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Drawing on science-backed principles and real-world examples, this article explores how innovation can be cultivated through learned behaviours and environments. From developing associative thinking and questioning assumptions to relentless experimentation and embracing diverse networks, it breaks down the actionable steps behind disruptive breakthroughs.
It reveals how organisations can foster creativity, push boundaries, and drive value creation while highlighting insights from neuroscience, design thinking, and industry-specific practices in banking, manufacturing, and technology.
Penicillin wasn’t planned. It wasn’t the product of a big idea or a structured innovation strategy – it came from a Petri dish left unattended and a scientist with enough curiosity to explore the unexpected. That accidental discovery changed the course of medicine and saved millions of lives, proving that transformative breakthroughs don’t rely on luck alone but on the ability to connect, question, and create.
The truth is that innovation isn’t reserved for a select few geniuses; instead, it is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and nurtured. Research shows that while one-third of innovation may be innate, the remaining two-thirds result from deliberate behaviours, environments, and mindsets. That’s where we come in: in this article, we will show you how to harness the science of innovation and put it into action in technology, banking, manufacturing, healthcare, or any other industry.
We’ll break innovation down into four actionable steps – developing associative thinking, questioning assumptions, relentless experimentation, and embracing diverse networks – and show how global leaders are already applying these insights to create meaningful change. Breakthroughs don’t come from playing it safe; they come from nurturing innovation with intent.
The Nurture Formula for Innovation
To nurture innovation, we need to break it down into actionable steps, supported by research and real-world examples:
Step 1: Develop Associative Thinking
One of the most powerful drivers of innovation is associative thinking: the ability to combine seemingly unrelated ideas, experiences, or disciplines to solve complex problems. This ability to “connect the dots” has underpinned many of the modern world’s breakthroughs. Thomas Edison, for instance, didn’t invent the light bulb outright. Instead, he associated existing technologies from other inventors – like Ebenezer Kinnersley’s work on electricity and Warren de la Rue’s coiled filament – to create a commercially viable product. A more recent example is the iPhone, which combined telecommunications, touchscreens, and internet connectivity, disrupting multiple industries simultaneously. In manufacturing, the integration of predictive maintenance systems came from an unlikely collaboration between AI developers and factory-floor engineers. Rather than operating in silos, they combined artificial intelligence and real-world operational experience to reduce downtime and save millions. The same principle holds true in banking, where cross-functional teams of technology specialists, product managers, and compliance experts have driven the success of digital banking solutions. One example is the rise of “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) platforms, where fintech innovation collided with consumer behaviour trends to disrupt traditional lending models.
Studies from the Journal of Business Venturing (2013) and Dyer et al. (2008) show that associative thinking is a hallmark of successful entrepreneurs. The good news is that this skill is highly trainable. Encouraging interdisciplinary learning and exposure to diverse fields enhances this ability. In simple words, brainstorming with colleagues from different fields and discussing out-of-comfort ideas and unfamiliar concepts activates cognitive processes involved in creative problem-solving (Simonton, 2003). The French mathematician and physicist Henri Poincare said it himself, “Ideas rose in crowds; I felt them collide until pairs interlock, so to speak, making a stable combination” (Poincaire, 2019).
Associating ideas across disciplines is where innovation begins, but connections alone won’t lead to breakthroughs. To transform ideas into opportunities, innovators must ask bold questions and challenge assumptions others take for granted. After all, the right question can turn a possibility into a revolution.
Step 2: Question Everything
Innovators constantly challenge the status quo. Elon Musk, for example, asked why rockets couldn’t be reusable. His relentless questioning led to SpaceX revolutionising space travel with reusable boosters. Disruptive breakthroughs rarely start with answers – they begin with unanswered questions. Innovators like Reed Hastings of Netflix or Henry Ford with the assembly line were not content to accept the status quo. Instead, they asked: “Why does this have to work this way?” and “What if we did it differently?”
In banking and financial services, for instance, asking “Why can’t financial products adapt to individuals?” led to the rise of hyper-personalised tools like robo-advisors, which analyse user data to provide tailored financial advice. These innovations began not with a technical solution but with someone challenging an established assumption.
The Harvard Business Review (2009) highlights that effective questioning drives innovation by uncovering unmet needs and opportunities. In fact, research on this topic is abundant, and resulting network analysis and interviews in numerous organisations reveal the substantial impact that energising interactions and argumentative questioning have on innovation (Cross & Parker, 2004). So, in simple words, the ability to ask the right questions is a cornerstone of innovation because it reframes problems and uncovers hidden opportunities. Organisations that foster curiosity – through innovation workshops, brainstorming sessions, or collaborative problem-solving – create cultures where questioning becomes the norm, not the exception. So manifest your inner child’s “but why?” energy, be bold and challenge the ideas of those around you.
Questioning the status quo creates space for new possibilities, but innovation doesn’t stop with what-ifs. The next step is testing those ideas, experimenting relentlessly, and refining solutions through trial and error. This is where ideas come to life – and where failure becomes a critical part of progress.
Step 3: Experiment Relentlessly
If associative thinking is where innovation begins, experimentation is where it comes to life. Innovation rarely happens on the first attempt. It is a process of trying, failing, learning, and refining. A study from MIT Sloan Management Review (2020) emphasises that experimentation fosters resilience and iterative problem-solving, critical to breakthrough innovation. A clear example of this is Dyson’s founder, James Dyson, who famously created over 5,000 prototypes before perfecting his bagless vacuum cleaner, and today’s digital leaders embrace the same relentless iteration.
In financial services, for example, banks are increasingly adopting agile methodologies to experiment with new products. Small, cross-functional teams run pilot tests for AI-driven chatbots or personalised banking apps, analysing user behaviour and scaling successful ideas. In the automotive industry, companies like Toyota rely on iterative testing to refine autonomous driving technologies, blending real-world trial and data analytics to push boundaries safely and efficiently.
Experimentation, however, requires a culture where failure is seen as part of the process, not as a setback. Organisations that embrace this mindset – sometimes called a “fail-fast, learn-fast” approach – are better equipped to innovate because they focus on learning through doing.
Relentless experimentation is powerful, but it thrives in environments where ideas flow and perspectives collide. That’s why the final step is to embrace diverse networks and step out of your comfort zone – because the most innovative solutions rarely emerge in isolation, but rather at the intersection of different disciplines, industries, and ways of thinking.
Step 4: Embrace Diverse Networks and Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone
Innovators thrive on diverse perspectives and innovation does not thrive in comfort zones. The Yerkes-Dodson Law demonstrates that moderate stress levels improve cognitive performance, including creativity. Similarly, the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (2017) links discomfort to increased divergent thinking – the foundation of novel ideas. Pioneering ideas emerge when individuals embrace uncertainty and challenge their limits by discussing their ideas with people from different industries or backgrounds. Stepping into discomfort exposes the brain to new ideas, fostering the formation of novel neural connections and enhancing cognitive flexibility.
Wang et al. (2019) found that diverse networks are strongly correlated with creative problem-solving. Neuroscience confirms this: interacting with people from different disciplines activates the brain regions responsible for associative memory and higher-order thinking (Beaty et al., 2016). By consistently engaging with diverse networks, individuals essentially "rewire" their cognitive pathways, making them more adept at generating and applying disruptive ideas, and innovating in unfamiliar situations.
AFor instance, a study by Beaty et al. (2018) revealed that highly creative individuals can simultaneously engage multiple brain networks – specifically the default, salience, and executive systems – which are typically at odds with one another. A vivid example of the power of networking is even more tangible in open-source platforms such as Linux, where programmers across the globe contribute their expertise to co-create systems that power industries worldwide. This model proves that innovation thrives in environments where ideas flow freely across boundaries, unencumbered by hierarchy or departmental silos.
In simple words, cultivating diverse networks isn't just about creative brainstorming; it’s about using these as a catalyst driving practical solutions to real-world challenges. By fostering collaboration among disciplines – marketing with legal, technology with operations, or design with sustainability –, and across industries, organisations unlock synergies that can lead to disruptive breakthroughs.
Each of these steps – connecting ideas, questioning norms, experimenting boldly, and building diverse networks – lays the foundation for meaningful breakthroughs. But innovation doesn’t happen by accident or in isolation; it requires intention, action, and the right mindset.
A Call to Action
While most of us excel at improving existing systems (sustaining innovation), disruptive innovation requires stepping out of one’s comfort zone and creating new connections.
At Xebia, we work together to offer an Innovation Workshop designed to:
- Set the basis of associative thinking.
- Push boundaries and trigger cynicism and creative thinking.
- Help you step outside your comfort zone.
- Foster curiosity and embrace diverse networks by discussing with cross-industry experts.
- Equip you with the tools to embrace failure and create bold new ideas.
- Identify opportunities for value creation and market synergies through disruptive strategies.
If you are ready to transform your ideas into groundbreaking innovations, don’t miss out on Xebia's exclusive Innovation Workshop. Learn how to step forward, innovate boldly, and be the one to drive meaningful change. Contact us now!
References
Beaty, R. E., Kenett, Y. N., Christensen, A. P., Rosenberg, M. D., Benedek, M., Chen, Q., Fink, A., Qiu, J., Kwapil, T. R., Kane, M. J., & Silvia, P. J. (2018) Robust prediction of individual creative ability from brain functional connectivity, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 115(5) 1087-1092, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1713532115
Christoff, K., & Fox, K. C. R. (2018). Spontaneous Thought and Creativity: Dynamic interactions between brain networks. In K. C. R. Fox & K. Christoff (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Spontaneous Thought. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/38694/chapter/336054896
Christensen, C. M., Dyer, J., & Gregersen, H. (2009). The Innovator’s DNA. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2009/12/the-innovators-dna
Cross, R., & Parker, A. (2004). Charged Up: Creating Energy in Organizations. Journal of Organizational Excellence, 23(4): 3-14. https://doi.org/10.1002/npr.20021
Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Dyer, J. H., Gregersen, H. B., & Christensen, C. (2008). Entrepreneur behaviors, opportunity recognition, and the origins of innovative ventures. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 2(4), 317–338. https://doi.org/10.1002/sej.59
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Journal of Business Venturing. (2013). Associative thinking and entrepreneurial innovation: A behavioral approach. https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-business-venturing
MIT Sloan Management Review. (2020). Want To Make Better Decisions? Start Experimenting. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/want-to-make-better-decisions-start-experimenting/
Poincaré, H. (2019). The foundations of science: Science and hypothesis, the value of science, science and method. Good Press.
Simonton, D. K. (2003). Scientific creativity as constrained stochastic behavior: the integration of product, person, and process perspectives. Psychological bulletin, 129(4), p.475.
Wang, J., Cheng, G. H. -L., Chen, T., & Leung, K. (2019). Team creativity/innovation in culturally diverse teams: A meta‐analysis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40(6), 693–708. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2362
Woolley, K., & Fishbach, A. (2017). Leaving your comfort zone inspires motivation, growth. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2022/03/leaving-your-comfort-zone-inspires-motivation-growth
Yerkes, R. M., & Dodson, J. D. (1908). The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit-formation. Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 18(5), 459-482.