Innovate for the Future:  Be a Dinosaur That Dances -

Today it is more important than ever to catch the next wave of change before it crashes on the shore. The solution is to learn to innovate for the future. But how can a small-business owner or a solopreneur translate this into an action plan?

“Graze widely,” suggests Vijay Vaitheeswaran, senior correspondent for The Economist, in his new book, Need, Speed, and Greed.

According to Vaitheeswaran, the ability to innovate is becoming more accessible and more global. People can now come up with world-changing ideas and quickly market them globally. “This democratization (of innovation and increasing interconnectivity) releases the untapped ingenuity of people everywhere, and that could help solve some of the world’s weightiest problems,” he says.

Vaitheeswaran and other futurists encourage entrepreneurs to take charge of the future, including their personal lives, their education and their careers. How?

First, be curious and open to new ideas – look for new solutions, new sources of input, new technologies, new marketing and promotional strategies, and new ways of doing things.

Second, take advantage of online resources.

Third, be disruptive and willing to shake things up. In fact, try a lot of things. And cut yourself some slack if you fail the first few times.

The recent economic downturn should serve as an invitation to all businesspeople and entrepreneurs to reflect and look for ways to innovate. The current environment is ripe for change. Don’t be a dinosaur unless, as Vaitheeswaran suggests, you can become a dinosaur that dances.

Picture Credit: Flickr