There's a reason why the long-standing myth of 'left-brain' vs. 'right-brain' is deeply rooted in popular culture. The belief that one's way of thinking is dominated by either the left side of the brain (which is responsible for analytical reasoning and thought) or the right (which is responsible for creative and holistic thought) is a nice metaphor that captures two very different yet both essential mindsets in order for us to properly function in our everyday lives. So, where does innovation fit in?

In today's society, there is pressure to choose one side of the brain over the other as students are in a rush to decide majors and career paths. What many people don't realize is that both "sides" work together and the "right" and "left" should not be considered as separate entities.

It goes without saying that creativity and innovation are competitive advantages. That’s why the most innovative companies such as Google, Airbnb and Apple have a tremendous 'devotion to beauty'. The leaders of these companies know that creativity is a competitive advantage. Their respective design philosophies have revolutionized the way we perceive tech products today.

So what can you do to improve your innovation skills?

10 Exercises to Boost Your Innovation Skills

1. Try to 'see' the music you listen to
   Enhance your creative abilities by imagining how a certain song would look like in real life.

2. Daydream
   Imagination allows you to shape what you really want in life. What you can imagine determines what you can do.

3. Get out of your comfort zone
   In order to learn something, you need to take risks and try new things.

4. Connect dots that are seemingly irrelevant
   Always thinking in a logical sequence can sometimes limit possibilities. For example: "Why is Tel Aviv continuously generating ideas and startups? What's their secret?" The secret is they focus on possibilities.

5. Practice intuitive thinking
   The intuitive mind helps us create expectations, connect the dots, flag inconsistencies and warn us of potential problems.

6. Focus on asking different questions, not answering them
   Simply answering questions doesn't open any new doors or allow any alternative solutions to a problem.

7. Creative "doing"
   In addition to creative 'thinking', immerse yourself in creative hobbies.

8. Challenge the status-quo
   Be original in your work. Don't copy what's been done before and try something new.

9. Observe what's happening around you
   Observing is a skill. The right decisions can't be made unless you've observed what's around you.

10. Harmonize your role
    Make it a habit to implement creativity and innovation in your role at work.

Making an innovative impact

Managers can't expect original ideas from employees if they aren't trained to use innovative tools. Employees need the artistic mindset to use those tools because people are the ones driving innovation, not tools.

What can you do today at work to boost your creativity?

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