Creating Purposeful and Impactful Innovations
According to Guy Kawasaki’s speech “The Art of Innovation,” ten skills are necessary for developing as successful innovators. The first skill is wanting to make meaning instead of simply making money. Kawasaki emphasizes the importance of having a purpose and a mission behind the innovation. This purpose should focus on making a positive impact or solving a societal problem.
The second skill is the ability to create a mantra. The speaker suggests coming up with a two—or three-word explanation of why to design the innovation. The third quality is having a different perspective and being willing to jump curves. Kawasaki advises against staying on the same path and trying to make incremental improvements. The fourth important skill is creating products that are deep, complete, empowering, and elegant (TEDx Talks, 2014). Thus, Kawasaki emphasizes the importance of creating well-designed products with many features, making the user feel empowered and productive.
Embracing Imperfection and Adapting to Customer Feedback
In addition, the fifth discussed skill is not to be afraid of imperfection. Kawasaki encourages innovators to embrace the idea of being “crappy” and not waiting for an ideal solution before launching their innovation. Furthermore, the sixth skill is to be open to new ideas and let customers define a product. Kawasaki advises innovators to let their product evolve based on customer feedback and usage. He believes listening to customers and being willing to adapt and change the product based on their needs is essential.
Taking Risks, Refining Products, and Mastering Presentation
The seventh skill is “polarizing people” (TEDx Talks, 2014). Kawasaki believes great products and innovations should separate people and create strong reactions. He encourages innovators not to be afraid of controversy and to embrace the fact that not everyone will love their product. The eighth aspect is developing new versions to improve an innovative product.
The ninth skill related to marketing is determining the right niche. Finally, the tenth skill is to improve the pitch and accentuate the uniqueness of the introduced product or service (TEDx Talks, 2014). Overall, Kawasaki believes that successful innovators must have a robust sense of purpose, be willing to think differently, create high-quality products, embrace imperfection, listen to customers, and take risks.
Reference
TEDx Talks. (2014). The art of innovation | Guy Kawasaki | TEDxBerkeley [Video]. YouTube. Web.