Innovate Today! - Transforming Your STEM Career Through Leadership and Innovation - page 139

How does it work?

l

What problem does it solve? l

Potential product names l

Drawing of the idea (even a rudimentary drawing will do) l

The further defining of your idea with the steps above provides confidence
and additional evidence of the originality of your idea. This activity leads to
more protection and reduces the likelihood that your idea will be stolen.

Make Innovation a Part of Your Everyday Life!
Make innovation a part of your everyday life - it's an exciting way to live! As
Steve Jobs once said, “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to
me… Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful…that's
what matters to me.” [12] According to Maslow's theory of the “hierarchy of
basic needs,” [13] this sense of fulfillment is extremely important - probably
even more important than your salary.
Remember - it's never too late to innovate.

SUMMARY
As we look forward to understanding the impact of innovation, we should be
empowered now that we are equipped with knowledge of how to become inno-
vators on an individual level and how to move our ideas forward. This guidance
should be tailored to meet your innovation needs and be useful in clarifying
your innovation goals.
An innovation process to move an idea forward is offered that takes the idea
from strategic planning to selling the resulting product or service. Likewise, to
develop personally as an innovator this chapter proposes Smart Innovation Risk
Taking that is accomplished with the six steps below:

Step 1: Commit to becoming an innovator and select an idea l

Step 2: Calculate the risk l

Step 3: Build and consult with your team (and make sure they're winners!) l

Step 4: Take the leap into the innovation l

Step 5: Claim victory: anticipate, expect, and celebrate your courage

l

Step 6: Don't stop! Success breeds success so become a serial innovator! l

CHAPTER RESOURCES

1. Six-Step Process to Become A Risk-Taking Innovator
2. Risk Quotient Balance Sheet
3. Idea Portfolio Log