The Critical Skill You Didnt Know You Need to Succeed

The Critical Skill You Didnt Know You Need to SucceedThe Critical Skill You Didnt Know You Need to SucceedYouve heard it before To succeed in todays business world, companies have to be innovative. Youve probably also heard that the leaders of those companies have to be innovative, too. But, unless youre sitting in the C-suite or working for a notoriously innovative company like Apple or Google, you probably underestimate how important this quality is for yur individual success.Think again. The ability to innovate- to apply creativity to conceive something new or solve a customer need- is a skill that every single one of us should cultivate in urselves. Read on to learn just a few of the ways that being innovative is critical to your success, and small ways to develop it along the way (no matter what you do). Being Innovative Will Make You mora HirableLike leadership, collaboration, or ownership, having a reputation for being innovative is one of the soft skills that employers are in creasingly vetting potential employees (like you) for. Why? More and mora companies are realizing that one of the biggest keys to organizational neuerung is the people they hire- at all levels. Larger companies like Marriott International or Comcast need innovative people to help them stay competitive in the changing market startups like HomeAway or Venmo need innovative people to help them grow big ideas, fast. Innovation brings creativity and business value together, so if you are in a role where you are solving business problems editors note thats arguably almost any role, then innovation skills are critical. As the world gets more competitive, the leaders who are able to lead teams to think outside the box and create compelling and industry-leading solutions will win in the marketplace, shares Jennifer Hsieh, the VP of Insight, Strategy, and Innovation at Marriott International. Being Innovative Will Help You Keep Your JobOne of the secrets of people who are really successful at fast-growing companies is how rapidly theyre able to adapt to the chaos and uncertainty of adding new people. They become adept at redefining their jobs on a regular basis. This is the advice that Molly Graham, COO of Quip and a past employee on growing teams at Google and Facebook, shared in First Round Review.In other words, its not just about being able to innovate at your job- its about being able to innovate what your job is rolling with the punches as organizations change and constantly finding new ways you can provide value. Even at more established companies that arent growing at a breakneck pace, this is a valuable asset. As Mark Lukens shares, by snagging up thats not my job tasks and turning them into your job, you can quickly become indispensible to a company and poise yourself to lead up the next big thing. And companies are not quick to let go people like that.Being Innovative Will Help You Grow Into a LeaderAs we said above, innovation isnt just a skill for leaders. But it is a skill that turns people into leaders. Over time, many people who are successful in the corporate world got there because theyve mastered analytical, operational, and executional skills As you build confidence with innovation, it changes the way you approach and solve problems, think outside the box, and lead teams, says Hsieh.Kick Start Your Innovation With a Job at Marriott InternationalHow to Get It- and Show ItSo, how do you start becoming more inventive in your day-to-day work, and then show the skill off to your current and future employer?As Warby Parker founder Neil Blumenthal explains, innovation is a muscle- one that we all have and one that can be strengthened over time. Entrepreneur and innovation expert Annabel Acton shares four easy ways you can start thinking more creatively at work, no matter what you do, here, and this article describes how the most successful people of our time make innovation part of their everyday routines. Beyond that, regularly look for ways to get out of your comfort zone at work. Is there something that needs to be done within your organization that nobody else seems to be willing to own? A project outside of your department that youre curious about and can ask to help with? An idea you can bring to the table and offer to lead the charge on? Take some risks, follow a few crazy opportunities, and stay open to doing things a little differently. Doing so from time to time will help keep you brain primed for more innovation.Finally, when youre applying to jobs at companies that you feel value this attribute, focus on ways to show that you are of the innovative ilk. Talk about a time you took initiative and brought a new idea to the table (no matter how small) or invented something new. Talk about a time you failed, showing that youre not afraid to take calculated risks to move the business forward. Talk about the online class you took or your varied hobbies to show that you have curiosity and a passion for learni ng. And remember, innovation isnt just a skill thatll benefit you at work- it can make you think differently about almost anything. Innovation is a mindset and creative process that can be applied dynamically throughout your entire life, shares Chris Baer, Senior Director of Insight, Strategy, and Innovation at Marriott International. It makes us humble, forces an open mind, makes us more imaginative and embracing of new intersections, possibilities, and thinking- and ultimately more courageous with our ideas, adds his colleague, Matthew Von Ertfelda, VP and Team Lead of the Insight, Strategy, and Innovation team. Tell us the ways youll work on becoming more innovative this week on Twitter with MarriottInnovates, or keep an eye out for more great content on innovation from Marriott and The MusePhoto of woman with paper airplane courtesy of Shutterstock.