pro.innovator 2012

Paul's Top Ten Tips! 

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Professional Innovator Winner Paul Widger gives us his top tips for success!

 1. My top tip is borrowed from last year but well worth repeating: Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not an innovator.  (Do you add value?  Do you have ideas?  Do you get things done?)

2. My next tip is: Get involved!  Come along to the events and try your arm at the competition.  It’ll give you some new ideas and I found it fun too!

3. Give yourself time to consider the questions.  If you are rushed, you won’t be thinking innovatively.

4. There isn’t one “silver bullet” right answer.

5. Put yourself in the place of all the characters involved in the question and keep thinking “What’s in it for them?” 

6. Talk to everyone about the questions.  Most people (even if you think they’re wrong!) will introduce a new angle on a subject and get you thinking about things differently.

7. Don’t give the judges too much theory – they want to know what you would do.

8. Be creative and eclectic in brainstorming your ideas and don’t be too critical too soon...

9. ...but then, once you’ve got all your ideas down, be ruthless in cutting out the less important points.

10. Have confidence in yourself and enjoy it.  Once you get going, innovation is hugely rewarding.