I used to believe thinking outside the box was someone else’s job. ‘Abstract thinking’ was just not my forte, not from a business perspective anyway. My role was to listen to other people’s clever ideas, identify the gaps and opportunities and build realistic solutions.

The past weeks at Babson College have inspired a new way of thinking.  At Babson we learn that the meaning of being ‘innovative’ has evolved, much in favor of ‘realists’ like myself. Innovation in business no longer means creating something that’s NEW and different, something no one else has ever thought of before ( ... let’s be honest, with a population of 6 billion people across the globe, what are the odds of you coming up with something that’s ‘super original’)?

Innovation in business involves noticing trends, identifying a common pain clients face with a product or process and addressing that specific pain. Leading companies today - Apple, Google, Amazon, Facebook - became successful by studying what others were doing and developing a means of doing it better.

The secret is keeping your eyes on the prize: the customer. In ‘Field of Dreams’ Ray (Kevin Costner) hears a voice whisper, "If you build it, they will come". If only entrepreneurs were that lucky. Developing an idea into an opportunity means looking to the client, not the product or service. At Babson we’re learning to think differently, ask questions and share ideas as a group. When opportunity comes, it certainly won’t be missed.