Design thinking is the adoption of a growth mindset in the iterative process of problem solving. - Vivien Koh
Last week, we conducted a poll on Linkedin to seek opinions on the cultural & organizational barriers to innovation that firms are facing. 50% of respondents indicated that “changing employee mindset” is the key barrier to innovation for their firm.
Indeed, as organisations adapt, change is often met with resistance as it can be frightening for employees to step out of their comfort zones. Yet, central to innovation is employees’ mindset towards embracing this need.
We have been a strong believer in the design thinking approach to help our clients embrace innovation, especially in these difficult times. Beyond an approach, design thinking is a mindset that represents behaviours and values that define how an organization operates. It can be applied to build a culture of innovation through various means:
1) Creating a culture of collaboration to encourage creativity and problem solving
2) Promote ideation by asking critical questions, even if it does not guarantee a conclusion
3) Willing to experiment to Fail Fast, Learn Fast and Succeed
If your company is facing difficulties with instilling mindset change for your employees, the VKT team will be happy to help.