10 Ways to Show Your Innovative Side at Work

Summary: Use these 10 ways to innovate at work that will impress your colleagues and your boss.

Everyone wants to impress their boss and fellow colleagues at work. The positives that can come out of making a good impression on those you work with are directly related to your career. The road to leadership weighs heavily on a person’s creativity. Innovation is the best way to truly impress those around you.

Here are 10 ways to do just that:

1. Turn “I can’t” into “I can”

You set the limits on your innovation. If you believe you can do it, then you can find a way to do it.

2. Throw yourself into problem solving mode

Don’t wait for problems to be tearing down your door. If you are prepared for any problems that may arise, you will be able to fix the problem faster. Look for things that are not working well and start preparing solutions to improve them before they completely fall apart.

3. Collaboration and accessibility

No one can work alone in an organization. True innovation in an organization takes support, investment and a change in behavior. Widen your network by collaborating with everyone.

4. Persistence

Believe not only in yourself, but your ideas. Once you have an innovative idea selected, narrow the focus down to achieve what you have envisioned.

5. Identify obstacles

Before you can get others to buy into your innovative solution, you have to be able to make them see the end result. They need a reason to be on board.

6. Think outside the box

In order to be innovative, you have to be thinking outside the box. Once you grasp your innovation, bring it back inside the box so that you don’t scare anyone away.

7. Take risks

There is a certain amount of risk-taking required to be innovative. With risks come failure, but you can be prepared for those failures. Learning from your mistakes is the best way to be prepared. Never give up because one of your ideas doesn’t pan out like you had hoped.

8. Give your brain a break

The constant repetition of your day-to-day routine can suppress creativity. Find ways to de-stress and set your mind free so that the innovative juices keep flowing.

9. Write things down

A good way of brainstorming and being creative is to write often. Journaling or just writing down ideas when they come to you will help you remember great ideas and weed out the bad ones.

10. Be inquisitive and challenge ideas

You must be curious in order to innovate and impress at work. Curiosity brings the desire to solve problems and collaborate towards a solution.

To learn more about how to stand out at work, read these articles:

• Pitching an Idea to Your Boss
• Study Shows That a Good Way to Impress Your Boss Is to Watch Your Mouth
• 6 Smart Tips to Impress Your New Boss