4 Lessons Simone Biles, Ryan Lochte and Derek Drouin can teach us on Innovation

Have you ever been told, “This is the way we always do things around here.” or “Don’t rock the boat.”?

This month in Rio, 3 world-class athletes show the world why doing things differently has made them the best in their class and here are 4 lessons they can teach us on Innovation.

#1 Be willing to defy conventional wisdom

Innovation or a new way of doing things sets off waves of anxiety in traditional organizations because newness is associated with risk.

Large organizations and human beings who run them much rather continue their slow but inevitable descent into obsolescence than try something risky.

Simone Biles is a shining example of an amazing athlete who does gymnastic maneuvers that no one else even attempts. These moves are so unique and spectacular that experts have dubbed them as “The Biles”.

Derek Drouin and Ryan Lochte have also become the greatest athletes by defying all conventional norms.

While other high jumpers run fast, Drouin runs slow and this allows him to have better control over his takeoff.

Lochte who competes in the men’s freestyle relay continues swimming on his back and goes deep while the other swimmers turn over and surface immediately.

#2 Play to your strengths. Always.

I often get asked “What are other companies doing?” Everyone wants to learn best practices from other companies and here’s my typical response, “Imitating what others are doing is not going to give you an advantage.” The key to success is to innovate based on your core strengths.

Imitating others is the best way to fail because you don’t have the same strengths (and weaknesses) that others do.

Lochte says that he always knew he was better kicking on his back than on his stomach. This works well for men’s freestyle where swimmers can use any style of swimming. His technique allows him to “slingshot” past other swimmers.

David Marsh, Lochte’s coach says, “Here we are, 100 years into swimming freestyle and he (Ryan) has found a new way to swim freestyle.” He goes on to say that Lochte is probably the fastest swimmer on his back in the world.

On the other hand, Drouin has exploited his seeming weakness to become the world champion in Men’s High Jump category.

Unlike Lochte, Drouin is very inflexible and his coach Jeff Huntoon says “..which is inherent to the way he jumps.”

His rigidity gives Drouin an advantage by saving energy when he’s getting ready for his jump.

#3 Adapt constantly

Innovation and the path to excellence is not a one-time deal. To be truly exceptional, you have to consciously and constantly reinvent yourself.

Biles’ coach, Aimee Boorman says it takes Biles 3 days to achieve a new skill while for many athletes, it takes them years.

For veterans like Lochte, his new technique is a huge advantage in this highly competitive sport. He says, “I just find ways that I am good at and make myself even better.”

Adopting new ways of doing things and innovating constantly can give even the most hard-core legacy organizations an edge in highly competitive markets.

#4 Ignore the competition

“At this point in time, nobody can beat Simone Biles,” said Nastia Liukin, 2008 Olympic gold medalist.

True innovators are in a class of their own.

Liukin goes on to say the typical difference between first and second place is fraction of a point but Biles goes out and wins by 1–2 points.

For many folks, success means being slightly better than the person next to them. Which means if you are surrounded by mediocrity then you’re just a slightly less mediocre version of everyone around you.

Innovators and folks who strive for excellence didn’t achieve success by aiming for lowest bar or gazing at their competition.

These athletes compete only against themselves and get better every day. That’s the hallmark of a true innovator.

Image source: http://www.gym-style.com/simonebiles

About the author: Mia Dand is a data-driven marketing leader and CEO of Lighthouse3.com, a market research and strategy consulting firm, who helps F1000 companies innovate at scale in the digital and social media space. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or tweet her @MiaD