Who are the innovators among you? Look around; you have more than you think.

You have undoubtedly used personality, aptitude, emotional intelligence (EQ) and skills assessments, yet to create and sustain the most effective and impactful job fit and performance, it’s essential first to determine how someone most naturally and comfortably performs at work.

We are primarily wired and behave as a leader, a learner, an innovator, a manager or a promoter. The focus is usually on leaders and promoters, sometimes on managers, but rarely on learners and innovators. Let’s take a look at innovators in 3D — that is, in their three most critical dimensions: different, daring and disruptive.

Different

Innovators think, feel and act differently than most of their co-workers in ways that vary depending on their personality, capability and job description. They do not mind standing out in the crowd. They do not accept the status quo or how a problem is defined. Innovators are governed by their philosophical approach to organization (or disorganization) and look at the big picture as a background for examining the details.

If someone says, “We have always used red for that product in the past,” the innovator will ask, “Why red?” and consider every other color before agreeing to red — if he or she agrees at all. Being different can be interesting and rewarding, and it invigorates the innovator.

Daring

Daring is the primary emotion that drives innovators. They are not shy or afraid to fail, and they are motivated by engaging the chaos. They are more willing to push the envelope and take unexpected risks, with an underlying mantra of “daring to be great” — or at least daring to solve a problem. Innovators are naturally confident and optimistic, and they encourage the group to venture into new territory and seek new possibilities. They express their originality by restlessly imagining, creating, experimenting and testing.

When the innovator proclaims that orange would be a better color than red, they realize and welcome that they are in for a lively discussion. People are attracted to individuals who are bold and courageous, even if it makes them uncomfortable.

Disruptive

Innovators can be obsessive “what-if” people and can irritate others. They spar and challenge to the point of being abrasive and irreverent, and their intellectual freedom is more important than group harmony.

When the innovator asserts that orange is a more effective color than red, it disrupts the group. Innovators are persistent, and teams and companies that are persistently disrupted are more likely to succeed in our ever-changing world. Healthy friction leads to dynamic group interactions. Duke it out, and let the best idea win, no matter the consternation, frustration or unease.

Innovators are often hiding in plain sight. They are critical to any team and company, because they use creativity to significantly improve performance. Discover your innovators, and then develop them in three simple ways:

• Create an informal environment where innovators can freely express themselves without concern of reprisal or other negative consequences.
• Make “What if?” part of meeting agendas so that the innovators in the room can meaningfully participate early and often.
• Routinely acknowledge and reward innovators for their ideas, especially the ones that are accepted and improve processes, products and profits.