Management Tip of the Day: Spark Innovation with These 3 Words

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile DECEMBER 25, 2012 Spark Innovation with These 3 Words Say it with me: How might we? This is the phrase that today's most successful companies use when they want to tackle challenges creatively. How might we improve X ... or completely re-imagine Y... or find a new way to accomplish Z? This approach to innovation ensures that you're asking the right questions, and steering clear of more limiting inquiries like "How can we?" or "How should we?" which imply judgment. Instead, "How might we" helps people think of options more freely and opens up possibilities. The "how" assumes there are solutions out there — it provides creative confidence. "Might" implies that it's OK to put any idea out there — it might work and it might not. And the "we" signals that you are all going to work together and build on one another's ideas. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "The Secret Phrase Top Innovators Use" by Warren Berger. Read the full post and join the discussion » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Building a Growth Factory: Four Components that Make Innovation Repeatable HBR Single Even the best-performing companies eventually stall. Sustaining momentum — and remaining a great growth company — takes a system. In the latest HBR Single, "Building a Growth Factory," Scott Anthony and David Duncan draw on their extensive experience working with growth factory organizations — most notably Procter & Gamble and Citigroup. They highlight the four main components that make innovation repeatable and reliable and offer practical advice on how you can put their system into action in your own company & whether it's a large multinational or a small start-up. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS Get Ahead Without the Corporate Ladder Start Persuading Your Audience Before the Presentation Don't Grow Your Business Too Fast Create Rituals to Get More Done Take More Vacation Two Rules for Keeping Employees Happy and Engaged Focus Your Sales Pitch by Subtraction Focus on a Career Direction, Not a Specific Job Don't Sacrifice Long-Term Growth Just to Hit Your Forecast Before a Big Presentation, Brainstorm All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's 10 Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing Mobile ManageMentor Powered by the proven content of Harvard ManageMentor™ iTunes >> Android >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2012 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)