Welcome to “The One Thing,” a new Businessolver blog series that takes a closer look at our approach to client service and how we embody the key pillars of our business: Perform, Engage, Innovate, and Give Back. A major part of our mission is to delight our clients, and Solvers recommit each day to doing so. “The One Thing” shares insights from Solvers on how they stay true to the mission and motivated to bring it to life in their daily work.

I don't think there is anyone who wakes up in the morning and hopes to be unoriginal. Don’t get me wrong, I might wake up a little crabby or slow to be productive in the morning, but I never want to be unoriginal or stale. What's the antidote for unoriginality? Innovation. I find people are often challenged to define what “innovation” really means in their daily lives and goals.  Many times, people correlate innovation to those major technology and product advancements that improve our daily lives; like the iPhone, online music and videos apps, or even our very own Sofia. But innovation isn’t just something that happens in technology or just a coincidence. It requires you to be active and always looking for an opportunity to make something better.

Innovation requires you to have an idea and the passion to do something about it, to challenge the status quo and be excited about your work.  According to Merriam-Webster “innovate” means:

• To introduce as or as if new
• To effect a change in
• To make changes – do something in a new way

Every day you have the opportunity “to effect a change in” your own life including those of your customers and peers. You can change their experiences and actions, their emotions, or even their thoughts in a positive or a negative way.  You have the option to maintain and do the same thing over and over again, or do things smarter and create a change.  We have a choice every day to see new ways to accomplish our goals and to help those around us in a positive way. Never underestimate your ability to innovate.

John S. Herrington said, “there are no dreams too large, no innovation unimaginable, and no frontiers beyond our reach.”  It is an open door for improvement and I challenge you to be a seeker of opportunity.  If you believe there is a better way of doing something, there is some high probability others have the same sense, but aren’t acting on their ideas. Be a leader of innovation, suggest your ideas, leverage your  coworkers and friends for their thoughts, and you will create something great, something memorable, or even magical.

There are examples of companies innovating and falling short all over today's headlines. For example, Kodak — or more recently, Toys R’ Us — were once leaders of their industries yet have fallen to their competition because of their lack of continual innovation. Innovation is critical to the success of every organization and no one is excluded. Innovation happens both from the top down and bottom up and your uniqueness is what creates great innovative and transformational change. Organizations leveraging multi-generational and diverse workforces will see some of the greatest innovation based on the differing perspectives of their people.

Innovation is all about you!  It’s about your uniqueness, your ideas, and your passion to create change that impacts people in a positive way. Innovation is most often seen through products and technologies, but it’s the people that interact with them that matters most. Your ability to improve your friends', coworkers', or customers' lives will provide unmeasurable relational and emotional motivation and satisfaction. Push towards innovation to make a positive impact in your own life as well as those around you. It can be scary, even daunting, but if you have a little bravery and support from your peers and coworkers, innovation can be exhilarating and can create positive and lasting change. 

Read more tips, updates, and innovations in our blog below.