Sales intelligence:how to sell more with less product return.

Recently I was at one of the outlets of Future shop to buy a laptop. While I was there, i went through the products on display. There was a product expert called Nicole Dewar . She was an exceptional salesperson in that she was not concerned about just selling a product “anyhow” rather she was much more concerned about selling products and value. The value is the intangible aspect of a transaction process. A customer may buy or not based on that alone. And selling a product in today’s market require sales intelligence that can carefully combine both together during the course of a transaction. Nicole listened attentively to what customer had to say. She focused 100 percent on a customer per time. She gives a sense of respect and utmost importance to what the customer has got to say? She try to understand why s/he wants to buy and why s/he want want to buy? By giving utmost attention to customers, she was charming them, bonding them and giving them more reason to consider buying right away . That was the way  i felt. I felt like buying all the product she was having in her section in that mall.

What most salespersons don’t learn to figure out fast, while mastering their product knowledge is people’s skill. Ability to bond with people first before scheming to get money out of them. What they fail to master as well was their concern for what will make the customer come back again and again to buy from their company. This is actually beyond cramming the vision and mission statement. It is the ability to enter into customers world, to peek through their mind, to understand the psychology surounding the customers intention of buying. This require spending qualitative time with the customer/clients to see what exactly the customers’ needs are? Converse to these, most of the sales people we see around daily are more concerned about getting rid of their products, dumping it on you. They are “pushy” and more eager to sell you “stuffs”. Little wonder that many products are later returned days after their purchase. To minimize such occurence the sales process must not be shortcircuited. Every transaction should be executed  with value.once these are no longer missing in the course of a transaction, sales will rise greatly.

The Silly escape from Recession!

This writing is all about providing simple solutions to recession. Most of the concepts discussed here has been published in my book: The Jawbone of an Ass: secrets to gaining financial freedom and getting out of life’s messy situations. [Feb 2008; iuniverse], I have warned my readers ahead of time about the present recession. I said it there that the tide could change, that the table could turn. I said it earlier that life is full of uncertainties and several unpredictable changes do occur. Slaves do become princes and princes do become slaves. And it can happen at any time. When home owners begin to lose their homes, when landlords, farm owners begin to lose their properties, assets; when mortgage owners begin to sleep in the streets without a shelter any more; then it is already happening.  It takes strategies, wisdom and a miracle to turn around a situation of scarcity.

Miracle in time of old is experiencing new thing, new happening, and newness. It’s when something that has never happened before happened .innovation means the same thing. There is a similarity between miracle and innovation. The stimulus package that Barack Obama’s administration is introducing is like a miracle. It is a miracle for those who have no way out of their financial mess. Somehow, a ray of hope has finally come at last; but there is more to it than that. It will only work if the right principles are adopted with it. If the same principle that Joseph used in Egypt was followed doggedly; if productivity culture, saving culture and investment culture is reintroduced with proper inspection; keen monitoring and much more constant feed backs are adopted. If consumerism is truly reduced in the people’s lifestyle, the end has come to recession.

It should be noted that God is not happy about scarcity. Through men, God will be bringing miracles into workplaces, communities, neighbors, et.al that will put an end to recession. God had made provision for this time ever before it happened. If nations facing recessions can go back to their foundations on God, and in God; there will be great turn around for them. For instance, I observed that a part of the Canadian’s Anthem said: “O Canada… we stand on God for thee”. And the American dollars have an inscription that said: “In God we trust. A part of Nigeria’s anthem has this: O God of creation, direct our noble path…”  We all seem to have forgotten where we were coming from. The founders of our land believe in someone, in some certain principles. They are divine principles. They were dependent on supernatural power. They believed in God.

Today, we have a distorted concept of God. It is so sad that an average North American does not have a religion. If s/he does; s/he does not believe in sovereignty of the God of heaven. God can be anything to some people. He is not a buddy but a bad boss. Some do not even believe in anything. Little wonder; where we are finding ourselves. The provider of life and the creator of everything have been removed from the picture. Our lives and economy is falling like pack of cards. One of the truest ways to recession proof ourselves is to start thinking of going back to God. It is time to start asking the right questions, redefining what are the bases of life? What do we believe in? Who did the forefathers trusted in? Who was their help in times of old? God is His name. He is the help of the helpless. He is our help in the ages past; He is our hope for the years to come.

Another secret to getting out of recession is to ask ourselves these questions: what are we inventing now? What are we contributing to the world? What are we giving back to the society? What new concept, what new brand are we introducing? Barack Obama’s concept of Bio-generating plant for energy production is an invention, which will make a whole lot of difference in the America’s economy. If it is whole heartedly embraced, without some people somewhere planning on how to frustrate this noble project. It will be one great way to surviving the present economic scarcity in USA. The secret is to become inventors. It is to become more creative. It is to look within for what is available as a leverage with which one can navigate the season of scarcity. It is by becoming more enterprising that recession is ameliorated.

An average individual needs to become more enterprising. Develop entrepreneurial spirit. Start your on business. Do not depend on one source of income. The fact that you are an employee does not stop you from having a trade on the side. You can use a part of your home for business. Then your home business can relieve you of the amount of tax that is being paid to the government. At your leisure, you can even make some crafts, arts, weave and paint to make some more money, rather than just wasting time playing away opportunities in guise of a time wasting game. Time is a valuable asset. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Once you become resourceful. You would have recession proof yourself. You will be difficult to sack during downsizing.

In bid to be retained during downsizing, some staffs in some companies, try to hide information from colleagues so as to be the indispensable staff that will be retained at workplace. The point is this that is a crap way of becoming indispensable. You are insecure because you know you don’t have what it takes to be retained. If you develop yourself, acquire multiplicity skills, you will be more resourceful to the company you are working for. And you will be confident about who you are where you are. We must try to be valuable anywhere we find ourselves. We must be the solution to the system. And this can only happen if we work on our selves. If we don’t sit on our laurels; if we continue to strive to become better citizens of the state we live in.

Recession is not new. It has happened before. It has happened in the time of Joseph while in Egypt. The bible recorded how they dealt with it back then. They went into production of more goods. They also saved more than they consumed. I talked about the importance of becoming a “positive human octopus” in my book, as a way of getting out of financial mess. A means to overcoming unpalatable financial scarcity is to acquire multiplicity of skills to the end of becoming so indispensable and resourceful such that you are ever needed irrespective of whatever happens. This self development principle needs to be adopted by every individual. The next age is going to be filed with uncommon things, new concepts, innovations and more. More of these will come through people who are prepared and whose minds have been developed. What we will be experiencing will be astounding. Brands will be seriously redefined. Corporations will be diversifying at the speed of light. Individuals will be loaded. Industries all over will improve, expand, increase to what we can not but pause and ponder over. There will be true miracles in guise of innovation in all sectors, all walks of life. There will be results that systems, nations will come and study as a program is being studied in the institutions. All these and more will work as the antidote to the present scarcity and the future recession once we start doing them. Once we start contributing our individual parts right now.

Achieving successful innovation management

Innovation management is managing innovation from raw state into finished forms. Innovation could be in guise of strategies, know-how of product and services, business development, plans, predictions, prophecies, forecasts, information technology, ideas, et.al. To live on the cutting edge is to be able to evolve some of these. Innovation management is therefore a hub of business branding. It will continue to bring the market edge in 21^st century businesses and beyond. That is what is prevalent in business development; as managers strategize through creative intelligence towards realization of idea implementation. Businesses that will win in the present world economy must be innovation conscious and employ innovation managers deliberately. For a business to be relevant they must pay the price for innovative intelligence. The ability to provide the irrefutable, practicable answers that has not been but which has the potential and capacity to be proven is certain through these people.

Some successful organization may have at their core, some project managers among their executive who operates with valuable ideologies and team up to bring increase which justifies their annual budget and expenditure throughout the year. The implementation of their innovative business principles may have yielded great turnover at year end such that they may not mind the cost of retaining, retraining such staffs. It may never happen that way forever, if what they work with his basic project ideologies rather than futuristic projections. Reason is that project has already been done but innovation is yet to be executed. It is a question of that thin line between what is yet to come and what we are already seeing. On the other hand another business may reach their year end, evaluate and discover skyrocketed costs. They may decide on employing creative intelligent staffs by replacement method. They may choose to downsize, turn back on their vision and mission statements unconsciously. They may subtly violate policies and corporate promises. Rather than going through the season and coming out wet, but better on the other side. They may bow out, lose business integrity and more.  Corporate teams must be re-trained to enable them embrace innovation in thoughts and actions. The training may be intangible in value. It will prevent refusal of creative ideas and insights.  It will avoid unyielding attitude to authority with innovation edge. If it threatens their comforts; they may not be braced up for it. They may see it as obstacle and prefer to avoid it out rightly by continuing reinventing the wheels. They must see possibilities and advantage for them not to quit on innovation. It’s like; the next “mad rush” will not be like “gold rush” but it will be towards actualization of stable business economic environment through intelligent outsourcing. And just as in days of gold rush, most business will be madly securing their market share by determining their “business gold” which is the capacity of their corporate teams. Through outstanding idea managers, employers will deliberately expand and the cycle will begin again for a search for indispensable employees who possess outstanding profiles; capacity, result-oriented and track experience attributes and more.

Connecting innovation, change, and business

In the religious organizations, it is called prophecy. In the science world, it is predictions, in research, it is called forecasting techniques, in commerce world, its called innovation. In this writing I call it innovation edge and it requires creative intelligence to see it. The world has been looking for managers, bankers, stock brokers and employees who can master the art of innovation management. The bookshops are filled with variety in titles but rarely will you see any shelve committed to innovations. We have been searching for value in personal lives as well as in business sectors for several years. Corporate bodies, business experts in the market called it different names but it is the same thing we are likely looking for. It is for significant economic worth for our invested efforts and time. To some it is one or more of the following profit, turn over, customers’ retention, volume, possibilities. And to some others it is the combination of all and much more. The word is value. The answer lie in innovation intelligence and the end is innovation edge.

Since the beginning of time, change has been, the race has been a matter of adapting to change. The world has seen enormous, thrilling and mind blowing revolutions. Although some of this transformed our minds, some numbed us. Most transformation has brought advancement. To stay abreast, alert, attuned, competitive with edge amidst psycho -cataclysmic changes occurring at light speed is by continuing to innovate and not attempting to master uncertainties and instabilities that could run one crazy. It is no longer a question of being current or being informed rather it is of leadership edge that is able to bring out an innovation edge through a system of management that can predict and adjust, forecast and fine tune as it goes.  It has to be able to analyze impending happenings, events before they occur; and then go ahead to position the business rightly in the future for it. Their innovation does not have to be famous or even celebrated to sell inside the organization. It has to follow healthy business ethics, corporate integrity with her team to succeed. It could come in form of promise to stakeholders of their job security through consistent implementation of trade policies and corporate decisions made. It should protect their rights and interests. It may bring dividends, bonus or a raise much later, but it will not navigate to recession. In essence, corporate bodies may not necessarily have to promise a bonus, give a raise, or even declare dividend in the immediate but they are able to salvage their business from decline. They are committed not to stoop to downsizing for the sake of their stakeholders.

Moreover, older businesses and organizations understand that by being able to hold the decision making power through timely information, they can bond with stakeholders; determine the market determinant forces. For new companies, it’s in being able to assure the stakeholders. It is being able to appreciate employees. It is bonding through acquisition, mergers with shakers and movers of the market. It’s the ability to take the market by surprise through innovation. It is by introducing indispensable product brands that relates to the needs of their customers at the moment and in the future. It could be the corporate capacity to grow and develop unto one that is able to secure future value, market share through intelligent marketing and monopolistic edge.

Ending Idea rut.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.”                                                                                                        -Harold Whitman

It is not how big you are, it is how bigger you want to be? It is not about how great you are presently. It is how greater you can become? Could it be that; it is not just that it is too expensive to pursue and reach our dreams but that it is a matter of whether or not we are ready to die and go bankrupt for it. We are afraid because we are parochial and paranoid. We are under-achieving because we jointly suffer from a disease called idea paralysis… Which causes idea rut or innovation decay. On an island of doubt where dreams are buried, we pass through and also offer ours for penny.  We didn’t take time out to ask soul-searching questions like: Where we could possibly reach through our single contribution of innovation? What growth we may possibly attain through personal creativity? Who our idea could possibly influence and rescued? Where our businesses could grow to? What we can become because of all these? Some other question is how will we know when we’ve had the best innovation or idea that the world is expecting, which the world has never known? When will it occur that we have reached there? What will the idea look like?  When we are scared of being jeered at, when we are afraid of failure; how do we possibly try? How do we get to test our ideas?

The question is do you want to be an innovator or not? The other option is to be some grumpy feet dragging frustrated folks, who hanker after life guessing and cursing, waiting for what is coming next. If you want to be an innovator, who will change the course of history; it is not why but when?  You want to reach those laudable and beautiful goals and aspirations and feel you have labored for something that mattered which will transcend you. So, I dare to what have you ever dreamt of? What are you scared of dreaming of? Where does your thinking stop and why have you stopped dreaming? Whatever happened to your creative mind? Do you feel that since your creativity does not yield monetary value you should stop? Where do you tend to conceive creative idea the most? What have you ever wished in your mind which has never been? Why will you want to stop even when it appears as if it is stupid wish dreams, and no one is appreciating it? Why are you discouraged of dreaming when no one is supporting you? What is the mental barrier against your cognitive and imaginative abilities?

It is not that some of us are not dreaming or that we are lazy dreamers; rather we all at one time or the other probably got overwhelmed. We count the cost and avoid the hard work involved with our dreams wherein what is required of us is more than the best we could to offer. There is fear inside and out. It is tough to maintain consistent patterns of creative thought which is required for the discovery of innovation. It’s like some imaginary lines are shut down. Lines of beautiful thought patterns that evolve into downloadable, scientific compact system of thoughts. These lines may be inkling associated with solution processes that brings positive, creative thoughts. Innovative intelligence therefore cannot come through haphazard thinking. It does not arise from worry or a thinking pattern, that merely take long walks, deep pauses, sits quietly somewhere beside lake, on sofa indoor; Imagining some fairy tales. Could it be that, it is in asking certain soul-searching questions that imagery of innovative thoughts are provoked towards the end of positive results. It always ends in desired destination without removing people from the big picture. Therefore it is not about where you really are? Because, every innovation often shows the mind and the perspective of the innovator and innovation location is in the mind and faculties of the innovator, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. The end of every innovation edge will therefore partly reflect the mind, its beliefs and core values. It will reaffirm the whole creation from coast to coast as connected and beneficiaries. The actual test of innovation intelligence may not be in eloquence of innovator or in certifications, not in all the years wasted in laboratories discovering nothing, not in many long pauses or breathe taken, rather in it may be in this: the mind-color, the motive, the vision, the strength of idea, the beneficiaries, the nature and features of innovation and more. This is how it connects us. This is all what it meant.

Innovative marketing

Shopping could be time consuming, I was at the mall once, where an attendant at a fabric store, smiled at me as I entered. I frowned in return. She sobered out of disappointment. She had expected me to smile back. She was being “herself”, a sales person. I was being myself, a typical cranky customer. May be she has invited some customers and retained them by smiling. It was good enough charm that won some; but not enough on me.  Stressed, angry due to the fact that I didn’t want to be at the mall, save for necessity. I was frustrated about the long search through various shelves, corner, color, and departments of the mall. Some items could come with specificities that demand walking stores, checking shelves, asking attendants. When I glanced back to steal a look on that sales lady who I frowned at, her glow was gone! It may be terrible of me. But the fact that she lost her glow was actually a proof of her hollowness and insufficiency. To force employees to smile by the reason of job description is not an innovative marketing. It only creates more gaps for them to overcome in marketing process. If it was not in her personality to smile, what happened unveiled it. It proved customer service skills as something that may be almost impossible to feign. Whether or not, she was appreciated, the smile was expected to be on. If it was not in core value, any charm put on to win people over will fail.  Some customers know this that it can work if it is genuine. It will only last if it is intrinsic. As leopards never changes skin as in chameleon. Appearing in environmental color is untrue which reveal instability, falsity and self doubts in actual sense.

Therefore, it’s not that some of us don’t know what it entails to market or sell. What frustrate us mostly is paying that very price for innovative marketing- the expensive price of authenticity. The challenge may not be in our weak networks or failure of multilevel marketing; rather it may be in the futuristic advantages of our product or call it our product edge and our being genuine. Once we can figure that out; we already have what it entails to sell successfully. We can hang on; hang in there till we meet customers who prefer seeing the future value of product, value for money and quality in whatever they purchase. For most of us, innovative marketing is like innovation hunt. It’s a feat, some fight we don’t understand, unable to identify. It’s like a marketer aiming at target. He searches for the elusive. He chases the unstable and invisible customers. But they are just hard to pin down. It seems they don’t really need what the marketer has to offer or they don’t want to have any encounter with him. If he must market successfully, then he must be able to visualize the resourcefulness, of both now and the future of his product. That product worth may persuade customers successfully. Many times, it is uncertain that the customer will be willing to buy. Knowing ahead may bring some anxiety but it also brings the chance for rehearsing some persuading techniques. Consequently there may be a convincing result.

In order to hit on trade target at any point; whoever salespeople are selling to; they should made to see the relationship as something that transcend sales process. oftentimes these customers want to be seen as humans, as brother and a sister who should not be defrauded. So to sell to a blood tie people, is to be considerate. Since, they have fears, reservations; there are specific requirements, impending wants, and relevant needs on the line in different categories that must customer must address in their individual lives; which does not give room for time wastage or trial and error in their transactions. They don’t want to part with their money and later regret. They wanted good advice on the state of products. That is why sales must be done intelligently out of thorough preparation. From an understanding of customers’ model and profiles. In order to beat through fogs of resistance then, a marketer must bond with customers firstly by understanding, them and explaining the features of the product how they have future value and could meet relevant needs. Understanding customers, product’s outstanding qualities, marketer’s persuasive strength, authenticity and negotiation skills are quality factors required for innovative marketing.

It’s not a case of showing product price tags; flashing those discounts as “on sales”. It’s not about flexibility in how customers are allowed to pay for product through several credit cards, debit cards, or cash. The problem is, with what to pay as the medium of transaction? The exchange is unaffordable? Most customers want more than rebates; they want some extra value from every business transactions. Inadequate money restricts customers’ purchasing power. And a mere smile is not the answer. A sales person’s pleasant attitude may count but there is more to business transactions than all that. Little wonder most people give up on marketing; because they found out early that the stake is not just too high to attain innovative marketing and achieve marketing edge but it tends to soar higher.

OVERCOMING INNOVATOR’S DOUBTS.

“Take what you want,” said God, “and pay for it.” – Spanish proverb

Have you ever doubted something authenticity? Have you ever been in a doubt of someone’s genuineness? What does it mean to doubt? Who faces the greatest life doubts? I would call them change agents or innovators.What does it mean to be a change agent at the precipice of change? To save your precious time. To be on the cutting edge of innovation is to be at the precipice of change; influencing change. It is to be a student of change and “implementer” of change. The journey actually starts with individual self discovery. And you must be ready to pay the price of greatness. It begins with personal discovery and strong determination towards personal development.

It means that in order for you to innovate intelligently, you must deliberately cultivate the attitude that can attract success. To become a part of the world change agents. It is to be the change and start the change; first from within you, then through your areas, and spheres of influence. As a trend setter, you must never allow any self-doubt to set in or eat up at you. Work on your core values, areas of interests and visions.It becomes possible if you can dare every obstacle with audacity. If you can put everything on the line for the dream you see.  If you can have singleness of purpose that will press on doggedly come rain or sunshine. If you can be latent with confidence, powerful information, relevant ideas and a burning desire that comes with some measure of convictions. You can reach there.

For instance, Barack Obama went through difficult obstacles to emerge the first black man who became the president of United states of America. Nelson Mandela  became the first president of South Africa after apartheid ended and all in all; i saw a trend in these icons of excellence and leadership.The boldness to face their self doubts. After several years of incarceration, Nelson Mandela won in his struggle. fter series of campaign and blackmail Obama won the election. Like every great men ever written of in history. There should be this doggedness in us that must be ready to surf through oppositions through the enduring power of our vision, ideas, creative intelligence, faith, audacity of hope and perseverance of faith.

It goes without saying then that innovators have doubts like everybody else. And their ideas may be doubted by them most of the time. Yet the difference between us and them is that even they have doubts, they still head on.When your idea is not celebrated, when your ideologies seems unpopular, or not marketable. When you appear as a foolish pioneer,that is when you may have to stay with that thing; why? because it is known as innovation. Just  stay with it, provided it has value, substance and you are convinced by it. Invest your time in it. You will surely get there.

Come to think of it, even Jesus Christ had doubts when he got to the garden of Gethsemane where he was faced up with decision to either go to the cross or retreat. Had he retreated, he may have lived some one hundred years more but it may be forgotten years in obscurity. He may never be known by all and sundry as it is today. The price he paid was the crucifixion he wanted to retreat from. You must know yourself first. Test your passion and vision. And learn to choose your battles wisely. Know what your capacity is. Then pursue your cause and never allow yourself be deterred until you reach your goals. Always know that there is no man who can stop you and there is a special place for you up there at the topmost floor, if only you believe, persevere and push your way up.

There is only one place you must never look towards; there is just one direction you must never face if you really want to get there; and that is backwards. Do not focus on your mistakes, pasts, and backstabbers.  If you will really become so restless for success, and embrace hard work you will win. By possessing the doggedness to go from door to door receiving no! Going from door slams to cheek slaps and yet refusing to quit.  All that will be based on your capacity for rejection and putting doubts in perspective.

Individual process for innovation actualization

There is an individual course work and progression towards innovation realization. We all have a responsibility in this journey. We need to ask if all around us; we are supporting innovation and innovators. If we embrace noble dreams, visions, and ideas of others irrespective of their brand names.We will be objectively do that.

Needless to add; if we must operate intelligently towards innovation actualization; we must not allow any idea to die in our hand, or in the file somewhere in our desks. Don’t forget that there is power in one man’s decision. And any innovative opportunity buried away in your drawer either consciously or unconsciously is a fight against innovation actualization. The odd may be insignificant today but it poses a very great evil at the next innovation world we are approaching very shortly.

There is an unconscious realization  that innovation decay and idea rut are unrealistic. The quickest way to end  the next age  impending development and advancement is to oppose innovation today. The fact remains that certain innovation in the next age will come with their pedestal firmly braced upon the previous generation and works. They will look like a “new” brand from the old.

Therefore, do not permit any brilliant idea expiration in your hands. Don’t sanction evil reports and then allow good suggestions get ignored in a meeting. Don’t oppose any noble idea or any opportunity for growth just because of ego. Do not attack the reputations of others in order to become popular; do not stop people’s dreams by your own influence. This is the gradual road there- our daily routines, our smallest decisions, our policies and the personal decisions we make.

As much as you can; try to bond with people; bond with change agents, create a community, start a positive epidemics of change, encourage change agents out there. Above all, if you cannot beat them, do not join them. Don’t give up, let up or shut up! Never allow mediocrity reign, do not celebrate corruption, or worship people because of money.

Innovative intelligence.

In my previous writings, I have discussed “Sniff”, as the ability to see, to observe and take the opportunities that is already available around you. The intuitive ability or craft to maximize resources that is already in existence. However, here, I am discussing innovative intelligence as something slightly different from sniff. This is the ability to think what is not there at all. Meaning that, it is the creative intelligence that can pick from the invisible realm. It is to be able to imagine some thing new and birth it in terms of implementation towards problem solving. This is an intelligent thinking that yields result. The aptitude of the thinker to propound an innovation that will become so valuable, indispensable and irrefutable such that even your business competitors, team rivals and political opponents and so on, would want to be a part of it. This is the way of the champions; they always operate in such a way that they are able to recruit opponents, tame competitors to their sides through mergers, acquisitions, synergy and alliances.  Conquering opposing forces and triumphing is a vital part of the game. If you are unable to do so; you may not be  operating with an edge that could take over businesses and/or society. It may mean that you are not persuasive enough in taking what is required to give you some edge. Seeing an end ahead of time may require persuading relevant people, forces that count towards rallying round the noble cause you see. And you cannot persuade people [friend or foe] until you have been able to show them results. The result is a part of the game that innovative intelligence produces. You may ask why persuade the opponent? You are leaving your back doors unclosed if you don’t.

If there is any reason for an innovation; it is that it will be able to meet certain specific needs. It takes innovative intelligence to propound relevant ideas and innovation that has never been; and yet it will become so indispensable and relevant to the society. Innovative intelligence is therefore a capacity to propose an idea, the aptitude to plan and implement it such that it will become so valuable to the target group be it customers or client. Since, the end of any innovation that we can ever think of is to add value, to develop, implement ideas that will meet needs of the target audience. Then it is required that we understand where the market was, where it is presently, and where the market is likely going. This is not guess work. This is not mere forecasting. Sometimes prediction can be very correct. It takes right predictions to become resourceful. More valuable than we can imagine is where innovative intelligence can take us. It can see the difference which forecasting cannot and then tell the error margins. It goes beyond the limits of scientific predictions. In leadership, it is able to see ahead and take the audience where they cannot see yet. It is able to move the people to where they have not thought of being before. It can take them beyond where they never thought they can be.

Every inventor was able to imagine what will suit the end they saw and then intelligently walk through the history lane with the enemies and friends as a part of the picture. Their enemies may not necessarily mean their critics, competitors or rivals but they are definitely not their fans. Sometimes many businesses’ specific goals amongst several are beating competitions in customer service, marketing and sales. The requirements it takes to reach their corporate goals may vastly depend upon their customer records and inventories. Innovative intelligence propounds innovation beyond corporate goals, which means that it may not depend largely on what is already on record. It may be out of the box imagination. It may imagine relevant idea but which may not be customer’s demand of today but which will definitely be so relevant and indispensable to customers tomorrow. It takes innovative intelligence to embrace innovation edge when they are presented.

Edge benefits: taking advantage of an edge.

I was in a certain craft exhibition in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; where I met a wood carver who sculpts with an edge, an advantage which he observes in the woods’ physiology. He works with his chisel in the direction of the wood’s branching as he chisels at it, cutting away unwanted, unnecessary parts. He would rather go with the wood’s smoothness than chisel against it. It’s like conserving your energy rather than fighting with nature. This sculptor told me how he would go around in the woods in search of every fallen log that he can possibly use. He looks for the branching parts of any fallen pine logs. He said “as a wood carver, the wood tells you where it’s growing towards based upon the look and shape of the branch. So you can chisel at it, in that same direction without much stress. What comes out are beautiful carves”. The edge for this wood carver was time minimization, effort maximization, energy consumption and sales.

Edge benefits are the advantages that comes with innovation edge. These benefits are taken only by those who can see and identify them. Taking advantage of things and situations require that you be flexible.It was Art Linkletter who said that “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” Taking advantage of an edge at times is like being a wood carver who look out for the direction of the lines in the heart or pith of the wood. You are flexible enough to flow with and follow the tide rather than go against it. However, you don’t allow the tide, the system to swallow you up in their monotony and with their bureaucracy. This is because, it is difficult at times to beat the records of very old existing system.  However, innovation must be embraced, if change must happen to our advantage. If we understand this; we will quickly time our stay with the old and plan our exit early on before it will be too late to escape. Although, it is in looking back on the past that we understand the future; it is so easy to look back , get stuck in the past and keep talking about the past endlessly. It is so easy to be trapped by the system and the dysfunctional old thinking. But great people mostly talk about now and the future they see. It is your ability to commit to that daily that will determine how strong your edge would be like. Those who will win in the present world system must be ready to look out for real edge and take them. To be relevant, you must be able to provide edge for people and in business. The price for relevance is the ability to provide the irrefutable, practicable answers that has not been but which will be proven resourceful.

Actually you may not fully understand all what it takes to have the edge,or all what it entails to reach your goals. This because it is not that you will always see and identify those edges. However, when you commit to looking out for it and taking it; the pace at each level of the journey will continue to be revealed to you more and more. It may take a lifetime. It may take a decade; but what matter is that are you are sure that you are constantly positioning yourself at the cutting edge for impending changes; such that you can be able to identify it when it comes. It is the change you see ahead; prepare for and position for, that you are able to identify and take advantage of. Therefore you are unconsciously committed, to the level of the change you are prepared for, which you are expecting to see. It is the benefits you have prepared to take that you look for, and then see; sometimes in its exact form and measure, at other times they are in disguised form.