There are no perfect people. Each one of us is a unique and unrepeatable being who can contribute something different, but very occasionally there is a combination of characteristics that make someone an innovative person. Great leaders have some of these capabilities, allowing them to inspire others to pursue a goal.
We can cite some examples such as Steve Jobs, Larry Page or Mark Zuckerberg, but creative and innovative people can be anywhere , only their potential has not yet been harnessed.
- It may interest you: The 20 types of people in the world (according to psychology).
8 traits of innovative people
Innovation and creativity are capabilities that cannot be seen with the naked eye . Nor is there an infallible test that allows us to determine if a person is innovative or not. However, here we will list a series of characteristics that are very common in innovative people. 1. Lateral thinking
People with lateral thinking are able to provide a different vision . A bit of freshness always comes in handy when an idea gets stuck or when you have to solve a problem that doesn’t have an easy solution.
Lateral thinking can be broadly defined as an imaginative problem solving technique. This ability, according to Edward de Bono, can be trained through a number of methods. 2. Positivity and perseverance
Another important characteristic of innovative people is that they see any setback as a new opportunity to improve and not make the same mistake again. For them, it is important not to fall into negativity and take each criticism or advice as a gift.
We have put these two characteristics together because perseverance and positivity go hand in hand. An idea, especially if it is complex or innovative, does not become something tangible overnight. More than reaching a goal, what is really important is assimilating what you have learned along the way. 3. Emotional intelligence
Innovative people are able to empathize with their own work team and even with other innovative people who are pursuing a different idea. No one achieves success without establishing trusting and honest relationships with a work environment. On the other hand, they must have enough emotional intelligence to deal with toxic people. 4. Strategic vision
An innovative and creative leader has a very clear idea of what he wants to achieve , although he does not have to know the mechanisms that lead to it. For that he is helped by his team, who will be in charge of paving the way with a series of unique abilities.
That is what the strategic vision consists of, a characteristic that innovative people must never abandon. The following comparison can be established: a boss has a very clear idea of how a painting should look and has the canvas, but he does not have to know how to paint. 5. Passion = inspiration
Passion is, without a doubt, one of the keys to success. For an innovative leader, work is a way of life and not a way of making ends meet . And where there is passion there is inspiration, because energy (whether positive or negative) can be spread in a work team.
It is easy for that passion to be lost over time, as you see that a goal is not as easily achieved as it seemed. In this sense, it is importantmake the objectives more flexible so as not to fall into despair . 6. Curiosity
Innovative people are curious by nature and are interested in the capabilities of others. They are always willing to learn new methods and ways of working that they can use later in their favor. Therefore, the opinion of others is essential to achieve a goal. 7. No fear of failure
Failure is part of success and, to some extent, is inevitable. First you have to fail to know how to value success and the work that it implies . In this sense, creatives and innovators take risks to achieve their goal, even if that means moving to the edge of the precipice.
They are also not afraid of making a fool of themselves or being exposed, since they consider that mistakes are necessary to take advantage of them. They help each other with humor to overcome failure. 8. Without fear of change
The last of the characteristics of innovative people is that they move like a fish in water in the current technological context . They know that there are powerful tools that can be of great use and they know the need to incorporate them.
It is surprising when the leader of a large company does not know how to operate a smartphone. How will that person be able, then, to know what your e-commerce department does? Conclusion
A creative and innovative personYou do not have to have each and every one of these characteristics . It is enough that you have a few to be someone totally valid to undertake the idea. The most important thing is to make sure that our shortcomings are covered by forming a team with different skills. As we pointed out at the beginning, there are no perfect people, only well-matched teams.
- You can also read: 12 tips to start and set up a successful startup.
