Think innovation is all about inventing the next iPhone? You might be surprised to hear it’s actually not that hard. If you’ve ever found a clever way to fix something broken, or created content that got your friends talking, you’re already showing innovation skills that employers love. Here are five surprising signs that you’re a natural innovator.
You’re the DIY problem-solver in your friend group
Ever whipped up a DIY phone stand for watching videos? Created a makeshift speaker by putting your phone in a cup? Made study cards using what you had lying around? That’s innovation in action!
When you:
- Find creative solutions using available resources
- Adapt existing items for new purposes
- Fix things in unexpected ways
- Share your clever solutions with others
- Improve on basic ideas to make them work better
You’re demonstrating the same kind of resourceful innovation that businesses value. This ability to see new possibilities in existing resources is a cornerstone of innovation.
You customise your digital space like a pro
Whether it’s:
- Creating unique playlist combinations
- Personalising your game character in unexpected ways
- Setting up your study apps to work better together
- Making your phone or desktop setup more efficient
- Finding better ways to organise your digital life
You’re showing innovation through customisation and optimisation. This ability to envision and create better ways of doing things is exactly what drives workplace innovation.
You create content that gets attention
If you’ve ever:
- Started a trend among your friends
- Created memes that actually got shared
- Made videos that got people talking
- Found a new way to present information
- Combined different ideas into something fresh
You’re practising creative innovation. The ability to generate ideas that resonate with others and present familiar things in new ways is a valuable innovation skill.
You’re great at finding better ways to do things
Maybe you’ve:
- Discovered shortcuts in your school commute
- Found more efficient ways to complete tasks
- Created systems that make studying easier
- Developed better ways to organise your time
- Come up with tricks to remember things
This kind of process innovation – finding better ways to do everyday things – is exactly what businesses need to improve their operations.
You can reimagine and remix ideas
Whether you’re:
- Combining different game strategies in new ways
- Mixing up recipes to create something different
- Putting your own spin on trending content
- Adapting others’ ideas to work better for you
- Finding unexpected connections between different concepts
You’re showing the kind of innovative thinking that leads to breakthroughs in any field.
Where you’ll use this skill in the workplace
Innovation skills are increasingly valuable in every industry. Here’s where you’ll use them:
Process improvement
Just like finding better ways to study or organise your time, you’ll help identify and implement more efficient ways of working, saving your boss (and you) time and money.
Product development
Similar to customising your digital space, you’ll help create and improve products and services to better meet user needs.
Content creation
Your experience creating engaging content will help you develop innovative ways to communicate ideas and information.
Problem solving
Like your DIY solutions, you’ll find creative ways to overcome workplace challenges with available resources.
Customer experience
Just as you adapt systems to work better for you, you’ll innovate ways to improve customer interactions and satisfaction.
Digital transformation
Your ability to optimise digital tools will help organisations adapt and improve their technology use.
Strategy development
Like remixing ideas in creative ways, you’ll help organisations find new approaches and opportunities.
Building your innovation skills
Innovation isn’t always about massive breakthroughs – it’s often about finding slightly better ways to do things or combining existing ideas in new ways. If you’re doing any of the activities mentioned above, you’re already developing this crucial skill.
Want to boost your innovation skills even more? Try:
- Looking for problems that need solving in your daily life
- Questioning “the way things have always been done”
- Combining ideas from different areas
- Sharing your creative solutions with others
- Experimenting with new approaches to familiar tasks
The best innovators aren’t just inventors – they’re people who see possibilities where others see problems, and who aren’t afraid to try new approaches. Sound like you? You’re already more innovative than you thought!
Learn more
Already mastered the art of innovation? See some of the other important workplace skills to work on next by reading more on our website.