Blog Archives
Home / Blog Archives
February 16, 2026

Innovation Requires More Than Brainstorming

Innovation is everywhere right now.

Idea boards. Hackathons. AI-generated concepts. Crowdsourced challenges. Teams are producing more ideas than ever—yet many organizations still struggle to turn those ideas into real change.

So what’s missing?

Innovation Has Become Noisy

Over the past decade, innovation has exploded in popularity. And that’s a good thing. As someone who has spent a career researching and practicing creative problem solving, this momentum is encouraging.

Linus Pauling famously said, “The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.” That insight helped fuel modern innovation practices like crowdsourcing, open innovation platforms, and large-scale ideation sessions.

Today, we see this play out everywhere:

    • Global hackathons generate thousands of ideas in a weekend

    • Companies using AI tools to brainstorm product concepts in seconds

    • Platforms like idea portals invite employees and customers to “submit ideas”

The result? A lot of ideas.

But here’s the hard truth: A long list of ideas is not innovation.

Ideas Are Only the Starting Line

Crowdsourcing and ideation tools are valuable; they help surface creativity and broaden participation. But on their own, they stop short.

A list of ideas is just that: a list.

Innovation only happens when:

    • The right problem has been identified

    • Ideas are evaluated with clear criteria

    • Decisions are made deliberately

    • Action follows

    • Learning feeds the next cycle

Without this structure, organizations end up with:

    • Brilliant ideas that never get implemented

    • Teams frustrated by “innovation theatre”

    • Leaders ask, “Why don’t any of these ideas go anywhere?”

Innovation Is a Process, Not an Event

At Basadur Applied Innovation, we’ve seen one pattern consistently: The most successful innovators don’t treat innovation as a workshop, they treat it as a system.

Real innovation follows a continuous cycle:

  1. Problem Finding – discovering the right challenge.
  2. Fact Finding – separating facts from assumptions
  3. Problem Definition – defining the right problem
  4. Idea Finding – exploring possibilities without judgment
  5. Evaluation & Selection – converging with clarity
  6. Planning – structuring actionable solutions
  7. Acceptance – from approval to action
  8. Action – solution implementation

Generating ideas is only one step, and not really even the most important one.

Innovation Lives in Daily Behavior

Another misconception is that innovation happens only during special moments:

    • Offsites

    • Strategy days

    • Quarterly brainstorms

In reality, innovation succeeds when creative problem solving becomes a daily habit.

That means people:

    • Know how to separate divergent and convergent thinking

    • Feel safe challenging assumptions

    • Understand how to move from ambiguity to action

    • Use shared tools and language to think together

Innovation isn’t something you turn on, it’s something you practice.

Talking About Innovation Isn’t Enough

It’s great that organizations are talking about innovation more than ever. But research and experience show that conversation alone doesn’t create change.

What does?

    • A repeatable process

    • Clear thinking skills

    • Supportive behaviors

    • A culture that values both creativity and execution

Innovation becomes sustainable only when problem finding, solving, and implementing are continuous, not occasional.

From Ideas to Impact

Ideas matter.

But innovation is what happens after the ideas.

When organizations move beyond idea volume and invest in structured creative problem solving, innovation stops being random and starts becoming reliable.

That’s the difference between having many ideas…and making innovation actually work.

Ideas are important, but innovation is what happens after the ideas. When organizations adopt a structured, repeatable approach to creative problem solving, innovation becomes reliable, actionable, and sustainable. Basadur Applied Innovation helps leaders and teams move from idea overload to real-world results by embedding proven thinking processes that turn insight into action.

Ready to move from ideas to impact?

Let’s Innovate
January 26, 2026

Building Innovative Teams Through Cognitive Diversity

For decades, organizations believed that the best teams were the ones that “got along.” Minimal conflict. Smooth conversations. Consensus at every turn.

But in 2026, we know something very different:
Teams that look harmonious on the surface often struggle to innovate beneath it.

Today’s most successful organizations aren’t built on perfect chemistry—they’re built on cognitive diversity, the ability to harness different ways of thinking, approaching problems, and making decisions.

At Basadur Applied Innovation, we’ve spent years studying how teams innovate, collaborate, and adapt. Our research is clear:

The most innovative teams are not the ones that think alike – they’re the ones that think differently, together.

And the key to unlocking that potential? Understanding each person’s thinking and problem-solving style through the Basadur Profile.

The Myth of “Perfect Harmony” in Teams

Many leaders still assume that the best teams are the ones with:

  • No disagreements
  • Smooth meetings
  • Fast consensus
  • Similar working styles

But harmony often comes at a hidden cost: groupthink.

Groupthink leads to:

  • Narrow solutions
  • Missed opportunities
  • Poor risk assessment
  • “Safe” ideas that fail to move the business forward

In today’s environment—where AI adoption, shifting customer expectations, hybrid work, and rapid technological change demand agility—groupthink has become a competitive liability.

Consider recent events:

    • AI rollouts are failing because teams didn’t challenge assumptions or ask the right questions

    • Product launches are missing the mark because teams only represent one thinking style

    • Organizations struggle with change because dissent is felt to be uncomfortable, so no one voices alternative ideas

Innovation doesn’t come from avoiding tension. It comes from embracing different thinking styles and channeling them productively.

Why Diverse Thinking Styles Matter More Than Ever

Innovation is not a single skill. It’s a sequence of thinking modes:

    1. Generating insights and uncovering opportunities

    1. Conceptualizing ideas and defining meaning

    1. Optimizing solutions and removing obstacles

    1. Implementing ideas and making things happen

Teams often fail not because they lack skill, but because they have gaps:

    • Too many idea generators, not enough implementers

    • Too many detail-focused optimizers, not enough big-picture conceptualizers

    • Too many people are asking “What’s the risk?” and not enough are asking “What’s possible?”

And when everyone thinks the same way, teams overuse one part of the innovation cycle and leave the rest behind.

Cognitive diversity ensures every part of the innovation process is covered, not just the one people are most comfortable with.

Turning Differences Into Strengths with the Basadur Profile

The Basadur Profile is not a personality test. It doesn’t tell you whether you’re introverted, extroverted, logical, or emotional.

Instead, it reveals something much more important:

How you prefer to solve problems and where you naturally add the most value in the innovation process.

The four Basadur Profile styles are:

1. Generators

Spot emerging problems, trends, and opportunities.
Example: Identifying customer frustrations in hybrid service environments.

2. Conceptualizers

Make sense of messy information and define the real challenge.
Example: Turning AI-related concerns into a structured problem statement.

3. Optimizers

Design step-by-step solutions and refine processes.
Example: Building a realistic workflow for implementing a new digital tool.

4. Implementers

Take action, test solutions, and drive results.
Example: Launching a pilot project, coordinating teams, executing ideas.

When teams understand their cognitive strengths, they stop seeing differences as friction and start seeing them as fuel.

From Groupthink to Growth Thinking

Groupthink shows up when teams silence conflict—intentionally or unintentionally.

Growth thinking, on the other hand, thrives when teams:

    • Defer judgment

    • Welcome divergent thinking

    • Encourage constructive tension

    • Value insights from every part of the organization

    • Feel safe raising concerns or proposing unconventional ideas

Organizations making headlines today—the ones adapting to AI disruption, climate pressures, labor shortages, digital transformation—succeed because they reward cognitive tension, not consensus.

Some real-life examples include:

• AI Implementation Failures

Teams composed entirely of optimizer–implementer styles rushed into execution without properly defining the problem. A single conceptualizer would have changed everything.

• Retail Innovation Breakthrough

A major retailer redesigned its in-store experience by combining generators (customer insight) with conceptualizers (strategy), optimizers (process improvement), and implementers (store-level testing).

• Government Service Redesign

Public service teams leveraged cognitive diversity to simplify complex processes, reducing wait times, eliminating unnecessary steps, and increasing trust and usability.

These outcomes didn’t happen because everyone thought the same way—they happened because they didn’t.

How to Build Teams That Innovate With Purpose

Here’s how leaders can intentionally design innovative teams:

1. Identify your team’s thinking styles with the Basadur Profile

Most teams are shocked to see their gaps and their unused strengths.

2. Balance the innovation process

Ensure every phase: Generating, Conceptualizing, Optimizing, and Implementing, has representation.

3. Normalize divergent and convergent thinking

Use Simplexity Thinking to separate idea generation from evaluation.

4. Create psychological safety

People innovate when they feel safe asking unconventional questions.

5. Embrace constructive tension

The goal isn’t harmony, it’s healthy collaboration.

Unlock Your Team’s Innovation Potential

Cognitive diversity isn’t “nice to have,” it’s the backbone of:

    • Faster problem solving

    • Better decision-making

    • More creative solutions

    • Stronger adaptability

    • Higher team engagement

    • Sustainable innovation culture

And the Basadur Profile gives teams the insight and language to use their differences strategically, not accidentally.

Common Questions Leaders Ask About the Basadur Profile

What makes a team innovative?

Balanced thinking styles and a shared process for problem solving.

How does the Basadur Profile differ from personality tests?

It measures how people think, not who they are.

What is groupthink, and why is it harmful?

It discourages new ideas, hides risks, and leads to fragile decisions.

Can the Basadur Profile improve existing teams?

Yes, many teams use it to repair conflict, rebalance responsibilities, and improve collaboration.

Who benefits from the Basadur Profile?

Any team facing uncertainty, complexity, or the need for rapid innovation—sales, product, HR, operations, nonprofits, public sector, and more.

Take the Next Step With Basadur Applied Innovation

If you’re ready to build teams that collaborate deeply, think creatively, and innovate with purpose, we can help.

Let's Innovate
January 19, 2026

Great Innovation Begins With Asking Great Questions.

Innovation rarely begins with a perfect idea.

More often, it starts with a problem that hasn’t been fully understood yet.

In a world where AI tools evolve weekly, industries shift overnight, and customer expectations change faster than ever, organizations can no longer afford to wait for lightning-bolt inspiration. Innovation is no longer a mystery—it’s a skill, and one of the most essential skills is problem finding.

At Basadur Applied Innovation, we see this every day. Teams jump straight into brainstorming, prototyping, or buying new tech, only to realize later that they solved the wrong problem.

When you slow down enough to ask the right questions—before ideation—you uncover opportunities that were invisible before. This is the foundation of Simplexity Thinking, which teaches teams to separate problem finding, idea generation, and solution evaluation so innovation becomes clear, repeatable, and collaborative.

Below are today’s 10 must-ask questions for launching innovation, updated for a world of AI disruption, hybrid work, and rapidly shifting markets.

10 Modern Problem-Finding Questions to Spark Innovation

These questions help teams surface unseen challenges, emerging opportunities, and high-value problems worth solving.

1. Where are the bottlenecks slowing us down the most—and why do they keep happening?

In hybrid workplaces, broken handoffs, outdated workflows, or unclear ownership can quietly drain productivity.

2. What red tape or unnecessary steps frustrate our people or customers?

Compliance, outdated approvals, and legacy processes often exist “because we’ve always done it this way.”

3. Which goals do we repeatedly miss, despite our best efforts?

Consistently unmet goals point to hidden structural issues—not individual performance.

4. How are AI and automation changing our industry, and what problems will this create in 2–3 years?

Example: Sales teams facing AI-driven buyer expectations.
Example: HR adapting to automated candidate screening.

5. What problems will our customers face 2–3 years from now—and how might we help them today?

Companies that anticipate customer struggles build the strongest competitive advantage.

6. What small issues today could become expensive problems tomorrow?

Minor friction points compound over time.
Small complaints → big churn.

7. What would make work easier, smoother, or more motivating for our teams?

Employee experience is now directly tied to innovation performance.

8. Where are internal “turf wars” or silos slowing progress?

Innovation thrives when boundaries fall.  It dies when departments protect territory.

9. What new opportunity would excite us most if we had the time and resources to explore it?

Excitement points to passion. Passion fuels innovation.

10. What emerging opportunities will be most valuable for our customers in the next 3 years?

Example: AI-enabled personalization
Example: Predictive insights
Example: Seamless digital experiences

These questions open thinking, reveal assumptions, and set the stage for divergent exploration—the essential first step in creative problem solving.

Why Problem Finding Matters More Than Ever

Organizations often fail at innovation not because they lack ideas, but because they:

  • Start with the wrong problem
  • Solve a symptom instead of the root issue
  • Jump to solutions before fully understanding the challenge
  • Rely on assumptions instead of customer insights
  • Let internal politics shape decisions
  • Skip the divergent-thinking phase entirely

Problem finding is the #1 predictor of successful innovation. It’s also the step people skip most often.

In the Basadur Simplexity Thinking process, problem finding is deliberate, structured, and collaborative, ensuring teams identify challenges worth solving before generating solutions.

How Simplexity Thinking Strengthens Problem Finding

The Basadur framework helps teams:

1. Diverge before converging

Generate a wide range of perspectives without judgment.

2. Separate opinions from facts

Avoid jumping to conclusions or pet solutions.

3. Map challenges visually with Challenge Mapping

Expose root causes, assumptions, contradictions, and hidden constraints.

4. Build shared clarity

When teams align on the problem, solutions emerge naturally.

This approach transforms chaotic discussions into productive innovation conversations.

Real-World Examples (2024–2025)

Tech & AI Adoption

A global retailer believed “our AI tool isn’t working.”
After Challenge Mapping, the real issue was:
“We never trained frontline managers on how to integrate AI recommendations into decisions.”

Healthcare Workflow

A hospital assumed it needed more nurses.
Problem finding revealed:
“Nurses spend 40% of their time on admin tasks.”
The innovation? Redesigning workflows—not hiring.

Government Services

A city thought its citizens were ignoring their digital portal.
The real problem?
“The login process was too complicated for mobile users.”

Solutions only appear simple after the right problem is identified.

Ask Better Questions. Get Better Innovation

These updated problem-finding questions help teams:

✓ Break habitual thinking
✓ Challenge assumptions
✓ Surface unmet customer needs
✓ Avoid rework and wasted effort
✓ Align on the right starting point
✓ Build a culture of curiosity and collaboration

Innovation becomes dramatically easier when you begin with clarity.

What Problem-Finding Question Would You Add?

Innovation is a team sport, and every voice brings value.
What powerful question helps you uncover hidden opportunities?

We’d love to hear it—and include it in future articles.

Take the Next Step With Basadur Applied Innovation

If your organization wants to get better at problem finding, creative collaboration, and innovation that actually sticks, we can help. The Basadur Simplexity Thinking process provides teams with a shared language and method for innovating confidently and consistently.

👉 Discover your team’s Basadur Profile (How do you prefer to innovate?)
 https://www.basadurprofile.com

👉 Work with us to strengthen problem finding and innovation culture
 https://www.basadur.com/contact/

Better questions lead to better innovation.
Let’s help your teams ask the ones that spark breakthrough results.

Let's innovate

December 29, 2025

Innovation Isn’t About Technology, It’s About People, Process, and How They Think

In today’s fast-changing world, innovation is often mistaken for technology. A new platform launches. A workflow gets automated. AI arrives. And suddenly organizations announce: “We’re innovative!”

But real innovation is not a tool, app, or system upgrade.

Innovation is a human capability, a repeatable process of problem finding, creative thinking, and collaborative solution-making.

Organizations that excel at innovation focus less on the technology itself and more on the thinking skills, behaviours, and structures that make innovation possible. They treat innovation as a discipline, not an accident. And when they do, innovation becomes scalable, measurable, and sustainable, no luck required.

This is the foundation of Basadur Applied Innovation.

Why Organizations Mistake Technology for Innovation

Technology is exciting, visible, and easy to showcase. Leaders can point to a new platform and say, “Look, we’re modernizing.” But these upgrades rarely change how people think or solve problems.

Here’s the core issue:

Technology accelerates processes; innovation transforms them.

Digitizing an inefficient process doesn’t make it better; it makes you inefficient faster.

Without a structured innovation process, organizations end up:

  • Automating old habits
  • Speeding up poor decision-making
  • Adopting tools without direction or purpose
  • Missing the root causes of problems

Innovation begins not with tools, but with problem definition, collaboration, and creative exploration. These are human skills, not software features.

Innovation Is a Human Learning Process, Not a Product

Innovation grows through curiosity, experimentation, challenge mapping, and reframing, not equipment.

Teams innovate when they can:

  • Identify the real problem behind the problem
  • Ask “Why?” without fear of judgment
  • Explore possibilities without rushing to evaluate
  • Collaborate across departments and perspectives
  • Converge on solutions using clear, unbiased criteria

This is the essence of the Simplexity Thinking process, the Basadur framework that brings structure and clarity to innovation.

Tools can speed execution, but they cannot:

  • Replace the ability to think critically
  • Build collaboration
  • Generate meaningful insights
  • Teach teams to solve fuzzy problems

Innovation is a cognitive skill set. Without it, technology delivers efficiency, not transformation.

Technology Supports Innovation, But It Cannot Lead It

Technology plays an important role in scaling innovation, but it cannot replace:

  • Problem finding
  • Divergent thinking
  • Convergent decision-making
  • Human judgment
  • Fundamental understanding of users and needs

Software can automate workflows, but it cannot:

❌ Reframe assumptions
❌ Understand customer frustrations
❌ Evaluate whether a solution is meaningful
❌ Navigate interpersonal dynamics
❌ Build shared understanding

Innovation is human, and technology becomes powerful only when connected to a disciplined thinking process.

Breaking the R&D Bubble: Innovation Belongs to Everyone

For decades, innovation lived in labs, R&D groups, and specialized departments. Today, that model is obsolete.

Innovation accelerates when:

  • Operations feels empowered to solve workflow gaps
  • Customer service shares real-time insights
  • Sales reframes customer challenges
  • Marketing uncovers hidden opportunities
  • Finance identifies better systems
  • HR strengthens collaboration systems

Cross-functional teams, using Thinking Tools such as Challenge Mapping and “How Might We?”, create richer, faster, more practical solutions.

Organizations that democratize innovation outperform those that isolate it.

Building a “How Might We?” Culture of Everyday Innovation

One of the most powerful shifts organizations can make is changing how problems are framed.

“How Might We…?”

This question sparks curiosity instead of judgment. It invites possibility instead of defensiveness.

Teams using Basadur’s problem-framing tools consistently experience:

  • A clearer understanding of the real challenge
  • Broader solution space (more and better ideas)
  • More equal participation
  • Reduced tension during difficult conversations
  • Higher confidence in final solutions

This mindset builds innovation capacity that compounds over time.

Innovation Happens at the Edges

Innovation rarely originates in the boardroom; it starts at the edges where real people face real friction.

Frontline employees notice:

  • Broken workflows
  • Recurring customer complaints
  • Inefficiencies that leaders never see
  • Emerging needs that aren’t yet documented

When organizations invite these voices into the innovation process, they harness a powerful engine for continuous improvement and new value creation.

Human-centered innovation begins with human-centered listening.

Rethinking Innovation KPIs: Measure Process, Not Just Output

Most organizations track innovation through outputs:

  • Patents
  • New product launches
  • R&D spend

While these matter, they don’t tell the whole story. The strongest innovation cultures measure:

Innovation Engagement

  • How many people are involved in problem solving?

Innovation Speed

  • How quickly do teams go from insight → prototype → implementation?

Innovation Quality

  • Are solutions aligned with real user needs?

Innovation Behavior

  • Do people defer judgment?
  • Do they collaborate across boundaries?
  • Do they learn from failure instead of hiding it?

These KPIs reflect true innovation maturity.

The Future of Innovation: Humans + Systems + Structure

Future-ready organizations don’t treat innovation as a brainstorming exercise or an inspirational slogan.

They build systems that support:

  • Divergent and convergent thinking
  • Cross-functional collaboration
  • Ongoing experimentation
  • Safe exploration of uncertain challenges
  • Repeatable creative problem solving

Technology plays a supporting role, but the engine of innovation is:

  • People trained to think creatively
  • Systems that organize collaboration
  • Methods that produce measurable results

Build an Innovation Routine With Basadur Applied Innovation

Basadur Applied Innovation helps organizations develop innovation as a practical, repeatable, human-powered capability. Using the Simplexity Thinking process, we help teams:

  • Strengthen creative problem-solving skills
  • Build confidence in navigating uncertainty
  • Innovate collaboratively across roles and departments
  • Move from ideas to implementation with clarity and speed
  • Turn innovation from a special event into a daily routine

When organizations invest in human capability rather than just technology, innovation becomes scalable, inclusive, and sustainable.

Take the Next Step Toward Building a True Innovation Culture

If you’re ready to move beyond tools and unlock the real potential of your people, Basadur Applied Innovation can help you build an innovation routine that lasts.

Innovation isn’t luck. It’s a skill, and we can help your people master it.

December 15, 2025

Overcoming Resistance: Helping Sales Teams Embrace AI and Innovation

Change has never been simple, but in today’s AI-driven sales environment, resistance feels sharper than ever. Sales teams aren’t pushing back because they’re stubborn or anti-technology. They’re pushing back because AI introduces uncertainty, and uncertainty disrupts confidence, rhythm, and familiar workflows.

Even when AI tools clearly add value—stronger outreach messaging, automated follow-ups, higher-quality ICP targeting—many reps default to old habits. Spreadsheets. Saved email templates. The “classic” CRM workflow.

This isn’t incompetence. It’s cognitive bias. Status quo bias and loss aversion show up fast in environments built on consistency, personal skill, and repeatable processes.

And in 2025, this resistance appears in nearly every sales organization.

Why Sales Teams Resist AI Even When It Works

From a Basadur Applied Innovation lens, resistance is rarely about technology.
 It’s rooted in deeper emotional and cognitive patterns.

1. Loss Aversion

“What if AI replaces part of what I’m good at?”
 Salespeople thrive on personal strengths: intuition, communication, and relationships.
 AI can feel like a threat to that identity.

2. Status Quo Bias

“My current process works. Why mess with it?”
 Even high performers avoid change when today’s system delivers predictable results.

3. Fear of Exposure

“Will AI reveal gaps in my approach?”
 AI increases visibility into activity patterns, follow-up speed, pipeline bottlenecks—triggering defensiveness.

4. Overwhelm

“There’s already too much tech… how do I know which tools matter?”
 Sales teams face tool fatigue, making any addition feel like extra weight.

Naming these barriers, rather than pushing past them, is the first step in creative problem solving and building engagement.

Why Addressing Resistance Matters Now More Than Ever

Organizations often treat AI adoption as a technical rollout.

But the Basadur method reveals the truth:

  • Innovation succeeds when people accept the problem, explore possibilities, and help shape solutions.
  • Emotional acceptance, not technical perfection, is the strongest predictor of adoption.
  • Resistance isn’t rejection. Resistance is hesitation.

With the right innovation process, hesitation becomes curiosity… and eventually, ownership.

How Leaders Can Use Basadur Thinking to Support AI Adoption

Effective innovation leadership requires psychological safety, open problem finding, and structured collaboration.

Behaviors that build a safe environment for learning AI:

  • Ask for concerns early
    “What could make this tool difficult for you?”
    (This is pure problem finding, Step 1 of Simplexity Thinking.)
  • Normalize raw drafts and early attempts
    “Show me your first try, don’t polish it.”
    (Supports divergent thinking without judgment.)
  • Reward questions and experimentation
    Encourages open exploration instead of silent resistance.
  • Celebrate changed minds
    It models adaptability instead of ego-protection.

These behaviors shift AI from “management’s decision” to team-driven innovation.

Divergent & Convergent Thinking: The Basadur Skill Sales Teams Need

The Basadur Applied Innovation process, diverge then converge, makes AI adoption smoother.

Divergent Thinking:

Explore prompts, test ideas, try features, and generate possibilities without judgment.

Convergent Thinking:

Decide which workflows to standardize, which prompts to keep, and which integrations matter.

Most AI failures happen when organizations judge too early, converging before diverging.

Separating these skills reduces fear and increases engagement.

Five Basadur-Inspired Strategies to Build AI Support in Sales Teams

1. Share Control, Credit, and Ownership

  • Let reps co-create AI workflows and test options.
  • People support what they help build.

2. Be Enthusiastic and Transparent

  • Acknowledge real friction: messy CRM data, clunky onboarding, learning curves.
  • Honesty builds trust.

3. Choose the Right Timing

  • Don’t introduce AI tools during quota crunch months.
  • Choose periods where experimentation feels safe.

4. Turn Passive Listeners Into Active Participants

Give quick, low-risk assignments:

  • “Try one AI call opener this week.”
  • “Compare 10 emails, human vs AI suggestions.
  • Action turns anxiety into progress.

5. Make AI Tangible and Inspiring

  • Use real before/after examples, peer success stories, or mini prototypes
  • When reps see measurable improvement, they lean in.

Build a Culture That Welcomes Innovation, Not Just AI

AI is only one piece.

The deeper goal is building an innovation habit using Basadur principles:

  • Celebrate small learnings
  • Share problems openly
  • Maintain cross-functional communication
  • Normalize experimentation
  • Keep challenge mapping alive

Organizations that embrace ongoing innovation move from: “Why change?” → “What can we improve next?”

A Simple Basadur-Style 30–60–90 Day Runway for AI Adoption

Days 1–30: Awareness & Desire

  • Define the real problem AI solves (Challenge Mapping)
  • Share a vision video
  • Recruit early champions

Days 31–60: Knowledge & Ability

  • Role-specific training
  • Protected AI practice time
  • Transparent issue board

Days 61–90: Reinforcement

  • Retire outdated workflows
  • Recognize early adopters
  • Publish “Here’s what changed because of your feedback.”

Then repeat, innovation is continuous.

The Payoff of Building Buy-In Through Innovation Thinking

When teams feel seen, supported, and involved:

  • Resistance decreases
  • AI becomes a partner, not a threat
  • Engagement rises
  • Weekly improvements become the norm
  • Innovation stops being disruptive and becomes routine

This is the Basadur promise: Structured innovation that feels collaborative, not chaotic.

Ready to Move Your Sales Team From Hesitation to Innovation?

AI adoption doesn’t begin with tools; it begins with people. Basadur Applied Innovation helps  people build the thinking skills, collaboration habits, and psychological safety needed to turn resistance into engagement and innovation into a daily routine.

Whether you need help clarifying the real challenge, developing an AI adoption roadmap, or equipping teams with the skills to diverge and converge effectively, we’re here to support every step.

Let’s Innovate

November 17, 2025

Nurturing an Innovation Mindset: The Power of the “How Might We?” Statement 

We’ve all heard it before: “That’s a good idea, but…”. The moment those words are spoken, the energy in the room shifts. Instead of exploring potential, the focus turns to roadblocks. This subtle habit may be one of the biggest killers of creativity.

To replace it, innovators and facilitators now use the How Might We (HMW) approach- a simple but powerful framing tool that keeps momentum alive by turning critique into curiosity.

What Does “How Might We” Mean and Why Is It Better?

An HMW statement is essentially a question that reframes challenges as opportunities. Instead of highlighting why something can’t be done, it asks how it might be done. For example:

Instead of: “It’s a good idea, but we don’t have the budget.”

Try: “How might we free up the budget to make this idea happen?”

This small change nurtures an innovation mindset, creating room for exploration, flexibility, and collaboration. In design thinking, “how might we” is a standard entry point for ideation because it encourages divergent thinking before moving toward solutions.

How “Yes, But” Shuts Down Creativity

The psychology behind “yes, but” is rooted in threat perception. People interpret the “but” as rejection, which undermines psychological safety in teams. When individuals feel their contributions will be dismissed, they stop sharing ideas. Over time, this erodes innovation culture and reduces risk-taking.

Creativity and subsequent innovative breakthroughs thrive when team members feel safe to suggest unusual or unfinished ideas. Shutting them down too quickly shifts the brain into defense mode, leading to conformity rather than innovation.

The Neuroscience of Creative Framing

Research in neuroscience and organizational psychology supports the impact of positive framing. When teams use phrases like “how might we,” they trigger the brain’s reward and curiosity circuits, releasing dopamine, a chemical associated with motivation and creative thinking.

Conversely, the phrase “yes, but” triggers a subtle threat response in the amygdala, which limits the brain’s capacity for innovative thought. This is why even well-meaning feedback can instantly deflate creative energy if phrased poorly.

Encouraging “how might we” questions helps the brain stay in exploration mode, curious, engaged, and ready to build on ideas rather than reject them.

When Should We Use HMW Statements?

The best time to use HMW is during brainstorming techniques or early idea evaluation. At this stage, the goal is divergence, generating many possible approaches. An HMW statement preserves momentum by framing obstacles as opportunities.

Later, in the convergence stage, HMW questions help prioritize. For instance:

    • “How might we solve this with the least resources?”

    • “How might we make this work within three months?”

This balances creativity with realism, keeping teams aligned without discarding bold ideas prematurely.

How to Write Strong HMW Statements

A strong HMW statement is specific enough to spark direction but open enough to invite options. Here are some simple templates:

    • “How might we improve ___ for ___ without ___?”

    • “How might we reimagine ___ to achieve ___?”

    • “How might we reduce ___ while increasing ___?”

Examples:

    • “How might we improve customer onboarding without adding complexity?”

    • “How might we reimagine office space to foster collaboration?”

These structures support opportunity framing and challenge mapping, helping teams ensure they are solving the right problem before jumping to solutions.

From Divergent Ideas to Convergent Decisions

Once a wide set of ideas exists, teams need to narrow down. Here, facilitation techniques are critical. Facilitators can use dot-voting, impact/effort matrices, or scenario testing. Importantly, critique should remain constructive: focus on feasibility, not personal judgment.

To sustain energy, facilitators can remind teams that the goal is not to find the perfect idea immediately, but to identify the most promising options worth testing. This ensures reframing problems doesn’t become endless debate.

Creating Psychological Safety for Brainstorming

Ground rules make or break creative sessions. Teams should adopt guidelines such as:

    • No immediate judgment. Questions must build, not block.

    • Equal airtime. Everyone contributes, not just extroverts.

    • Document everything. No idea disappears without acknowledgment.

In hybrid or remote workshops, digital whiteboards and structured turn-taking maintain inclusivity. Leaders can model the habit by replacing “but” with “yes, and” or HMW framing in everyday meetings. Over time, this builds an innovation culture where people feel ownership of ideas.

Sustaining the Habit

Like any practice, HMW needs cadence and follow-through. Teams can start meetings by reframing one obstacle into an HMW question.

Leaders can rotate ownership, ensuring everyone practices this style of thinking. When organizations embed this into regular rituals, creative problem solving becomes second nature.

Turning HMW Into a Daily Practice

For HMW to truly transform creative culture, it must become more than a workshop exercise. Teams can integrate it into daily habits:

    • Begin every meeting with one HMW question.

    • Encourage leaders to model “reframing language.”

    • Use HMW statements in project briefs or retrospectives.

    • Celebrate people who turn blockers into opportunities.

Small language habits accumulate. Over time, they redefine how teams think, communicate, and solve problems together.

Embedding HMW in Leadership and Culture

When leaders adopt HMW thinking, it sets a tone across the organization. Instead of saying “We can’t,” leaders can model curiosity:

    • “How might we make this happen with limited time?”

    • “How might we test this safely before scaling?”

This not only unlocks solutions but builds psychological safety, trust, and shared purpose. Over time, the “How Might We” mindset becomes a cultural habit — one that transforms meetings, strategy, and collaboration into spaces for possibility rather than resistance.

Final Thoughts

Good ideas are fragile, and “but” statements often kill them before they grow. By deliberately adopting the How Might We approach, teams shift from blocking to building. It’s a way of cultivating an innovative culture, ensuring every idea gets a chance to breathe, evolve, and possibly transform into something extraordinary.

When we choose curiosity over criticism, we create space for innovation to flourish. “How Might We” isn’t just a question but a mindset that turns potential into progress. Every time we ask it, we invite possibility, collaboration, and the next breakthrough to emerge.
Turn insight into action and build an innovation routine that sticks by taking the first step and contacting Basadur Applied Innovation.

Let’s Innovate

Bringing structure to innovation, for individuals, teams and organizations.

Let’s Get Connected
Basadur Network

Basadur Academy

Basadur Profile

 

Contact Global Head Office

For specific inquiries, please use our contact form.

1850 Old Waterdown Road
Burlington, ON Canada, L7P 0T2

14 Pebble Beach Crt.
Fairfield, Ohio, USA, 45014

Phone: 1-905-690-4903
Toll Free: 1-888-88SOLVE

© Copyright 1999-2026 Basadur Applied Creativity. All Rights Reserved. Basadur Applied Innovation®, the Basadur Profile®, and Simplexity Thinking® are copyrighted intellectual property used under license. Licensing information: McMaster Industry Liaison Office (MILO)