I have been contemplating what makes a great innovator, and have been drawing inspiration from our past speakers in the Scheinfeld Center's Enlightened Entrepreneurship Series. All have different business ideas and have experienced a wide range of successes, and yet I can't help but harp on the resounding commonalities that these speakers share that might offer us some insight into what it takes to be a truly great innovator and entrepreneur.
Has Like-Ability Trumped Education in the New Corporate Environment?
As much as I hate to admit it, all of our highly successful speakers (making hundreds of millions annually) either have had no formal education, or find that formal education is not the most important contributing factor to success. While they all hire highly educated people, all of our speakers would agree that being a "people person," having an ability to work in teams, with minimal supervision, and having a passion outside work is the key to getting hired. I suppose you have to have personality and like-ability. In fact, Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia) stated his hiring criterion this way, "If I don't want to have dinner with you, then I won't hire you." This represents the new culture of the corporate world - putting ultimate emphasis on creating a positive and fun environment that fosters freedom and innovation.
Does Hearing "No" Incite a Visceral, Competitive Response?
All of our speakers may have heard the word "No" a million times. If they had listened to the naysayers, perhaps they'd be cleaning toilets for McDonald's. What type of person hears the words "You can't do that" and responds naturally and emphatically with "Oh yes I can!" as opposed to getting discouraged. This is a passionate person, who believes with every fiber of their being in their idea. They are on an unstoppable mission, and race past obstacles. I recently toured the research lab of Wayne Rosing (former head of engineering at Google). He is building telescopes for planetary research during what he has coined his "refirement." He builds the telescopes to the specifications he needs because those kind of telescopes don't exist, and was told it couldn't be done. Well, he did it anyway, and it works. Yvon Chouinard wanted to use organic cotton, but no one was growing organic cotton, so he bought a farm and grew it himself. If it doesn't exist, build it yourself.
Failure is Always an Option, But Do You Allow it to Affect the Path You're On?
Most of our speakers have touched on becoming highly successful too fast, or making huge mistakes, almost losing everything and starting all over only to be even more successful. They just come back with the same idea only tweaked slightly to avoid the same mistakes.
Do You Have a Limitless Stash of Ideas in Your Brain?
There is no denying the unique brain power of innovators. I find the true entrepreneurial mindset is almost genius-like with an endless supply of ideas, not all of which will ever be developed. Most focus on a single project, and when that's complete, move on the next. Not only that, their ideas are game-changing and mostly disruptive. This is a very distinct and recognizable quality in entrepreneurs - and you can easily distinguish the idea person (seemingly more right-brained) than the non-idea person. Most non-idea people are very happy doing the legwork for idea people. Which kind are you?
Are Your Ideas Linked to a Greater Purpose?
The most inspirational innovators are those with ideas linked to a purpose outside their own benefit. Take Wayne Rosing, for example. His research project is a privately funded foundation existing for the sole purpose of building a world-wide network of telescopes for scientific research and research-based education. What's in it for Wayne? Nothing. Just the sheer enjoyment of working on his passionate idea.
These entrepreneurs and innovators have vision and are driven everyday by the challenge of making this vision come to life, come hell or high water. Now that's inspiring!
