“Creativity is based on the notion that there’s no particular virtue in doing things the way they’ve always been done.” – Rudolph Flesch

Who could have predicted Coach Sean Peyton’s New Orleans Saints would start the second half of the Super Bowl with an onside kick?

It’d never been done before – at least not before the 4th quarter.

Exactly.

That’s why it caught the Colts by surprise. They weren’t expecting this out-of-the-ordinary play and weren’t prepared for it.

As a result, the Saints recovered the football and went on to score a touchdown and take the lead in the game.

Peyton’s innovative call changed the momentum of the game and gave the Saints a much-needed confidence boost that carried them to victory.

This creative play demonstrates how risking a first-of-its-kind move can catch your competition off guard and give you a leading edge.

In short, innovation is a game changer.

You may be thinking, “That creative call could just as easily have backfired. A risky move like that makes you a genius or a bum depending on the outcome.”

What did you think about that play? Was it wise or risky?

Toss this out for discussion at your next staff meeting.

Ask employees, “Could doing something unexpected give us a competitive edge? How could we introduce something that’s first-of-its-kind? Where could we take a calculated risk that gives us momentum and catapults us into the lead in our category?”