The third "face of innovation" from Tom Kelley’s book The Ten Faces of
Innovation is the last of the "learning" personas: the Cross-pollinator
(the first two were the Anthropologist and the Experimenter). I’m reading the book and thinking about how to apply his innovation insights into church leadership. This is Part One of four.
From the book: "Cross-pollinators can create something new and better through the
unexpected juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated ideas or concepts."
They look at solutions in one context and apply them to another
context, crossing boundaries and cultures, finding creative solutions
in very unlikely places.
The Frisbee was a result of cross-pollination. The basic shape and even
the original name were adapted from the Frisbie Baking Company’s pie
tins, which were turned upside down and tossed around by college
students a hundred years ago.
Cross-pollinators are the people who translate arcane technical
jargon into language everyone can understand. They are voracious
readers of all kinds of widely varying subjects. They tend to maintain
multiple interests and are able to import ideas from one area to
another with ease and wonder.
They retain the childlike ability to see
patterns others don’t. Metaphors are their first language, and this
they’re able to see relationships and connections that others miss.
They frequently approach problems from oblique angles and as a result
discover fresh, creative solutions to problems. Cross-pollinators are
innately curious and are motivated by a desire to learn and understand.
I’ll talk more about it more later, but I believe this kind of individual is sorely needed in the church today.
On Monday, Part Two: Cross-pollinators are "T-shaped"
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