills that can be helpful in innovative thinking. Let me quickly share with skills that can assist in innovative thinking.
One, being able to look at something in a different way- David looked at Goliath in a different way from the way others looked at him. While others saw “a giant”, he simulated a scenario between him and the lion and bears that came to attack his sheep, and saw Goliath as
one of such. He was able to look at the situation in a different way and the picture gave him the motivation for action and the result was victory for Israel, a fete which was difficult for Saul and his thousands of warriors. You can also do the same, you can look at pencil, for example and see it as something more than something to write with, and then you are on your way to innovative thinking. Take that idea and run with it. You can definitely start this now with the project you are handling or with the problem you are about to solve.
Two, being able to look at what others have done and see a need for improvement – If you can recognize things that are not quite perfect or that have the potential to be better, then you can be an innovative thinker. David was my example here as well. He saw the need for improvement of the Synagogue where Yahweh was worshipped. He saw the need for a modern Temple which befits his God. God was excited about this innovative thinking because no one in Israel had ever thought of this, and He declared blessings on the household of David.
Three, being able to weed through piles of information to get to the good stuff – If you can easily take a bunch of nonsense and make some sense out of it, then you can be an innovative thinker. You should recognize that innovative thinking involves a lot of nonsense and being able to get to the heart of things is a true innovative skill.
Four, being committed – Innovation requires a lot of commitment. If you are the type of person who can commit to something and who does not give up, then you are a prime candidate to be an innovative thinker.
You probably already have many skills of an innovative thinker. All you need to do is recognize that you have it in you. You can be an innovative thinker and use that ability to come up with many inventions and ideas. You can also solve the poverty mentality of your church through the dissemination of right information, not only through regular traditional revivals which sometimes make people poorer than they were. You can also increase the business skills of your members by giving development messages mixed with kingdom messages as you prepare them for kingdom business. You can innovatively develop your business rather and combine it with spiritual exercise to give you the much needed breakthrough. Often times what we need to breakthrough is Innovation!
See you at the top
