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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
November 5, 2025

Stop Solving the Wrong Problem: A Step-by-Step Problem Finding Guide

Most teams rush to solutions. A client complains, a system slows down, a competitor innovates, and suddenly, everyone scrambles for solutions. 

But here’s the paradox-in the rush to “fix” something, we often solve the wrong problem. Without deliberate problem finding and right problem definition, organizations risk wasting resources on fixes that treat symptoms instead of addressing root causes.

Albert Einstein famously said that if given an hour to solve a problem, he’d spend 55 minutes defining it and only five minutes solving it. That mindset remains crucial today. In fact, the ability to define the problem accurately is what separates high-performing teams from those caught in endless cycles of firefighting.

In the real world, problems rarely arrive fully formed. They often emerge as fuzzy situations, ambiguous mixes of symptoms, complaints, and missed opportunities. Teams sense that something is wrong, yet can’t quite articulate what “it” is. Real innovation begins not when problems are handed to us, but when we go looking for them. This proactive mindset transforms uncertainty into possibility.

The Importance of Defining the Right Problem

Most people jump straight into brainstorming solutions. While this instinct satisfies our need for progress, it often backfires.

Consider a retail company experiencing declining sales. The quick reaction might be to launch new ads or discount campaigns. But with the proper problem identification process, the team may discover that outdated logistics systems are causing frequent stockouts. The problem isn’t a lack of advertising; it’s the unavailability of products. 

This is the essence of reframing problems. Taking time to ask whether we are solving a symptom or the actual barrier. This step mirrors the first catch in problem formulation, surfacing what’s truly at play beneath the surface. Jumping to action may yield movement, but not necessarily progress. By slowing down to clarify intent and gather facts, teams can separate noise from insight, paving the way for meaningful breakthroughs.

From Fuzzy Situations to Sharp Problem Statements

Real-world challenges rarely appear neatly packaged. They exist as fuzzy situations where multiple issues overlap. Customer dissatisfaction is tied to outdated processes, misaligned incentives, or technological gaps. Making sense of this requires deliberate mapping.

Tools like challenge mapping help visualize systems, stakeholders, and constraints, ensuring the team considers the full context.

Once the landscape is clearer, it becomes possible to frame sharp problem statements. In design thinking problem definition, this often takes the form of “How Might We” questions. 

For example:

Instead of asking, “How do we cut call center turnover?” (a narrow solution-focused question), reframing might lead to: “How might we redesign the call center employee experience to improve engagement and retention?” 

Good problem statements act as beacons. They allow teams to measure progress, align stakeholders, and avoid drifting into pet projects.

Using a problem definition checklist, asking questions like “Does this focus on causes, not solutions?” or “Can this be measured?”, ensures clarity before moving forward.

The Basadur process emphasizes that this transformation—from fuzziness to focus often sparks “out-of-the-box” discoveries. In moving through ambiguity thoughtfully, teams don’t just define a problem they discover an opportunity. When leaders master this art, they’re able to navigate uncertainty with curiosity rather than fear, turning murky challenges into clear paths for innovation.

Divergent and Convergent Thinking

Effective problem finding requires moving between two modes of thinking. 

  1. Divergent thinking generates a wide range of potential problems and perspectives, encouraging creativity and exploration. 
  2. Convergent thinking then evaluates and narrows options based on impact, risk, and feasibility. 

To understand this better, let us take an example of a transportation authority trying to reduce city congestion. If and when they list the dozens of potential issues, from parking shortages to commuter behaviors, before converging on the most influential drivers (such as lack of reliable public transit), they prevent premature closure. 

Run a Structured Problem-Finding Process

One of the most practical approaches is running a dedicated problem discovery workshop. In a 60–90 minute session, teams can:

  • Brainstorm and cluster possible problems.
  • Rank them using criteria like cost-of-delay, customer impact, and risk.
  • Craft one or two actionable problem statements that will guide solution exploration.

Roles are important too. Facilitators keep discussions open, note-takers capture precise language, and decision-makers validate alignment. The workshop itself becomes a discipline-building exercise, helping organizations institutionalize the problem identification process rather than treating it as ad hoc.

Tools and Techniques That Help

Beyond workshops, several tools for problem finding support systematic thinking:

  • Jobs-to-be-done discovery: Focuses on what customers are truly trying to achieve, beyond stated wants.
  • Reframing problems: Challenge assumptions by asking “What if the opposite were true?”
  • Challenge mapping: Lays out interconnected constraints and opportunities visually.
  • Problem definition checklist: Ensures a problem is framed clearly, measurably, and without bias toward specific solutions.

Each tool helps teams slow down enough to understand before acting, while still moving with purpose.

Knowing When the Problem Is “Defined Enough”

Perfection isn’t realistic. Problems can always be further unpacked, but at some point, teams must declare them “defined enough” to move forward.

The key is clarity. Does the problem statement describe an outcome, allow for multiple solutions, and have measurable boundaries?

For example, a retail chain could define success as “Reduce stockouts in top 20% SKUs by 15% in the next quarter.” That clarity ensures solution efforts stay aligned.

These tools correspond with the principle of fact-finding before idea-finding—a discipline that ensures creativity is anchored in understanding. When teams apply such methods consistently, they don’t just solve better problems; they learn to spot them earlier.

Discover the Problems That Lead to Real Innovation

True advantage today comes from problem discovery and strong problem identification processes, not just quick solutions. By using divergent and convergent thinking, deferring judgment to let thoughts flow (good or bad) and proven problem-finding tools, teams can avoid chasing symptoms.

When organizations invest in sharp problem definition and structured problem statements, they unlock opportunities for real innovation.

From 40 years in the trenches, when leaders and teams fully understand how to embrace and move through problem formulation, the murky sea of uncertainty becomes a source of opportunity. The reward for disciplined curiosity isn’t just better solutions; it is discovering problems worth solving.

Turn insight into action and build an innovation routine that sticks by taking the first step and contacting Basadur Applied Innovation.

Let’s Innovate

October 8, 2025

Beyond the Posters: How to Audit Incentives and Align Them With Your Real Values

Walk into most organizations, and you’ll hear big words- innovation, collaboration, growth, integrity, and quality. They’re printed on posters, highlighted in onboarding, and mentioned in town halls.

But walk a little further, into the daily meetings, one-on-one reviews, and bonus cycles, and you might see a different picture.

People aren’t always rewarded for those values. They’re rewarded for something else. And that’s where misaligned incentives start to shape the culture more than any slogan on the wall.

What Behaviors Do We Say We Value, And What Are We Actually Rewarding?

This is the first question every incentive audit should ask.

We say we want people to think big and work together. But we reward them for playing safe and hitting this quarter’s numbers.

We encourage innovation and learning. However, promotions often go to those who never make mistakes, not to those who try new things.

Let’s break down some common contradictions between stated values and real-world rewards:

We Say We Value…

But We Actually Reward…

Long-term value creation

Hitting quarterly earnings targets

Stretch goals and bold thinking

Playing safe to ensure predictable results

Total quality and customer satisfaction

Meeting deadlines, even with defects

Team collaboration

The loudest individual contributor

Smart risk-taking and innovation

Avoiding mistakes and using proven methods

People development and mentoring

Individual technical wins and deliverables

Employee empowerment

Top-down control and micromanagement

It’s not that any one reward is wrong. But if they consistently favor short-term, low-risk behaviors, they create a gap between what’s said and what’s reinforced.

The Hidden Cost of Misaligned Incentives

When performance incentives contradict company values, several silent problems creep in:

  • Innovation suffers because failure is punished.
  • Team trust breaks down when individual glory outweighs shared wins.
  • Compliance and safety are assumed, not incentivized—until something goes wrong.
  • Learning stagnates when only “perfect” outcomes are praised.
  • Short-termism overrides sustainability, growth, and long-term thinking.

This is where a solid pay-for-performance strategy must do more. It needs to align with the culture you’re trying to build, not just the numbers you want to hit.

The Subtle Signals That Shape Culture

Sometimes, the strongest messages aren’t in memos or mission statements; they’re in who gets celebrated, who gets sidelined, and which efforts go unnoticed. A project that hits targets but cuts corners may get praised, while a bold initiative that failed thoughtfully is quietly buried. These subtle signals shape employee behavior more powerfully than any formal policy. Over time, people stop asking, “What do we value?” and start asking, “What gets rewarded around here?” If you’re not intentional about the answer, your culture will decide for you.

Are You Rewarding the Wrong Things?

Let’s be honest: Most companies think their reward system is working. But look closer:

  • Do promotions go to those who build teams or those who work solo?
  • Are people encouraged to experiment, or punished when things don’t go perfectly?
  • Does mentoring others help your rating, or slow down your own progress?
  • Are ethics and safety recognized or just assumed?

These aren’t soft questions. They go right to the heart of performance management, bonus plan design, and compensation strategy. Because if your reward systems don’t reflect your values, your culture won’t either.

How to Run an Incentive Audit

A proper incentive audit isn’t just an HR formality. It’s a mirror that shows what your organization really values in practice. Here’s how to begin:

  1. List your stated values: What behaviors do you claim to value?
  2. Identify your reward mechanisms: Bonuses, raises, recognition, promotions, and informal praise.
  3. Observe patterns: Who’s getting promoted? What gets celebrated.
  4. Spot the disconnects: Are we rewarding speed over quality? Certainty over innovation? Individuals over teams?
  5. Talk to your people: Do they know what’s valued? Do they believe it’s applied fairly?
  6. Revise incentives: Align KPIs and rewards with long-term learning, ethical behavior, innovation, and collaboration.
  7. Train your managers: They are the daily translators of your values. Help them reward the right things.
  8. Communicate clearly: Employees must understand what success looks like, and feel safe pursuing it.

From Short-Term Wins to Long-Term Value

If your compensation strategy only rewards immediate results, you’ll get them. But you’ll also miss out on everything else- long-term growth, psychological safety, breakthrough innovation, shared learning, resilient teams, and much more.

Companies need to build in multi-dimensional success metrics, combining outcomes with behaviors. For example:

  • Applaud experiments, even if they don’t land.
  • Celebrate process improvements, not just final wins.
  • Recognize team impact, not just individual performance.
  • Include peer feedback, not just manager reviews.
  • Value people who mentor and grow others, not just deliver tasks.

Incentives Shape Culture: You Get the Culture You Pay For

Values don’t live in handbooks. They live in what gets rewarded, what gets promoted, and what gets ignored.

Aligning incentives with values is a philosophy and not just a fix. Organizations that lead with integrity deliberately engineer their reward systems to reflect who they want to be, not just what they want to achieve. This means designing for behaviors that endure, not just outcomes that impress.

Consider what happens when an employee chooses transparency over concealment, even if it means admitting a mistake. Or when a manager elevates a quiet team player for collaboration rather than charisma. These are cultural keystones. But they don’t happen by chance; they happen when systems are in place to recognize and reward them. An honest incentive audit becomes more than a checklist. It’s a cultural x-ray. And acting on it? That’s culture-building in real time.

Make no mistake, culture doesn’t just happen. It’s built reward by reward, recognition by recognition, moment by moment.

If you’re not seeing the behaviors you want- creativity, ownership, safety, collaboration- it might be time to ask: Are we really paying for them?

A thoughtful incentive audit helps you see clearly. Because in the end, behavioral alignment at work isn’t just good for people. It’s essential for performance. And it’s the only way to build a culture that lasts.

Turn insight into action and build an innovation routine that sticks by taking the first step and contacting Basadur Applied Innovation.

September 22, 2025

Train Your Brain for Innovation: The Habit of Applied Creativity at Work

In today’s fast-paced, disruption-driven world, the difference between stagnation and breakthrough often comes down to one thing: how consistently we apply creativity at work. 

And yet, creativity still feels like something that happens “on the side.” It’s seen as a spark of inspiration or a special skill certain people have.

But there’s a better way to think about it. Creativity isn’t magic. It’s a habit. One you can build, repeat, and apply every single day. That’s what applied creativity is all about.

What is Applied Creativity, and How is it Different from Just “Being Creative”?

When we think of creativity, we often picture artists, designers, or inventors. People who seem to naturally come up with brilliant ideas. But that’s only one side of the story.

Applied creativity is different. It’s not about waiting for inspiration. It’s about using structured tools and processes to solve real-world problems, both at work and across teams and departments.

It’s a form of creative problem solving that anyone can learn and use. It’s intentional. It’s grounded in science. And it works.

Can Creativity Be Learned and Strengthened Like Any Other Skill?

Yes. Absolutely.

Just like you can learn to code, cook, or speak another language, you can learn to think more creatively. Studies show that creativity is a skill. With the right creativity training, anyone can improve it.

Frameworks like design thinking or the Basadur Simplexity process help people and teams practice creativity in a repeatable way. When done consistently, this builds long-term innovation strength.

The Science Behind Applied Creativity

Why does applied creativity work so well? Because it’s grounded in how the brain actually learns.

Neuroscience shows that our brains are highly adaptable. Each time we engage in creative problem solving, we strengthen neural pathways associated with flexibility, pattern recognition, and idea generation. Over time, these pathways become more efficient, making it easier to generate fresh ideas on demand.

Psychologists also note that creativity isn’t just about “eureka” moments, it’s about practice. Research from scholars like Gerard Puccio has shown that structured creativity training improves not just idea flow, but also collaboration and adaptability. Similarly, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s work on “flow” demonstrates that when people engage deeply with problem solving, they not only produce better outcomes, they also experience more satisfaction and motivation at work.

Applied creativity is the practical side of this science: intentional exercises, repeated consistently, that reshape how individuals and teams think.

Small Daily Habits That Build Creative Thinking (In Minutes, Not Hours)

You don’t need hours of brainstorming to build an innovation mindset. Just a few intentional habits can rewire your thinking:

  • Start your day with “What if” questions instead of to-do lists.
  • Pause before rejecting ideas. Try: “What might make this idea work?”
  • Switch contexts. Solve problems from a different team’s perspective.
  • Set a 5-minute divergence timer. Generate 10 new ways to solve a task without judging them.
  • Journal one unusual observation daily. Train your mind to notice patterns and anomalies.

These are small acts. But over time, they rewire how you think. You stop defaulting to the obvious. You start exploring the new.

Understanding Divergent and Convergent Thinking: When to Use Each

Applied creativity works in cycles. First, you generate many ideas (divergent thinking), then narrow them down (convergent thinking).

  • Divergent thinking is exploratory. You expand the space of possibilities, often suspending judgment.
  • Convergent thinking is evaluative. You analyze, refine, and select the most viable ideas.

Both are essential. The key is not to mix them. When you evaluate too early, you kill ideas before they grow. 

What Blocks Creativity in the Workplace and How to Remove Them

Even trained teams can face internal blockers to innovation:

  • Fear of failure: People hesitate to share ideas unless failure is destigmatized.
  • Bias for the familiar: We choose what worked last time, not what might work better.
  • Time pressure: When everything feels urgent, creative thinking gets pushed aside.

So how do you fix that?

  • Leaders need to show it’s safe to experiment and fail.
  • Teams should rotate innovation roles so everyone builds flexibility.
  • Protect creative time. Block out space where the goal isn’t speed, but discovery.

How Leaders Can Model and Reward Creativity Without Slowing Delivery

One myth about creativity is that it takes too long. In reality, creative teams deliver results more efficiently. They spot risks early, test better ideas, and avoid rework.

Here’s how leaders can help:

  • Celebrate everyday creativity, not just big wins.
  • Reward curiosity. Not just results.
  • Use tools like the Basadur Profile to build diverse-thinking teams.
  • Allow “white space” time for reflection and idea generation.

How Do Teams Use Roles and Strengths to Innovate Faster?

The Basadur Innovation framework outlines four innovation stages and corresponding roles. Every team member plays one of four roles:

  • Generator: Sees opportunities, raises questions.
  • Conceptualizer: Frames problems, shapes ideas into models.
  • Optimizer: Refines and improves solutions.
  • Implementer: Brings ideas to life in real-world systems.

Every role matters. Balanced teams move faster because each person brings something unique to the table. Mapping your team’s profiles also helps people stretch beyond their usual thinking style.

How Do We Build an Innovation Culture Across Departments?

Innovation shouldn’t be confined to one “creative” team. To make creativity stick:

  • Make creativity training part of your onboarding.
  • Include creative tools in team meetings and planning sessions.
  • Run workshops that mix people across departments.
  • Track creative metrics, like how many ideas were generated, or how many experiments failed and taught something valuable.

This turns creativity into a workplace routine, not a one-off event.

Creativity isn’t just for the few. It’s for everyone. And it’s not about talent. It’s about practice.

When you train your brain for applied creativity, you unlock new ways to solve problems, think faster, and build better ideas. That’s how organizational creativity grows and sticks.

Make it a daily habit. Not a rare event.

Turn insight into action and build an innovation routine that sticks by taking the first step and contacting Basadur Applied Innovation.

September 11, 2025

From Netflix to Uber: How Better Problems Lead to Bigger Innovation

Companies often claim to be great problem solvers. But the reality is that most of them rarely look for new problems to solve.

In the rush to hit targets and deliver quick wins, the crucial skill of problem finding gets ignored. The ability to identify unmet needs, unseen gaps, and emerging challenges is what separates industry leaders from those who fall behind.

What is Problem Finding (and Why Most Teams Skip It)

Problem solving is about fixing what’s already broken. Problem finding is different. It asks questions like:

  • What isn’t working, even if no one’s said it out loud?
  • What could be better, even if it looks fine today?
  • What are we blind to, because we’re too close to it?

It feels messy. It feels uncertain. That’s why most teams avoid it. But when they do, they often end up solving the wrong things, or worse, missing the big opportunities.

Why Teams Avoid Problem Finding

Two forces usually hold teams back.

a.) The Comfort of the Known. The mindset that “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” keeps teams stuck in old patterns.

b.) The Tyranny of the Urgent. Daily firefighting leaves no space for exploration. Discovery is sacrificed in the name of productivity.

That’s why leaders need to protect time for exploration. If they don’t, curiosity will always lose to deadlines.

The Innovation Trap: We Might be Solving the Wrong Problems

Think about this. You spend months building the perfect solution. But later, you realize the real issue was somewhere else.

This happens more often than people admit. Solvers love clarity. Finders live with ambiguity. Both matter.

Without discovery, problem solving becomes reactive, not innovative. When problem finding is skipped, companies:

  • Waste resources fixing surface issues.
  • Miss chances for long-term growth.
  • Build products no one truly needs.

The Power of Better Questions

Breakthroughs don’t come from better answers. They come from better problems.

Uber didn’t set out to make taxis better. It asked, “How can technology simplify urban travel?” That one shift created an entirely new way of moving through cities.

Netflix didn’t stop at mailing DVDs. It asked, “How can people access entertainment instantly?” That single question reshaped how the world spends its evenings.

Apple didn’t just want to make phones smaller. It asked, “How can a phone become the center of someone’s life?” The iPhone was born, and it changed not just communication, but music, photography, and work itself.

Airbnb didn’t look at hotels and think, “How can we build more rooms?” It reframed it as, “How can anyone, anywhere, open their home to travelers?” That turned unused spaces into a global hospitality industry.

Spotify didn’t ask, “How can we sell more albums?” It asked, “How can people listen to any song, anytime, without owning it?” The answer rewrote the music business.

Tesla didn’t just ask, “How do we make electric cars?” It asked, “How do we make people want electric cars more than gas ones?” That question pushed EVs into the mainstream.

These companies didn’t succeed because they solved obvious problems. They succeeded because they asked different questions. Questions that felt bigger, bolder, and slightly uncomfortable.

Look at Creativity as a Habit, Not as a Talent or Personality Trait

Problem finding isn’t a gift. It’s a habit. It grows when people train themselves to observe, to stay curious, and to ask better questions daily.

Forward-looking companies turn this into routine. 

They:

  • Let engineers shadow customers to see hidden frustrations.
  • Run short “discovery sprints” focused only on finding gaps.
  • Debrief after every project to surface what was overlooked.

When this happens, creativity stops being a one-off brainstorm. It becomes a daily practice.

How to Build a Culture of Curiosity

Innovation doesn’t happen by accident. It grows in teams that treat problem finding as a daily habit, not a side project. Curiosity has to be protected, practiced, and rewarded.

Start by making space for discovery. Block time that isn’t about delivery, but about looking deeper.

Create rituals that keep teams close to real needs. Shadow customers, observe users, or sit in on other departments.

Celebrate the act of asking the right question, not just delivering the fastest answer. Train people to think in new ways, through divergent thinking, framing, and reframing challenges.

Curiosity can also be measured. When it’s tracked, it gets stronger. Log new problems identified each quarter. Run cross-department exploration sessions. Keep a scoreboard for discovery contributions.

Always Prioritize Finding Before Solving

Innovation doesn’t start with answers. It starts with questions.

The right question can open doors that no solution ever could. That’s why problem finding must be a habit, not a once-a-year workshop. The companies that thrive are not the ones that rush to patch up the noticeable cracks, but the ones willing to slow down, look deeper, and ask the questions no one else dares to. 

Problem finding is not about adding more work; it’s about uncovering the work that truly matters. It shifts teams from reactive mode to visionary mode, from chasing short-term fixes to creating long-term impact. By making curiosity a discipline and embedding discovery into daily routines, organizations open doors to breakthroughs that answers alone could never reveal. 

The future belongs to the leaders and teams who cultivate the courage to explore the unknown, who prioritize finding before solving, and who recognize that every great innovation begins not with the right answer, but with the right question.

So ask yourself: What’s the problem no one is solving yet?Turn curiosity into a daily habit.

Contact Basadur Applied Innovation to build a future-ready strategy rooted in problem finding and creative thinking.

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

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