I wrote a post in June 2012 on thinking about the dark side of the innovation moon. As India quite rightly celebrates its first landing in lunar exploration, near the south pole of the moon, the dark side, it prompted me to look back at this post and decide to republish this again here.
Have you ever wondered what is on the other side of the moon when you look up towards it? Do we need to look beyond our horizons in our daily lives? Should we question beyond our existing horizons in how we innovate, explore, and push ourselves into the unknown?
What about the other side, the darker, unknown side of the moon? Are you ever curious about what lies behind what we can see? I certainly am.
Innovation is perhaps like the moon. We only see a part of it wherever we stand; we appreciate that part and value what we see and work within. It is even better if we can repeat it again and again. It can even offer something reassuring and comfortable; we grow comfortable within our known borders of innovation activity.
What happens, though, when we suddenly face a crisis? Or our innovation activity, which has happily gone on and on, is abruptly questioned due to some sudden changes in the marketplace? Then, we often enter the unknown side, the darker, murkier side of innovation, where uncertainties lurk.
This is like maybe the other side of the moon, but not part of our ‘seen’ world until now. It unexpectedly challenges what we know and leaves us vulnerable and uncertain. It also prompts us to be curious.
The issue becomes, what is the power of knowing that darker side of the innovation moon beforehand? Maybe it is the explorer within us all. Knowing what’s out there. Understanding as much of the whole innovation moon would suit many of us, but we would like to do this safely within our existing comfort zone.
Ideally, we would love not just a glimpse of the far side, that darker, unknown side, but a chance to visit it, to see if it is something for us or not? How can we do this? Can we prepare?
Visiting the dark side of the innovation moon
I think we all do need to gain a really good glimpse of the total innovation moon. It would help us to be better equipped to be ready for different eventualities that are, more often than not, coming our way in unexpected ways.
What can be provided that allows us to move around innovation more confidently, experience it, explore it and then become eventually more comfortable with it to work all sides of this innovation moon?
To orbit the innovation moon, we need to rise up and go beyond our day-to-day lives. We need to look at innovation in its broader context; we need to understand all of its interconnected parts. So much of the innovation moon often remains in mystery, the side facing us away.
Part of my job is to encourage you to not only leave your comfort zone but to attempt to offer the framing techniques and approaches to equip you for deepening your journey onto the darker, less-known sides of your innovation understanding.
How can we explore all the potential within innovation?
We should ask of ourselves, what does block out the light, the understanding of gaining a fuller understanding of innovation. Is it a lack of time, of incentive or it is not simply part of our job? The role expected by our organisation does not want us to be curious.
We need a way to connect freshly, relay and make exploration, and feel like we can make a safe venture. We often need permission to go beyond our existing horizons to do this.
Equally, we must ask ourselves what and where the innovation moon’s dark sides are for us. Why are these differences on the side that faces away from us, the unknown sides of the innovation moon? We do need to open up and seek out far more.
The power and force of the dark side has a growing attraction
The difference that can be made is distinctive innovation, breakthrough and disruptive innovation. This is the attraction of exploring the dark side of the innovation moon; it is what investors and your organizations are looking for that makes you stand out and be different. You have pushed the boundaries.
Those creative forces, the unique breakthroughs, the distinctive products, services and different business models allow us to break free of the pull of the gravity that often holds the majority back, which is the attraction of the dark side of innovation. This often requires us to move out of our comfort zones and be pushed to explore the other side, the far side of our thinking.
We all need to make fresh moonwalks.
To understand the whole innovation moon, we do need to make moonwalks. We need to explore; we need to map out the terrain. We need a new model that tackles innovation so it can articulate for all and become the innovation roadmap that communicates to us all in a way that makes a clear connection.
We need more help in reducing uncertainty and replacing it with something that gives us all a feeling of being part of something bigger and more exciting, something we want to participate in.
We all need to visit the dark side of the innovation moon. I am more than happy to walk alongside you, actually, I’d welcome it, as we all gain a new perspective when we make any journey.
As India begins to explore the darker side of the moon, here on Earth, we need to confront our own blockages around making innovation more core to solving complex challenges on this planet Earth- we need to.
This posting site, paul4innovating.com and my business advisory service, Agility Innovation, were deliberately set up to help in this: advising, coaching, researching and consulting work to help you in your innovation focus. I’m trying to add the ‘innovation fuel’ and essential frameworks and equipment to help you explore innovation with growing confidence and continued support, simply here on Earth.
**First posted in June 2012 and amended here recognizing India’s terrific achievement in landing near the south pole of the Moon- the darker, unexplored part on 23rd August 2023.