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3/17/2008

On Innovation & Change Agents

Best conference swagI’ve been doing a lot of preparation work lately for a track that I’m moderating on Innovation at CIL in April. In thinking about the topic and what it means to libraries, it occurs to me that we kick around the word of innovation a lot, but for the most part it typically means just one thing … “change.”

In looking at the four stages of innovation (creativity, strategy, implementation & profitability) the stage that I see librarians (especially those that are frustrated by slow change) having the most difficulty with is “strategy.” There are a lot of great ideas out there and energy to implement them, but what’s missing is a smart strategy to move ideas into reality. It’s hard to sell vision and ideas to management on paper and even harder when the idea is put forth as a “permission” item. Instead “vision” needs the enthusiasm from the “visionary” (idea generator) and images for people to grasp. And if you want to provide leadership for your ideas, then you need to show your potential as leader by asking not for "permission", but for “support.”

Bottom line, without a firm grasp on the “strategy” phase of innovation, it’s hard to be a “change agent”

Note: Cross posted at ULC's 2020Foresight

PS: If this subject interests you, be sure join me for the Innovation & Change track at CIL next month.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good post. I'd also add that you have to be willing and ready to put in the time to make it happen too not just identify something that needs changing or proposing an idea and then sitting back perplexed that "Management" didn't run with it.

Cat Herself said...

I love this topic, and would really love to join you at CIL - think CML needs more representation there?

naDdEy said...

ive some problem with this topic..
anyone out there would like to help me with this studies,u can email me at saintnaddey@yahoo.com
tQ..