There are hundreds (thousands?) of sources that provide complicated, usually stale answers to this question.

Long ago, Oliver Wendell Holmes said he didn’t care a fig for simplicity on this side of complexity but would give his life for simplicity on the other side of complexity.

The last time I counted, I have read and reviewed more than 200 books that discuss one or more dimensions of innovation and read an equal number of articles in major business journals, including HBR and McKinsey Quarterly.

Let’s get to the other side of complexity: There is near-unanimous agreement among the experts that an innovation is an improvement.

It could be an improvement of an idea or concept, a product or service, a strategy or tactic, a process or sequence…you get the idea.

The Japanese word kaizen means “continuous improvement.” The Toyota Motor Corporation designed and installed a production system that was a vast improvement over all others; more to the point, it is improved every day.

I agree with David and Tom Kelley that anyone can become more innovative. I agree with Clay Christensen that, with rare exception, innovations are the result of collaboration.

And I agree with Henry Ford: If you think you can or think you can’t become more innovative, you’re probably right.