I'm curious about how one becomes more curious. In all seriousness, in our research, this is one of the core qualities of people who lead innovation. While it may kill cats, it definitely creates new answers.
Once you kNOw,
there's NO learning
there's NO curiosity
there's NO innovation.

Great video, thanks for sharing!

A few things come to mind here. First of all, curiosity is a process that comes about because of our individual value systems -- what we believe, what are our priorities, what's most important to each of us. If we value truth, then seeking that truth is a natural outcome; hence, curiosity. The desire to create new value (i.e. valuing "innovation") can be the driver of such thinking, which can lead to choices we make about acting/behaving innovatively. But in order to value innovation, we need to understand what innovation is. Likewise, the belief that we already know (as JV points out, and as is a characteristic of a "fundamantalist" as Seth points out) then becomes an inhibitor of innovation. The antithesis of imagination, is presumption. This is all part of what I write about, but I am delighted to have the chance to elaborate here. Thanks to all for their thoughts on this.

Thanks for the comment, Raff. Actually, my quote is a sampling of one of the major elements of my book, whose conclusion is summarized as "The Seven States of the Innovative Mind," the very first of which I list is the "State of Imagination." In explaining each state, I refer also to its "anti-state" (i.e. the conventional way of thinking which contradicts the innovative mindset), and that of imagination is indeed presumption. The other states are listed (though not yet elaborated) in my newly-formed blog, thinkingoutsidetheblogs.blogspot.com. Watch for that in the coming days/weeks as I continue adding to it.

Ironically, the other quote you mention, "the enemy of innovation is precedence" is one that I'm not sure I agree with (unless I simply don't understand the intended context). From my perspective, precedence (i.e. the fact that something has been done/tried before) can be a fundamental part of an innovation process, especially an iterative one. An idea that creates new value by building upon ("piggy-backing") an earlier idea, or precedence, is one of the basic building blocks of innovation, in the spirit of TRIZ (or, in my case, what I call the "Recipes of Innovation"). In this light, precedence can actually be an inspiration for innovation. Perhaps what the author feels is that once something has been done, others feel no compulsion to do the same, or to improve upon it, concluding that the novelty is now gone? I'm not sure.

Please let me know if I'm *presuming* the wrong meaning here ;)

That being said, I appreciate the invitation to offer a teaser for the book. As it is not yet published (I estimate another month or two), I can't yet include a link to amazon or other. But if the offer stands in the future, I'll do so once the project's complete. Thanks again, and I look forward to contributing and learning more from others on this new site, just discovered!

Charlie

Raff Viton said: Of course, the invitation stands for when your book is published - looking forward to it. The precedence reference above is intended (I believe) in a context of where precedence blinds us or constricts our ability to move past it because it is all we can see/know - thereby inhibiting the possibility for imagination. When building upon or piggy-backing on precedence, as you stated above, then clearly you have already moved past precedence as the only option and are looking for the new ideas.....I agree with you - using it as a benchmark or as inspiration for innovation is a more positive way to relate to it. In my experience a majority of organizations and people are self-limited by their own perceived boundaries of precedence (that "their world" has thrust upon them) as one of their major obstacles to to even try thinking imaginatively. That is, until they are awakened to said fact by exposing the potential possibilities all-around them. Q: How many innovators does it take to change a light bulb? A: Does it have to be a light bulb?

I agree with you; thanks for the clarification.

"If I had a nickel for every time I've predicted the future...I'd have six cents!"