Practical Tips on Innovation

8/6/2019 Practical Tips on Innovation

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Organizations will engage everyone at all levels in the process of identifying their definition of a

culture of innovation. What makes it an innovation culture? What is needed to create it? And what

risks must be understood and managed in order to create the engine to drive innovations? One of the

initiatives some organizations are beginning to undertake is to create teams to delve deeply into these

questions. They are recognizing that this is not merely a management imperative, rather, it is a

cultural change that requires the on-going input at all levels within their organization.

Organizations that begin re-shaping their cultures around innovation will become focused on both

theirs and their customer's needs and opportunities. They will achieve and maintain profitable

operations. These organizations will be constantly looking for ways to reinvent themselves and

constantly introducing new varieties and generations of products and services. They will constantly be

working on the environment which encourages the development of innovations.

4. Organizations will focus on longer-term strategies required to support a

culture of innovation.

Organizations often struggle with the on-going trade-off debate between growth and earnings, short

and long-term goals, etc. They spend too much time discussing how to cut costs in order to meet

monthly revenue targets and too little time talking about the longer-term opportunities and how the

short-term decisions are likely to impact these.

Organizations that are focused on the strategy of innovation are starting to realize that their growth

will be better met if they focus on the longer term objectives of innovation and customer focus.

5. Organizations will re-shape their values and principles to ensure they

support a culture of innovation.

Many organizations have clearly articulated values and principles. They sit on posters and on

employee's desks. But these organizations don't really know whether or not these are the "right"values and principles. Nor are they certain whether or not their leaders and staff act and behave in a

manner which embodies these values and principles.

As organizations re-shape their cultures to support innovation they will also re-examine their values

and principles to ensure these are the "right" values and principles that correctly reflect the 'new"

culture. They will add to each value and principle clear behavioral descriptions. These will identify the

actions and disciplines everyone will demonstrate to show their on-going understanding and

embodiment of these values and principles. Then everyone will know whether or not their

communications, reactions, actions, etc. are in keeping with or contrary to the values and principles.

Organizations in the future will alter their hiring practices to ensure that they hire the type of staff

who can live these values and principles because they align with their own principles. Through these

efforts they will know their values and principles are contributing to the fostering of a culture of

innovation.

6. Organizations will create clear processes for innovation.

Innovation doesn't just happen. It must be everyone's responsibility. There has to be no constraints.

There are so many models of great organizations that reached this level and continue to evolve. Think



of W.L. Gore, Google, Honda, and Apple to name a few.

Many of the world's most successful innovators, from Thomas Edison to choreographer Twyla Tharp,

concede that innovation cannot be forced, but it can be developed. That is, we can enhance our

capacity to generate ideas, innovations, and adopt what Tharp calls the "creative habit." Developing

the understanding and practice of these creative habits is the foundation for a contemporary processthat fosters innovation in the workplace.

Organizations are beginning to recognize the innovation is a collaborative process where people from

various disciplines within the organizations come together to generate innovations and to take these

from vision to reality. The innovation process will be taught and incorporated into everything that

everyone does. Many organizations will begin to set aside time for their staff to innovation. Google and

Microsoft do this. It is part of their culture. It is expected that everyone spends time not only on their

job, but that they devote time to innovate.

The process that organizations will be implementing ensure that everyone knows how to work in a

diverse team, accept conflicts as mere differences of opinion, understand how to capture innovations,

generate alternatives, research possibilities and create the actions needed to bring them these to

reality. It doesn't just happen. It is a process.

7. Organizations will recognize the impact of generational differences in the

creation of innovations.

Part of creating a culture which supports innovation is to understand the generational differences so

apparent in our organizations today. At no time in our history have we seen so many different

generations working alongside each other. It affects our culture, our work environment, our work

relationships and consequently, the innovation process. Why? Because each generation has different

approaches to working individually vs. collaboratively, how they generate ideas and so on. Not to

suggest that there is only one way or preferred way; rather, to be aware of how to use an

understanding of these generational differences to build the innovation culture.

The development of a culture of innovation in our organizations now considers not only the existing

organizational culture but the generational differences as well. Recognizing these factors will ensure

organizations create the right environment that fits into the uniqueness of their organization.

Concluding Remarks

Many of you will read these trends and believe that you are not "senior" enough in your respective

organizations to ensure these trends are effectively implemented in your organizations. This is not at

all true. One of the great strengths of leaders is their ability to use influence and critical thinking skills

to bring about positive change. Each of us can choose to be either a leader or a follower. We must

decide. Our organization's future may depend upon the right decisions being made today. Hopefully,

knowledge of these trends will help you stay ahead of your competitors and help you contribute to

your organization's future success.



Paul Kerr has been involved in business for more than 28 years, including more than 20 years in

consulting and training. He is a principal at leadership training and consulting firm Skills for

Excellence.

One of most frustrating challenges facing business leaders today is closing what is commonly known

as the execution gap (or sometimes the strategy gap). The execution gap is a perceived gap betweena company¶s strategies and expectations and its ability to meet those goals and put ideas into action.

Due to the complexity of people, businesses, and the societal constructs in which we operate, it is

more difficult than it might seem at first glance to close this gap. A survey in 2007 found that 49% of

business leaders perceived a gap between strategy and execution; 64% lacked confidence in their

company¶s ability to narrow it.

However, there are some simple rules for closing the execution gap.

1. Clearly Define the Desired End Result

A big problem with going from idea to implementation is simply a lack of clearly defined vision and

goals. Leaders who cannot define what they want accomplished can hardly expect others to

understand their strategy and participate in their projects with any level of meaningful contribution.

Fuzzy definitions will produce fuzzy results, if any at all. The more specifically you can define your

expectations, the better it will allow employees to wrap their minds around what they¶re supposed to

be working toward. Without this clarity, they will often end up stumbling around in the metaphorical

dark, trying to divine what the leaders really want instead of accomplishing it.

2. Concisely Articulate the Why

Since leaders need the effort of others, they must be able to effectively communicate to them what

they want done and, more importantly, why they want to do it. Clear and concise communication is

vitally important because employees are more likely to disappoint if they don¶t understand what you

expect.

Furthermore, explaining the why behind strategic decisions gives employees a deeper understanding

of how their knowledge and work will be a contribution to the larger whole. Without this understanding

it is easy for them to feel isolated instead of feeling like actively engaged participants in a meaningful

enterprise.

3. Acknowledge Ignorance and Acquire Necessary Knowledge

To make sure strategies get put into motion, you must make sure you have the knowledge and skills

to manage the project.

With adequate self-awareness, leaders can honestly assess if they have the necessary working

knowledge for their roles. There are educational resources to make up for any shortcomings (with the

added caveat that ultimately leaders cannot know everything and to pretend otherwise is egotistical

folly; hire good people if you are not the best fit to manage).



4. Assemble a Quality Leadership Team

Some might argue that this should be the first item, and I would not dismiss this position out of hand.

There are overlapping activities that somewhat simultaneously occur. However for an executive team

to be in a room collaboratively developing a strategy requires that someone initiate it and determine

who to invite in the first place. And typically this process begins with an idea from the initiator as itsstarting point regardless of how it might develop from there.

You should aim to build a highly qualified team that can honestly pick apart your strategies from all

angles. Allow your team to poke holes in your ideas as you debate and deliberate together. Finding

weak spots prior to implementation will help close the execution gap.

5. Closely Monitor Progress

Implementing any strategy involves meetings to discuss the various projects and programs that will

be required. But all too often, meetings end with task assignments that are not accomplished on the

agreed time line. This is anathema to closing the execution gap, and the executive leadership teamshould ensure project leaders are acutely aware that this practice is not acceptable. Those under their

purview should be expected to perform and be held accountable for the results.

On the other hand, nobody likes to be micromanaged and thus monitoring progress should be done

with an understanding that people need to be given a certain latitude in order to be productive. Wise

leaders are able to find the fine balance of exercising reasonable accountability while still allowing

enough breathing room for employees to do their best work.

6. Listen Intently to Feedback

Since leaders and their teams are not omniscient, there is no way for them to know every possible

eventuality in advance. Even after all the worst-case scenarios are discussed and back up plans are

put in place, something will likely arise that was not anticipated and that threatens to derail or delay

the implementation process.

Therefore, leaders must listen to feedback from all of their employees (and also from customers, when

appropriate). You cannot afford to be insular and surrounded by yes-men who refuse to tell you the

naked truth about the problems as they occur. Simple, solvable problems can quickly escalate if they

are not nipped in the bud.

7. Be Flexible (Within Reason)

Because implementation often reveals unanticipated problems or issues, changes must often be made

on the fly. With a stream of accurate and timely information being sent your way from project

managers, adjustments can be made to move the implementation process forward, even in the face of

unexpected difficulties. But there should be a limit to how many adjustments are acceptable, since

typically additional resources will be used for each one that becomes necessary.



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Practical Tips on Innovation