There’s No Innovation without Fear | Part 2: Navigating the Landscape of Innovation 

In a world of constant change and an ever-evolving global workplace, innovation often becomes a guiding star, leading organizations to new frontiers. But the most seasoned navigators can get blown off course, even if they are armed with a sextant. Because of this, the north star of innovation is alluring, but it is a path filled with fear and ambiguity. This guide is crafted to help you conquer these challenges, embracing innovation with resilience and creativity. 

If you missed it, read Part 1: Navigating the Dark Room.

1. Getting Started: A Journey Beyond Comfort Zones 

Innovation thrives on "ah ha" moments that collide disparate ideas into something extraordinary. But, let's face it, those moments of brilliance don't often come while lounging in your comfort zone. Innovation is all about embracing quick fails and understanding that doing anything new might start off tough—it's like navigating through a pit where everything sucks. But remember, doing anything new sucks at first, and then it doesn't. 

2. Panicked Perfectionism: Leveraging Fear for Growth 

Fear often finds solace behind the veil of perfectionism, whispering that we might stumble and fall, never living up to our own expectations of ourselves, so it is better to not try. So, what do we do when this voice tells us to stop trying? Transform that voice into a beacon of growth. Imagine fear as your quirky dance partner; you're navigating through the steps of self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and ego blocks, learning the steps to turn fear into a tool for personal and professional growth. 

3. Bringing others onboard: Navigating Egos with Confidence 

You’ve decided to embrace fear and take the path less traveled. This is great! But now you must bring others along as well. Not so great. You need to learn how to manage the most sensitive part of the human subconscious: the ego. Ego is the unruly gatekeeper that says certain paths shouldn’t be explored because they don’t make sense, but really it is absolutely terrified of looking naïve, uninformed, or just plain stupid. 

4. The long journey: Playful Progress over Painful Perfection  

The innovation journey isn't a sprint—it's small baby steps of progress, then great leaps of inspiration. Don't be afraid to start before you're ready, because honestly most people are never “ready.” No matter when you get started, you are going to experience uncertainty and fear, both in yourself and others. Strive for progress over process, celebrate quick wins, and remember that discomfort can lead to beautiful breakthroughs. 

As you embrace innovation, know that the path of the unknown is hard, and yes it can suck. A wise innovator once said, “Navigate fear by aligning on a destination and how you'll measure the journey.” But it is the journey that is the most important part. We look into ourselves to see what blocks us and use that fear to help show us a path forward. We align our teams by being vulnerable and transparent, trying to lessen the negative effects of ego, while using ego’s energy to power us forward. Ultimately, creating a vision and bringing your team along for the journey to share the learnings and navigate the redirections, truly transforms the daunting nature of the unknown into an exciting opportunity for creation!  

If you’re interested in learning more about how your team can embrace the right mindsets, behaviors and tools for navigating innovation and fear, or to learn more about our research, continue the conversation with ?What If!’s thought leaders on Innovation Capabilities Toby Knops, Camila M. and Abelardo Martinez Sanchez; designed by Anna Luebker.