The people who create new paradigms are usually outsiders. They are not part of the established par- adigm community so they are not invested in the old paradigm. Therefore, they have nothing to lose by creating the new paradigm. If you want to find the new paradigms developing in your field, you must look beyond the center, way out to the fringes. Speculators Rule-busters Gamblers Scenario-planners Precedent-breakers Heretics Visionaries Crazy Forecasters Dreamers Troublemakers Add your own: 6 A paradigm is a system of rules and regulations that does two things: For starters, some of the rules set limits or establish boundariesjust like a pattern sets the edges. The remaining rules show you how to be successful by solving the problems that exist inside the boundaries. Thus, paradigms offer you a model for problem solving . What are the dress code rules where you work? What are the parking rules? What are the lunch break rules? What are the rules for calling a meeting? What are the rules for taking a break? Are there rules about coming into the office on weekends? 7 Those practitioners of the old paradigm, like Galileo, who choose to change to the new paradigm early in its development, have to be very courageous. Compensation Paradigm - "This is the way we've always paid people around here." Marketing Paradigm - "This has been our market for years." Funding Paradigm - "This is how a project gets funded in this department." Management Paradigm - "The management team has always believed we should do it this way." Customer Paradigm - "Our customers have always been like this." Size Paradigm - "That is not for us because we are much too small/big." 8 We can choose to change our paradigms. Perhaps the most powerful advantage human beings have is that we are not genetically programmed to look at the world in just one way. We can choose to shrug off our old paradigm and adopt a new paradigm. What is changing in your world/business/organization/market? What problem is being created because of this change? Describe an idea to address this problem. GIVE IT THE TACTICS OF INNOVATION TEST: (TAKEN FROM JOEL BARKER'S Is there an upside or advantage to the idea? Yes Explain the advantage of your idea. Is there a downside? Yes Explain the potential consequences if your idea doesn't work as planned. Is your idea seemingly simple? Yes Explain why your idea is simple. Does your idea fit with what is already being used? Yes Explain how it is compatible. ). No No No No