Innovation refers to new ways of doing things, whether incremental or radical. The goal of innovation is positive change and increased productivity, which leads to economic growth. For businesses, innovation can improve performance, growth, efficiency and competitive positioning. Key skills for innovation include association, questioning, close observation, experimentation and networking. Association, or making connections, is especially important as it is how new ideas are formed by linking problems, ideas and people. Various elements like poor leadership or communication can hinder innovation within an organization. Innovation often involves risk, so maintaining balance between innovation types and common sense is challenging.